Funding
NSFAS & Bursaries: Funding Your 2027 Studies
How NSFAS funding works alongside your SMU application, plus other bursaries worth applying for early.
Read more →2027 Intake · Knowledge for Quality Health Services
Apply to Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University — Gauteng's dedicated health sciences university.
SMU sits in Ga-Rankuwa, next to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, and carries forward a legacy of medical education that stretches back to MEDUNSA in 1976. It's a specialised public university training South Africa's doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and allied health professionals. Applications for 2027 are online — here's exactly what you need, and by when.
5Schools
R300Application Fee
31 Jul2026 Undergraduate Closing Date
About the university
Knowledge for Quality Health Services, since 2015
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University was established on 1 January 2015 when the Medunsa Campus demerged from the University of Limpopo. Its roots trace back to 1976, when the Medical University of South Africa (MEDUNSA) was founded to provide medical education to Black students during apartheid. Today SMU carries the name of Sefako Makgatho, an educator and the second president of the African National Congress, and operates as a specialised public university focused exclusively on the health sciences.
With around 7,000 students on a single campus in Ga-Rankuwa, next to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital, SMU trains doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses and allied health professionals across undergraduate, honours, master's and doctoral level.
Good to know
SMU charges a non-refundable application fee of R300. Because SMU's health sciences programmes — particularly Medicine (MBChB), Dentistry and Pharmacy — are highly competitive with limited intake numbers, applying as early as the portal opens gives you the best chance.
Plan ahead
2027 key application dates
SMU sets separate closing dates for undergraduate and postgraduate applications. Because places in programmes like Medicine and Dentistry are limited, don't wait until the deadline.
1 APRIL 2026
Applications open
The SMU online application portal opens for all programmes for the 2027 academic year.
31 JULY 2026
Undergraduate closing date
Final date for all undergraduate applications, including Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Health Care Sciences.
31 AUGUST 2026
Postgraduate closing date
Final date for honours, master's and doctoral applications for the 2027 intake.
1 AUG 2026 – 31 JAN 2027
NSFAS window
NSFAS applications are separate from the university application and open on their own timeline.
Online, with an application fee
How to apply to SMU
SMU applications are submitted online through the university's official application portal, and a non-refundable R300 application fee is payable.
01
Before you start
- Check your programme's admission requirements and APS score in the current prospectus.
- Gather a certified copy of your ID or passport and your latest school results.
- Prepare proof of payment for the R300 application fee.
02
Submit online
- Go to the official SMU online application system on smu.ac.za.
- Register with a personal email address and complete your applicant profile.
- Upload your supporting documents and pay the R300 application fee.
- Submit before the closing date for your programme — 31 July for undergraduate, 31 August for postgraduate.
Checklist
Documents you'll need
- Certified copy of your South African ID or passport
- Grade 11 final results, or latest Grade 12 results if you're a current matriculant
- National Senior Certificate interim or final results, once available
- Proof of payment of the R300 non-refundable application fee
- Study permit documentation for non-South African citizens and non-permanent residents
Costs
Application fees
Application feeR300 (non-refundable)
Undergraduate closing date31 Jul 2026
Postgraduate closing date31 Aug 2026
⚠️ SMU's health sciences programmes are highly competitive and have limited intake numbers. Late applications are not accepted once the closing date has passed — apply as early as possible, especially for Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmacy.
Where you could study
Schools at a glance
School
Medicine | Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB), diagnostic radiography, and postgraduate MMed specialisations.
School
Oral Health Sciences
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS), Bachelor of Dental Therapy, and Bachelor of Oral Hygiene.
School
Pharmacy
Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm), with postgraduate routes into clinical, industrial and public health pharmacy.
School
Health Care Sciences
Nursing Science, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics and Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.
School
Science and Technology
Life Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Occupational & Environmental Sciences, including an Extended Curriculum Programme.
One campus, hospital-linked training
Life at Ga-Rankuwa
Ga-Rankuwa Campus
SMU's single campus in the City of Tshwane, housing all five schools and central administration.
Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital
Adjacent teaching hospital where SMU students gain clinical training and experience.
Student Residences
On-campus accommodation supporting students throughout their health sciences training.
Specialised Focus
A university dedicated exclusively to health sciences, with small, close-knit cohorts across its five schools.
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Read more →Common questions
Frequently asked questions
When do SMU 2027 applications open and close?
Applications open on 1 April 2026. Undergraduate applications close on Friday, 31 July 2026, and postgraduate applications close on Monday, 31 August 2026 — apply well ahead of these dates, since SMU's health sciences programmes are highly competitive.
How much is the application fee?
SMU charges a non-refundable application fee of R300, payable when you submit your online application.
Where is SMU located?
SMU has one campus in Ga-Rankuwa, in the City of Tshwane, Gauteng, situated next to Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital. It's a specialised university dedicated exclusively to health sciences education.
What schools does SMU offer?
Five schools: Medicine, Oral Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Health Care Sciences, and Science and Technology.
Does SMU offer NSFAS funding?
Yes. SMU is an eligible NSFAS institution. NSFAS applications for 2027 are expected to open around 1 August 2026 and close 31 January 2027, and must be submitted separately from your university application.
Knowledge for Quality Health Services starts with applying.
Get your documents ready and submit your Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University application before your programme's closing date.
Apply to SMU Now →