UFS Fees 2027: Registration and Faculty Tuition Costs
If you plan to study at UFS in 2027, you need to understand how the university charges for registration and tuition.
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Students must make certain payments before registration can be finalised.
This includes the registration fee and a first payment towards tuition.
Tuition fees vary depending on the faculty and modules you register for, and payments must be made before specified deadlines.
International students have additional fee requirements.
Knowing how these fees work will help you plan your finances and avoid delays during the registration process.
Application Fee 2027 (Non-refundable)
For South African applicants, UFS does not charge a separate application fee for admission when applying online or via the official application portal.
You can submit your application without paying a non-refundable application charge.
For international applicants, there is typically an annual international administrative levy that is additional to the registration fee.
This levy is non-refundable and expires at the end of the calendar year.
This is not an application fee but a yearly administrative fee required before registration.
Registration Fee 2027 (Initial Payment)
Once you receive an offer from UFS, you must pay a registration fee and a first payment on your tuition and any accommodation fees before you can register.
The registration fee is a non-refundable amount that covers administrative costs and confirms your place in your programme once you pay it and the required first payment.
The first payment must reflect in your student account at least five working days before registration.
Students will not be allowed to complete registration until this first payment shows as credit on their account.
The amount you pay as the first payment depends on whether you will stay in residence or off campus, and whether you are a South African, SADC, or non-SADC student.
For example, recent fee guides for the yearbook show that South African students living in residence must pay around R19 000 as a first payment before registration, while off-campus students must pay around R9 900.
These amounts include part of your tuition and registration fee.
If you are a non-SADC international student, you will be required to pay a larger upfront amount before registration.
Historic debt from previous years must be cleared before UFS will allow registration.
Tuition Fee Structure per Faculty
Tuition at UFS is not a single flat rate. Fees are calculated based on modules you register for and the faculty offering your programme.
Undergraduate students will pay variable amounts depending on the number of credits and modules taken in a year.
Postgraduate programmes may have set fees depending on the qualification level.
UFS faculties include:
- Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
- Faculty of Theology and Religion
Each faculty sets tuition based on academic credits. For example, in some programmes, fees are calculated per credit and multiplied by the total credits you register for in a year.
If you need a precise tuition figure for your programme, UFS provides an online fee quotation service where you enter your module codes to get an exact cost for the year.
International students from non-SADC countries pay an additional 50 percent increase on module costs compared to South African students.
How to Pay Your Fees (Bank Details)
You can pay UFS fees using the official banking details below.
When making payments, always use your student number with the required reference prefixes as instructed by the university to ensure funds are correctly allocated to your account.
Official Bank Details for Tuition and Fees:
- Bank: ABSA
- Account Name: University of the Free State Tuition Fees
- Branch Code: 630734
- Account Number: 1 570 151 688
- SWIFT Code (for international transfers): ABSAZAJJ
- Reference: Use “100” followed directly by your student number for tuition and registration payments.
Payments can be made via EFT (electronic funds transfer), cash deposit at ABSA branches, or through the online payment portal if available.
Ensure your payment reflects on your student account at least five working days before registration.
Fees for NSFAS Funded Students
If you are funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), you may qualify to register without paying the first payment upfront if NSFAS confirms full funding before registration.
To benefit from this, you must submit proof of your confirmed funding to the UFS Student Finance office five working days before registration.
NSFAS must cover the full cost of your study year for you to be exempt from the initial payment requirement.
If your NSFAS funding does not cover all fees or is not confirmed before the deadline, you must still pay the first payment out of pocket to complete your registration.
Historic debt from previous years must be paid before registration, even if you are NSFAS funded.
