Stellenbosch University (SU) honoured 37 of the country’s most outstanding matric achievers on Tuesday evening at the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Awards for First-Entry First Years, held at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS).

The ceremony brought together senior University leadership, faculty deans, school principals, parents and guardians to recognise students whose exceptional Grade 12 results placed them among the strongest academic performers in the country.

Welcoming guests to the prestigious event, Dr Katlego Letlonkane, Programme Manager for Diversity Capacity Development at Human Resources, emphasised that the achievements celebrated reflected collective effort. “These stories are no ordinary stories,” she said. “They are stories of perseverance in the face of challenges, of discipline, sacrifice and potential realised through dedication.”

For the first time, the event also welcomed parents and school principals alongside the award recipients – an acknowledgement of the role played by families and educators in shaping the academic journeys that brought the students to SU.

Recognising academic achievement at the highest level

Prof Richard Stevens, Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Learning and Teaching and Chairperson of the University’s Bursaries and Loans Committee, outlined the extraordinary academic landscape from which the award recipients emerged.

“Tonight, we celebrate academic excellence in its clearest form,” Stevens said. Nearly 42% of SU’s 2026 first-year intake – more than 2 600 students – achieved Grade 12 averages of 80% or higher. Within that group, 347 students achieved averages of 90% or above.

From this highly competitive cohort, 37 students were selected for the University’s highest academic recognition for first-entry students.

Fifteen of them received the prestigious Vice-Chancellor’s Awards, valued at R100 000 each. These recipients achieved matric averages ranging from 95,33% to 98,17%.

A further 22 students received Achievers Awards, valued at R75 000 each, recognising learners who achieved averages of 90% or higher. The Achievers Awards also acknowledge top performers from quintile one to four schools, reflecting the University’s commitment to expanding opportunity and recognising excellence across diverse communities.

The award recipients come from six provinces and are enrolled across four faculties, with strong representation in Engineering, Economic and Management Sciences, Medicine and Health Sciences, and Science.

Excellence as achievement – and impact

Delivering the keynote address, SU Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Deresh Ramjugernath congratulated the students and reflected on what excellence means in a university context.

“Behind every number is a story – a story of commitment, perseverance, encouragement from families and teachers and many hours of hard work,” he said.

Ramjugernath noted that while academic achievement is important, the University understands excellence in broader terms. “Excellence in a university context is about far more than just marks,” he said. “Excellence here is about both achievement and the impact that our graduates are going to have on society.”

He reminded the students that many had several options when deciding where to study yet chose SU because of its academic reputation and the community it offers.

Universities, he said, exist to prepare students to tackle complex challenges facing society, from healthcare and climate change to economic development and social transformation.

“The real measure of excellence is not simply how well you perform when things are easy,” Ramjugernath said. “It is how you grow when the work becomes demanding.”

He also thanked school principals, teachers, parents and guardians for the role they played in preparing the students for academic success.

“Our story as a university often begins in your classrooms,” he told the school leaders present.

A new generation of scholars

The newest cohort of high-achieving Maties spoke with a mix of disbelief, gratitude and clear-eyed ambition about being recognised at the event.

Among the award recipients was Abigail Kok from York High School in George, South Africa’s top national achiever in the 2025 National Senior Certificate examinations. Now studying data science in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, Kok said the transition to campus life has been exhilarating. “Welcoming was such fun! I’m in Sonop residence, and our House Committee made such an effort to have all sorts of activities. I’m loving Stellenbosch so much!” The start of classes took some getting used to, Kok said. “The workload is definitely a lot more than school, but it’s fun to have subjects that I really enjoy and professors who are passionate about their content.”

Khaya Mhlongo, a mechatronics engineering student from Gauteng, said the University’s reputation played a decisive role in his decision to become a Matie. “My research proved that Stellenbosch is one of the top and leading universities when it comes to engineering. I’m sure I’m in the right place,” he added with a big smile. Mhlongo said he was “super excited” to meet Kok. “I’m honoured to be in the same room with her and all the other top learners.”

Oratile Malewa, enrolled for her MBChB, traced her calling to her mother’s example. “I always had a thing for helping people … I want to be a doctor. I want to change lives, and I want to help heal people,” she said. Her choice of institution was strategic: “I realised that SU has the best medical faculty, and I was like, to be the best, you’ve got to go to the best … and to be the best, you also have to be amongst the best.” 

The event also celebrated the schools that nurture academic excellence. Jacques Nel, Executive Head of Somerset College, underlined the depth of talent in the school’s recent cohort. “We were really proud of our class of 2025; they did exceptionally well,” he said and singled out new Maties Karla Duvenhage and Nina Benson. “They were giving each other a run for their money over two years, achieving 100% in several subjects.” He highlighted the close relationship between Somerset College and SU and quipped: “Some parents refer to Stellenbosch University as ‘Somerset College 2.0’. For many of our students SU feels like home.”

For the top achievers, the awards represent not the culmination of their journeys, but the start of greater things to come. “What you have accomplished to date is just the beginning,” Ramjugernath reminded them.

The years ahead, he told the new Maties gathered at STIAS, will challenge them to think independently, engage with new ideas and grow into scholars and professionals capable of shaping the future.