Not a Golden Ticket: Woman Explains Legal Bypass To Enter Uni Without Meeting Requirements

• A local content creator, Theshaya, discussed the mature age exemption for older adults seeking university education in South Africa
• Applicants must verify individual university requirements, even with the exemption, to avoid misunderstandings
• Social media users shared personal experiences regarding the challenges and successes of using the mature age exemption

Content creator Theshaya shared that all hope is not lost for older adults wanting to continue their education. She explained that there was a way for people to study at a university without meeting the requirements, as long as they were over 23 years old.

Taking to her TikTok account on 14 April 2026, Theshaya stated that she was referring to the mature age exemption, a legal bypass managed by universities in the country. It allows individuals who qualify for the exemption to get into a degree programme even if they didn't meet the prescribed requirements at a matric level.

Read also

"People demotivated me": Proud woman who matriculated with diploma graduates cum laude

Noting that there is an application fee, Theshaya also told online viewers:

"But a huge mistake that a lot of people make is thinking that an exemption granted by USAf (Universities South Africa) is an automatic guarantee into any university. The reality is that each university in South Africa uses this exemption differently.

"The USAf checks if you qualify for this exemption, then the university has the discretion to implement its own requirements."

Theshaya suggested that one should first contact the faculty manager for more information about the requirements for mature age exemptees before paying the application fee, adding:

"Don't just think that it's a golden ticket."

Watch the TikTok video below:

Mature age exemption intrigues South Africans

Some social media users were curious to learn more about the legal bypass, while others shared their experiences applying for the mature age exemption.

@darkqueen1.2 thought to themselves:

"Here I'm rewriting my matric next month after 27 years, and it wasn't even necessary."

Read also

"Stained my holiday experience": British woman's braids get her turned away from South African club

A saddened @mrs.mpofu31 shared:

"UNISA rejected me even though I have my diploma in IT because of my matric results. I wanted to get my degree so bad before I reach 40."

@ebie1983 told the online community:

"I used the mature age exemption (23+), got into Stellenbosch University, completed my degree, and went on to obtain my PhD degree."

@beverly.l..tlhaba spoke about their experience:

"They take a while to respond. I applied last year for my sister, even this year, and we are still waiting for a response. But luckily, I also applied for a higher certificate for her, and she was accepted."

@noni3719 proudly stated:

"That's how I got into law school; now I hold a master's."

3 Other stories about university entries

• In another article, Briefly News reported that a top matric achiever revealed that her final exam marks didn't guarantee entry into university.
• A man was in a celebratory mood after he bagged his degree 17 years after entering university. He started his tertiary education in 2004.
• Entrepreneur Zaid Moti launched a R1 million education initiative to help 100 struggling students afford university. The students received money towards their registration and tuition fees.

Source: Briefly News