Student debt exacerbates economic inequality, more particularly racial inequality, where it results in universities being forced to withhold the award of degrees.


For many students, including those who have received bursaries during their studies, their full costs at university are often left unfinanced – leaving many students with unpaid fees at graduation. Graduating students receive an invoice and will only be issued with a degree certificate or an academic transcript once they have settled their debt. For those who have not yet secured employment, this places them on the back foot as they enter the search for employment.


Student debt at Stellenbosch University has increased significantly over the past three years and exacerbated even further due to the impact of Covid-19 on family incomes. On average, students with debt upon graduation owe more than R30 000 each. The impact of this lingering debt hampers their capacity to contribute to a talented workforce and contribute meaningfully to our economy.


The largest impact is on professional degree students where governing bodies require the transcripts for professional registration purposes. The graduates most often affected by student debt are usually first-generation students, many of them falling into the missing middle or those who entered university before the fee-free undergraduate policy was implemented. Your support can help them enter the South African economy with confidence.

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Studenteskuld vererger ekonomiese ongelykheid en in die proses ook rasse-ongelykheid, waar dit veroorsaak dat universiteite die toekenning van grade moet terughou.


Talle studente, waaronder diegene wat beurse deur die loop van hulle studies ontvang het, was nie in staat om hulle volle universiteitskostes te finansier nie – wat hulle teen graduering met onbetaalde klasgeld laat. Afgestudeerde studente ontvang ʼn faktuur en hulle graadsertifikaat of akademiese rekord sal slegs aan hulle uitgereik word wanneer hulle skuld afbetaal is. Diegene wat nog nie in diens geneem is nie, word hierdeur benadeel in hulle soeke na werk.


Studieskuld aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch het oor die afgelope drie jaar beduidend toegeneem en dit is verder vererger deur die impak van Covid-19 op gesinsinkomste. Studente met studieskuld teen graduering skuld gemiddeld meer as R30 000 elk. Die impak van hierdie skuld strem hulle vermoë om tot ʼn talentvolle arbeidsmag toe te tree en betekenisvol tot ons ekonomie by te dra.


Die grootste impak is op studente met beroepsgrade, waar beheerliggame die akademiese rekords vir beroepsregistrasie vereis. Die graduandi wat die meeste deur studieskuld beïnvloed word, is gewoonlike eerste-generasie studente en baie van hulle val in die ‘ontbrekende middel’, of is universiteit toe voordat die klasgeldvrye voorgraadse beleid ingestel is. Jou ondersteuning kan hulle help om die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie met vertroue te betree.