University of Witwatersrand WITS Postgraduate Application 2025-2026

• Find an academic programme.
• Applications are handled centrally by the Student Enrolment Centre.
• Before applying, PhD/Masters by Dissertation applicants should contact the school concerned to identify a suitable supervisor for their intended studies.
• Applicants are encouraged to apply online. An application guideline is available here.
• No more than two choices of degree and/or diploma are permitted.
• Please take note of closing dates, admissions requirements and general regulations.
• All postgraduate applicants are required to pay an application fee of R200. Current University of the Witwatersrand students who apply online are not liable for this fee.The Application Fee Account details are as follows:Wits University Application Fees
  Standard Bank
  Current Account
  Account number:  200 346 385
  Branch:  Braamfontein
  Swift Code:  SBZAZAJJ

  Please quote your Person Number when making payment as your Reference

• Certain programmes require additional departmental forms (listed on your to do list of the online application). Please complete and submit within the time frames for submission. Applications that remain incomplete are withdrawn by the University.
• All uploaded academic qualifications, and other official documents, must have been certified within the last 3 months. Copies of all academic qualifications you were registered for are required.
• Applicants who are requested to provide an Academic Transcript and Degree Certificate are reminded that we require these documents for all tertiary qualifications. Credit certificates or statement of results are not acceptable. Applicants who are currently studying are required to upload their Final Academic Record only once their final results become available towards the end of the academic year.
• Once your application is complete in terms of the requested documentation, it is referred to the relevant School for assessment.
• Each application is considered individually. There is no set time frame as to when decisions will be made, however, most schools will make a final decision at the end the academic year or the beginning of the new academic calendar
• If you need to amend your application, please click here.

• Monitor the progress of your applications via the Self-Service Portal.
• All communication that is generated as part of your application is sent to you via e-mail and can also be found on the Self Service Portal (Main Menu-Self-Service-Wits Student Self-Service –Communication). No correspondence is posted.
• Selections for programmes that have a limited intake but attract a large number of applications may only finalise the application at the end of the academic year when all applications have closed.

Queries: Contact the Student Call Centre +27 (0) 11 717 1888

For information about fees, please click here.

Postgraduate funding options include:

Postgraduate Merit Award and Honours to PHD 5 year Scholarship

A Postgraduate Merit Award is available to assist graduates to complete their Honours, Masters and PHD degree on a full-time or part-time basis. The Honours to PHD 5 year Scholarship is available to assist full-time honours students who intend on pursuing a Masters degree and PHD degree. These awards are for students with an excellent academic record. There are terms and conditions as well as criteria for this award. Students may apply online on the Wits student self-service portal before receiving an outcome for the admission application.

The application closing dates are:

• January and April registration – 31st of October
• July and September registration – 30th April

National Research Foundation (NRF)

The NRF offers Scholarships for Honours, Masters and PHD. The Free-standing, Innovation and Scarce Skills NRF scholarships are offered to full – time students who are South African citizens and permanent residents. A small percentage is awarded to non- SA citizens. Students may apply online.

NRF Square Kilometre Array ( SKA)

The NRF SKA Scholarship is available for South African citizens who wish to study an Honours, Masters or PHD degree majoring in Astronomy and or Astrophysics. Students may apply online.

Mandela Rhodes Scholarship

The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship is available for full-time students who are citizens of African countries. Registered Wits students studying towards an Honours or Masters Degrees under the age of 30 years old may apply online at www.mandelarhodes.org

Donations Discretionary Fund

Students who have not been able to obtain funding for the year may apply for the Donations Discretionary fund on the student self-service portal. Your application will be added to a database which will be used to pair students that match donor criteria should the University receive such funding. Please note that this is not guaranteed funding.

For more information on funding options, please visit the Financial Aid and Scholarships website.

Before being permitted to register at Wits, international students are required to show proof of:

• A valid study visa
• South African medical aid cover
• English proficiency

For more information about the above, tution and registration fees, and other requirements, please visit the International website.

Out-of-seat registration

International Masters (Research) and PhD students based outside of South Africa (out-of-seat) are permitted to register either on a full-time or a part-time basis whilst conducting research outside of South Africa. In terms of Immigration Directive 31 of 2008, any foreigner who intends to be part of a systematic investigation and study of material, sources, do research into or for e.g. an institute etc., in order to establish facts or research conclusions may upon application be issued with a Visitor’s permit in terms of section 11(1)(b)(ii)(cc) of the Act. Students registering in this category must provide:

• Confirmation of acceptance
• Letter from the Faculty confirming out-ofseat registration
• The Visitor’s Visa to be applied for when visiting South Africa
• Medical aid NOT required. It is recommended that travel insurance be purchased for the duration of the stay in South Africa.

Unfortunately our residences have limited capacity. Applicants over the age of 25 years are not normally accommodated in catering residences. Accommodation in self-catering residences is normally restricted to undergraduate and Honours students under the age of 35 years, and Masters and Doctoral students under the age of 40. Part-time and occasional students are not eligible for University accommodation.

Postgraduate applicants wishing to apply for accommodation in a University residence with effect from the beginning of the academic year (ie January/February) must submit their formal residence application on the prescribed application form by 31 November of the previous year. Unfortunately late applications cannot be accepted.

The Accommodation Officer at the Central Accommodation Office may be contacted for information regarding private accommodation in Johannesburg and its environs. Telephone: +27 (0)11 717-9172/3/4. Fax: +27 (0)11 339-8213.

NB: Residences open in early February and close in late November. There is a separate (advance) fee for accommodation in December and January.

For more information, please visit our website.

Your faculty office is responsible for the administrative aspects of each faculty. One of the main functions of the faculty office is to advise students, particularly with respect to the interpretation of rules and concessions in terms of the rules. In addition, the following documents may be obtained from the faculty office:

• Academic record i.e transcript of courses completed at the University and certificates of conduct. A student requiring a transcript of his/her academic record should complete a request form at the faculty office, giving details of his/her registration at the University and student number. A transcript is normally available within five days. A small fee is payable. A student who requires the faculty office to post transcripts direct to other universities or institutions overseas is liable for the cost of postage.
• Copies of examination results, where applicable. All examination results are posted on the intranet after publication. Results may not be given out over the telephone.
• Copies of rules, curricula, syllabuses.
• Certificates stating that a student has fulfilled all the requirements for a degree (prior to graduation)
• Amendments to registration of courses, programmes and de-registration
• Certificates of registration can be obtained from the Student-Self–Service portal

Contact details

General enquiries

Tel: +27 (0)11 717 1000

Admission enquiries

Tel: +27 (0)11 717 1888