Question NW761 to the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

INSTITUTION

Number of students who owe university fees

Number of students who Cannot graduate and/or receive their certificates because they owe university fees

Stellenbosch University (SU)

9 615 students as at Dec 2023

522 students with fees owing did not receive their graduation certificates at the Dec 2023 graduation ceremony.

Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)

63829

25534 students

Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)

35819 Registered students owe the university fees

 38 809 Non-registered students owe the university fees

We are in the process of checking the graduation lists.

If we look at the outstanding balances of graduates at year end it amounts to 5728 students who owe the university and will not receive their certificates. The number of students who will not receive their certificates will decrease as we identify subsequent payments received in 2024.

University of Western Cape (UWC)

At UWC, 307 students completed with 2023 debt, total debt outstanding is R 19 720 786.

976 students completed with prior years debt, total amount outstanding is R 25 535 509

The two data sets only refer to April 2023 and April 2024 graduation ceremonies.

UWC has a symbolic graduation process whereby if students complete an acknowledgement of debt they are allowed to attend graduation.

Certificates are not released if the completed student has an outstanding balance relating to the completed program, however they do receive a letter of completion.

Nelson Mandela University (NMU)

The total number of students owing the university as at 31 March 2024 are 40839

Students who cannot receive their certificates are 5766  

[Please note:  Our students can still graduate, all students receive letters of completion whist the certificates are withheld from those students who have student debt, furthermore,  results are shared with potential employers if required.]

North-West University (NWU)

• Number of students with historic/2023 outstanding balances: 7,916

• Number of students with historic/2023 outstanding balances & balances for 2024: 58,711

NWU TOTAL: 593.  Please note that we are currently occupied with the autumn graduation ceremonies, and the number of students unable to receive their certificates due to outstanding debt to the institution is expected to increase.

University of Venda (UNIVEN)

University of Venda debtors book has more than 21896 students that owe the university. Total debt owed is as at 31 December 2023 is R623 million.

All eligible students will graduate, and the number is 2,157. Of the 2,157 graduands, 1,402 (65%) will receive their certificates as their accounts have been fully settled, or they are NSFAS beneficiaries. The 546 NSFAS beneficiaries will receive their certificates on the strength of expected payment from NSFAS.

University of Pretoria (UP)

The UP has 1 327 degrees in safe keeping, the debt amounts to R 47 535 911.21

University of Cape Town (UCT)

The 332 students will not graduate or receive certificates while owing but will get a letter of completion.

University of Free State (UFS)

At 4 April 2024, 39 974 students owe the University of the Free State fees amounting to R850 594 791.  This include tuition and other fees payable relating to prior years, as well as 2024.

887 students.

University of the Witwatersrand (WITS)

1. As at 31 March 2024 Wits has a total Student Fee Debt Balance of R3 503 849 692 for a total 55 199 students.

Included in the balances above are amounts owed by NSFAS where the close out process has not been finalised.

As at 12 April 2024 Wits has a total of 4557 students that are unable to graduate and receive a graduation certificate with a total debt value of R298 744 877.61. Included in this number are students who were funded by NSFAS at some point in their academic career, and who owe funds in their personal capacity. The number of Students in this category are 368 students with a total debt value of R29 155 637.64.

This covers the academic years 2017 to 2023.

In conclusion, The University has a principle and practice to allow the students who are solely NSFAS funded to graduate, which is a practice that has been done in good faith with an understanding that NSFAS will settle the debt upon the finalisation of the respective close-out reports.

University of Zululand (UNIZULU)

Number of students owing fees = 22 980

All students at UNIZULU who are eligible to graduate are able to graduate and walk over the stage. Those that owe will receive a letter instead of their certificate. The letter confirms their graduation and invites prospective employers to confirm this directly with the University. The number of students at the end of 2023 that were in this position were 5 967 in total. Some 3 223 students will graduate in 2024 and most of them would have paid up fees as most of them would have been NSFAS funded.

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)

These figures are as at 31 Dec 2023,

SMU is slightly lenient, it allows students to graduate even if they have outstanding balances.

A total number of 3870 is still withheld.

Walter Sisulu University (WSU)

 Students can graduate but will not receive certificate.

University of Johannesburg (UJ)

As of December 2023, the university had a total of 33 333 students with outstanding debt.

The number is made up of the following group of students:

Registered in 2023 – 14 537.

Not registered as of 2023 – 18 796.

The number of students who were registered in 2023 and owed the university, excludes the NSFAS and Bursary-funded students.

Below is the breakdown of students who graduated but owed the university fees:

2021 Graduates – 2 688.

2022 Graduates – 2 583.

2023 Graduates – 2 602.

Students are invited to the graduation ceremonies and get their transcript showing that they have completed the qualification. The certificate is retained until the outstanding fees are settled. UJ provide confirmation of completed studies to prospective employees upon request, thereby allowing students to enter employment.

University of Mpumalanga (UMP)

Owe university fees=4397 (as at 17 April 2024)

Cannot graduate and/or receive their certificates because they owe university fees= 405

Please be reminded that our students will graduate but will not receive certificates.

University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN)

Of the students who completed their qualification in 2023, there are ±4,760 students who currently owe the University fees for 2023 and prior.

Every graduate is allowed to graduate and is entitled to an official academic record/transcript on application and an official letter confirming ‘Degree Complete’, again on application and payment of the a fee. On settlement of fees outstanding and the requisite ‘fee clearance’, a graduate can formally request to be issued with their withheld degree/diploma certificate(s).

DUT

NB: All students owing fees at DUT are allowed to graduate upon receipt of completion letters which state compliance with requirements of the qualification. However, certificates are not issued to this cohort until fees have been settled. Prospective employers may contact the university to verify completion of qualifications.

Sol Plaatje University (SPU)

5213 students owe the University a total of R151 733 467.11, where the individual amounts exceed R1000.00.

Sol Plaatje University does not withhold qualification/graduation certificates where graduates have outstanding fees.