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What Happened
The University of the Free State (UFS) suspended all classes on 14 October 2025 across its three campuses. The decision came after a week of student protests over the university’s new funding policy. The new system will take effect in 2026 and aims to make student funding fair and sustainable.
Under this plan, students will only be fully registered once their fees or funding are confirmed. NSFAS-funded students will continue to register in full.
The Qwaqwa Campus closed after violent protests on 13 October. Several security officers were injured, and university property was damaged. Students were told to vacate the campus within 24 hours.
Official Response
University management strongly condemned the violence. “We are deeply concerned about the safety of our staff and students,” said the Executive Management Committee. Officials are assessing the damage and monitoring the situation closely.
The university also dismissed social media claims that a student was killed during the protests. Lectures at the Bloemfontein and South Campuses remain suspended. In addition, movement is restricted between 19:00 and 07:00 daily.
Community Impact
UFS said the protests stem from efforts to control rising student debt, which has reached nearly R1 billion. The new model will phase out provisional registration by 2026. To help students, UFS launched new bursaries and the VC-ISRC Imbewu Legacy Fund.
Management has invited Student Representative Councils from all campuses to continue talks aimed at resolving the crisis.
