The North-West University says while it received close to half a million applications across its three campuses, only 11 800 first-year students will be admitted for the 2026 academic year.
It says its unable to accept all the applications, including from those whose Admission Points Score meet the degree or programme requirements, due to limited capacity.
In 2023, the NWU was ranked the third-largest university in South Africa, with a total headcount of just over 55 000 students.
