Welcoming 2026
Congratulations! You're officially a Matie.
As you start your journey at Stellenbosch University (SU), we’d like to tell you more about the University and our commitment to creating a transformative student experience for ALL students. In fact, it’s one of the University’s core strategic themes.
Stellenbosch University believes in a human rights culture grounded in social justice. Everything that happens within the Responsibility Centre: Dean of Students (or, what we call Student Affairs) environment is based on fulfilling the University’s Vision 2040 and its Strategic Framework 2019-2024, the aspira-tions of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996, and DSAf’s Transformation Charter. Our work is also informed and shaped by South Africa’s National Development Plan 2030, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Our 13-day annual institutional Welcoming Programme commences on Monday, 26 January 2026 with the arrival of all commuter students (including Law students based in commuter and residence student communities) and residence students on Tuesday, 27 January 2026. The Welcoming Programme has been designed to help you make a smoother transition from high school to university. During this period, you’ll get the chance to visit your faculty (of which we have 10!), experience campus life at our Stellenbosch, Tygerberg or Saldanha campuses, learn about the different student societies and clubs offering anything from ballroom dancing to debating and mountain climbing, and the support services that you can access throughout your academic and personal development journey, as well as the sports and cultural activities on offer.
Please make sure that you attend your faculty’s Welcoming Programme as this will ensure that you are ready for your first day of class.
During this time, you’ll also be able to meet other students in your residence, commuter student community and clusters, helping you to form connections with diverse individuals. Beyond academics, we encourage you to participate in co-curricular and extracurricular activities, as it will provide you with opportunities for personal growth and leadership development outside the classroom. We hope you’ll use the Welcoming period and the next few years at SU to expand your world, discover and exploit countless possibilities to gain leadership and self-development skills, and try out new activities.
Feeling lost on the Stellenbosch-based campus?
If you’re getting lost on the Stellenbosch campus, look out for students in yellow T-shirts with an “i” (for information) on them. These Welcoming Ambassadors will be stationed at different points around Stellenbosch campus during the Welcoming period.
They are there to assist newcomer students and parents who need information or directions to venues. The Welcoming Ambassadors are well-informed about Welcoming Programme events and the location of venues, so please consult them if you have any questions. Also, remember that there is an enquiry desk in Admin A (entrance at the T-Junction of Ryneveld and Crozier Streets) and at The Neelsie (ground floor, next to the Maties Shop).
You can also contact SU’s Client Services at:
Tel: 021 808 9111 (08:00 to 16:30, Mon – Fri)
E-mail: [email protected]
WhatsApp: Type “hi” in our WhatsApp chat group at 061 729 8858.
Walk-in services: Enquiries Desk in Admin A and in The Neelsie on the ground floor.
Walking in circles on the Tygerberg campus?
There will also be help on hand for newcomers at the Tygeberg campus. You can visit the Tygerberg Student Centre (popularly referred to as TSS – in Afrikaans, Tygerberg Studentesentrum) on the first day of Welcoming. You will be welcomed by postgraduate students from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (FMHS), who will be stationed at the Student Affairs Welcoming stand at the TSS entrance.
They will be able to answer your questions and provide you with useful materials to keep on hand.
There will also be campus tours on offer to help you familiarise yourself with your surroundings. Campus tours, offered by the FMHS Marketing and Communications Division, will take place on Wednesday, 28 January 2026 between 11:00 and 12:00, and 12:00 and 13:00.
Please meet on the Hippokrates lawn opposite the TSS at the times mentioned above. Tours are limited to 20 people per session on a first-come, first-served basis.
For enquiries related to the tours, contact [email protected].
Tygerberg newcomers TAKE NOTE
