Funding
NSFAS & Bursaries: Funding Your 2027 Studies
How NSFAS funding works alongside your UWC application, plus other bursaries worth applying for early.
Read more →
2027 Intake · Respice Prospice — Look Ahead
Apply to the University of the Western Cape — one of Cape Town's leading research universities.
UWC has grown since its founding in 1959 into a respected public research university in Bellville, in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, with more than 23,000 students across seven faculties. Applications for 2027 are online and completely free — here's exactly what you need, and by when.
7Faculties
FreeApplication Fee
30 Sep2026 General Closing Date
About the university
Respice Prospice — Look Ahead, since 1959
The University of the Western Cape was established in 1959 and has grown into one of South Africa's leading public research universities, based in Bellville, in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. Today UWC serves more than 23,000 students — around 15,840 undergraduates and 6,160 postgraduates — and is affectionately known to students as "Bush" or "uDubs," with Cara the Caracal as its mascot.
UWC uses its own UWC Points System to assess applicants, rather than the standard APS used at some other universities, so a score calculated elsewhere won't transfer directly. Its Faculty of Dentistry, based mainly at Tygerberg, is the largest dental school in Africa.
Good to know
UWC charges no application fee at all — applying online is completely free, and you can apply for up to two programme choices. But Dentistry and Oral Health close well ahead of the general date, on 31 August, so check the closing date for your specific programme before you wait.
Plan ahead
2027 key application dates
UWC sets a general closing date for most faculties, but Dentistry and Oral Health close a month earlier due to high demand and limited space.
1 APRIL 2026
Applications open
The UWC online application portal opens for the 2027 academic year.
31 AUGUST 2026
Dentistry & Oral Health close
These programmes close a month ahead of the general date due to high demand and limited space.
30 SEPTEMBER 2026
General closing date
Final date for all other undergraduate and postgraduate applications across UWC's remaining faculties.
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 UWC
UWC applications are submitted online through the university's official application portal, and no application fee is charged. You can apply for a maximum of two programme choices.
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.
- Current Grade 12 learners can apply using final Grade 11 results or June 2026 Grade 12 exam results — no need to wait for final matric results.
02
Submit online
- Go to the official UWC online application system at uwc.ac.za/admission-and-financial-aid/apply.
- Register with a personal email address and complete your applicant profile.
- Upload your supporting documents and choose up to two programmes — no application fee is payable.
- Submit before the closing date for your specific programme and monitor your status by email.
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 or IEB equivalent results, once available
- A reliable, frequently checked email address for all application communication
- Supporting documents for international applicants
Costs
Application fees
South African applicantsFree
International applicantsFree
NSFAS window1 Aug 2026 – 31 Jan 2027
⚠️ UWC charges no application fee, but late applications are generally not considered once a programme's closing date has passed — apply as early as possible, especially for Dentistry and Oral Health.
Where you could study
Faculties at a glance
Faculty
Arts and Humanities
Languages, social sciences, media studies and the creative arts across a broad range of majors.
Faculty
Community and Health Sciences
Nursing, physiotherapy, natural medicine and public health programmes serving Cape Town's communities.
Faculty
Dentistry
The largest dental school in Africa, training students across the Bellville, Tygerberg and Mitchell's Plain campuses.
Faculty
Economic and Management Sciences
Business, accounting, economics and management programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Faculty
Education
Teacher training and education studies preparing graduates for schools across the Western Cape.
Faculty
Law
Undergraduate and postgraduate law degrees from one of South Africa's respected law faculties.
Faculty
Natural Sciences
Mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and computer science, supporting UWC's strong research profile.
One main campus, clinical training sites nearby
Life at Bellville
Bellville Campus
UWC's main campus in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, home to central administration and most faculties.
Tygerberg Campus
Site of the Oral Health Centre, beside Tygerberg Hospital, where dental students gain clinical training.
Mitchell's Plain
A further Dentistry teaching site, extending UWC's oral health training across the Cape Flats.
Keep reading
More guides for your application journey
A few extra resources worth going through before and after you apply.
Careers
Central university of technology in South Africa – Courses, Applications & Campuses
Explore CUT courses, applications and admission requirements. Find campuses, courses and application details in one place.
Read more →Study material
Grade 12 Study Guides & Past Exam Papers
Free past papers and study notes to help strengthen your application before final results are released.
Read more →
Student life
List of All Colleges in South Africa
Public colleges focused on practical skills and occupational training — electrical engineering, nursing, or hospitality.
Read more →Common questions
Frequently asked questions
When do UWC 2027 applications open and close?
Applications opened on 1 April 2026. The general closing date for all faculties is 30 September 2026, but Dentistry and Oral Health close earlier, on 31 August 2026, due to high demand and limited space — always confirm the date for your specific programme.
How much is the application fee?
UWC does not charge an application fee — applying online is completely free for all applicants, and you can apply for up to two programme choices.
Where is UWC located?
UWC's main campus is in Bellville, in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. Its Faculty of Dentistry also uses the Tygerberg Hospital campus and a site in Mitchell's Plain for clinical training.
What faculties does UWC offer?
Seven faculties: Arts and Humanities, Community and Health Sciences, Dentistry, Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Law, and Natural Sciences.
Does UWC offer NSFAS funding?
Yes. UWC 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.
Respice Prospice — your journey starts with applying.
Get your documents ready and submit your University of the Western Cape application — free of charge — before your programme's closing date.
Apply to UWC Now →