{"id":269,"date":"2026-01-28T13:40:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T13:40:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/?p=269"},"modified":"2026-01-28T13:40:23","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T13:40:23","slug":"cach-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/cach-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"CACH 2026 is Closed: Use This New System Instead (CAS Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Are you searching for the &#8220;CACH 2026 login&#8221; or trying to sign up for the Central Applications Clearing House? Stop looking. The system has changed.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are part of the Class of 2025 and are currently sitting without a university offer, you might be panicking. In previous years, students were told to &#8220;Register on CACH.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But for the 2026 academic year, the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has moved towards a more integrated system: the <strong>Central Application Service (CAS)<\/strong>.<sup><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is everything you need to know about the new system, how to get your name on the list using WhatsApp, and how to secure a space before universities close their doors for good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">CACH vs. CAS: What is the Difference?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>For over a decade, <strong>CACH (Central Applications Clearing House)<\/strong> was the &#8220;safety net&#8221; for students who qualified for university but didn&#8217;t apply on time or were rejected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the government is transitioning to <strong>CAS (Central Application Service)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Old Way (CACH):<\/strong> A temporary list created in January for late applications.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The New Way (CAS):<\/strong> A permanent, centralized system that holds your data and shares it with all Universities, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/durban-university-of-technology-late-applications-link\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"185\">TVET Colleges<\/a>, and SETAs simultaneously.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The good news?<\/strong> The service still works. It is actually better. But if you keep searching for old 2024\/2025 links, you might miss the window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who Should Register on CAS for 2026?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You should only register on this system if you meet <strong>all<\/strong> of the following criteria:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You have a <strong>Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC)<\/strong> or Senior Certificate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You have <strong>NOT<\/strong> received an offer from any university or college for 2026.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You are willing to study at a <strong>TVET College<\/strong> or participate in a <strong>Learnership<\/strong> if university space is full.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already have an offer from a university but you &#8220;don&#8217;t like it,&#8221; do not use CAS. This system is strictly for students who have nowhere else to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Register for Placement (Step-by-Step)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Department has made it easier to sign up this year. You don&#8217;t even need a computer; you can do it entirely from your phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method 1: The CAS WhatsApp Bot (Fastest)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the quickest way to get your name into the pot for 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Save this number to your contacts: <strong>081 308 4196<\/strong> (Check the official DHET social pages to verify as numbers can sometimes update annually).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open WhatsApp and send the message: <strong>&#8220;Hi&#8221;<\/strong> or <strong>&#8220;Hello&#8221;<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The bot will respond with a menu. Select <strong>&#8220;Sign Up&#8221;<\/strong> or <strong>&#8220;Register&#8221;<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enter your <strong>ID Number<\/strong> and your <strong>Exam Number<\/strong> (from your Matric certificate) when requested.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confirm your details (Name, Surname, and Province).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Important:<\/strong> You will be asked to consent to share your details with institutions. You <strong>MUST<\/strong> say &#8220;Yes&#8221; or universities cannot see your profile.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method 2: The USSD Code (No Data Needed)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don&#8217;t have data, you can use the USSD code. This works on any phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dial <strong>*134*225#<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Follow the prompts on the screen.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enter your ID number.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confirm your marks and study preferences.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Method 3: The Online Portal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you prefer using a browser, you can visit the official portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Website:<\/strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/cach.cas.ac.za\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cach.cas.ac.za<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Action:<\/strong> Go to  &#8220;Learner Registration.&#8221;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Happens After You Register?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where many students get confused. <strong>CAS is not a university.<\/strong> They do not accept you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of CAS as a &#8220;dating app&#8221; for education:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You upload your profile (Results).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Universities and TVET colleges &#8220;swipe&#8221; through the database looking for students with your specific marks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If a university likes your marks, THEY will contact YOU.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> You will not receive an immediate acceptance. You must keep your phone on and check your SMSs daily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">FAQ: Common Questions for 2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Is the CACH\/CAS service free?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> Yes, it is a 100% free government service. Do not pay anyone who claims they can &#8220;fast track&#8221; your application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: Can I choose which university I want?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> No. On CAS, you cannot pick a specific university (like UJ or Wits). You can only choose a <strong>study field<\/strong> (e.g., &#8220;Engineering&#8221; or &#8220;Teaching&#8221;). Any institution with space in that field can contact you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Q: When does the system close?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A:<\/strong> The system typically stays open until <strong>31 March 2026<\/strong>, but most universities fill their spaces by mid-February. You need to register <strong>TODAY<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not wait. The &#8220;Late Application&#8221; window is closing fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you failed Matric: <strong>Register for the Supplementary Exam<\/strong> (Deadline Feb 6).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you passed but have no space: <strong>Register on CAS immediately.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are you searching for the &#8220;CACH 2026 login&#8221; or trying to sign up for the Central Applications Clearing House? Stop looking. The system has changed. If you are part of the Class of 2025 and are currently sitting without a university offer, you might be panicking. In previous years, students were told to &#8220;Register on&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"iawp_total_views":33,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-269","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-applications"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=269"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":271,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/269\/revisions\/271"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/270"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=269"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=269"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/universities\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=269"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}