Disability Support Services at South African Universities: What to Expect
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Student Life
South African universities run dedicated disability units that provide assistive technology, exam accommodations, note-takers and accessible housing, guided by a national Department of Higher Education and Training policy.
🎓 Every public university has a Disability Unit, sometimes called a Disability Rights Unit, that you register with after admission.
⏱️ Services include screen readers, Braille equipment, sign language interpreters, note-takers and modified exam time or venues.
🏠 Some universities provide adapted transport and accessible residence rooms for students who need them.
📩 Register early with medical or psychological documentation confirming your disability, ideally as soon as you accept your offer.
The policy behind campus disability support
South African universities coordinate disability support under the Department of Higher Education and Training's Strategic Policy Framework on Disability for the Post-School Education and Training System, published in 2018. The framework sets out a standardized enabling environment across universities and colleges, and names the campus offices that deliver support "Disability Rights Units," per the DHET framework . Most public universities now run one of these units, sometimes called a Disability Unit or Disability Service, coordinated nationally through the Higher and Further Education Disability Services Association (HEDSA).
What a disability unit typically offers
Assistive technology: screen readers, text-to-speech and magnification software, Braille embossers and digital magnifiers.
Exam accommodations: extra time, separate venues, readers or scribes, and modified question papers where needed.
Note-takers and sign language interpreters for lectures.
Loan equipment such as specialized laptops, Braille devices, hearing aids and mobility aids.
Accessible housing and adapted transport for students who need it.
Tailored study materials and, where necessary, adaptations to how a course is taught or assessed.
Exact services differ by university, since each institution builds its unit around its own student numbers and budget, but this list covers what most units provide in some form, based on published services at the University of Cape Town, Wits and Stellenbosch.
Examples from South African universities
At the University of Cape Town, the Disability Service offers sign-language interpretation, note-takers, assistive technology, adapted transport, accessible residences and exam accommodations, and keeps disability information confidential to only the staff arranging your support, according to UCT .
Wits University's Disability Rights Unit supports students with visual, physical, hearing, neurodevelopmental, psychosocial and chronic-illness disabilities, including temporary ones. Its specialist computer centers loan laptops with specialized software, Braille devices, assistive hearing devices and mobility aids to registered students, per Wits University .
Stellenbosch University's Disability Unit arranges special test and exam arrangements, tailored study materials and adaptations to curricula and assessment, alongside specialized computers, screen readers, magnifying and text-to-speech software, Braille embossers and digital magnifiers, according to Stellenbosch University .
How registration works
Support is not automatic once you are admitted. You register directly with your university's disability unit, usually online through the student portal, and upload medical or psychological documentation confirming your disability.
Register as early as possible, ideally as soon as you accept your admission offer, since exam accommodations and equipment loans for a semester need arranging before teaching starts, not after.
Uneven capacity across universities
Not every disability unit has the same capacity. Older, well-resourced units serve more students with a wider range of equipment, while smaller units at newer or under-resourced universities are still building up staff and technology, according to Universities South Africa . Ask your target university directly about the specific accommodations and equipment its unit provides before you commit, especially if you need a less common service such as Braille production or a full-time interpreter.
Paying for support
Campus disability units run alongside, not instead of, funding schemes like NSFAS's disability bursary, which pays for assistive devices, human support and a living allowance for qualifying students. A disability unit organizes and delivers support on campus, while NSFAS or a private bursary usually pays for it. Registering with both as early as possible gives you the best chance of having support in place for your first semester.