University of South Africa (UNISA)

The University of South Africa, known as UNISA, is the country's largest university and its main distance learning institution. It teaches more than 370,000 students across South Africa, the rest of Africa and other parts of the world, according to its own figures. Students study from home rather than on a campus, so UNISA suits people who work, live far from a city or need a flexible timetable.

About UNISA

UNISA's history goes back to 1873, when the Cape Colony's Parliament created the University of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa's first university. That institution took the name University of South Africa in 1916, and it moved to Pretoria in 1918. In 1946, it began offering postal tuition, the start of the distance model that it still uses today.

The university describes itself as the only higher education institution to carry the name of the country. It also calls itself South Africa's most productive university. On its facts page, UNISA says that it awards 12.8% of all degrees conferred by the country's 26 public universities.

How studying at UNISA works

UNISA follows an open, distance and e-learning model. You register for modules, study through the myUnisa online platform and printed or digital study material, and write assignments and exams. Because there are no daily lectures, you need to plan your own study time carefully.

The university teaches through eight colleges: Accounting Sciences; Agriculture and Environmental Sciences; Economic and Management Sciences; Education; Human Sciences; Law; Science, Engineering and Technology; and the College of Graduate Studies. Its qualifications range from higher certificates and diplomas to degrees, Honours, Master's and doctoral studies, along with short learning programmes.

Applying to UNISA

UNISA opens separate application periods for different levels of study, and each one has its own dates. In early November 2026, its admissions page said that undergraduate and Honours applications had closed. Master's and doctoral applications were open from 1 September to 20 November 2026, while short learning programme applications were due to open on 23 November 2026.

Some qualifications, such as selection degrees, follow their own periods. So check the page for your qualification before you apply, and use the UNISA portal to track your application afterwards.

Fees and funding

UNISA charges by module rather than by year, so your fees depend on how many modules you take. Its website includes a fee calculator for undergraduate and Honours study. Distance learning also means that you avoid residence costs, although you still need data, a device and money for study material.

Several funders support UNISA students. NSFAS funds qualifying students at all 26 public universities, and some bursaries are linked to UNISA directly. See the UNISA provider page for the funding that it offers, and browse our bursaries for more options.

Where to find UNISA

UNISA's main campus is in Muckleneuk, Pretoria, with a Science Campus in Florida, Johannesburg, and a campus in Sunnyside. It also runs regional centres in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Midlands, the North Eastern region and the Western Cape, along with a centre for graduate studies in Ethiopia.