The Wits University student representative council (SRC) launched an access campaign on Sunday, which aims to raise funds for students who cannot afford tertiary education.
Wits SRC secretary general Fasiha Hassan told News24 that they hoped to have raised R10m by the end of February for missing middle students.
She said that, so far, they had received R2.6m from corporate companies.
“We want to help the thousands of students that don’t qualify for NSFAS funding, but they still can’t afford their tuition fees – and we are calling everyone to come to the party, to help us reach that goal,” she said.
Meanwhile, the University of the Free State’s (UFS) SRC members have already raised more than R1.2m for students who cannot afford tuition fees this year.
SRC president Lindokuhle Ntuli said they had received donations from students, lecturers, businesses and the community.
He said SRC members had pledged R500 from their own pockets towards their Right to Learn campaign.
The fundraising started last year after the #FeesMustFall campaign.
Ntuli said the money would be used to help needy students with textbooks, food and tuition fees.
“Students… would have to approach the SRC offices and sign an application form and then we will assist them with their fees.”
He said they hoped to reach R5m by April 4.
In October last year, university students across the country embarked on nationwide protests against the rising cost of tertiary education.
Towards the end of that month, President Jacob Zuma announced that university fees would not increase in 2016.