CAO Portal Login

CAO Portal Login

Discover the Central Applications Office, CAO Portal login via www.cao.ac.za to complete the online application form. Learn more on CAO Online Application, how to apply, change of mind, upload supporting documents, check your status and pay your administration fee.

Find and download Central Applications Office, CAO handbook, and prospectus PDF.

When Applying for CAO Online

Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to access and login Central Applications Office, CAO Portal.

  • At the same time that you apply, you may pay the administration fee online, and you may upload your supporting documents, ID, school results, etc. you may choose not to pay the administration fee online.
  • On receipt of your application and administration fee, your application is immediately available to the institution/s to which you have applied.
  • Choose to pay the administration fee via EasyPay.
  • Application is available to the institution/s to which you have applied as soon as confirmation of your payment is received, which is the day after you have paid the administration fee at the EasyPay
  • You will receive your Acknowledgement Letter within 24 hours after confirmation of payment is received.

How to Apply via CAO

There are two basic ways that you may apply for admission via Central Applications Office, CAO.

  1. The preferred way to apply is via CAO Online Application Portal
  2. By completing a CAO hard copy application form

How to Login CAO Application Portal

Follow these steps to access and login to the Central Applications Office, CAO portal, and learn how to apply.

  1. Explore http://www.cao.ac.za/
  2. Navigate to “Apply”
  3. Read the application information
  4. Tap on “Continue with Application”
  5. Enter your ID Number
  6. Tap on “Submit”
  7. Scroll to the bottom of the page
  8. Tap on “Continue with Application”
  9. Start to enter ALL the details requested. Once you have entered all the requested information,
  10. Tap on “Next”
  11. Tap on “Continue with Online Application”
  12. A pop-up window will appear with your CAO number, password, and EasyPay number.
  13. Read the instructions. The same information will also be sent to the email address you provided. This information is important in case you want to access your information at a later date.

You have not yet completed your application

  1. Tap on “Continue with Online Application”

Follow the instructions and complete ALL the information requested

  1. Tap “Next” on each page as you navigate through the application
  2. Check the summary of your application presented on the screen
  3. Tap the “Process My Application” button at the end of that page

Your application has now been submitted. The message on your screen will display that your submission has been successful.

  1. Pay online and/or upload your supporting documents.
  2. Pay via EasyPay. See Ways to Pay the CAO Application Fee.

CAO Hard-copy Application Form

This is the least efficient option. Hardcopy applications may take up to 2-3 weeks to process after CAO receives them with the administration fee.

  • Handbooks and Application Forms are posted to your school.
  • Find out from your principal and LO teacher.
  • Application material should reach your school.
  • Handbooks and Application Forms are also available from the four universities in KZN and the DBE District Offices.
  • Find out from your principal and LO teacher if they have collected your school’s package.
  • Some Libraries also have CAO Handbooks.
  • Send completed hard-copy Application Forms to us by:

CAO Posting Address

Private Bag X06, Dalbridge, 4014

Hand delivering it to: CAO, Gate 11, Mary Thiphe Street

(Previously Cato Manor Road), Durban (Office Hours: 08:00-16:30

Monday to Friday).*

If you apply by completing CAO hard-copy Application Form, your application takes at least two to three weeks to process after we receive your completed Application Form and administration fee. Only then the institutions to which you have applied will have access to it.

We have no control over how long the Postal Services takes to deliver your completed Application Form to us.

How to Login CAO With ID Number

Here’s how to login to your Central Application Office portal with your ID number.

  1. Access CAO Portal
  2. Login with your CAO or ID Number
  3. Input your Password
  4. Tap on the Login button

How to Upload Supporting Documents on CAO Portal

To login CAO Portal to upload your documents, you must have the following:

  • CAO or ID number
  • Cell phone (with cell number entered on your application)
  • Access to your email (which was entered on your application)
  • Saved documents in a file on your computer or a memory stick/flash drive
  • Each document must be saved individually to upload to the respective document type that you are submitting

Minimum documents required on the application

  • Copy of ID
  • Final Grade 11 Report (if you are in Grade 12) OR
  • Highest qualification achieved
  • Copy of study/residence permit (if you are a non-South-African applicant)

Further documents

  • June Grade 12 Report (as soon as you receive it if you are currently in Grade 12)
  • September/Trials Grade 12 Report (as soon as you receive it if you are currently in Grade 12)
  • Any other document requested by the institution, eg. Academic Record, etc

Uploading documents on the CAO website

  1. Go to the Central Applications Office Website
  2. Tap on the “Upload My Documents” icon on the Home Page
  3. Read the instructions to know what you need to login to upload your documents

Follow the steps provided to upload your documents and enter your related examination results, where required.

  1. Review and make sure that you have uploaded the correct documents and entered the correct results, where required.
  2. If you are in Grade 12, it is compulsory to enter your Life Orientation result
  3. Tap on the “Submit My Documents” icon

NB: Ensure that the correct document type is selected when your documents are uploaded. If you upload any documents using the incorrect document type, the document will reflect on our system as “not received/outstanding” and may result in your application being rejected.