How the application planner works
Last updated 10 November 2026
Applying to more than one university means more than one fee and more than one deadline. This planner puts them side by side for the 2027 intake, using the figures each university publishes.
How it works
- Tick the universities you may apply to.
- The fees we have confirmed are added up. A university with a free application adds nothing.
- Universities that use the Central Applications Office share one administration fee, which is counted once.
- The closing dates are listed from the earliest to the latest. A university with earlier dates for some programmes is flagged.
What the fees cover
Where a fee is confirmed it is the amount the university shows for a South African applicant. CPUT, CUT, UJ, UFS, Venda are shown as free on their own pages. Some universities exempt certain applicants, for example on household income, so your own fee can be lower.
The CAO on-time fee for 2027 entry was R 250 if paid on or before 31 October 2026, and R 470 after that. The planner uses the on-time figure.
What is missing
We read 26 university sites. For 17 of them both a closing date and a fee are confirmed. 3 have no fee we could confirm. Those are left out of the total, with a note, instead of a guess. Dates we could not confirm show as "not confirmed: check the official site".
Why plan the fees early
Application fees are small next to tuition, but they add up when you apply to several universities, and a few universities charge nothing. Knowing the total early lets you decide how many applications you can afford, and the closing dates tell you which one to finish first. If you are applying for a place in a health programme, look at the earlier dates in the list, because those programmes often close months before the general date.
Using the dates
Closing dates differ by programme. Medicine and other health programmes often close months before the general date, so read the university’s own page for the programme you want. Applying well before the closing date is safer, because systems get busy near the end.
Beyond the application fee
The application fee is only the first cost. Tuition, accommodation, books and food come later. See the university cost planner, and read about funding in the NSFAS application guide. For marks, try the APS calculator. The full list of universities is on the university applications page.
Things to watch
- Dates and fees can change each year.
- Never pay anyone who offers to apply for you. Universities warn about this on their own pages.
Figures were read on 11 November 2026. This is general information, not advice.