UNISA Registration 2020

UNISA Registration 2020: All You Need To Know

The UNISA Registration 2020 period is etching closer to those who are keen to study at UNISA in 2020. If you’re a student who’ve applied successfully to study at UNISA – congratulations! The next step would be to register yourself for your chosen qualification. However, there are plenty of questions as to how, when, and why you should register for your UNISA qualification.

UNISA Registration 2020 Dates

Starting off with the when, students who’ve either applied successfully or is a returning student, will have the chance to register for their UNISA qualification. Registration dates range from January to March (depending on the type of modules and qualifications you’ve chosen).

Registration dates for Semester 1 of the 2020 academic year at UNISA (under-/postgraduate qualifications and honours degrees) is as follows:

  • Semester and year modules (including CTA): 3 January 2020 – 17 February 2020
  • Students writing year module exams in January/February 2020: 3 January – 7 March 2020
  • Masters & Doctoral degrees (some exceptions do apply): 3 January – 29 March 2020

Additionally, UNISA’s School of Business Leadership (SBL) have their own set of registration dates for its qualifications, namely:

  • (SBL) Postgraduate Diploma: 6 January 2020 – 3 February 2020
  • (SBL) Master of Business Leadership (MBL): 6 January 2020 – 7 February 2020
  • Master of Business Administration (MBA): 6 January 2020 – 7 February 2020
  • Doctorate of Business Leadership (DBL) Proposal students: 2 January 2020 – 17 February 2020
  • Master of Business Leadership (NQF 8 Teach-out, NO FIRST-TIME REGISTRATIONS): 6 January 2020 – 31 March 2020

Students who fail to register within the required time period will have their application deemed null and void. Students would then have to reapply during the next application period in order to study at UNISA.

How Do I Register for my UNISA Qualification?

Next, we move onto the how-to register for your UNISA qualification. There are currently four (4) methods students can use to register for a UNISA qualification:

  1. Online;
  2. Fax;
  3. Post; or
  4. At a self-help terminal via your nearest UNISA campus.

The most popular form of registration at UNISA is the online portal, with the self-help option coming a close second. This is mainly due to the relative ease and speed of the registration process via the self-help and online options compared to fax and post.

The rise of the internet age made tasks such as shopping and gathering information far easier than ever before. According to Statista, in 2019, there are an estimated 31.18 million internet users in South Africa with nearly 29 million active smartphone users.

This makes applying (and registering) online for a UNISA qualification the easiest and convenient method. Granted, the other methods have their own advantages and disadvantages but where’s the fun in using the other methods when you can apply/register from the comfort of your own home?

Originally, many students were ecstatic when UNISA made changes to the application window. The possibility of applying anytime during the year was a huge appeal. However, the news gave students the idea that it was possible to apply multiple times during the year (if rejected).

This couldn’t be further from the truth. If an applicant was unfortunate enough to have their UNISA application rejected, they would have to wait until the next application period to apply.

Also Read: UNISA Applications Open All Year Round

Payment of Registration Fees

Once the registration phase is completed, students will have to pay the initial minimum registration fee in order for the registration to be finalised. Students who are unfortunate enough to not pay the registration fee will forfeit the registration and will have to reapply during the next period.

UNISA has a variety of payment methods available for students, which you can find online here. Note that the sooner students pay the registration fee (or the bare minimum), the sooner students can start studying.

Students registering in Semester 1 of 2020 have up till 7 February 2020 to pay the minimum amount payable for finalization of the registration.

Why Should I Register to Study at UNISA?

Studying through open distance e-learning at UNISA

UNISA is a open distance e-learning tertiary institution. This means that it provides a vastly different learning experience than what most students are used to. UNISA’s Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) may not be for everyone, but it does have its benefits.

Students can connect to the university via the internet (mainly through myUNISA). UNISA also have a number of additional support services that students can use to get themselves through their qualification. ODeL is the ideal study system for those who stay far from the campus, unable to attend classes due to distance or work.

Students who are unsure on whether ODeL is the right learning system for them can make use of UNISA’s Readiness tool here. The Student Readiness tool can assist students to make an informed decision on whether UNISA is the best institution for them to study at.

Additionally, potential UNISA students can take the First-Year Experience Massive Open Online Course (FYE MOOC: 101) to determine their readiness to study at UNISA. Students can use and access the course here.

Lastly, if you’ve already successfully applied to study at UNISA and decided to not register for any reason (other than financially), then why apply? Keep in mind that there are plenty of students who qualified to study at UNISA yet did not receive a space to study.


There are plenty of tertiary education institution options in South Africa that students can enjoy. However, when it comes to distance learning, it’s hard to not overlook UNISA as an option.

With distance learning comes challenges, but there are plenty of services out there which caters to the needs of UNISA students. Together We Pass is one such institution. Since 2008, we’ve helped and assisted 1000s of students with their BCom and LLB UNISA modules via our online study groups and study resources (study notes and exam packs).

In our study groups, students will have access to a vast number of resources as well as access to our cheat-free assignment comparison tool. Additionally, students will have the chance to engage with each other to discuss their module’s work.

Our study notes and exam packs provide you with the perfect tool to use alongside your textbook as well as to prepare yourself for your UNISA module. Combining it all together will give you a greater chance of passing your UNISA module.

Also Read: UNISA 2020 Qualification Changes

Updated: 10 February 2020

Helping Unisa Students with their Assignments

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