For many students in South Africa, accessing university support is not as simple as walking into an office or sending an email. Questions about applications, funding, registration or course changes often arise after hours, when offices are closed. For students living far from campus, travelling in to resolve a simple query can mean spending money on transport they cannot easily afford. For others, navigating complex university websites on limited data is frustrating and expensive.

Language can be another barrier. South Africa has eleven official languages, yet much institutional communication remains formal, technical and primarily in English. First generation students in particular may hesitate to ask questions repeatedly if they do not fully understand a process the first time it is explained.

These challenges are not about a lack of information. Universities publish prospectuses, policy documents and detailed websites. The issue is access: how easily, how affordably and how confidently students can find and understand the information they need. This is where always available conversational support is beginning to make a meaningful difference.

Across several South African universities, including the University of Cape Town, the University of the Free State, Nelson Mandela University and Cape Peninsula University of Technology, AI powered chat platforms are providing students with immediate answers to administrative and academic questions, 24 hours a day. Instead of searching through multiple webpages or waiting for email responses, students can ask questions in plain language and receive clear, step by step guidance.

Importantly, this support is available through WhatsApp, a platform widely used across the country and generally more affordable in terms of data usage than browsing full websites. Students can send text or voice notes, ask follow up questions until they understand the process, and receive responses in their preferred language. This reduces the need to travel to campus simply to ask for clarification and lowers the financial and logistical burden of accessing support.

At these institutions, tens of thousands of students are already using this form of conversational support. To date, more than 23,000 student ratings have been submitted, with an average score of 4.8 out of 5, suggesting that the approach resonates strongly with students on the ground. A large proportion of routine queries are resolved instantly, freeing up university staff to focus on complex or sensitive cases that require human attention.

Mitchell Hawley, Founder and Managing Director of Verge AI, says the intention has always been centred on student experience. “When a student can ask a question at any time, in a language they are comfortable with, and receive a clear answer immediately, it builds confidence. It shifts the experience from feeling overwhelmed to feeling supported.”

The impact extends beyond efficiency. When students can access accurate information at 2 a.m. from their homes, it changes the experience of navigating higher education. It reduces uncertainty. It lowers anxiety. It makes processes feel less intimidating and more manageable.

Technology alone does not solve inequality. But when thoughtfully applied, it can remove practical barriers that stand between students and the information they need to succeed. In a country where access to education remains a central priority, making student support more immediate, affordable and inclusive is a meaningful step forward.

info@verge-ai.com https://verge-ai.com/