Higher Education
How to stand out in a competitive admissions environment
With limited places available at public universities, planning is essential. Start early by doing your homework on the different institutions and their programme offerings. This includes getting clarity on the various universities’ admission and selection requirements, application deadlines, and programme-specific selection criteria.
At SU, applications open on 1 April and close at the end of July each year. We strongly encourage early submissions, as this not only demonstrates commitment, but also allows sufficient time to prepare all necessary documents. To be considered for a programme, applicants need to meet the minimum entry requirements. At the same time, however, they should familiarise themselves with the specific faculty guidelines to understand exactly how selection will take place. While academic results remain a key consideration, qualities such as leadership, community involvement and extracurricular achievements can significantly enhance an application.
Students are encouraged to apply for more than one degree programme. SU applicants may list up to three programme choices, thereby increasing their chances of admission while also showing flexibility in academic and career planning.
When your first choice falls through
Not being accepted for one’ s preferred programme can be discouraging, but don’ t worry, it ' s not the end of the road. Applicants to SU are urged to explore related or alternative fields that align with their interests and strengths. For instance, a student who is interested in Medicine but falls short of the required threshold might consider programmes such as Health Sciences, Biomedical Mathematical Sciences, Applied Medicinal Chemistry, Bioinformatics, or Psychology, depending on their academic background.
Aligning your studies with what the market needs
In today’ s evolving job market, many students and families are focused on employability, and rightly so! While traditional fields such as law, medicine and engineering remain popular, the emerging sectors of data science, environmental sustainability, renewable energy, and agriculture, as well as the creative industries, are gaining ground.
To keep pace with local and global trends, SU faculties regularly review and update their curricula, ensuring that programmes deliver the type of graduates that employers are looking for. The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, for instance, offers programmes in Actuarial Science, Financial Planning, Entrepreneurship, and Industrial Psychology, all of which offer strong career prospects.
Moreover, interdisciplinary studies are on the rise. Students are looking for flexible learning pathways that would allow them to combine their passions with practical skills. Programmes in fields such as Sustainable Agriculture and Data Science are good examples of these evolving options.
Another critical factor that should guide academic and career choices is South Africa’ s scarce-skills list. It includes fields such as Information Communications Technology( ICT) and software development, education( particularly in science, technology, engineering and mathematical subjects), engineering, health sciences, and certain areas of study within finance and agriculture. Students who align their studies with these high-demand sectors not only boost their employability, but also contribute meaningfully to the country’ s socioeconomic development.
Ultimately, a thoughtful balance between passion and practicality is what will give new entrants to the job market the edge. Wellinformed decisions based on interests and strengths as well as market demands often lead to both personal fulfilment and professional success.
Another pathway is to get started with a diploma or extended degree at a university of technology or a technical and vocational education and training( TVET) college, and later apply to transfer into a degree programme. Many graduates have successfully followed such non-linear academic routes.
Continuous learning is also key. Taking short courses, participating in internships or even volunteering can help build valuable skills and improve the chance of success with future applications.
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