A CAO Second Semester Application is an application for study starting in the second semester, in the July to August period, instead of the first semester in January to February. Here you will learn which programmes offer second-semester entry, how to find them, how the application differs from a first-semester application, and what to check before you submit. You will also see it called a CAO July Intake Application, because second-semester entry starts between July and August.
Here is the point to grasp first, because it shapes everything else on this page: not every programme offers second-semester entry. Just because you missed a programme in the first semester, do not assume it will be waiting for you in the second.
Entry Terms: First Semester Versus Second Semester
The official CAO Programmes page sets out entry terms in plain terms. There are two of them. Entry term 1 is first-semester entry, starting between January and February. Entry term 3 is second-semester entry, starting between July and August.
So when you open a programme entry in the Handbook or programme list, look straight at the entry term field. A programme showing entry term 1 only has no second-semester entry through CAO. A programme showing entry term 3 does offer second-semester entry. Some programmes show both terms, but those are still separate applications for separate start dates, with closing dates and requirements that may differ. Apply for the entry term you actually want to start in, not whichever term happens to be open when you first look.
Closing dates follow the same logic. A second-semester programme carries its own closing date, which is not the same as the first-semester closing date for a similar programme. Check the closing date for your exact programme, campus and entry term 3 entry, in the current Handbook or programme list.
Which Programmes Offer Second-Semester Entry?
Whether a programme runs in the second semester comes down to that programme itself — its institution, faculty, campus and structure. Some faculties and programmes are built to start only in the first semester, because of how the curriculum is sequenced, because of practical placements, or because of professional accreditation. Others are built to start in either semester, or specifically in the second semester.
To track second-semester programmes down, use the programme list on cao.ac.za together with the Handbook. Filter or search by entry term where the list allows it, and read the entry term field in every programme entry you are considering. Do not lean on a third-party list of July intake programmes: second-semester availability changes from year to year and differs by campus. A programme that offered July intake last year may not offer it this year, and a programme that offers July intake at one campus may not offer it at another.
If you cannot find a second-semester entry for the programme you want, get in touch with CAO or the institution directly. The programme may start only in the first semester. In that case your options are to apply for the next first-semester intake, or to look at a related programme that does offer second-semester entry. Do not apply for a first-semester programme code and hope it gets moved to July, because entry term is part of the programme entry itself.
How to Apply for Second Semester Through CAO
The steps for a second-semester application are the same as for a first-semester one, as set out in the official CAO Learner Guide. Go to cao.ac.za and click Apply. Enter your South African ID number or passport number and click Submit. Complete your details, school history and programme choices, choosing programmes with entry term 3. Click Process My Application to submit. Pay the administration fee shown on cao.ac.za, online or at an EasyPay outlet, using the Payments option or your unique EasyPay number as the reference. Then upload the required documents through Upload My Documents on the CAO homepage.
The form itself does not change. What changes is what you put on it: entry term 3 programmes, second-semester closing dates, and second-semester requirements. At the programme choice stage, take care to pick only entry term 3 programmes if you want to start in July to August. A first-semester choice slipped into a second-semester application will not start in July, no matter what you intended.
If you already hold a first-semester CAO application, do not assume it rolls over into the second semester on its own. An application for a new entry term is a separate application for that term. Ask CAO whether your existing application, documents and payment can be used for a second-semester application, or whether a fresh application for entry term 3 is needed. Do not submit a duplicate application for the same entry year and term; a second-semester application is for a different term, and that is exactly why you should confirm the position with CAO instead of guessing.
Documents and Requirements for July Intake
Document and academic requirements for second-semester programmes appear in the same programme entries as for first-semester programmes, but you must check them against the entry term 3 version of the programme. An entry term 3 entry can carry a different closing date from the entry term 1 version, and in some cases different notes as well.
As a starting point, get the general documents ready: identity proof, school results or highest qualification, and proof of payment. Then add any programme-specific documents, and anything your applicant type calls for, such as an academic record for previous tertiary study, or a foreign qualification evaluation for an international applicant. Upload documents through Upload My Documents on cao.ac.za, in the correct category, as a clear and complete file.
Closing Dates, Late Applications and Space
Second-semester closing dates have to be checked programme by programme. On the official Programmes page, the warning is plain: applications that come in after closing dates are processed as late, each institution handles late applications differently, and Health Science programmes at UKZN do not consider applications received after the closing date. Those warnings hold for second-semester programmes just as they do for first-semester ones.
Second-semester programmes often take smaller intakes than first-semester programmes, so space can be tighter. Apply as early as you can in the second-semester cycle, rather than leaving it to the closing date. Applying early leaves you time to sort out a payment or document problem, and to respond if an institution asks for an extra document.
No second-semester closing date or fee deadline is quoted on this page, because no such date was confirmed on an official CAO page opened at the time of writing. Third-party reports of July intake dates were not treated as official confirmation. Check the closing date for your exact programme, campus and entry term in the current Handbook and on cao.ac.za.
After You Apply for Second Semester
After submission, payment and upload, CAO forwards your second-semester application to the institutions you chose. Each institution makes its own selection decision for that entry term. Follow your progress through Check My Application on cao.ac.za, using your CAO number, ID number or passport number. That status checker works without a password. Keep it distinct from the applicant login for Upload My Documents, which does require a password.
The status terms for second-semester applications are the same official terms as for first semester, including Waiting for a Decision, Awaiting Results, Conditional Offer, Firm Offer, Short-listed / Standby / Wait-listed, and Regret Unsuccessful. Read any offer closely, including its acceptance and registration instructions and dates, because second-semester registration timelines run tighter than first-semester ones. An offer for July entry will normally need acceptance and registration inside a shorter window, so keep your contact details current and check your status regularly after applying.
Funding, accommodation and registration for second-semester entry are separate steps, dealt with after an offer, under the institution’s own process. CAO handles the application. NSFAS handles funding through a separate process. Do not assume that a second-semester CAO offer automatically brings funding or accommodation with it.
