Campus announcements
Financial aid appeals for 2019 and other updates
18 January 2019 | Campus AnnouncementDear students and colleagues
This campus announcement aims to inform members of the University of Cape Town community about:
1. Financial aid appeals for 2019
Providing financial aid to eligible students is one of the key priorities for the university. According to preliminary (unaudited) analysis, a total of R1.2 billion was made available for financial assistance at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels for 2018. Coupled with the country’s various economic factors and the significant decrease in government funding, it has become a challenge for the university to maintain past levels of financial assistance. However, the university is committed to helping students who cannot afford fees, provided they meet the financial criteria and register good academic progress.
Sometimes applications for financial aid are declined or revoked. Postgraduate students who wish to appeal such a decision should contact the Postgraduate Funding Office. Undergraduate students who have had their funding cut for one of the reasons below and wish to appeal are encouraged to read UCT’s 2019 financial aid and appeals for assistance.
- Appeals for funding in 2019 that have been stopped due to poor academic performance in 2018 (National Student Financial Aid Scheme [NSFAS] and GAP).
- Students with fee debt from 2018 who were on NSFAS or GAP funding in 2018 and are academically eligible for NSFAS or GAP funding in 2019. UCT does not normally allow students to graduate or to register for the following year of study if they have outstanding fees owed at the time of graduation or registration. However, students with fee debt from 2018 can approach the Student Financial Aid Office directly for assistance towards their fee debt.
- Debt appeals for students not on financial aid or GAP funding (including appeals from students who have not been means tested).
Please note that all appeals are considered on financial and academic grounds. Where academic information is not final, it will impact on the ability to finalise the appeal outcome. No late appeals applications may be accepted.
- Read UCT’s 2019 financial aid and appeals for assistance
- View the financial aid appeal form
2. Student registration and student and parent orientation for 2019
Registration and orientation of first-year students takes place from 21 January to 8 February 2019. Returning students are asked to view their respective faculty registration calendar online.
Parent orientation will take place on Saturday, 26 January 2019 at 09:00 or 14:00 and Monday, 28 January 2019 at 14:00. (Please note: this session is now fully booked.) Parents are encouraged to RSVP to book their slot at one of the available sessions.
3. Accommodation
For 2019 the university received 16 000 applications for its 6 700 available spaces for new and returning students. Approximately 4 500 housing offers are made to first-time entering undergraduates. Housing offers to new students are made either by institutional auto offer, namely to all students eligible for financial aid, on merit (an admission points score of 540 or higher) or to students who are minors (the student will be 18 years old only after 1 February in the year of registration), or by the faculties by means of rules-based or discretionary offers.
For enquiries please contact student housing on: 021 650 2977 or email res@uct.ac.za.
Off Campus Student Accommodation Service (OCSAS) provides a practical and viable alternative to the residence system by way of comprehensive information and guidance on off-campus accommodation.
4. ICTS scheduled maintenance
Please note that Information and Communication Technology Services (ICTS) has scheduled Sunday, 20 January 2019 for a maintenance slot from 09:00 to 17:00. Unless advised to the contrary, do not expect any ICT services to be available for the duration of the maintenance slot.
Remember to consult the scheduled ICTS maintenance slots for 2019 before planning any teaching, conferences, meetings, and so on, that require ICT services.
5. Readmission Appeals Committee submissions
To date, the Readmissions Appeals Committee (RAC) has received 696 appeals from students who did not meet the minimum criteria for registration in 2019. The process is still ongoing and once completed the RAC will send written confirmation of the appeals outcome to the applicants. Students can also check Peoplesoft from the dates specified on the website. If their appeal has been rejected, students are able to request a review.
6. Jammie Shuttle schedule
The holiday season timetable for the Jammie Shuttle bus service will continue until 21 January 2019, thereafter the orientation timetable will resume on Monday, 21 January 2019 until 10 February 2019. Please note that the Jammie Shuttle service is available for free to all staff and students who are in possession of a valid UCT staff or student card.
7. Library long-vacation hours
The long-vacation opening hours for UCT Libraries will continue until 11 February 2019. The Chancellor Oppenheimer Library will be open on Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 17:00, and Saturdays from 9:00 to 12:30. For other specific library hours, please consult the library website.
8. New lift contractors
A new lift maintenance provider has been appointed by Properties & Services with effect from 1 January 2019. The new provider will be responsible for maintenance on all the Otis, Schindler and Kone lifts. The old contact numbers inside the lifts are being replaced with the following:
UCT Maintenance Call Centre: 021 650 4321/2
Campus security: 021 650 2222/23
Please do not phone Otis, Schindler or Kone to report a faulty lift.
Communication and Marketing Department
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