South Africa’s biggest private Afrikaans ‘university’ wants to make it official

• Akademia plans to apply for university status once the Policy for the Recognition of South African Higher Education Institutional Types is finalised.
• The policy was enacted on 17 October 2025, allowing eligible private higher education institutions to apply for university or university college status.
• Private institutions have grown in popularity as an increasing number of students cannot afford public universities or are not accepted.