CAO Application South Africa: How to Apply Through the Central Applications Office
The Central Applications Office (CAO) is a shared application service used by several South African universities and universities of technology. With one CAO application form, you can apply to multiple participating institutions simultaneously, saving time and reducing administrative burden. The CAO portal is available at www.cao.ac.za. Applications for the 2027 academic year typically open in early 2026 and close by September 2026.
What Is the CAO?
The Central Applications Office (CAO) is an independent body that processes applications on behalf of participating universities. By submitting one application through CAO, your details are shared with all the institutions you select. CAO does not make admission decisions — each university decides independently based on your academic results.
CAO is distinct from CACH (Central Applications Clearing House), which is used for late applications and clearing after the main round.
Which Universities Use CAO?
CAO serves a number of public universities and universities of technology. Participating institutions include Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), Vaal University of Technology (VUT), and several others. The full list of participating institutions for 2027 applications is published on www.cao.ac.za each year.
Universities that do NOT use CAO (such as UCT, Wits, Stellenbosch, UJ, UKZN) have their own direct online application portals. Always check whether your chosen university uses CAO or requires a direct application.
How to Apply Through CAO
- Visit www.cao.ac.za and click on Apply Now.
- Create an account using your email address and set a password.
- Complete the personal and academic information sections of the application form.
- Select the institutions and programmes you wish to apply for from the list of participating universities.
- Pay the application fee (approximately R120-R200, payable by EFT or at participating payment points).
- Upload or post supporting documents as required.
- Submit your application and retain your CAO reference number.
- Track your application status through your CAO online account.
- Respond to any offers made by participating institutions within the deadline stated.
Documents Required
- Certified copy of South African ID (green ID book or smart card)
- Certified copy of Grade 11 results (or latest available academic transcript)
- Certified copy of NSC (matric) results once available
- Proof of address
- Application fee payment proof
Apply as early as possible. Popular programmes such as Engineering, Law, and Health Sciences at major universities fill their quotas before the closing date.
CAO vs Applying Directly
CAO is convenient if your preferred universities are all CAO members. If some of your preferred institutions use direct applications and others use CAO, you may need to do both. There is no disadvantage to applying via CAO versus applying directly — universities assess all applications equally.
Some students apply through CAO and directly to additional universities to maximise their options. Each institution charges its own application fee.
After Applying: What to Expect
CAO forwards your application to selected institutions. Each university will contact you directly (via email or SMS) with an offer, a request for more information, or a rejection.
If you receive a conditional offer (subject to NSC results), you must confirm acceptance and then provide final results in January. Failure to confirm acceptance by the deadline means the offer may be given to another applicant.