University of Mpumalanga promises refunds for 2026 application fees

The move follows the university's decision to discontinue application fees. The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) has publicly committed to credit or refund students who paid application fees in 2026, ahead of its decision to scrap the charges from the 2027 academic year. University spokesperson Tlangelani Ubisi said students who had already paid the R200 application fee would receive a credit towards their initial deposit or a refund. “Students who have paid the application fee in 2026 will receive a credit towards their initial deposit, or they will be refunded,” he said. The institution did not say whether the refund or credit applies to every applicant who paid in 2026, how refunds will be processed, whether students must apply for them and when the money or credit will be made available. University of Mpumalanga discontinues application fees The move follows the university’s decision to discontinue application fees, which it says create financial barriers for prospective students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Ubisi said prospective students often applied to as many as eight universities while competing for limited places and seeking funding, pushing up the cost of accessing higher education. “We charged R200 application fee. Multiply that by eight, and here we are talking about someone who is from a disadvantaged, poor background, with no other means. How do they then raise R1 600 just for applications?” he said. Ubisi said the fact that many students relied on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) highlighted the financial challenges facing the university’s student population. UMP said 85% of its registered students in 2026 received Nsfas funding. Application fees a financial barrier Ubisi said it made little sense to maintain application fees when the university was seeking to improve access for students from financially disadvantaged households. “Other universities have already scrapped the application fee, and it just made sense that we also follow suit, even though we are a new institution,” he said. “We are conscious of the social status of our students, and the best way is to ensure that there are no financial barriers.” UMP’s council approved the decision at an ordinary meeting on 29 September. Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Thenjiwe Meyiwa said the decision reaffirmed the university’s commitment to making higher education more accessible. UMP said it was joining 10 other South African universities that had discontinued application fees, although it did not name the institutions in its announcement. While removing application fees will reduce upfront costs, prospective students will still face other expenses, including accommodation, transport and study materials.