Among these was a concern about students who were found sleeping on couches and mattresses in a pause area of one of the on-campus residences. Temporary accommodation has been provided to the students.
Registration
A total of 31 074 out of just over 34 000 students have successfully registered for the 2026 academic year. To date, 8523 first time entering students have registered which is just over the approved enrolment of 8500 first time entering students for 2026. Nearly 90% of the overall student population of Mandela University have successfully registered.
A number of students who sat for re-examinations are awaiting the decision by the National Students Financial Aid (NSFAS) regarding their funding statuses. Others are working on raising the necessary funding for their studies and accommodation. These factors tend to contribute to raised levels of anxiety.
The following is an update on progress made regarding student access in 2026.
Financial Aid
To date, 30 866 students have been approved and cleared by NSFAS for 2026. As of 16 February, 20 350 NSFAS-funded students have registered for 2026 academic year. The University has received 6 997 concession applications of which 2 785 have been approved. To date, 113 concession appeals have been approved following review.
Student Accommodation
The University received 22 763 residence applications for the 2026 academic year. There are 5 238 on-campus residence beds available. A total of 4 226 students have registered for on-campus accommodation.
The University has accredited 6 033 off-campus beds. There are 17 876 NSFAS-accredited off-campus beds available.
Accommodation outside campus is operated by private owners who are service providers to NSFAS.
Affordability vs Availability
The challenge is not the availability of accommodation. There is sufficient student accommodation both on- and off-campus to cater for the demand. The primary constraint is affordability, as some students do not yet have secured funding for accommodation.
Capacity Constraints
The University cannot accommodate students beyond available bed capacity. This is a reality for many universities, where the demand for on-campus accommodation far outweighs existing infrastructure.
Interim Support Measures
Students who were temporarily accommodated in common areas have since been provided with temporary on-campus accommodation solutions while they work to resolve funding matters.
Despite ongoing financial pressures within the sector, the University continues to make measurable progress in facilitating student access within its limited means, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to supporting students while ensuring institutional sustainability.