University applicants without a place have opportunities – Nzimande
Students who did not get into university can seek assistance about alternative courses and apprenticeships via an online government service.
Prospective university students who applied on time for a place at public universities but were not offered a space have been urged to contact the Central Application Clearing House (CACH) for help.
Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, appealed to unsuccessful university applicants to contact the CACH, a system which has been set up to assist matriculants to access university, college and skills development opportunities following their unsuccessful university applications before the publication of their grade 12 results. The Department of Higher Education and Training opened the online service system for unsuccessful university applicants on 22 February 2021.
Nzimande said CACH was useful for university applicants who had applied for admission to a university or college in time in 2020 and had met the entry requirements when their grade 12 results were released but had not been offered a place in their programme of choice. He said it was also useful for prospective students who had applied and met the entry requirement based on their grade 11 results yet did not meet the entry requirements when their grade 12 results were released.
“CACH also provides referrals to career development services, funding opportunities, and skills development opportunities including artisan programmes and learnerships,” he said.
“Institutions with skills development or study opportunities will then select potential students from the CACH database and make direct contact with those selected,” Nzimande saod.
How to use the service after not finding university placement
The CACH 2021 service will be available until the end of April 2021. The sign-up service will operate for prospective university applicants who did not get a placement from Mondays to Friday between 8am to 6pm and on Saturday from 8am to 2pm.
The CACH service follows different phases:
- Phase 1: Individuals looking for space in the PSET system can SMS their name and ID Number to 31629 and be called back free of charge. Individuals can also register or sign up online via the website: http://cach.dhet.gov.za.
- Phase 2: In the case of an SMS, the agents will call a prospective student back free of charge. The agents will then register all requested details on the CACH database, indicating the learners’ chosen field of study and the province they wish to study.
- Phase 3: The applicant’s details and matric results will be confirmed, verified, and automatically transferred to institutions of higher learning for possible admission and placement on confirmation by the applicant.
- Phase 4: Where places exist and applicants meet the requirements, institutions will contact applicants directly to offer them available places.
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