Funding
NSFAS & Bursaries: Funding Your 2027 Studies
How NSFAS funding works alongside your Univen application, plus other bursaries worth applying for early.
Read more →2027 Intake · Creating Future Leaders
Apply to the University of Venda — Limpopo's leading rural-based comprehensive university.
Univen sits in Thohoyandou, in the scenic Vhembe district, and has grown since 1982 into a comprehensive university offering both academic and career-focused qualifications. Applications for 2027 are online-only and completely free — here's exactly what you need, and by when.
4Faculties
FreeApplication Fee
30 Sep2026 General Closing Date
About the university
Creating Future Leaders, since 1982
The University of Venda was established in 1982 to serve the Vhembe district of what is now Limpopo province. Since South Africa's tertiary education reforms in the new millennium, Univen has operated as a "comprehensive university," offering both theoretically oriented academic degrees and practically oriented career diplomas from a single main campus in Thohoyandou.
With more than 15,000 students, Univen is known for its strengths in environmental sciences, agriculture and health sciences, and hosts nine student residences, a full-time Sports Centre, and an Art Gallery displaying carvings, paintings and clay pots by students and the local community.
Good to know
Univen charges no application fee at all — applying online is completely free. But high-demand programmes such as Nursing, Law and Engineering typically close well before the general 30 September date, sometimes as early as June, so it pays to check your specific programme first.
Plan ahead
2027 key application dates
Univen sets a general closing date for most programmes, but competitive and high-demand courses close much earlier — always confirm your specific programme's date before you wait.
1 MAY 2026
Applications open
The Univen online application portal opens for the 2027 academic year.
30 JUNE – 31 AUGUST 2026
High-demand programmes close
Nursing, Law and Engineering, among others, typically close well ahead of the general date.
30 SEPTEMBER 2026
General closing date
Final date for most other undergraduate, diploma and postgraduate applications.
1 AUG 2026 – 31 JAN 2027
NSFAS window
NSFAS applications are separate from the university application and open on their own timeline.
Online only, free of charge
How to apply to Univen
Univen applications are submitted online through the university's official application portal, and no application fee is charged.
01
Before you start
- Check your programme's closing date and admission requirements in the current prospectus.
- Gather a certified copy of your ID or passport and your latest school results.
- Calculate your APS score for your chosen programme(s) ahead of time.
02
Submit online
- Go to the official Univen online application system on univen.ac.za.
- Register with a personal email address and complete your applicant profile.
- Upload your supporting documents — no application fee is payable.
- Submit before the closing date for your specific programme.
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 (matric certificate upload usually due by 28 February 2027)
- English translations of any documents not issued in English
- Supporting documents for international applicants
Costs
Application fees
South African applicantsFree
International applicantsFree
NSFAS window1 Aug 2026 – 31 Jan 2027
⚠️ Univen charges no application fee, but late or incomplete applications are usually not accepted once a programme's specific closing date has passed — apply as early as possible, especially for competitive courses.
Where you could study
Faculties at a glance
Faculty
Science, Engineering and Agriculture
Environmental science, earth sciences, hydrology, mining, agriculture and mathematical and natural sciences.
Faculty
Humanities, Social Sciences and Education
Education, sociology, psychology, social work and languages, training graduates for schools and communities across the region.
Faculty
Health Sciences
Nursing, public health and biomedical sciences — among the university's most competitive, earlier-closing programmes.
Faculty
Management, Commerce and Law
Business administration, economics, tourism and hospitality management, and the Univen School of Law.
One campus, many facilities
Life at Thohoyandou
Main Campus
Single campus in Thohoyandou housing all four faculties and central administration.
Residences
Nine student residences on campus, from first-year through postgraduate housing.
Art Gallery
Displays carvings, paintings and clay pots by students and the local community.
Sports Centre
Full-time facility for indoor sports, dance and other recreational activities.
Keep reading
More guides for your application journey
A few extra resources worth going through before and after you apply.
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Read more →Common questions
Frequently asked questions
When do Univen 2027 applications open and close?
Applications opened on 1 May 2026. The general closing date for most undergraduate programmes is 30 September 2026, but high-demand programmes like Nursing, Law and Engineering may close as early as 30 June or 31 August 2026 — always confirm the date for your specific programme.
How much is the application fee?
Univen does not charge an application fee — applying online is completely free for all applicants.
Where is Univen located?
Univen has one main campus in Thohoyandou, in the Vhembe district of Limpopo. It's a rural-based comprehensive university, offering both academic and career-focused qualifications.
What faculties does Univen offer?
Four faculties: Science, Engineering and Agriculture; Humanities, Social Sciences and Education; Health Sciences; and Management, Commerce and Law — made up of eight schools in total.
Does Univen offer NSFAS funding?
Yes. Univen 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.
Creating Future Leaders starts with applying.
Get your documents ready and submit your University of Venda application — free of charge — before your programme's closing date.
Apply to Univen Now →