About 15000 first year students applied for accommodation in residences at Wits this year.
Claudine Prim, manger at the central accommodation office, said. “And we accepted about 734 students.”
There were 734 vacancies this year, said head of the Office of Residence Life, Rob Sharman. “We had 725 vacancies last year, so there was an increase of new residence students by 9 students.” Sharman said that these numbers often change, because some students move out occasionally and others move in.
Places for first- year students at residences on East Campus were set from the beginning, according to Denise Hooper-Box, the assistant registrar of the East Campus residences. “At Jubilee Hall we had 80 places for first- year students and we took in 79,” she said.
There were 34 places at Sunnyside Residence and 120 places at Men’s Halls of Residence for first years. All these places were filled. Hooper-Box said that these figures remained relatively the same as last year. “The exception being International House, we had more vacancies than anticipated at International House.”
However some students were unable to obtain places at residence because of financial constraints. Fulufhedzani Mulaudzi, a 3rd year student, said she could not get a place at residence because she could not get the finances in time.
“I was given the room, I received the acceptance letter and everything, but I didn’t have the money to pay in the required week, so the room was given away.”
The aeronautical engineering student said that she plans on moving from her home in Soweto to Braamfontein.
Prim said that there is a system in place which determines how students are allocated into residence.
“The criteria [involves] age, distance, the date of application, matric results and additional points are given for accepting the offer,” she said.
Postgraduate students and students returning to residence or transferring to different residences are also accounted for when rooms are allocated.
