I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH AN A BAD EXPERIENCE IN MY ACADEMIC LIFE- DISSAPOINTED!

I am a post graduate Diploma student at this institution in 2024. I have experience of studying in 3 universities, so far this has been shockingly disappointing. I must say though I really had higher hopes.

I chose not to take my nephew's bad experience and review as a post grad student himself an Alumni of UCT, so that I can have my own experience and give a benefit of the doubt. Now I'm here with so much regret and I understand fully why he forfeited everything left for Stellenbosch University where is he is doing extremely well and about to complete his qualification.

1. I have never has such bad service, there is lack of compassion to treat students with care, you will feel like just a number in the system. Even if you directly ask for guidance to a specific query via email you will get a vague response sometimes or a 'refer to policy book' or 'an email was sent to you'.

Example: 1st Semester I missed a supplementary exam having emailed them to ask what format will sups be communicated because at that time I was owing fees and I could see on the policy book that sup exam dates were approaching and I kept on looking at my App because that is how all other results were communicated. I could not get clear guidance and only to realized later that I actually had a sup and I missed it. I sent numerous emails to student support producing proof that I enquired before sup dates and I was not adequately helped. So in this case because I missed emails the fact that I asked via email prior to exam dates does not count because for them its good that I must pay another R8K for a semester module to redo it without getting a chance to write a sup.

2. I had so much back and forth communication prior to my exam trying to figure out why my last assessment results were not released. It was the most stressful time of trying to prepare for exams only to finally get final direction and response in the morning of the exam when my exams had already started. My marks were still not available but I was told I can still write an exam which I didn't know as the policy book states the marks required for both the two assessments for qualifying for exams. I was so drained I almost completely gave up. However I gathered some strength and faith to continue writing that day. After finally settling my fees I found out I passed the exam and failed overall because I didn't get the required marks for that assessment that was not marked timeously. I had taken leave at work to write an exam and went through so much stress that day only not to make it. Now I must prepare another R8K to reregister this module.

3. I don't trust the marking sometimes I submitted a resubmission but realized that when I compare with the 1st submission the marks do not make sense however you have no opportunity to re-mark a second submission it is case closed you just have to accept whatever is allocated.

4. Generally I got discouraged and academically I'm not performing to my best usual ability at this institution. I have experience of distance learning but this perhaps is not the best fit for me.

I am just so sad that almost R60K later I'm writing a review like this when I have even struggled to pay my own fees as a single parent who is trying to upskill and upgrade herself.

There is no way I can recommend this institution to anyone.