Many parents feel left out of their child's university application. The process happens on websites and phones, it is full of terms like APS and NSFAS, and if you never applied to university yourself, it can feel like it belongs to someone else. It does not. There are things only a parent or guardian can do, and without them, applications get stuck.

You do not need to understand everything. You need to know your part, and when it is due.

The six things only you can do

  1. Provide your documents. Applications and NSFAS ask for certified copies of the parents' or guardians' IDs. Keep a few certified copies ready; certification is free at a police station.
  2. Prove the household income. NSFAS and most bursaries ask for proof of income: payslips, a pension or SASSA letter, or an affidavit if nobody in the household earns a salary. If you are unemployed, that is not a problem, but it must be declared properly.
  3. Sign the consent forms. NSFAS asks parents or guardians to sign a consent form allowing it to check household information. It is the form most often forgotten, and a missing signature can stop an application. Our NSFAS guide lists every document.
  4. Agree on a budget. Applications cost money: most universities charge an application fee, and accepting a place in residence usually needs a deposit. Decide early how much the family can spend, so your child applies where it counts.
  5. Help choose, not decide. Ask what your child enjoys, which subjects they are strongest in, and what work they picture themselves doing. Then look at what their marks open. Courses chosen to please a parent are the ones students most often drop.
  6. Keep the dates. Put the closing dates on the fridge or in your phone. A reminder from home has saved many applications.

A calendar for the Grade 12 year

  • February to March: your child checks their APS with their Grade 11 results and makes a shortlist of courses and institutions.
  • April to June: most universities open applications for the next year. Apply early; some popular programmes close in June or July.
  • June to September: bursary season. Many company bursaries close before the final exams.
  • September to November: NSFAS applications open, usually in September, and close in October or November. Have your documents and consent form ready on the first day.
  • October to November: final exams. Applications should already be done; this is study time.
  • January: results come out, offers are confirmed, and residence places are accepted. Respond to offers by their deadlines.

Exact dates change every year, so always check them on each institution's own website. Scenda tracks the verified closing dates for you.

What it costs, roughly

  • Application fees: many universities charge a fee per application, and some waive it for certain learners. Applying to three or four institutions is sensible; applying to ten usually is not.
  • Residence deposits: usually paid when a place is accepted.
  • Transport and data: for documents, certification and online forms.

NSFAS covers tuition and allowances for qualifying students once they are registered, but it does not pay application fees.

Watch out for people taking advantage

Applications season brings scammers. Be careful of anyone who:

  • promises a "guaranteed" place at a university, or claims to have "connections"
  • asks for money to apply to NSFAS. Applying to NSFAS is free.
  • asks for your bank PIN, passwords or one-time codes
  • contacts you from a personal number claiming to be an institution

Universities make admission decisions themselves. Nobody can buy a place.

How Scenda helps families

Scenda was built for families where nobody has applied before. Your child fills in one profile, and a Scenda specialist prepares and submits up to five university or college applications, three bursary applications, two accommodation applications and the NSFAS application. A person checks every application before it is sent, and you can follow progress with your child.

The package is R649.90 once-off for all eleven applications; institutions' own application fees are paid separately. Your child can send you the payment link on WhatsApp, so you pay from your own phone.

Start with the free APS checker to see what your child's marks open, then create a profile together.