The Cape Peninsula University of Technology was established in 2005 with the Cape Technikon and the Peninsula Technikon merger. This step came after several years of change in the country’s higher education landscape.
As early as 1993, the Technikons Act was promulgated. This act made it possible for technikons to offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in Technology.
In March 2001, the then Education minister Kader Asmal announced the National Plan on Higher Education, which opened the door for the merger of technikons and universities.
CPUT is a public university of technology in the Western Cape, established in 2005. Its current institutional profile reports more than 35 000 students across five main campuses and satellite sites; consult its dated annual reports for detailed enrolment figures.
Many CPUT programmes include work-integrated learning, but the placement, duration and completion requirements differ by qualification. Consult the current programme rules rather than assuming every course includes an internship lasting up to a year.
The Cape Peninsula University of Technology consists of six faculties, offering 80 plus undergraduate and postgraduate courses. These are in the fields of
- Applied Sciences
- Business and Management Sciences
- Education
- Social Sciences – check the specific programme; this is not a separate CPUT faculty
- Engineering & the Built Environment
- Informatics and Design, as well as
- Health and Wellness Sciences.
The institution also presents a variety of short courses.
CPUT’s District Six campus reflects a difficult part of Cape Town’s history. District Six was declared a whites-only area on 11 February 1966, and more than 60 000 people were subsequently forcibly removed; these removals occurred over years, rather than all on that day.
It also has links with the Groote Schuur Hospital. This hospital became famous in 1967 when the first-ever heart transplant in the world took place inside its walls. CPUT offers Radiography training; it is also offered by other South African institutions, including TUT. The department has a presence at Groote Schuur Hospital.
CPUT offers university-managed and accredited accommodation, subject to available places. Apply using the current residence process; an older estimate of 13 000 beds is not a current guarantee of capacity.
Tracking CPUT Application
Application status can be tracked online; registration is a separate step after admission and clearance. Applicants who want to track the progress of their applications can do so at https://www.cput.ac.za/study/track.
The form on this page will work only if you supply the ID number you provided on your initial application. If you used a student number, make sure it is valid and accurate.
In case you have conditionally been accepted and admitted as a student, make sure that there are no outstanding documents.
Registration can only proceed after the necessary financial obligations have been met.
How to Access CPUT Prospectus
CPUT’s current prospectus and programme pages explain its qualifications, admission requirements and study options. Access the official undergraduate application page for the 2027 prospectus and qualification list.
Use the current prospectus or programme search to find your qualification, then check its faculty page for curriculum, admission requirements and contacts. Website menus may change, so start from the official CPUT study page if an old direct link fails.
Financial aid
Financial aid helps eligible students meet study costs. Eligibility and coverage depend on the scheme and may include financial need, academic progress and other conditions; use each funder’s current rules.
Funding criteria vary by scheme and may include financial need, academic eligibility, field of study and other conditions. Financial aid is not universally restricted to high academic achievers.
Types of funding
Bursaries
Bursaries are granted to students by government departments, companies, Non-governmental Organisations(NGO’s), and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA’s). These awards typically are based on set criteria (including academic merit, financial need, gender, and field of study). Place of birth also sometimes plays a role. It is up to the donor to decide on the costs to be covered. These costs are always study-related. Usually, a student who is successful in completing his or her studies will not have to repay the bursary. Sometimes a service contract is included with the company granting the bursary.
Loans
A student loan must be repaid under its signed agreement. Repayment dates, interest, security and guarantor requirements differ by lender; they do not all begin only after graduation. Read the agreement before accepting the loan.
Scholarships
Scholarships provide funding under the sponsor’s stated criteria, which may include academic achievement and other eligibility conditions. Coverage, renewal and any obligations depend on the award agreement.
