Unisa rules for students

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

Introduction

The content of this section is defined by the legislation and regulations set out in the Higher Education Act,

1997 (as amended). Where provision is made for institutional discretion, the Unisa rules are subject to

approval by Council and / or Senate (as appropriate), except where expressly recorded to the contrary.

These rules represent the general rules of the university and apply to all Unisa students. These rules must be

read together with the applicable Unisa policies, which have the same force and effect as these rules. The

relevant policies are available on the Unisa website. The rules published here and related policies may be

amended prior to the commencement of the following academic year.

In addition to these general rules, there may be specific rules per college and / or qualification. They will be

expressly stated in the information pertaining to the college and / or qualification or in the relevant tutorial

letters, all of which are available to registered students online. Where the rules of a college make provision

for special requirements with regard to registration for a module offered in the college, the requirements will

apply equally where the module is taken in another college or for non-degree purposes, unless expressly

stated to the contrary.

Master’s and Doctoral students are referred to the Procedures for Master’s and Doctoral degrees

which

relates to processes and procedures w.r.t the research proposal and research components, i.e., mini-

dissertation, dissertation and thesis.

When a student registers with Unisa, the student

a) acknowledges an awareness of the prevalent rules of the university; and

b) undertakes to be bound and abide by the rules of the institution.

The student bears the onus of ensuring that he or she is familiar with the rules pertinent to his or her

registration with Unisa. Ignorance of these rules and related institutional policies will not be accepted as an

excuse for any transgression.

Official communication from the university is sent via e-mail to a student's myLife e-mail account. The rules for

the use of the myLife e-mail account are as follows:

a) The university provides all registered students with a free myLife e-mail address. It is the student’s

responsibility to activate their myLife e-mail account as soon as their registration is finalized.

b) The myLife e-mail account will be the only e-mail account recognized by Unisa for official correspondence

to and from the university and will remain the official primary e-mail address on record at Unisa.

c) All official communication from the university will be sent to the myLife account. Other additional

communication channels may be used from time-to-time, but the university will communicate with

students primarily via their myLife e-mail addresses.

d) The management of this e-mail account remains the responsibility of the student.

Operating hours

08:00 to 15:30, Mondays to Fridays, excluding public holidays.

1 Language of tuition

The university provides tuition in English. However, as approved by Senate, specific modules in

qualifications comprising the learning of a language, tuition may be offered only in the language of the

module that is being taught.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

Language(s) of research

The Language Policy subscribes to the principles of functional multilingualism. Where mutually

acceptable to the student and the supervisor, students are allowed to write their thesis in any of

South Africa’s official languages. However, if the thesis or dissertation is written in a language other

than English, the research title must be provided in English and the abstract/ summary of the thesis

or dissertation must be provided in at least three of the official South African Languages, one of

which must be English.

Method of tuition and mode of delivery

Unisa is an comprehensive open distance and e-learning (CODEL) institution. Consequently, contact

tuition is limited to tutorials as may be scheduled for the module. Tutorials are provided online and

are facilitated by e-tutors. Tuition is provided through two modes of delivery: online or blended modes

of delivery. For online modules all material and tuition engagements are online while with blended

modules, students will receive some of the material in printed format. The mode of delivery varies

between module offerings at Unisa. The mode of delivery is context specific for each module and is

approved by Senate.

Irrespective of the mode of delivery, students can access study material online via the myUnisa

learning management system. Registered Unisa students with disabilities receive tuition material in a

format according to their needs insofar as the university is reasonably able to accommodate the

student’s needs. Students with special needs must advise the university of their circumstances and

make arrangements for the provision thereof. The rules regarding assessments are set out later in

this document.

Library services

4.1 Membership of the library is available to all registered students and is

subject to library regulations. These regulations are published on the

Study @ Unisa website, which is available on the Unisa website.

4.2 Students living outside of South Africa also qualify for library membership, but

services will depend on whether the student’s environment provides the

infrastructure required fora specific service.

4.3 The library does not stock prescribed books. Prescribed books must be purchased

by the student for extensive, ongoing use for the duration of their studies. Limited

copies of prescribed books may be purchased by the library for reference purposes.

4.4 To gain access to the services (electronically), students must visit the library

webpage www.unisa.ac.za/library, c

lick on "login" and create a PIN. Please visit

the Unisa library website for more information.

4.5 Examination results of students who fail to return library material by the due date will be withheld

until the material has been received or until the replacement cost of each item and all outstanding

administrative costs have been paid in full. Re-registration will also not be possible until everything

indicated above has been submitted and / or paid.

Reports, records and statements of academic results

5.1 An Advance Statement

5.1.1 A student will receive an Advance Statement in respect of a

completed degree, diploma or certificate prior to a specific graduation

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

date.

5.1.2 The Advance Statement is e-mailed to the student’s myLife Unisa e-mail

account as soon as reasonably possible after completion of the qualification.

5.1.3 All modules that have been passed will be indicated on the Advance

Statement, together with the percentages obtained.

5.1.4 An Advance Statement will not be issued to a student who has an

outstanding fee balance, outstanding/pending disciplinary case or

outstanding library material. The Advance Statement will only be processed

upon settlement of the obligation.

5.1.5 An Advance Statement is only issued after the student’s results have

been finally audited for correctness.

5.1.6 A student may be issued with a letter confirming that he / she is in a final

year or semester if all the outstanding modules required for the completion

a qualification are fully registered.

5.2 Study Permits

Unisa is a dedicated comprehensive open distance e-learning institution (CoDeL) and will not assist

students to obtain study permits except if its contact sessions are an inherent requirement of a

qualification. The information and process to be followed will be communicated in the tutorial letter

for the specific module.

5.3 Statement of Credits

A student may request, via myUnisa, a Statement of Credits in respect of an incomplete

qualification or for a completed qualification, which will set out the modules passed by the student.

5.4 Transcript of academic record and abbreviated curriculum

A student may, by completing and submitting the prescribed DSAR08 online form (available from:

http://www.unisa.ac.za/registerformsandcodes / myUnisa),

receive a transcript of his or her

academic record and / or the abbreviated curriculum for modules comprising the qualification.

Students may also request that the documents be sent directly to a South African university or

emailed to an institution in a foreign jurisdiction. In the latter instance, the onus is on the

requesting student to ensure that the information is correctly provided to Unisa.

5.5 Certificate of Conduct

5.5.1 A Certificate of Conduct is printed as part of the student’s academic record and no separate

document is issued.

5.5.2 A Certificate of Conduct is issued on request only.

5.5.3 A Certificate of Conduct is not a testimonial of the student’s character.

5.5.4 A Certificate of Conduct cannot be issued to a registered student before the examination

results for all registered modules are available.

5.6 Progress Report

5.6.1 The university does not issue Progress Reports in respect of undergraduate qualifications.

5.6.2 The university issues an academic record that indicates the modules passed, failed and

registered for the academic year.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

5.7 Completion of a qualification

5.7.1 A student’s qualification status will only be amended from INCOMPLETE / FINAL YEAR

to COMPLETE

5.7.1.1 after the results have been audited and verified against the prescribed

curriculum, and

5.7.1.2 if there are no outstanding documents, library fees, NSFAS block and

study / examination fees.

Qualifications offered

6.1 Unisa is a comprehensive university and offers qualifications ranging from certificates to doctoral

degrees in eight colleges:

•

College of Accounting Sciences (CAS)

•

College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES)

•

College of Economic and Management Sciences (CEMS)

•

College of Education (CEDU)

•

College of Human Sciences (CHS)

•

College of Law (CLAW)

•

College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET)

•

Graduate School of Business Leadership (GSBL)

•

College of Graduate Studies (CGS)*

*Please note that qualifications are not awarded in the College of Graduate Studies (CGS).

6.2 Each of the eight colleges further offers formal and non-formal programmes:

6.2.1 Formal qualifications refer to those qualifications that are registered by the Department of

Higher Education and Training (DHET), and are therefore offered in terms of the DHET

policies and legislation.

6.2.2 Non-formal qualifications refer to short learning programmes that are not subsidized by the

DHET. Such qualifications, ranging from three months to one year, have a focus on

providing specific skills within the work environment.

6.3 Although different student numbers are used for formal and non-formal qualifications, the rules

of the university apply to both formal and non-formal qualifications.

Application for admission to study at Unisa

For further detailed information, please visit the Unisa website.

7.1 Any prospective students who (i) have not previously been registered with Unisa for a formal

qualification, (ii) returning students who wish to change qualification or stream / specialization, or (iii)

want to register for non-degree purposes (NDP), must apply for admission and receive confirmation

of admission approval for the qualification applied for, prior to registration. This includes students

who are currently registered to complete a qualification and wish to further their studies in another

qualification.

7.2 Returning students who are not currently registered or who have applied for deferment must apply

for admission during the application period for the following academic year, if they wish to change

their qualification.

7.3 All postgraduate students must apply for admission to the selected postgraduate qualification.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

7.4 Application to study at Unisa for the selected qualification takes place during published periods prior

to a registration cycle and the onus is on a student to ensure that he or she applies within the set

dates.

7.5 Students whose applications are not finalized by the relevant application closing date will not be

considered for registration during the following registration period.

7.6 To comply with the requirements for application, a student must:

7.6.1 Apply online during the published scheduled periods.

7.6.2 First check the admission requirements to ensure that he or she meets the admission

requirements prescribed for the qualification for which he or she is applying.

7.6.3 Upload the required supporting documents online during the application period.

7.6.4 Pay the non-refundable application fee during the relevant application period (not applicable

to returning students who have paid the Unisa application fee previously

7.6.5 The application fee is non-refundable even if not qualifying for admission or a space cannot

be offered.

7.6.6 All applications must be completed and submitted online. No other mode of application

will be accepted.

Note: An application is only complete when the university has received

a) the completed online application form

b) the relevant supporting documents required for the processing of the application; and

c) the payment of the application fee by the relevant closing date.

7.6.7 Apply before the closing date set for the academic period in which he or she intends to

7.6.8 A student may apply for a maximum of two qualifications per application period. Applications

cannot be cancelled or changed to a different qualification once the maximum number of

qualifications have been applied for.

7.7 Completion of a higher certificate does not give automatic admission to any follow-on undergraduate

qualification. The higher certificates provide articulation pathways to specific qualifications, the

applications website provides the information on the qualifications that specific higher certificates

can give admission to:

https://www.unisa.ac.za/static/corporate_web/Content/Apply%20for%20admission/Undergraduate/Docu

ments/Unisa-higher-certificates-related-qualifications-per-college-updated-2021.pdf

7.8 Once an applicant has submitted both qualifications or choices, no change of the qualification/s will

be allowed within the same application period.

7.9 Appeals for admission are only considered if the outcome of an application was based on not meeting

admission requirements.

7.9.1 In such cases appeals must be submitted online within 10 days of having received

feedback from the University on the outcome of the application.

7.9.2 Application appeals must be submitted online with the relevant additional

supporting documents.

7.10 Space at Unisa is not guaranteed even though the applicant/s completed a lower qualification (example:

higher certificate) at Unisa.

7.11 Space at Unisa is based on the combination of admission factors as prescribed by the university and

enrolment management considerations such as academic performance, economic background, race

and any other applicable factors as per the admission requirement of the qualification applied for.

7.12 Space at Unisa is not based on first-come first served basis.

7.13 No preference can be given to applicants who were rejected on the basis of space for previous years.

7.14 If the applicant/s was declined based on the space – No appeal is allowed.

7.15 The University applies an enrolment management process and is allowed to enroll only a specific

number of students, as agreed upon targets with DoHET, per qualification per academic year. This

means that spaces are limited per qualification and not all applicants meeting the admission

requirements can be offered a space in any academic year.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

Admission to study

The general university and qualification-specific admission requirements are available on the Unisa website.

The onus is on the student (including students who register for non-degree purposes) to ensure that he or

she meets both the statutory and college admission requirement(s) for his or her chosen qualification.

8.1 The university will unilaterally de-register any student who does not comply with the

prescribed admission requirement(s).

8.2 Students who were admitted to register based on falsified or fraudulent documents

will be unilaterally de-registered by the university and could face disciplinary action

in line with the Unisa Disciplinary rules.

Registration

The rules regarding registration are set out in detail in the Admission Policy and are available on the

Unisa website. Specifically, the following rules are highlighted:

9.1 The online registration form

9.1.1 A student must complete a registration form for each academic year, in terms of which he or

she commits himself or herself to all the rules of the university.

9.1.2 The content of the registration form is the basis of the student’s contract with the university.

9.1.3 It is the student’s responsibility to inform the university online via myUnisa, of any change(s) to

personal data contained on the registration form, notably, address change, change in telephone

numbers, etc.

9.1.4 It is the student’s responsibility to inform the university via email (enquire@unisa.ac.za

)

of any name, ID and/or passport number change by submitting official substantiating

documentation.

9.1.5 It is the responsibility of the student to submit his or her modules for registration before

the closing date. The minimum prescribed fee for all modules submitted for registration

must be paid by the closing date for registration payment. No late registrations and/or

payments are accepted for any reason.

9.1.6 Application for registration without the minimum payment will be removed from the

registration system after the closing date for payments. A new registration will have

to be submitted when intending to register in the next registration period.

9.1.7 It is the responsibility of the student to resubmit a revised registration online which will

override any previous submissions in the current registration period when the student

cannot pay the full initial minimum fees before the closing date.

Note: For honours, postgraduate diplomas, master’s and doctoral qualifications the registration is only

available online

9.2 Choice of modules per semester / per annum

9.1.1 A student’s registration per semester and per annum is subject to the maximum number of

NQF (National Qualifications Framework) credits as set out in the Admission Policy.

9.1.2 Modules registered for non-degree purposes will also be taken into account when

calculating the maximum NQF credits for a semester / year of study.

9.1.3 Students in the final semester of study for a qualification weighted at 120 credits or more

may apply online on myUnisa to register for an additional 24 credits if this will enable

them to complete the registered qualification. To be eligible for the application of this

rule, the affected student must have a minimum overall average of 55% in all modules

previously passed. Students who have more than seven (7) semester modules

outstanding, including the prerequisites to complete a qualification in the final semester,

do not qualify to be considered or this concession. Students awaiting results may not

apply for this concession until all results have been released.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

Where the final year of a qualification comprises only year modules (as opposed to semester

modules), the above rule will also apply. Online application for the additional 24 credits must,

however, be made before the closing date for registration for year modules.

9.1.4 A student must register and pay for the maximum of five modules before any consideration will

be given to the application for the maximum of two (2) additional modules using the ‘Application

to exceed maximum Credits’ form (available from: myUnisa link).

Any registration or addition of

modules exceeding the maximum credits permitted per semester or year will not be considered

or processed.

9.1.5 A student may apply to register concurrently for two NDP modules towards a postgraduate

qualification and one outstanding minor or major module for the undergraduate degree. This

must be done using the DSAR16 form (available from:

http://www.unisa.ac.za/registerformsandcodes).

The outstanding module should not form part

of the major subject required for admission to the postgraduate qualification with the exception

of CTA. NDP modules for a postgraduate qualification will be cancelled in June of the academic

year if a student failed to pass the outstanding module for the undergraduate qualification. The

student will then forfeit the initial amount paid at the time of registration.

9.2 Pre-requisite modules

9.2.1 A student may not register for a module for which he or she has not passed the pre-requisite

module/s.

9.3 Co-requisite modules

9.3.1 Students must register for prescribed co-requisite modules simultaneously in the same semester

(semester modules) or year (year modules).

9.4 Concurrent registration

9.4.1 Students may register concurrently for formal and non-formal qualifications at the

university, with the consent of the colleges involved.

9.4.2 Students may not register for a formal qualification at the university if currently

registered for a formal or non-formal program at another Higher Education institution.

9.4.3 Such students, however, may be considered to register for non-degree purposes (NDP)

at Unisa if their application for concurrent registration is accompanied by a letter of

permission from the other university indicating the modules to be taken at Unisa.

Students are referred to the application process.

9.4.4 Students may not register concurrently for two formal qualifications

9.5 Registration for non-degree purposes (NDP)

9.5.1 Students intending to register for a module – even for non-degree purposes – must meet the

admission requirements for the relevant module and qualification in which the study unit is

offered, for example: Registration for a study unit at honours level can only be considered if

the student meets the admission requirements for the honours programme concerned.

Additionally, the student must meet pre-requisites and co-requisites for modules to be taken

for NDP purposes.

9.5.2 A student may be allowed to register for a maximum of four modules for non-degree

purposes while registered for a formal undergraduate diploma or degree qualification that has

a minimum duration of three or four years. Refer to rule 9.2.

9.5.3 A student may be allowed to register for a maximum of two modules for non-degree purposes

while registered for a formal undergraduate diploma or degree qualification that has a

minimum duration of one or two years.

9.5.4 A student who is registered for an honours degree may, only with the special permission of the

executive dean of the respective college that offers the honours programme, also register in

the same academic year for not more than two undergraduate modules for non-degree

purposes (NDP). Student may not register modules for an incomplete undergraduate /

honours / postgraduate diploma for NDP concurrently with another undergraduate or

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

postgraduate qualification to complete two qualifications in the same academic year.

9.5.5 A student who is registered for a master’s degree may, also register in the same academic

year for two undergraduate modules or for one honours module or the corresponding number

of modules on the same level for non-degree purposes (NDP).

9.5.6 A student who is registered for a doctoral degree may, also register in the same

academic year for two undergraduate modules or for one honours module or one

master’s module or the corresponding number of modules on the same level for non-

degree purposes (NDP).

9.5.7 Modules passed for non-degree purpose will not necessarily be credited or recognized

towards a formal qualification at a later stage.

9.5.8 Modules for professional qualifications such as teaching, social work and nursing etcetera

may not be registered for non-degree purposes without special permission. Registration of

these modules for non-degree purposes without special permission, will be cancelled

immediately. If any of these modules were passed under non degree purposes without prior

permission, they will not be considered towards the awarding of a professional qualification.

10 Application for credits and exemptions

10.1 Students applying for credits and exemptions for studies passed at other higher education institutions

must do so on the prescribed form via MyUnisa and in accordance with the rules and procedures for

processing applications for exemptions.

10.2 Exemption of modules and conferment of credit may not be granted for more than half (50%) of the

number of modules required in a programme in which exemption and recognition is requested and should

be done in accordance with the relevant College Guidelines and curriculum requirements.

10.3 All credits for an incomplete qualification may be recognised by the same or a different institution as

meeting part of the requirements for a different qualification or may be recognised by a different institution

as meeting part of the requirements for the same qualification provided that the credits do not exceed the

50% threshold of the programme applied for

10.4. Students may only be granted exemptions and/or credit transfers for modules if the student meets the

minimum admission requirements of the qualification for which the application is made.

10.5. Exemption will only be considered if there is a substantial overlap (minimum 80%) between the syllabi

of the module passed at a different institution and the corresponding module at Unisa.

10.6 Credits can only be transferred if they form part of the curriculum of the qualification that the student is

enrolled for.

10.7 In the instance where the applicant has satisfied at least 80% of the outcomes of the module, the

student will be accredited with the full amount of credits for the module assessed in accordance with the

University exemption rules.

10.8 Exemption or credit cannot be granted if the student studied and passed an out-of-date module

content (credit currency period). The credit currency period of content varies in accordance to curriculum

rules but must be determined to be no longer than 10 years

10.9 A minimum period of 5 years is recognised as a minimum currency period of module content should

an academic department wish to keep the period below 10 years and the exemption can be granted and

approved by the Deanery of the College.

10.10 For Tax modules that are subject to the South African Tax Regulations the minimum period of 3

years is considered as the credit currency period for these modules, exemption can be granted supported

by the Deanery of the College.

10.11 Exemptions or credits will only be considered if the module passed at the previous or different

institution is offered at either the same or higher NQF level as the corresponding Unisa module. The

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

Learning outcomes of the module assessed must satisfy 80% of the outcomes and assured to have been

assessed as competencies that every applicant has accumulated through non -formal and informal learning

treated on a par with those being applied for recognition at the appropriate NQF level.

10.12 The module content is the final determinant for credit recognition and granting in instances where the

two module of different qualification types exit at the same NQF level

10.13 In the case where a student did not pass the pre-requisite module(s) for the module that exemption

was requested for, the exemption may be provisionally granted but not loaded on the academic record until

the student has passed the pre-requisite module(s).

10.14 In the case of credits for a qualification obtained at a South African institution, exemption is only

granted to a student who has passed corresponding modules at an institution that is recognised by the

Department of Higher Education and Training and the qualification is registered on the NQF with a valid

SAQA identity number.

10.15 In the case of credits for a qualification obtained at a foreign or international institution, exemption is

granted to a student who passed corresponding modules at the foreign or international institution that is

recognised and pegged on the NQF and the qualification is verified with SAQA with modules pegged at

appropriate NQF levels.

10.16 Exemptions may be granted for modules passed from a Higher Certificate or Diploma completed at

Unisa or any other recognised private or public institution even though the completed qualification was

used to articulate to the Degree.

10.17 In the case where a completed qualification was used to obtain a certificate of exemption to provide

admission to the degree, backdating of a certificate of exemption (where necessary) is requested and if

declined, exemptions or credits will not be considered.

10.18 If a student does not succeed and pass any module in the year in which they are exempted for, their

exemption shall be subject to the curriculum rules in force in the year in which they continue their studies.

10.19 No exemptions will be granted for any Unisa signature modules.

10.20. No exemption will be granted if a student failed the module at UNISA and then applies for an

exemption with a qualification that pre-dates the registration and failure of the module at Unisa.

10.21 If the qualification was obtained or the module was passed at another institution after the student

failed the module at UNISA an exemption may be considered.

10.22 A student must repeat a module from which he/she has not been exempted for in terms of the rules

of exemptions and credit transfers.

10.23 In circumstances where rules are not clear and/or yet to be determined, each application will be dealt

with on its individual merits and will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

10.24 Applications for exemptions can only be submitted during the registration period once a student has

been granted admission to a qualification.

10.25 The University may amend or cancel the exemptions that were erroneously granted or declined,

without receiving notification from the student.

10.26 All exemptions of modules passed with or without distinction from the previous institutions will appear

as exempted (without marks) on the student’s academic record.

10.27 All exemptions of modules passed at Unisa in a previously incomplete and completed qualification

will appear as exempted with marks in the students’ academic record

10.28 Students who have extensive relevant working experience related to the module(s) may consider

applying for RPL, if the UNISA RPL conditions are met. (www.unisa.ac.za/rpl

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

10.29 An exemption application must be assessed by at least 3 appropriate academic members of the

department for an assessment and academic judgment.

10.30 The assessment of the exemptions must be based on credible methods that determine the extent to

which the curriculum content and outcomes are comparable, as guided by the NQF Level Descriptors in

conjunction with the quality standards developed and published by the CHE and SAQA.

10.31 The application evaluation and assessment must consider the degree of similarity between the

content and outcomes for which credits have already been awarded, and those in the

qualification/programme towards which credits is being sought, to ensure that students have the necessary

knowledge and backgrounds to be successful in further learning

10.32 Colleges and departments must develop credit matrices that express the knowledge, skills,

competences and other relevant learning outcomes that enable individuals to transition from one

qualification to another qualification and advance student mobility within and outside the institution.

10.33 The SAQA Policy and Criteria for Credit Accumulation and Transfer within the National Qualifications

Framework limits the recognition of Short learning programmes or any non-formal provision for credit

exemptions but SLPs may be applied in CAT processes with the appropriate evidence that could form part

of an RPL process conducted in line with the UNISA RPL Policy.

10.34 In the event where module exemptions are electronically uploaded on the student system as

received from the College, the module list of exemptions must be reviewed on an annual basis and

submitted to DSAR by 31 October every year.

10.35 The application for exemption must be processed and finalised within 12 weeks period. The

circumstances under which applications will not be considered are not limited to but include the situation

where:

a. the online application for exemption is not completed correctly or is not submitted to Unisa.

b. supporting documentation is not submitted.

c. supporting documentation is not correctly certified.

d. the previous or different institution is not recognised or registered with the relevant bodies or

organisations.

e. applicants are not registered students at the University of South Africa.

f. there is no overlap or sufficient overlap of module content between the module passed and the

module for which credit is applied for.

g. where module passed have exceeded the approved period(s) determined by the academic

department.

11 Cancellation of registration

11.1 Students who are admitted to an examination, cannot request a cancellation of such a module for

any reason. The records will reflect that the student had been absent from the examination

concerned.

11.2 A student who voluntarily cancels his or her registration for a module for any reason whatsoever

will forfeit either a part of or the entire fee paid, as prescribed in the fee payment schedule for the

year (available from: http://www.unisa.ac.za/payfees).

11.3 Should a student wish to cancel his or her registration within 10 calendar days following the

activation of registration, he or she may apply for a full refund in line with Unisa's cooling-off

period. Foreign levies are non-refundable and will not be credited with any cancellations.

11.4 A student who logs in on myUnisa and submits his or her request for cancellation for registration

should take full responsibility for his or her decision in line with the cancellation rules. The request

for cancellation cannot be withdrawn after it has been submitted online.

11.5 Students who cancel their registration for a research proposal module, a mini-dissertation,

dissertation or thesis remain liable for the full fees for the year they were registered.

12 Exclusion from study on the grounds of poor academic performance and

readmission to study

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

12.1 Unisa prescribes a set of minimum standards with which students must comply to ensure their

continued registration with the university. These are set out in the Admission Policy.

12.2 Senate may decide to exclude students on the basis of poor academic performance.

12.3 Academically excluded students may appeal to the Executive Dean of the relevant College.

12.4 The maximum periods (including deferment) in which a qualification must be completed are:

120 credits - 4 years

240 credits - 6 years

360 credits - 8 years

480 credits - 10 years

12.5 Students who do not complete a qualification within the prescribed maximum period, may be

excluded from further registration, but may apply for admission in a new academic year. Such

applications will be subject to normal admission criteria.

12.6 Students who are currently excluded or suspended from another institution on grounds of

misconduct, will not be considered for admission.

12.7 Senate may reduce the maximum period in which a qualification must be completed (as set out in

paragraph 12.5 above) upon application by a College.

12.8 For the purposes of compliance with this rule, NDP registrations and the results of all aegrotat and

supplementary examinations will be taken into account.

12.9 Each year in which the student was registered at Unisa is included in the calculation of the period of

registration, and not just the years in which the student was registered for a particular qualification

12.10 In the case of a student who has completed a formal degree or diploma and is registered for a

second or further qualification, only those years of registration after the completion of the degree or

diploma will be taken into account for purposes of calculating the study period in respect of the

second or further qualification.

12.11 Modules from which a student has been exempted will not be taken into consideration for purposes

of determining whether he or she should be re-admitted to the university. Similarly, a student’s

previous academic performance at another university will not be taken into consideration.

13 Re-admission

13.1 A student applying for re-admission to the university after being excluded on the basis of

poor performance (as defined above) may do so only after providing proof of successful

completion of a short learning programme (with 48 credits or above) in accordance with the

standards set out in the Admission Policy.

13.2 A student applying for re-admission must submit his or her application via myUnisa for the

consideration by Dean of the College or Registrar (available from:

http://www.unisa.ac.za/registerformsandcodes).

13.3 A student who wishes to appeal for re-admission must submit his or her application via

myUnisa (available from: http://www.unisa.ac.za/registerformsandcodes),

accompanied by a

written motivation and/or documents where applicable.

14 Deferment

14.1 Students who decide not to register for an academic year or a semester must apply for deferment

(permission to not register for a current academic year) by submitting the DSAR26 form

before the

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

closing date of each registration period. The form cannot be used to cancel or move the current

registration to the next semester or academic year.

14.2 A student cannot apply for deferment after he or she has registered for a semester or academic year,

but he or she must apply for cancellation of registration.

14.3 Students may apply for deferment for maximum 2 years or 4 semesters for the duration of a

qualification. These need not be consecutive years or semesters.

14.4 Applications for deferment of examination must be referred to Exam Department.

15 Semester exchange

15.1 A student who wants to transfer a semester module from one semester to the following semester,

must complete the semester exchange application via myUnisa.

15.2 A student may not transfer a registered module from one academic year to another academic year.

However, he or she may apply for cancellation, before proceeding to cancel a module, students

are referred to rule 20. Supplementary and Deferred Assessment opportunities

16 Finance and fees

16.1 The fees payable and the manner in which fees must be paid are determined by the Council of the

university. This information is available on the Unisa website.

16.2 Payment must be made in terms of the modes set by the university. The adoption of any alternate

payment method which is dishonoured by the institution, will result in the fees being deemed not to

have been paid and will result in the affected student’s registration being automatically cancelled.

Unisa does not accept cash or cheques at any of its offices. Cash may, however, be paid into the

university’s official bank account.

Please note: Any payments made at the bank without providing the student number as reference

may result in the fees not allocated to the study fees account and the registration and / or additions

not being processed. Should this cause a delay in the allocation or transfer of funds to your account,

the university cannot be held liable for delays caused.

16.3 A student who owes a financial debt to the university, or has not returned university property that

has been loaned to him or her, shall not be provided with a Certificate of Conduct or any proof of

academic achievement by the university. No student will be rendered a service by the university

until all outstanding debt has been settled in full.

16.4 A student who qualifies to write examinations and who is financially suspended due to the

nonpayment of fees will still be permitted to write the examinations. All examination results will,

however, be withheld until the outstanding fees are settled.

16.5 Any legal fees that arise due to actions taken by Unisa to collect unpaid student fees will be for

the account of the student.

16.6 Students in foreign countries will be charged a non-refundable foreign levy per individual module,

which must be paid in addition to the minimum initial payment at the time of registration. A student

must be in possession of a student number before registration can be processed, or fees paid or

deposited into the First National Bank South African account.

Please note: Foreign levies will be debited programmatically to a registered student’s study

account immediately when any address and / or examination venue is changed to outside South

Africa.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

17 Formative assessments

Submission of formative assessments can ONLY be done on the myUnisa platform no hardcopies will be

accepted

17.1 Every student is required to complete the formative assessment requirements as set out in the

tutorial letters for the registered module.

17.2 The formative assessments will be used to calculate the year mark as set out in the tutorial letters

and on myUnisa for the module. The year mark will contribute towards the final examination mark,.

(The contribution of the year mark towards the final summative assessment mark will be set out in

the tutorial letter[s] for the module.)

17.3 The year mark will only be considered for purposes of calculating the final examination summative

assessment mark if a student attains a minimum mark of 40% in the summative assessment set for

the module (the sub-minimum rule).

17.4 For all FI assessments, the year mark will only be taken into consideration if it benefits the student.

17.5 In the case of modules applying continuous assessment, no summative assessment is conducted

and the formative assessment will be the only contributor to the final mark

18 Admission to the summative examinations

18.1 By signing the application for registration, a student undertakes, inter alia, to do his/her

examinations online and to provide the necessary equipment for this purpose, i.e. a computer or

laptop, including provision of data and internet access. The use of other devices (cellphone or

tablets) for online assessment is discouraged as the University will not be liable for any

challenges with these devices.

18.2 A student will not be admitted to an examination in a module unless he or she

a) is registered at the university for tuition in that module for the particular academic year

and period; and

b) has satisfactorily completed all the requirements for admission to the

examination as prescribed by Senate.

19 Assessment periods

19.1 Summative assessments for modules that are offered in the first semester take place in

May / June. Deferred and supplementary assessments are scheduled in October /

November of the same year.

19.2 Summative assessments for semester modules that are offered in the second semester take

place in October / November of the same year. Deferred and supplementary examinations

are scheduled in May / June of the following year.

19.3 Year modules and certain postgraduate modules will be examined in October / November.

Deferred and supplementary examinations for the year modules and certain postgraduate

modules will be scheduled in January / February of the following year. Year modules and

certain postgraduate modules that will be examined in January/February deferred,

supplementary and aegrotat examination will be scheduled in May/June.

Please note: Postgraduate students who have their second examination opportunity in May / June

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

must re-register for the module by the official closing date for registrations in the event that they fail the

second examination. No late registrations will be considered. Students who have re-registered and

passed the second examination, must liaise with the College of Graduate Studies: Hons and

Postgraduate Administration regarding a refund for fees already paid.

20 Supplementary and deferred assessment opportunities

Please note that there are modules (eg modules offered as continuous assessment) that do not

make provision for Supplementary examinations or deferred examinations and FI concessions,

such as practical modules, signature modules, modules with continuous assessment, and

Postgraduate i.e. research modules. No supplementary opportunities are granted in respect of

supplementary or deferred examinations.

20.1 Except where expressly stated to the contrary, a student will be granted a maximum of

two examination opportunities in a module without having to re-register for the module.

Thus, where a student is granted a supplementary and deferred examination to the

next exam opportunity, this will be the final examination opportunity without the student

having to re-register for the module. Students who fail or are absent (for whatever

reason) from the second examination opportunity will not be granted a further

opportunity without re-registering for the module. Students who passed their

examinations cannot apply for a second examination opportunity in order to improve

their results. Such students must re-register for the module(s) concerned for non-

degree purposes.

20.2 An aegrotat or deferred examination in the following examination period may be

granted to a postgraduate student who has been prevented from taking the preceding

examination or has been unable to complete the examination as a result of

• illness on the day of or immediately before or during the examination, provided that the

application is accompanied by a certificate issued by a medical practitioner registered with

the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPSCA) or SA Medical and Dental Council,

specifying the nature, commencement date and duration of the illness and declaring that for

health reasons it was impossible or undesirable for the candidate to sit for the examination

on the day concerned.

• personal circumstances, such as work commitments (an official letter from the employer is

required) or serious illness or death of a relative during the examination period, provided that

satisfactory evidence of such circumstances is produced (see below).

20.3 A postgraduate student where applicable will be granted a second examination

opportunity (supplementary examination) in a module if he or she achieves a minimum

final summative assessment mark of 40% and if he or she complies with the additional

(where relevant) specific criteria for an aegrotat, deferred or supplementary

examination for the module. The undergraduate students where applicable who failed

the first examination opportunity or were absent will be granted another automated

opportunity in the next examination period.

20.4

Where an examination is deferred (second examination opportunity) without the

examination having been written at the first examination opportunity, such deferred

examination will be regarded as the second and final examination opportunity for that

academic year. No further supplementary deferred examinations will be granted and

students who fail or who are absent from such an examination (for whatever reason)

will have to re-register for the relevant module/paper during the next academic period.

Please note: A student must have obtained examination admission and have paid the full

registration fee in respect of the relevant module. The prescribed examination fee will automatically

be debited to your study account once you have written the deferred examination.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

20.5 No alternative dates or times can be arranged in cases where examination dates and /

or times clash.

Please note: A student will not be granted admission to a deferred examination on the basis of

clashes in examination dates, save where the clash may arise as a result of a change to the

provisional timetable made by the university after the registration period.

Important: Postgraduate students registered for a formal qualification and a short learning programme

at Unisa, or two different short learning programmes, where there is a clash in the examination dates

between the two qualifications, may apply for deferment at exams@unisa.ac.za

20.6 Applications for deferred examinations (Postgraduate modules where applicable) must

be accompanied by original documentary evidence giving full details as to why the

student was prevented from writing the examination. Applications must be submitted

WITHIN 10 WORKING DAYS of the original examination date. Please ensure that your

student number is included on all documentation. Medical certificates received without

an accompanying written application will be deemed to be an incomplete application

and will, therefore, not be processed or considered. Applications can be submitted by

navigating to the relevant link (apply for an aegrotat examination) on your final

examination timetable on MyUnisa and completing the required information. It remains

the student’s responsibility to ensure that the university receives the original application

and any accompanying documentation before the closing date.

Important: Students may not write and complete the examination and also apply for a

deferment of such a module. In such, cases the script will be marked, and the deferred

examination will be cancelled.

20.7 Students who require 24 credits to complete the qualification and have attained 30% in

the module may qualify for assistance in terms of the Policy to assist students who

have one or two modules outstanding to complete a qualification at Unisa (commonly

called FI concessions). Modules offered for non-degree purposes in order to complete

a qualification at another university are not considered for FI concession purposes. The

student must have written and failed the modules in the last examination and the

examinations must have been the first examination opportunity. Note that not all

modules are considered for FI concession purposes. Since the university grants the FI

concession opportunity based on the requirements met by the student, you are not

able to apply to the university to be considered for such an assessment opportunity. No

student will be granted a third opportunity in respect of the FI concession.

Students who have failed an FI concession assessment do not qualify for a

supplementary examination based on the outcome of the FI examination. The final

mark for the FI concession may not exceed 50%. This limitation applies only when

alternative means of assessment (i.e outside of the formal examination periods) are

used. If a student is admitted to the next formal examination, the limit does not apply.

This provides students who prefer not to be limited to 50% with an alternative option

(i.e admission to the next formal assessment opportunity).

20.8 The university reserves the right to award or decline the special examination

opportunity based on the student’s formative and last summative assessment.

Students (who qualify) must have 24 credits outstanding or less in order to be

considered for the above assistance. This opportunity is granted at the sole discretion

of the university. Students cannot apply for this opportunity.

20.9 Senate may approve that there is no second examination opportunity in respect of

specific undergraduate modules. Where this rule is in place, the information is

expressly set out in the relevant tutorial letter, which forms part of the student’s

agreement with Unisa.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

20.10 Most postgraduate modules (excluding honours research modules) also have a

second examination opportunity.

The following should also be noted:

20.10.1 The summative assessments for the MBL modules and certain postgraduate modules are

conducted in October / November, with deferred and supplementary assessments

scheduled in January of the year following.

20.10.2 The assessments for the MBA modules are conducted in May / June and October /

November, and the deferred, and supplementary assessments (for students who qualify)

are scheduled in the next formal semester examination period.

20.10.3 The assessments for most postgraduate modules are conducted in January / February

and the deferred, and supplementary examinations (for students who qualify) are

scheduled in May / June of the same year. Postgraduate students who have their second

examination opportunity in May / June must re-register for the module by the official

closing date for registrations in the event that they fail the second examination. No late

registrations will be considered. Students who have re-registered and passed the second

examination must liaise with the Registrations Division regarding a refund for fees

already paid.

21 Examination timetable

21.1 The final examination timetable will be e-mailed to a student's myLife e-mail address, prior to the

commencement of the examination period. It will also be available on myUnisa.

Please note: No additional examination opportunities will be granted in respect of students who

claim to have received their examination timetables late or not at all.

21.2 The final timetable will contain the following information:

21.2.1 A list of the modules for which a student has gained admission to the examination, together

with the final examination dates and times.

21.2.2

A list of the modules (if any) for which the student has not gained admission to the

examination.

21.2.3 The type of online platform in which the examination will take place

21.4.4 Further general instructions.

21.3 It is the student’s responsibility to familiarise himself or herself with the contents of the final

examination timetable in so far as it applies to the student’s registration for the semester/year.

No deferments will be granted due to the misreading of the examination timetable.

21.4 Financial suspensions: Students who have been financially suspended for certain modules may

still write their examinations as scheduled. Note, however, that all examination results (and

supplementary examination information where applicable) will be withheld until all tuition fees

have been settled and library material returned. Supplementary examinations missed as a

result of the aforementioned will not be rescheduled nor will students be granted any further

examination opportunities.

22 Examination fees

22.1 The examination fee is included in the fee for the module and no additional fee is payable in respect

of the student’s first examination opportunity.

22.2 Additional fees will, however, be payable in respect of supplementary, and deferred

examinations. Please refer to the section on miscellaneous on the Unisa website for the amount

payable.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

22.3 The additional fees (to which reference is made in 21.2 above) are paid in addition to the fees for the

preceding examinations.

23 Language of examinations

23.1 All examinations, except for examinations in a language module, will be presented in English.

Senate may approve another language for examination purposes in accordance with the Language

Policy of the university.

24 Examination times

All online assessments will be conducted as indicated on the examination timetable at South African

time (CAT), irrespective of where in the world the assessment is written

25 Examination modalities

At the discretion of Senate, an examination may be online, oral, or both online and oral, and may

include practical work. Students cannot apply for or choose an assessment method. The

university may, at its discretion, require a student to take a further or additional examination.

26 Pass mark and distinction

26.1 The pass mark for most modules is 50%. Refer to the tutorial letter of the module concerned

for more information.

26.2 The predicate “with distinction” in a module will be recorded on the Academic Record and the

Advance Statement of Results when a student achieves a final examination mark of 75%.

26.3 A qualification is passed "with distinction" (cum laude) when a student has

26.3.1 passed all modules for the qualification at Unisa; and

26.3.2 passed all final-level modules at the first attempt; and

26.3.3 attained an overall average of 75% in the qualification

26.3.4. The mark for the exempted module(s) granted by virtue of modules passed at Unisa will be

included in the calculation of an overall average.

26.4 Modules passed with distinction are not reflected on the certificate. However, if a qualification

has been obtained with distinction, this fact will be reflected on both the Advance Statement of

Results and the certificate.

The rules apply to all qualifications (postgraduate and undergraduate), irrespective of the duration of the

qualification.

26.5 The sub-minimum rule. If a student does not achieve a minimum mark of 40% in the summative

assessment, his or her year mark will not be taken into account for the purpose of calculating the

final examination mark.

26.6 In the case of the research proposal module, it is a non-credit bearing module, and no mark is

awarded for the research proposal.

27 Remarking an examination answer script

27.1 Only those students who obtain between 35% and 49% or between 68% and 74% in a study unit

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

may apply for a remark of such an examination script.

27.2 The examination answer script will be remarked in accordance with the rules and procedures as

approved by Senate.

27.3 An external examiner who was not involved with the original marking of the answer script will be

contracted to undertake the remarking of the answer script.

27.4 An application for a remark, must be submitted online via MyUnisa under the result within the set

period and must be accompanied by the payment of the prescribed fee.

27.5 The mark awarded after remarking will be the final examination mark for the module, even if it is

lower than the original mark. The year mark contribution will be calculated in determining the

final examination result, provided that the examination mark complies with the sub-minimum

rule.

27.6 A student will be entitled to a supplementary examination (if applicable) on grounds of a remark

result.

27.7 The result of the remark will be provided to the students within six (6) weeks after the closing

date of applications. Notwithstanding an application for a remark, the onus is on the student to

ensure that his or her registration (where relevant) is submitted on or before the scheduled

closing date for registration. No extension will be considered for registration on grounds of an

application for remarking of an examination script. If as a result of a remark the student passes

the module that previously failed, the student’s registration for the module will be automatically

cancelled and any fees paid in respect of the affected module will be credited to the student`s

account.

27.8 A student may not apply for a remark in respect of the practical component of an examination.

27.9 Remarking fees will only be refunded if a student

27.9.1 who originally failed, passes as a result of the remark; or

27.9.2 who originally failed because of the implementation of the subminimum rule, achieves the

subminimum requirements and passes as a result of the remark; or

27.9.3

gains admission to study for a following higher qualification on the grounds that his or

her marks have sufficiently improved as a result of the remark.

Please note: Students who applied for a remark and who have been granted a supplementary

examination in the module, should continue preparing for the examination until the remark result

has been finalised.

28 Loss of examination material

28.1 Should the uploaded examination (answer book, etc) of a student not be received by the examiners

for marking, irrespective of the reason for such loss, such candidate may be granted an opportunity

to write another examination in the same module free of charge.

28.2 In all cases, the student will be required to submit his or her electronic receipt which was issued after

the successful submission (uploading) of the examination.

29 Practical examinations

29.1 Where there is a prescribed practical examination, the procedures and venues for practical

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

examinations will be set out in the relevant tutorial letter.

29.2 The university reserves the right not to offer practical examinations outside of the Republic of South

Africa. The onus is on the student to ensure that he or she is familiar with the rules regarding practical

examinations prior to registration for the module.

30 Examination results

30.1 The university publishes the examination results only after the results are signed off by the executive

deans of the respective colleges.

30.2 Final examination results will be

• Emailed to each student admitted to the examination

• available on the internet via myUnisa

30.3 No examination results will be supplied by telephone or facsimile.

30.4 No examination results will be released to a student until he or she has returned all books borrowed

from the library and paid all / any outstanding study and / or library fees.

30.5 A student who has passed a module and obtained credit for it may repeat it but only for non-degree

purposes (NDP). This also applies to students who are repeating modules to qualify for admission to

further studies. The mark obtained for non-degree purposes will not be recognised or included in the

student's degree. The university releases examination results in a staggered manner. Examination

results which have been captured and signed off by the dean of the college will be released and

made available to students. Since all examinations are not written at the same time, all examination

results cannot be released at the same time. Please do not contact the university for examination

results prior to the official release date of examination results.

30.6 The university will regard all results to be correct and complete if no query is received from a student

within a period of three (3) months from the date of release of the examination results.

31 Examination arrangements for students with disabilities

31.1 A student with a disability who requires special examination arrangements must apply annually,

in writing, before 28 February for the May / June examination period, and 31 July for the

October / November and January / February examination periods.

31.2 A medical certificate specifying the nature of the disability must accompany the application.

31.3 The application, setting out the special requirement(s), must be submitted by e-mail

toexamdisabled@unisa.ac.za (student number must appear in the subject line)

32 Purchase of marked examination answer books (copies only)

32.1 A student may apply in writing, using the prescribed application form (available from:

www.unisa.ac.za/exams), to purchase a copy of his or her marked examination. For details of

the process and the administrative fee payable, students are referred to the miscellaneous fees

on the Unisa website.

32.2 Students requesting a copy of the marked examination will receive an electronic version via

email of the marked examination once the application form and fee have been received and

processed.

Unisa 2022/2023 rules for students

32.3 In accordance with university policy and legislation, question papers and model answers /

memoranda will not be included with the copy of the marked examination. Only marked

examination that relates directly to the student will be provided.

32.4 Applications must be sent to purchasescript@unisa.ac.za (student number must appear

in the subject heading) (Attention: Examinations).

33 Student discipline

33.1 All students are subject to the Student Disciplinary Code. A complete copy of the

code is available on the Unisa website (available from: www.unisa.ac.za/unisarules

)

or from the Office of the Registrar upon request.

33.2 The onus is on the student to familiarise himself or herself with the contents of the

Student Disciplinary Code. Ignorance of the applicable rule(s) will not constitute a

defence in any disciplinary proceeding.