University in South Africa
Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa
University profile
It describes its vision as being a distinctive African university advancing excellence and innovation in research, teaching, learning, administration and social engagement, with a mission of quality education and innovative research in niche areas, applying digital technologies. It states it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024.
UFH teaches on three campuses. The Alice campus (Dikeni) is the main campus and is the home of Agriculture, Science and Education, alongside social sciences, humanities, human movement, law and fine art. The East London campus in the city centre (50 Church Street) offers Education, Law, Health Sciences, Management and Commerce, and Social Sciences and Humanities, and houses the Nursing Science teaching complex and the Phyllis Ntantala Collaborative Library. The Bhisho campus on Independence Avenue is focused on Public Administration.
Teaching is organised in six faculties: Education, Health Sciences, Law, Management and Commerce, Science and Agriculture and Social Sciences and Humanities. The Faculty of Science and Agriculture describes unique offerings including Marine Sciences, Dairy Science and Technology, and a Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing programme it calls the only one of its kind in South Africa. Health Sciences offers nursing, speech-language pathology, human movement science and public health, and Law runs a Law Clinic where students work with real clients. Qualifications range from diplomas and bachelor degrees, including extended (foundation) programmes, to honours, postgraduate diplomas, master's and doctoral degrees.
Student life includes sport (UFH is a member of University Sports South Africa and the Varsity Sports competitions, and hosts the UFH-CSA Cricket Academy on the Alice campus), many student societies spanning cultural, faith-based, political, academic and support groups, a Student Representative Council and a Student Governance and Development Unit. A Healthcare Centre serves both Alice and East London, and the university also has a Student Counselling Unit, a Disability Unit and an HIV and AIDS Unit under the Dean of Student Affairs. The Alice campus lists several residences (see campuses).
International students may enrol in all six faculties. The International Affairs and Partnerships Directorate, based on the Alice and East London campuses, supports applicants from admission and study visa through arrival, orientation, visa renewals and welfare, and publishes an International Student Handbook. UFH Council is accountable to the Minister of Higher Education and Training under the Higher Education Act, 1997.
The Department of Postgraduate Studies and Postdoctoral Fellowships (2027 postgraduate guide) invites applications annually; late submissions are not considered and recipients submit annual progress reports. Internal bursaries listed:
Funding periods: Honours/PGD 1 year, Masters 2 years and PhD 3 years full-time. Permanently employed staff and their dependents are not eligible. The department also funds conference attendance in South Africa, up to R13,500 per student per conference. External funders it points to include NRF, NIHSS, CSIR, SAMRC and HWSETA.
The undergraduate application page lists external schemes: NSFAS (South African citizens and permanent residents with a combined household income of up to R350,000 per year, or R600,000 for students with disabilities), the Funza Lushaka bursary for Bachelor of Education students, and the COID bursary for missing-middle students, with applicants advised when it opens. UFH also refers students to its Financial Aid Office.
Official pages: undergraduate application and bursary information; 2027 postgraduate study guide (bursaries).
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View scholarships for University of Fort Hare →Bachelor degree applicants need an NSC with appropriate subject combinations and levels of achievement. UFH's minimum: rating 4 (50-59%) or higher in English Home Language or First Additional Language; rating 4 in four subjects plus rating 2 (30-39%) in one subject; and rating 4 in Life Orientation. On that basis the minimum admission point score (APS) is 26 or higher depending on the programme. Faculties may set higher requirements. UFH provides an APS calculator on its admission page.
Each programme lists its own subject requirements in the study guide. In the Faculty of Management and Commerce, selection is based on merit and Life Orientation is capped at level 4 when calculating APS. In Social Sciences and Humanities, ties between applicants are resolved with an aptitude test.
Extended (foundation) programmes follow the mainstream curriculum over a longer period with additional academic support, taking one more year; international applicants are not eligible for the extended programmes. National Certificate (Vocational) applicants need an NCV Level 4 with at least 60% in three fundamental subjects and a faculty-specific minimum in four vocational modules (60% for Law, 70% for Education). Candidates with an appropriate NQF Level 6 qualification may be considered, and Recognition of Prior Learning is available under the UFH RPL policy. Mature-age applicants are 23 or older with a senior certificate and a pass in four subjects (two languages and two content subjects) and must apply for a complete exemption certificate from Universities South Africa (USAf). Transfer students may apply for credits from CHE-accredited institutions.
Undergraduates with non-South African school certificates must qualify for a matriculation exemption certificate (UFH links to the USAf list of acceptable qualifications by country). Postgraduate applicants with foreign qualifications must have them evaluated by SAQA and submit the evaluation with the application. International students must hold a valid visa or permit; full-time study is typically under a Section 13 study visa, applied for through the South African mission or VFS Global (corporate account). The visa file includes proof of medical aid cover with a scheme registered with the Council for Medical Schemes, a UFH letter of offer, a medical and radiological report, police clearance, proof of funds and accommodation details. International admissions: [email protected], tel +27 40 602 2244.
Requirements for Honours, Master's and Doctoral programmes vary by faculty and programme; some require minimum average marks (for example a 60% average in the major for Honours in Business Management, 70% for the tuition fee waiver in Honours), specific majors or professional registration. The 2027 postgraduate study guide lists admission criteria per programme.
Applications are online through the UFH portal. Applications opened 1 May 2026 for both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and close on 31 October 2026 (undergraduate, Masters and Honours) and 31 March 2027 (PhD). The application fee is R120, paid online through PayGate. Documents are uploaded as separate PDFs: proof of payment, certified ID, certified NSC or Grade 12 mid-year results, and a guardian consent form for applicants under 18. Applicants may apply for more than one programme and may use mid-year results, with conditional admission pending final results. Admissions: [email protected]; Alice +27 40 602 2016 / 2053 / 2122 / 2174 / 2281; East London +27 43 704 7155 / 7266 / 7004 / 7139.
UFH Protection Services operates on campus; incidents are reported at Campus Control at the Great Hall (043 704 7396 or 082 053 5992). A shuttle runs between the Alice residences and the campus six times a day.
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