You apply to the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) online, and the application is free. For the 2027 intake, undergraduate, advanced diploma, honours and structured master's applications closed on 30 September 2026. CUT does not accept late or walk-in applications under any circumstances.
Step 1: Explore programmes
Check the entry requirements for your field in CUT's A to Z list of programmes. You must select a first and a second programme choice, so that you have an alternative if your first choice is full. Use CUT's calculator, or the CUT admission requirements page, to check your points.
Step 2: Prepare your documents
Scan your documents clearly before you begin. All certified copies must be certified within the last three months.
- Current matriculants: your final Grade 11 results, or your Grade 12 June results if available. CUT receives matric certificates directly from Umalusi once they are released.
- Applicants who have finished matric: your certified ID and your National Senior Certificate
The correction queue
CUT moves applications with missing, uncertified or incorrect documents into a correction queue. This delays your processing a great deal, while complete applications keep moving forward. So get your documents right the first time.
Step 3: Watch out for scams
CUT warns that there is no application fee and no authorised external consultant to help with applications. Do not pay anyone to apply for you, and apply only through CUT's official online portal.
Step 4: Apply online
New students who have never applied to CUT choose the new student application. If CUT later asks for missing or updated documents, log back in, upload them in the document section of your application, and save.
After you apply
Track your progress through CUT's application status check. If CUT asks you to write a selection test, it will tell you, and you then book a date with the Wellness Centre.
Registration
In 2026, first-year students on all campuses registered online from 19 to 23 January. During registration, you can pay directly on the application system for immediate reflection, which CUT recommends, or by EFT, which may take up to three days. Read more on the CUT fees page.
Registering for both semesters
In 2026, senior students registered from 27 to 30 January. Students in the Faculties of Humanities and Management Sciences had to register for both semesters during the first-semester registration period. Late registrations and course or subject changes were allowed only during the set course control week.
Postgraduate applications
Research master's and doctoral applications follow a later deadline, at the end of February.
Funding
Apply for NSFAS on its own dates, because NSFAS-funded first-year students do not pay the minimum initial payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it free to apply to CUT?
Yes. CUT charges no application fee and no residence application fee.
Does CUT accept late applications?
No. CUT does not accept late or walk-in applications.
How many programmes can I choose at CUT?
You must select a first and a second choice.