Residence allocation

Students are allocated to residences in line with the university's transformation goals as well as individual residence capacity. Successful new applicants are allocated to a building, which is notified on the offer letter, based on actual capacity and the specific objective of diversity in the residences. This is a primary goal in the placing of students into residence.

The secondary goal is to consider the specific programme/ faculty and building proximity such as is the case in Health Sciences and Performing Arts. The aim is to ensure that academic advantage is maintained, that is, that no one student of a programme is isolated from fellows pursuing the same or similar degree studies.

Transit accommodation

Approximately 5-10% of our new students are placed in temporary, dormitory type accommodation in a residence, for a transitional period of 2-3 weeks. Transit accommodation is an important contingency ensuring that the available accommodation is maximised to the benefit of new students. Where an applicant is offered transit accommodation, he or she will be notified in writing prior to arriving at the university. These students will participate fully in residence life provided the offer is accepted in time. Applicants should be assured that transit accommodation is secured within our existing complexes and all services, residence rules and security features apply to such an accommodation offer.

When transit students are moved into actual rooms, in our residences, the arrangements are all managed by the student housing staff to ensure as smooth a transition to their new residence as possible. It is also sometimes possible to stay in the same residence in which the person has been in transit. This is again determined by the actual available space as well as all other preceding allocation criteria outlined above.

For further information on housing allocations, please download the General Housing Information Handbook 2022.