Waiting for your matric results and heading to varsity in 2026? Here’s what you should know

Mapaballo Borotho

Prospective university students will only receive their 2026 application outcomes after the release of matric results on Monday.
Universities have urged students to wait for official offers and accommodation confirmation before arriving on campus.
SAQA has also warned students to verify private colleges to avoid falling victim to unregistered institutions.

If you have already applied to study at any South African public university in 2026, you will know your fate on Monday afternoon.

Application outcomes for prospective first-time entering students will only be released after the announcement of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) results on Monday.

Universities South Africa (USAf) says this is because the entity will only be granted access to the results on Monday morning, several hours before their public release on Tuesday.

“Prospective first-time entrants must therefore await their application outcomes directly from universities. Students must only arrive on campuses after receiving an application outcome and confirmation of their accommodation status,” said USAf CEO Dr Phethiwe Matutu.

Meanwhile, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has warned first-time students who will be furthering their studies at private colleges in 2026 to be cautious of fly-by-night institutions.

This follows the deregistration of several private colleges by the Department of Higher Education and Training due to non-compliance, with more unregistered institutions expected to emerge.

Prospective students have been urged to always check with SAQA or the Department of Higher Education and Training whether their chosen college or course is registered, to avoid being scammed.

The 2025 matric results will be announced by Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube on Monday, with the full results expected to be released and published in newspapers on Tuesday.