Welcome to Future UJ Portal

We are here to get learners on the right path to a university education. Starting in grade 9 by choosing the right subjects, through grade 11 with applying to UJ and then grade 12 with preparing for the big step up to UJ.

When it comes time to make the decision about where to study after school you will make an informed decision, UJ will help you along the way and you will know what is on offer at UJ.

The Future UJ portal is all about your future and us helping you prepare to get there. We want you to be clear about your future!

Preparing for your Future

Grade 9

Choose the right subjects

Did you know that your FUTURE@UJ actually already starts in Grade 9? The subject choices you make this year will determine what options you have available for your studies @UJ and therefore will also have an influence on your future career.

Grade 9 Resources
As a Future UJ Subscriber, you get access to all of the resources tailored to your grade and future UJ experience.

Grade 10

Learn well

This is the year where you need to learn well in order to prepare for crunch time in Grade 11. Remember you may as well learn well in Grade 10 so it’s a habit in Grade 11 because your Grade 11 results are submitted to with your application to UJ.

Grade 10 Resources
As a Future UJ Subscriber, you get access to all of the resources tailored to your grade and future UJ experience.

Grade 11

Earn Great Marks

Welcome to Grade 11 – the most important year of your high school life. When you apply to UJ early in your Grade 12 year, you will apply with your Grade 11 marks. So, waiting until Grade 12 to study really well, will be too little too late. You need those good marks in Grade 11 and then to keep them up in Grade 12!

Grade 11 Resources
As a Future UJ Subscriber, you get access to all of the resources tailored to your grade and future UJ experience.

Grade 12

Apply To UJ

Congratulations, you have almost completed 12 years of schooling and you are now entering the exciting time of your life! You future as starts here, and UJ is awaiting your application!

Grade 12 Resources
As a Future UJ Subscriber, you get access to all of the resources tailored to your grade and future UJ experience.

Study Options

Okay, so you’re almost done with school and are thinking of studying further. But you’re unsure about where to study. Traditional universities seem to be the only route that you think you could take. This is not true! There are various higher and further educational institutions to consider and choose from. Let’s have a look at these options shall we?

Universities

Do you enjoy reading a lot of theory and exercising your brain muscles? Then you may be more academically inclined and attending a university may be what you are looking for. You may choose to attend traditional universities or comprehensive universities. Traditional universities focus more on academics and offer degrees, whereas comprehensive universities offer both degrees and diplomas. Examples of traditional universities include University of Cape Town (UCT), University of Witwatersrand (WITS), University of Pretoria (UP), North-West University (NWU) and Rhodes University (RU). Examples of comprehensive universities include the University of Johannesburg (UJ), University of South Africa (UNISA), Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), University of Venda (Univen), Walter Sisulu University (WSU) and University of Zululand (UniZulu).

Vocational institutions

Perhaps you find that you enjoy learning more practically than theoretically, then training to be a technologist may be more your interest and learning at a vocational institute may suit you best. Vocational institutions focus on experiential learning in addition to learning academically. A few examples of universities of technology in South Africa include the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Durban University of Technology (DUT), Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) and Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT).

Other institutions that offer a combination of theory and practical subjects can be found at Technical Vocational and Training (TVET) Colleges [formerly known as Further Education and Training Colleges (FET)] as well as Sector Education and training Authorities (SETA). A few examples of TVET institutions include the Central Johannesburg TVET College, Coastal KZN TVET College, Goldfields TVET College, Capricorn TVET College and Boland TVET College.

Examples of SETAs include

  • Agriculture Sector Education and Training Authority (AGRISETA)
  • Fibre Processing and Manufacturing SETA (FP&M SETA)
  • Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA)
  • Media, Advertising, Publishing, Printing and Packaging SETA (MAPP SETA)

You can visit the following websites for more information on TVETs and SETAs

In addition to knowing where you would like to study, it is important to also know how you would like to study. Options of attending a higher educational institution vary from attending lectures on a full-time or part-time basis, to learning via correspondence.

Now that you know a little bit on what your studying options are, it’s time to contact the various institutions to obtain more information.

For assistance with knowing what your options are for studying further, you are welcome to visit the Centre for Psychological Services and Career Development (PsyCaD) at UJ at any one of the following sites:

  • Auckland Park Kingsway Campus (APK): 011 559 3324/3106, C Ring 1/ B5 Building
  • Auckland Park Bunting Road Campus (APB): 011 559 1318, Impala Court
  • Doornfontein Campus (DFC): 011 559 6042, House 2
  • Soweto Campus (SWC): 011 559 5752, Academic Building Block B, Adelaide Tambo Building

Or visit us. Find PsyCaD under Quick Links on the main landing page.

And remember to choose an institution that will best suit your needs and help you develop in academic, social and professional spheres.

Career Choices

Becoming the author of your future career story!

It’s time to pick up your pen and become the author of your future career story! Your career story starts in high school! During your high school years, you are already starting to prepare yourself for your future career, even if you are not aware of it. This starts when you choose which subjects you will be studying in your Grade 10 year and continues as you progress to Grade 11 and 12 where you will start to think about what and where you are going to study, or what you are going to pursue after your high school career. This all forms part of the beginning of your unique career story.

During my high school career my future career pursuits and where I wanted to be in the next five years were not on my list of priorities and therefore I didn’t play an active role in writing the first chapter of my career story. When it was time for me to start thinking about what I was going to pursue after high school, I didn’t put in much thought or effort. This left me feeling lost and confused when I started University with no clear goals of why I was there and what I wanted to achieve. In order to avoid this from happening, I want to encourage you to start playing an active role and become the author of your own career story!

In order to become the author of your career story it is important to be aware of the career development process. How does career development unfold and what are the key tasks that need to be accomplished within this process? These are important questions that will assist you as you start to write your own career story. At the very heart of the career development process is self-exploration. This entails getting to know yourself, finding out about your strengths, skills, values, interests, goals, aptitudes and personality. This stage of self-exploration is the first stage of the career development process and will form the core of your career story. Self-exploration will inform the overall plot of your entire career story. During this stage, it is also important to think about who will be the key characters in your story. These might be people you admire or who you may even consider to be your role models. They may have a great influence on you and thus your career story.

Once the plot of your story has been well defined and established you can start to further develop your career story. The next stage of the career development process entails discovering the many different careers that may be of interest to you. You can do this by gathering as much information about careers as possible. There are many different resources that will help you to do this. Check out these websites as a guide to jump start your journey into discovering the world of work:

The information that you gather during this stage is going to provide you with the concrete, practical information that you will need to make well informed career decisions. It is very important to learn as much as possible about different careers and hopefully develop a curiosity about the careers that interest you. In order to get more practical experience and insight into a specific career field you might consider conducting informal interviews: this involves chatting to someone who is currently in your field of interest and getting a real life account of what it would be like to work within that field and job shadowing: this would entail getting firsthand experience of what you might be doing if you were to get involved in a given career.

 

Now that you have a better understanding of yourself and have matched this to a career of interest, you need to find out how you are going to bring your story to life. This is a crucial step in the process and involves gaining experience and credentials. This entails discovering exactly what you need to do (e.g. study further/complete a learnership etc.) in order to achieve your ultimate career goal. You need to do your research and find out what type of qualifications or experience is needed to pursue a career in your field of interest as well as the specific admission requirements that are needed to gain the above mentioned qualifications or experience.

The final two stages of the career development process involves job searching skills and career management. Once you have obtained the necessary qualifications needed to enter into a specific career field, you need to start thinking about how you will obtain your dream job (how are you going to achieve your happily ever after). This stage therefore entails networking, developing your CV, writing cover letters and learning about job interview skills. Career management is the final stage of the process and involves keeping current with your profession and making sure that you participate in ongoing skills development and enhancement in order to promote growth and development.

It is important to remember that your story might not unfold according to your pre-determined vision and that challenges and opportunities might lead your story in new directions.

If you are uncertain about any aspect of this process and would like assistance, consider utilising the services of UJ’s Centre for Psychological Services and Career Development (PsyCaD). PsyCaD offers an array of services and resources that will assist you, as you begin to write your career story. Please see below for a list of these services and resources:

Career Related Services:

  • Subject Choice Assessments
  • Career Assessments (Individual and computerized)
  • Career Counselling
  • Qualitative Career/ Subject Choice Workshops

Resources:

Come and visit PsyCaD at any one of our sites:

Auckland Park Kingsway Campus (APK): 011 559 3106 / 3324, B5 Building / C-Ring 1

Auckland Park Bunting Road Campus (APB): 011 559 1318, Impala Court

Doornfontein Campus (DFC):011 559 6042, House 2, next to the Student Centre

Soweto Campus (SWC): 011 559 5752, Academic Block B

PsyCaD Reception is open:

Mondays – Fridays, from 07:30 – 16:00
(Closed on Public Holidays and during the UJ December recess)

YOURNEXTLEAPFORWARD

Orange Carpet Rewards Programme

STEP ONTO THE ORANGE CARPET…
TOWARDS TOMORROW

Tomorrow is an unfamiliar landscape. Many of today’s thriving professions didn’t exist a mere decade ago. Consider this: 65% of learners embarking on their educational journey today will ultimately pursue careers that currently don’t exist. As the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) unfolds further, as many as 47% of global jobs are on the brink of transformation.

As a school leaver, you stand on the edge of this unexplored territory.
To successfully chart a course through this new world, comprehension is key. This understanding begins with some profound self-questions.

• What do I envision for my future?
• Will my chosen career path adapt as technology evolves?
• Where can I gain the essential skills, knowledge and expertise to prosper in a 4IR-driven world?
• How will I maintain my humanity in a tech-orientated future?

At UJ, we’re not merely contemplating the new technologies of 4IR, we’ve integrated it into our curriculum without losing sight of our humanity. Because we firmly believe the future belongs to those who reimagine it.

Your next leap forward awaits at UJ. We’re ready for what’s next. Are you?

Could you be called an overachiever?

The University of Johannesburg’s Top Achievers Orange Carpet Rewards Programme is all about rewarding excellence and embracing accomplishment. So, if you are a Grade 12 learner and thrive on achieving the best, you are just the diamond we are looking for and you will be rewarded handsomely!

Benefits

  • Orange Carpet candidates qualify for conditional admission status, in other words, a guaranteed place at UJ, provided that the Grade11 results are maintained in Grade 12.
  • A guaranteed merit bursary according to your final Grade 12 results and the table below.
  • The academic registration fee is waived, which will then allow you to register.
  • You will receive a R2 000 voucher, which can be used to purchase textbooks, stationary or a tablet from one of UJ’s main suppliers.
  • Guaranteed UJ residence accommodation, provided that you apply before 30 June 2021. If you apply after June, you will be placed on a waiting list.
  • The residence application deposit is waived. However, a minimum residence registration fee is payable.
  • You are eligible for a sport bursary if you have achieved at provincial or a higher level.
  • and many more on-campus benefits like career counselling, invitations to exclusive events, library privileges and tickets to UJ sporting events like the Varsity Cup.

NOTE: The Orange Carpet Programme does not cover UJ residence fees. The rewards also do not extend to any form of accommodation or the costs associated with travelling to and from UJ. Furthermore, daily living expenses are not covered. Thus, the rewards extend only to tuition fees and other non-financial benefits.

Qualifying Criteria

  • If you achieve a minimum of 70% in your six best subjects (excluding LO) with a total APS of at least 37 with your final Grade 11 results, you will be considered to be a potential Orange Carpet student. As such, you will be admitted to the programme of your choice, provided that you retain or improve your academic performance in Grade 12.
  • Achieve a minimum of 70% in your six best subjects (excluding LO) with a total APS of at least 37 with your final Grade 12 results.
  • Meet the specific subject requirements for the programme you are interested in.
  • Only first-time undergraduate students who have never studied at any other tertiary institution qualify for the Orange Carpet benefits.
  • Make sure you apply on time
  • The deadline is 30 September 2021 at 12:00.

*The APS is calculated on the six best Grade 12 subjects obtained, excluding Life Orientation.

Academic Application

Residence Application
Complete the UJ application form – remember to fill out the results section truthfully and correctly. Then contact our Student Marketing section directly to fast-track your application. You will be guided through this process by your own UJ Student Marketer and you can also contact them for more information, should you need it. Call them on 011 559 6680.

Make sure you are an Orange Carpet Candidate. The quicker you get your application in, the better.

Applications for this campaign close on 30 September at 12H00. Thereafter the standard application and bursary procedure will be followed.

Keep in mind that depending on your AP score, your Orange Carpet merit bursary may not cover your full first-year tuition fees so please find out if you need to apply for any other funding and NSFAS on time during your Grade 12 year.

Note that further Terms and Conditions do apply to the Orange Carpet Rewards Programme and can be asked for by emailing orangecarpet@uj.ac.za.

To find out if you qualify, email ksogan@uj.ac.za

About University of Johannesburg

Vibrant, multicultural and dynamic, the University of Johannesburg (UJ) shares the pace and energy of cosmopolitan Johannesburg, the city whose name it carries.

Proudly South African, the university is alive down to its African roots, and well-prepared for its role in actualising the potential that higher education holds for the continent’s development.

UJ has transformed into a diverse, inclusive, transformational and collegial institution, with a student population of over 50 000, of which more than 3000 are international students from 80 countries.

This makes UJ one of the largest contact universities in South Africa (SA) from the 26 public universities that make up the higher education system.

The vision of the UJ is to be “an international University of choice, anchored in Africa, dynamically shaping the future”.

The mission can be described as follows: “inspiring its community to transform and serve humanity through innovation and the collaborative pursuit of knowledge”. These are underpinned by four values, namely: imagination, conversation, regeneration and ethical foundation.

The six strategic objectives provide a focused means for realising the Vision, Mission and Values of the University as set out above. They further represent a re-working of the original UJ Strategic Thrusts 2020 in the context of a wider positioning of the University as “The Pan-African” Centre for Critical Intellectual Inquiry, with the primary goal of achieving global excellence and stature.

Rooted in the vibrant, multi-cultural and diverse city of Johannesburg, UJ reflects the same energy and embraces its diversity with equal passion. With four campuses and about 50 000 students, UJ is one of the largest residential Universities in the country which means you have more choices in terms of what you want to study. The University offers a broad range of learning programmes from: career orientated and traditional academic; to professional and postgraduate qualifications. UJ students are given the opportunity to be educated in all facets of life.

Watch the UJ corporate video here

UJ offers its students various support facilities that aid individuals in succeeding holistically in life, and their studies. These include: career development services offered to Grade 11 and 12 Learners; assisting first year students with adapting to the academic, emotional and social demands of university life; academic development and tutoring services; reading and language development; campus health services; the availability of computer laboratories; as well as extended curriculum programmes on offer.

Some of our campuses host shops for added convenience, especially for students staying in our rather comfortable residences and fully equipped apartments. UJ realises that the campus experience is integral to the life of its students – after all this is where the giants of industry often meet! For this reason all the campuses have meeting places, cafeterias or restaurants with some of the student centres housing book and gift shops, doctors and even hairdressers.