TCU’s directive as over 67,000 enrol with multiple varsities

The TCU has now opened the second application window, running from yesterday to September 21, which is expected to provide relief for those who missed out.

But this opportunity will only materialise if students with multiple offers confirm their places quickly, thereby freeing up slots for others in universities of their choice.

Education experts say the practice of applying to several institutions at once, while understandable in a competitive environment, often leads to distortions.

Students secure offers from more than one university, yet they can only take up one slot. The unconfirmed positions then remain idle until late in the admission cycle, denying others a timely opportunity.

This has led to cases where some applicants, despite meeting requirements, fail to secure places altogether because their preferred programmes appear “full” on paper when, in fact, a portion of admitted students never take up the slots.

The continuous increase in the number of students seeking admission in more than one institution has been a challenge in Tanzania that may be depriving others of opportunities.

Announcing the closing of the first admission phase and opening the second one, TCU executive secretary Charles Kihampa stressed that all students with multiple admissions must confirm their choice at a single university within the set time frame.

“Confirmation is done using a special secret code sent by SMS to mobile numbers or emails used during the application process,” he said.

Prof Kihampa added that students who may not have received their codes should log into the admission systems of the institutions that admitted them and request the message afresh.

Importantly, the confirmation must be made through the same account used during the initial application.

The TCU noted that there are 205,652 slots available this academic year, compared with 198,986 last year. This represents an increase of 6,666 spaces, equivalent to 3.3 percent.

Despite the growth, only 116,596 students have so far secured admission, leaving a gap of nearly 89,000 unfilled spaces. Experts say these numbers should encourage students to act decisively, rather than holding on to multiple options.

As such, the figures show that the country has the capacity to absorb more students, but delays in confirmation create unnecessary bottlenecks.

This year, universities have been approved to offer 894 undergraduate programmes, up from 856 last year, reflecting a continued expansion in higher education opportunities.

“This has also contributed to the increased number of admission applicants,” Prof Kihampa said.

Second phase opportunity

The second phase now provides hope for applicants who either missed the first deadline, were not selected, or want to reconsider their options.

“We urge all applicants who were not admitted in the first round to take this opportunity seriously and apply for programmes in universities of their choice,” Prof Kihampa advised.

He further directed universities to publicly announce the programmes that still have vacancies, ensuring transparency for prospective students.

The TCU has also reminded institutions and applicants alike to strictly adhere to the admission calendar to avoid confusion and ensure fairness.

Observers argue that the challenge of multiple admissions underlines the need for better career guidance in schools. Many students apply widely because they are unsure of their strengths, interests, or job market prospects.

At the same time, universities are under pressure to attract students in a highly competitive environment, which sometimes encourages over-admissions.

Still, the solution lies in students making clear, informed choices and in universities strengthening their communication during the admission cycle.

As the second phase of applications gets underway, the message from the TCU is clear: students must confirm one institution and give way to others. Failure to do so risks locking deserving candidates out of opportunities.