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By Charmaine Ndlela
The University of the Free State (UFS) has confirmed that from 1 January 2026, all students will fall under a fully registered system, bringing an end to the longstanding practice of provisional registration that has allowed students with outstanding fees to register conditionally.
The decision follows weeks of tense protests across UFS’s Bloemfontein, Qwaqwa, and South campuses, after the university council’s 26 September resolution to phase out provisional registration sparked backlash from students.
Following negotiations between the UFS Executive Committee (Exco), Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC), and campus SRCs on 15 October 2025, the parties reached an agreement to phase out provisional registration over two years (2026–2027).
On 14 October, UFS suspended all on-campus academic activities following a week of student protests. The Qwaqwa campus was ordered closed immediately after incidents of vandalism, arson, and assaults on security personnel.
According to the university, an average 8% of students were provisionally registered.
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between management and student leaders includes:
● Phased out provincial Registration over a period of two years.
● Staggered concession of 70 000 (year one), 60 000 (year two)
● All UFS registered students to have access to their official academic records.
All students funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will continue to be registered in full.
Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela said he is in direct contact with the vice-chancellor and that the focus of their discussions “is ensuring the preservation of the 2025 academic year”.
INSIDE EDUCATION