If you wrote matric last year, the chances are good that you will soon be among tens of thousands of Grade 12 pupils who have not achieved admission to degree studies.

Even worse, even if you do get achieve admission, SA’s overcrowded public universities may well not have a place for you.

Last year, 76.2% of matrics passed their exams. Of those, about 210,000 (36.4%) received admission to degree studies and roughly 150,000 (26%) got diploma passes. However, public universities are overwhelmed with applications and cannot meet the huge demand for first-year places. 

None of that sounds optimistic at all – but here’s the good news: it’s not the end of the road for your goals and aspirations. 

There are several ways for you to ensure you enter the workplace as a graduate. 

If you have not obtained a bachelor degree pass, you can still complete a higher certificate with a registered private higher education institution – and that gives you access to further tertiary options, including degreed courses.

Degrees from private higher education institutions registered with the department of higher education and training are equal in status to those offered by public universities.  

These universities and institutions follow the same quality checks and registration processes, so all the degrees they offer are recognised by the SA Qualifications Authority. 

“Many people erroneously believe you can only pursue a degree and postgraduate studies up to doctoral level at a university. This is not correct,” says Stadio Higher Education chief academic officer Divya Singh. 

“Now more than ever, learners and fee payers need to understand there are other options available that offer equal quality, and at a cost comparable with the fees charged by the public university sector – notwithstanding that no government subsidy accrues to private higher education institutions.” 

Many private higher education institutions offer both contact and distance learning via state-of-the-art online systems – an important consideration when the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many prospective students to opt for institutions whose online learning won’t be interrupted by further lockdowns. 

How to apply and register to start your studies in 2022

Making the move from high school to a higher education institution is already challenging, but starting 2022 without somewhere to study can feel altogether overwhelming! Just pause and breathe: you can still secure your space now. 

Here are four tips to help you apply and register with ease:

1. First map out the career paths in which you’re most interested. This will help you find an institution with the right courses for you. Stadio offers more than 50 qualifications available on its campuses nationwide. 
2. Visit a Stadio campus close to you – they all comply fully with Covid-19 measures. The student recruitment advisors will help you apply and register by guiding you through the process and giving you all the assistance you need. 
3. Remember to take your documents with you. You will need your ID and your statement of results. Stadio applications are free – and you can review all the fees online.
4. Bombard your Stadio student advisor with questions. Make sure you know when classes will start, when your orientation date is, and what you will need when you start your studies. 

Click here to see the qualifications offered at Stadio Higher Education campuses >>    

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This article was paid for by Stadio Higher Education.