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How will Covid-19 affect my university application?
The Central Applications Office in Durban is able to assist grade 12 pupils with their applications to four universities in KwaZulu-Natal.
Applying to university is always filled with questions, uncertainties, and nervousness.
What am I good at? What do I apply for if I want to become a graphic designer, or paramedic, or sea captain, or lawyer, or… To where can I apply? Who can I ask? Will I make the right choice? What if it turns out that I made the wrong decision?
With the current coronavirus pandemic spreading uncertainty, fear and anxiety, the task of making career choices and actioning them is so much more challenging.
When will we be going back to school? Who can tell me what study opportunities are available and who can help me complete my application?
Fortunately, the Central Applications Office (CAO) in Durban is available to assist grade 12 pupils with all their questions and with completing their applications to the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), University of Zululand (UniZul), Durban University of Technology (DUT) and Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT).
While most university staff are working from home and not available to answer questions from pupils, CAO staff are manning their call centre and data processing staff are processing online and hard-copy applications and making them available to the KwaZulu-Natal universities.
So, when university staff return to their campuses, the processed applications are waiting on them to make selection decisions and early offers.
Applications to these four universities opened on March 30 2020 for the 2021 academic year. By May 15, UKZN had received 10,176 applications and their Medical School 2,403, UniZUL received 5,817, DUT received 8,856 and MUT received 3,843.
Pupils are not put off by the uncertainty created by the virus. They know that the pandemic will subside at some point and they are preparing for that time. They’re not sitting back, they’re booking their place now and avoiding the rush just before programme closing dates.
Medical School does not accept late applications and their applications close on June 30.
Universities start making early conditional offers based on pupils final grade 11 results. Final grade 12 results are merely used to confirm the early conditional offers.
A few programmes also require the grade 12 June and/or September results. But with the current situation being what it is, there is uncertainty that these results would be used by universities. Despite this, one thing is certain: the 2020 academic year will be completed by schools and universities and the 2021 academic year will commence. Do not be caught unawares.
You don’t want to find yourself overwhelmed when you return to school where each of your subject teachers are trying to complete their syllabuses, and you’re still undecided on what you must apply for.
And you’re so flooded with schoolwork that you forget to complete and submit an application on time. Good luck and stay safe at home and when you return to school.
Apply now. Don’t get left behind. Apply online at www.cao.ac.za The call centre numbers are 0860 860 226 and 031 268 4444.
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