Accepted, but can you afford it?: The costs of being a university student in South Africa

By: Munei Zoe Mbedzi, Yanganani Gora, Ligugu Gogo, Lwanele Godlwana, Gugushe Owam, And Zandile Mnisi Onenceba Zondani

In the beginning of every year, excitement fills our homes as we look forward to receiving matric results and acceptance letters from universities. Oftentimes, that excitement overshadows the truth about getting into university: although it is a privilege and paves the way for the future, the cost of being a university student in South Africa is extremely unrealistic and overshadows the beauty of being a university student in general.

Many South Africans live with the testimony of the harsh realities of getting into an institution but not having money to either maintain staying in that institution or find accommodation. Oftentimes, the beginning of the year is extremely stressful for the Student Representative Council (SRC), as students, both first-years and returners, often struggle to register because of high student fees, debt, or high accommodation fees. 

SRC offices are flooded with mattresses and blankets for people who have not been able to find accommodation. Oftentimes, this is a result of an institution taking in more students than it can accommodate, and this affects the students just as much as it does the university, if not more. The cost of living in South Africa extends far beyond tuition fees. The typical student spends between R100,000 and R150,000 every single year, and this statistic in itself depends on the university, the city, and the accommodation. It is unfortunate that many South African students have had to grow accustomed to factoring in where they will study in order to make decisions. This is because the cost of living in certain parts of the country is exceptionally high and makes it even more unrealistic for students, especially for those who rely on bursaries.

An Image of students protesting against high fees- from Google Images

Economically, living in Cape Town is extremely difficult because the cost of living is very high. On top of that, many university students not only need to pay student fees and accommodation but also need money for groceries and other miscellaneous items.

Another common misconception is that self-funded students do not accumulate debt or are not at the receiving end of high student fees. This is not necessarily true. Every single South African student is prone to debt because the cost of living in this country is high, let alone being a student who is depending on parents who are depending on a salary.

The Fees Must Fall movement is not a movement created for decoration or because students always want to find something to complain about. Rather, it represents the image of students who just want an education, which is a constitutional right. This movement has sparked a lot of debate and disagreement online, but oftentimes it is from people who do not understand the difficulties of getting accepted to a university and maybe having enough to register but not enough to find a place to sleep or no food to eat the next day.

An artistic illustration of the cost of being a student- from Pinterest

It is important to call on our government to fix this issue and for the leaders of universities to find solutions together with the Student Representative Council. One of the most prominent economic issues regarding this situation is the fact that many universities receive a large number of applications but do not have the capacity to accommodate every single student.

For example, the University of Johannesburg in 2026 received 693,990 applications but only had space for 10,500 students. The University of Cape Town received 98,844 applications but only had space for 4,500 students. Stellenbosch University received 90,027 applications and only had space for 6,005 students. Wits University received 86,000 applications and only had space for 6,000 students. Lastly, Rhodes University received 19,650 applications but only had space for 1,518 students.

This calls for immediate attention from our government, as it should also be able to provide certain resources to help expand universities and make life easier for the future South African leaders it wants to produce.

An image of the Fees Must Fall movement- From News 24

As the youth and as students, we are tired of the high unemployment rates and tired of unrealistic student fees. It is extremely disheartening for many of us to graduate and have a degree but know that the chances of securing employment are very slim. The government must seek to change this and make South Africa more student-friendly.