Unreasonable fee increases

I want to warn prospective students and parents that the cost estimates provided by North-West University (NWU) cannot be re**** upon.

My son enrolled for a Postgraduate Diploma based on an official NWU cost estimate issued at the end of 2024. The estimate clearly stated that we should expect an inflation adjustment of around 6%. However, NWU app**** extremely unreasonable fee increases — almost double the original amount — during the programme.

When I queried the first doubling in 2025, NWU corrected it, which confirmed that the increase was improper. In 2026, the fees were again doubled relative to the original estimate. When I raised this with the university, I was told that “the cost estimate is only valid until the student registers.”

I have lodged a formal complaint with the NWU Ombud, as these repeated mid‑programme fee increases are financially damaging and undermine trust in the university’s financial information.

Prospective students and parents should be aware that NWU’s cost estimates may not reflect the actual fees that will be charged during the programme.