The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has added more than 5 000 bed spaces to accommodate students who rely on on-campus housing.

The expansion brings the University’s total residence capacity to just over 16 000 beds, marking one of the largest student housing increases at a public University in South Africa in recent years.

UWC Vice-Chancellor Professor Matete Madiba says the expansion comes at a time when the country is facing a national shortage of student accommodation.

 “The 5120 bed increase is unprecedented for UWC. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the Residential Services team, who have worked tirelessly with our partners over the last several months.”

Madiba says the expansion will benefit several students at the University, who are struggling to find accommodation.

“We acknowledge that accommodation remains a deeply personal and often stressful matter for students and their families. While not every need can be met immediately, the progress made from 2025 to 2026 demonstrates a clear and measurable effort to grow capacity, reduce pressure and support more students than ever before.”

Meanwhile several students who did not qualify for on-campus residence at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) were left stranded last week.

CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley says the University provided temporary housing for the students, but is conducting a vetting process to check who is eligible for residence, noting that placement will only be done on a case by case basis.

“While we have seen an influx of applicants who expect to be placed at residences, our processes has found that many of these applicants do not meet the minimum academic standards for placement. Other reasons are returning students who have switched courses, pending disciplinary actions or they live within the 60 kilometer radius.”