Registration started in earnest at the North West University, Mafikeng campus, yesterday, with aspiring students thronging the institution in their hundreds, ready to start their new journey in higher education.

The university structured its registration plan in such a way that students registered in their respective faculties to avoid congestion and long queues at the admission centre.

University communication officer Phenyo Mokgothu said they expected all first-year students to have registered by Thursday.

“Registration will run until Friday for all first-year students. All other returning students will register from Monday next week. Our target is to have the orientation week running from January 28 to February 7 so that new students are given a proper induction on how campus life and higher education in particular are run at this institution,” he said.

He urged all students to utilise the registration period fruitfully to avoid last-minute disappointments.

“Students are urged to register early because our spaces are limited. This also applies to the issue of accommodation. We operate on a first come first served basis. Late applicants will have to look for alternative accommodation outside campus.”

In the past the university has approached property owners to book accommodation for students but Mokgothu said the number of students had kept on increasing and not everyone could be guaranteed accommodation in such facilities.

“Like other campuses across the country, we have accommodation challenges but we are trying our best to build our own structures on campus, but for now students will have to seek for places to rent outside campus,” he said.

Some of the students said their first experience of university had been confusing but they hoped to adjust quickly.

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