University of South Africa [UNISA]
Reviews and Complaints

My email sent to UNISA:

Good day

I was going to apply entry into the Advanced Diploma course, fortunately someone else did it with the same qualifications I have and you rejected her.

Kindly advise how your recognition works. I have gained NQF 6 in Financial Accounting from The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers, I have done so independently as I did not have finances to study through a college, i.e. Boston.

On the UNISA website it states that the entry requirements for the Advanced Diploma are: An appropriate Diploma in Accounting Sciences or its equivalent, with at least 2 modules on NQF level 6 in both Financial Accounting and Management Accounting and with at least one module on NQF level 6 in Taxation; yet UNISA still turns us away. Why is this discrimination happening?

I have heard of ICB students successfully being accepted into UNISA Advanced Diploma BUT they had studied through a college which were registered with DHET, apparently another UNISA requirement. Once again why is this discrimination happening to learners who meet the requirements but have studied it using a cheaper option.

Now back to the student you have recently rejected, she has been told to first do the Higher Certificate which is a NQF 5. Why is UNISA forcing poorer ICB students to take a step back in order to move forward, how is this viewed as fair and non-biased?

I have now chosen to study with CIMA next year as they are not discriminatory and wish to help future accounts. After a thorough investigation into my future I learnt that SAICA grants CIMA certain exemptions such as the APC examination and SAICA says with CIMA you may enter into the CTA course, however, SELECTED DISCRIMINATORY UNISA says otherwise. UNISA says after CIMA we need to first take a step back and do the Advanced Diploma before we can enter into CTA. Please state how this is regarded as fair?

I look forward to your response.

I applied for LRM4801 remark on the 14 June 2016 and paid on the 16 June 2016. The closing date for remark application was 31 July 2016. I have been waiting for results till today . when I call customer service for assistance they give me the numbers to contact and no one is picking up from those numbers. I urgently need my results as I want to know if I should re-register for next year.

I am a 3rd year Bed Foundation Phase student, who transferred from CPUT to UNISA in 2015, to further my Bed Studies while working at a primary school. I wished to continue with 2nd year, rather than having to repeat 1st year, and as such, I applied for exemption of credits. I was told when applying that I would hear back on the result of my credits after 6 months. A year and a half later, in July 2016, after sending multiple emails (all of which have been ignored), and phoning in more times then I care to count, I still had no results. I therefore went into UNISA in Parow, with the determination to get it sorted out, and complain directly as to the poor service. I was, quite frankly, treated very rudely and with much impatience, and there was absolutely no effort on their side to try to understand my predicament. No empathy whatsoever. I was told that half of my credits have been processed, but the other half are still awaiting a result. When asking when I can expect to hear back, I was told it was Pretoria who dealt with it, and there was nothing they could do. Very unhelpful.
I find this absolutely disgusting service - I, as a student who pays fees, am NOT receiving the service I am paying for. I am supposed to graduate next year, however due to the present situation, may not be able to. I am a straight A student, and have worked very hard to graduate in time. I find it ridiculous that after almost 2 years, constant phoning and emailing, I still have no answer, and no way to get an answer. This lack of service is appalling! It is so unacceptable that UNISA, who is supposed to help students achieve tertiary education, is the very reason I may not graduate in time.
I would highly appreciate if this could be resolved shortly.

I have a query that's been ongoing since June 2015.I was taken ill on the day my assignment was due and I submitted half an assignment from my hospital bed.I also emailed all lectureres of the department on the same day to request that my circumstances be considered.After chasing, 5 months later I was requested to provide evidence of hospitalization and I did that with no problem.The department have since ignored my emails, the chair of the dept promised to get back to me 3 wks ago after meeting with all lecturers involved and now she even ignores my emails.It has now been 9 months & still no resolution.in the meantime I have paid full fees for the course.They didn't even send me an answer book for the exam.The invigilator had to provide loose papers for me to write an exam which she had to staple together and send to South Africa from London(my exam centre).The dept just doesn't care, they got their money!I will not rest until I get justice!

On the 10 Feb 2016, I went to Unisa in Florida to register for HR degree. I was assisted by the lady called A K Moagi(operator 20382). Who was rude, disrespectful, abrupt and impatient. Pretending she does not understand african languages I asked her what is the process if I want to register to study at Unisa. She ignored my question and rudely asked for my student number, which I gave to her. Then she went to her colleague's work station and they started having private conversation. Then she gave me an application form (with bad attitude)and did not explain to me which fields have to be completed. I completed the form and gave it back to her. She took it and looked at me. I asked her what is the next step, she rudely told me to go to the cashiers. Then I asked her, what process should I follow If I want to apply for credits. She gave me a form and did not explain to me how it should be completed. While I was completing the form, she told me to move aside because she wants to help another customer. After I completed the form, she checked the form and rudely asked me in Zulu, why did I put the wrong module codes. I explained to her that the codes I put on the form are for the modules I passed previously while I was studying towards a Bcompt qualification. She got upset and gave me the same form and instructed me to use the codes for the current qualification
One of her colleague's told her to be careful because someone might be video recording the incident. A K Moagi should not be placed in frontline positions because she does not have interpersonal skills. I'm not sure if she submitted my application for credits.

Who knew it would be so difficult to better yourself in South Africa when applying for a degree which has a skills shortage?
I applied online at Unisa in November. I was instructed to insert my details as per my ID document. Which I did. I was allocated a student number. And never heard anything since then. Apparently after numerous emails I finally realised that they have allocated me with a new student number and cannot link my profile with my old one. This has been going on since the 19 Jan already. We are now almost 3 weeks behind on the course that I was wanting to register for and no where near registered. All I can say is...pathetic. They are not doing the economy any favours!

I've applied to register for a PGCE on 1 September 2015 (for the second time). I've emailed numerous times during the course of applications to ensure they received it in good order - no response. I've emailed and called numerous times during registration to see what the outcome was of my application. The only response I received with telephonically with 'wait till you get a response'. I've been a student at UNISA since 2010 completed a degree and Hons and I am very disappointed with the no communication what so ever from the University and the fact that due to lack of service/ staff training I will be delayed with my studies.

I have been trying to register with Unisa for almost a year now! For the second semester I couldn’t register because the arts department took so long to send me my permission letter. In September I registered and in October I received a mail saying my application is received and I’ll receive a mail with a myunisa email and password to track the progress of my application, which I haven’t received. Now I get a mail today saying I’m not accepted because there is outstanding DOCUMENTS? In my registration I gave all the documents that were asked of me! So what are these documents that are outstanding and how must I know I must send it in and to whom? And of course no one knows how to answer a phone and the one's how does can't help you! Whoever is in charge needs to step aside, and hand it over to someone who can do the job! The mail - [protected]@unisa.ac.za and the Tel: [protected] / [protected] for the complaints department is also more then useless!

I have been writing my exams through Unisa at the Hellenic community of Benoni hall for 2years and have never experienced a problem with the varsity or the Exam venue till today. I was completely appalled by my experience. The hall has a toilet facility that on this day that I was there, was apparently out of bounds. There is no signs indicating this and the gate to the toilet was not locked, permitting access to the public to use the facilities.I walked past Hellenic cleaning staff and even Unisa staff and was not notified that the toilet can not be used. Upon coming out of the bathroom;the entrance and only exit of the toilet was locked. I found myself locked in the toilet and I'm scheduled to write an exam in the next 45mins. I was lucky to find a maintainance worker in the building who did not have any keys to open the toilet, so we Called the lady, known as Mapule Julia Ndlovu, who apparently locked me in, knowing fully well that I was in the toilet. The Lady presented a lousy attitude, and a awful arrogance about her, She refused to open the gate and made it clear we must wait for an invigilator. I sat in the building for a good 30 mins waiting for someone to open the gate, Eventually the Unisa invigilator Helouise gets there, opens the gate, gives me a piece of her mind, how this toilet is out of bounds.She takes no interest in what I'm trying to say and rushes off. I was luckily able to still get to the hall to complete my exam, but of course I was not as prepared as I would have liked to have been. I'm hereby addressing my dissappointment in Unisa and Hellenic community of Benoni hall management teams, a simple visit to the loo results in a huge inconvenience for me and whose to say what other student went through the same thing. The varsity and Hellenics should put SIGNS or clear indications when areas are out of bounds. Its is UNACEPTABLE AND A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE TO BE KNOWINGLY LOCKED IN TOILETS AND I WILL BE TAKING THIS MATTER FURTHER. TO MAPULE JULIA NDLOVU AND YOUR MANAGER AT HELLENIC COMMUNITY HALL, WHO WERE VERY RUDE AND UNAPOLOGETIC ABOUT THE ENTIRE MATTER, THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS ISSUE WAS HANDLED WAS VERY UNPROFESSIONAL, AND I HOPE CLIENTS HIRING OUT THIS VENUE GIVE CONSIDERABLE THOUGHT BEFORE RENTING THERE. AS FOR UNISA AND THEIR HEAD INVIGILATORS HELOUISE, THEY SHOULD SEND HER FOR SOFTSKILLS TRAINING, ON HOW TO SPEAK TO STUDENTS AND PEOPLE USING GOOD APPROACHABLE ETIQUETTE.

I paid my daughters registration for 2015 on the 16th january, well before payment cut off and proof of payment were sent through to unisa. Today is cut off for registration and she is getting a message on her student account, temporary registration, awaiting payment even though the deposit is reflected as a credit on her account. Her registration place states pretoria when it is suppose to state western cape and there is no option for her to change it. I have spent the entire morning dialing the only 2 numbers provided and they just ring or remain engaged. This service is absolutely shocking and needs to be addressed.

The fragmented and inefficient administrative structures of Unisa, together with the poor quality of services, a profusion of un addressed student complaints, and most importantly, a lack of coordination, have been major factors in hampering adequate student satisfaction.

In the main, student complaints are not afforded a high priority by the university, and are, in many ways, trivialized by it. More often than not, this state of affairs leads to inconsistent and insignificant solutions which undermine all efforts with regard to addressing the matter correctly.

Bearing in mind, that effective and prompt addressing of complaints, is paramount to ensuring the satisfaction of students. The existing poor service provision of the institution, which is required to promote student satisfaction, to say the least, is extremely far removed and definitely not in line with Unisa's over arching obligation, which unambiguously places duty on the institution to take responsibility in ensuring that complaints and issues are addressed promptly and student satisfaction is maintained.

Unisa is often unscrupulous and attempts to suppress evidence of their wrongdoings their operations caused or the way in which they apply regulations. The university is unfortunately often tardy or even negligent in implementing or reinforcing policies effectively. Cases in point are:

Last year May, due to unforeseen circumstances, I was forced to cancel my exams, which I thereafter wrote as supplementary exams in October 2013. I was astounded when my results had been far below my average achieving rate. Further investigation revealed that my assignment marks had not been added to the year mark. The matter remains un addressed because I am unable to get hold of the Department dealing with this matter, both telephonically, as well as via email.

On countless occasions I had tried calling Unisa several times, without an answer. I am convinced that reception personnel are aware of these calls but choose to ignore them, as I had once been key witness when a ringing telephone had been ignored on a fairly ordinary and idle day at Unisa.

My main concern is that, even the slightest, seemingly insignificant difference in marks, for students, make all the difference as to whether they achieve a Distinction or not, and for underachievers, whether they pass or fail.

Predictably, Unisa has spawned various explanations for their shortcomings, that are, to a greater or lesser degree, irrelevant to the matter. These explanations can invariably be linked to the particular disposition and orientation of their creators.

The general premise is that shortcomings caused by Unisa are neutralized in the mind of the university's personnel before the actual wrongdoing is committed. They easily justify their actions through a process of neutralization. They may, for instance, contend that ignoring a ringing telephone is not serious. Bear in mind however, that these seemingly insignificant shortcomings will escalate progressively. This escalation will fundamentally affect the extent to which they will morally disengage, neutralize and rationalize their shortcomings.

The crux of the matter, however, is that much of Unisa in general is so caught up in publicizing the institutions achievements that they do not give student complaints more than a second thought.

To alleviate the problems, the university should be staffed with adequately trained and sensitized personnel who are au fait with miscellany of student related issues they can expect to be confronted with.

Effective administration personnel would promote student satisfaction and should be factored into the management equation from the very beginning. This would ensure that student issues are addressed in a sustained and holistic manner.

What is required first, for the dual purposes of intervention and an applicable solution, is the acknowledgment that a problem does exist and recognition of Unisa's poor service provision.

An intervention and applicable solution will only be achievable if an accurate and impartial stance is taken on this matter.
Until now, the absence of such a stance can probably be ascribed to the fact that a fairly large amount of student complaints are dealt with casually and dismissively, including feigned ignorance that such student complaints had been brought forth.
Such disregard have undermined the delineation of an intervention and solution and have clearly served to marginalize a focused and dedicated intervention in this regard. The absence of consensus about a fundamental solution has hampered the potential success of intervention initiatives(both proactive and reactive)

By formulating an innovative intervention, this issue would steadily be resolved. Such an intervention would consolidate existing policies and promote adequate student satisfaction.

Finally, for an institution which claims to be South Africa's most productive university, Unisa seems to have missed the mark and has failed in delivering satisfactory service to it's students.

I am a third year student at unisa, last year I wrote a module called ENG1502. The exam was a breeze, I expected an outstanding result, to my dismay I received a mark of 45 % . I requested to purchase my exam script, I faxed, and emailed my application through before the closing date on 31 January 2014, till date I have not received my copy, I made deposit into my student account for the fee.. I have emailed them numerously and nothing as been done to solve my problem . I want solid proof that I received this horrid result.

There is only an email address, and no number where I can contact them... I'm really stressed

I have asked for my exam script on 3 different occasions, i have also paid continuously to get them but they just funnel it into my fees or refund the money.

Also lodged a formal complaint about a lecturer Mrs ML BEZUIDENHOUT HRM3705 compensation management 2 years ago, who only cares about her survey research she does through the assignment. I have failed this subject for the last 4 semesters because of her.

unisa's marking is not acceptable, I am a part time student and I had an enquiry about one of my modules I was doing and the lecture agreed to see me and I explained to her that I was working, she cancelled on me on the 11th hour and again on the marking of my assignment I was given a zero mark of which I was not given a reason as too why I was given that mark, I referred back to the study guide of which the answers are there I gave the same answers, unisa stuff are lazy, incompetent and unprofessional they don't care about anyone or anything.

To whom it may concern
Gooday iam writing this letter with great disappointment I went to Unisa last Thursday and was turned back due to lack of water in the building. Than I retuned to them on Wednesday to apply I stood for 3 hours in the que just tobe advised that I shouls apply online or via the post office.
I WAS ALSO IFORMED ON THE VERY SAMEDAY THAT REGARDINGFUNDING FROM NAFSAS I SHOULD REFER TO THE BOOK(UNISA MANUEL) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION WHICH I DID. IN THE UNISA MANUEL ITCLEARLY STATES THAT THENAFSAS CLOSING DATE IS THE 20TH SEPTMBER, WHENI ARRIVED AT UNISA BY 11:30AM ON 20SEPT I WAS TURNED BACK BY UNISA STAFF SAYING THAT THE CLOSING DATE FOR STUDENT FUNDING NAFSAS WASON THE 19TH WERE THE UNISA BOOK AND THE WEB PAGESTATES THE 20TH.

I WOULD APPRICIATE IT IF SOMEONE CAN EXPLAIN THIS MATTER TO ME AND ALSO TELL MEWHAT IS IT THAT I NEEDTO DO FROM THIS POINT ON CAUSE I AM UNEMPLOYED.
REGARDS VINORIA JACOBS
ID-[protected]
STUDENT NO- [protected]
TEL-[protected]
EMAIL ADD- [protected]@yahoo.com

Unisa has got to do something about their administration. The service and lack of regard for people's education is really appalling. I have been calling these people from my country of residence, spending tons of money, just to be put on hold for 25 minutes at a time. I send them emails requesting information, I have no reply. My exam papers went missing, and now, one day before registration I am still not registered and still do not have feedback on my application to do 7 modules in my final year. And I'm still waiting for my results 24 hours to closing date of registration. I am so appalled. I'd like to stop my studies with this dreaded institution. But I'm nearly done, so will have to bear and grin for another two semester. God help us.

UNISA's computing module is a joke. This is how they treat a paying student (like me).
1: Group you late so you miss your assignment deadlines
2: Tell you its not a big deal
3: Ignore your emails, only responding via automated "we got your email" messages.
4:Don't answer their phones, or if they do- buck-pass you to the reception who buck-passes you to someone else who listens to your whole story and then tells you its not their dept, then buck-passes your call to someone else who does the same thing and this is the joy of telecommunication with a university in the 21st century.
5: Don't deliver the course content in a cohesive manner
6: Always have the systems offline to make sure you cant submit assignments.
7: Infuriate students by making no sense in the questions with convoluted instructions.
8: No delivery or access to paid for study material
9: Deduct marks because of your assignment being late because their system was offline
10: Fail you because assignment date has passed while their systems were offline
11: Sending you email replies like "I hope you got it right"? when you have asked multiple questions and need THEM to do their work, and assist the paying student which is why there are lecturers and a university in the first place.
13: Make you run around like a headless chicken collecting information from the far ends of the earth, only to tell you that is is now invalid and they didn't need it to begin with.
14: Charge an extra R400 for the module for what?
15: The list goes on...
Please see the attachment for proof of just one instance where they tell students to download a file from a location where it is obviously not there...We are not idiots and will not be treated as such. How does UNISA intend rectifying this? I would like this mdule credited to me while they think about it. A monetary credit and the passing of the credit to my degree. Thank you.

I emailed unisa about a refund i submitted, i wanted the money back owing to me as the navy payed for my full years fees and i required that R5900 be paid back to me. only i got the wrong response, they claim they paid this money back into the nevy's account, meaning this money is now lost... i want my money back asap into MY account as i specified on the refund form along with the deposit slip of my amount and the proof of the navy's amount. i have no idea who told them they can give my money away when i wrote my bank details on the refund form. if i dont recieve my money into my account by the end of the week im pursuing legal action againt unisa for theft. its ridiculous that this happend considering that i specified exactly which account i would like it to be paid into. poor service on behalf of unisa. and if i dont get a resoonse on this shortly, im writing to the newspapers!