Academic calendar
Second Semester 2026 runs Jul 20, 2026 – Dec 15, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Second Semester 2026Relevant now
- University Recess 2026-2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 16 of 16 terms
B
- Block
- A modular study period or the intensive exam weeks associated with a specific medical module.
C
- Clinical Res
- The residence specifically designated for students in their clinical years of study.
D
- DP
- Duly Performed; the minimum attendance and coursework requirement needed to sit for final exams.
G
- Ga-Ranks
- Slang for Ga-Rankuwa, the township where the university is located.
K
- Kopano
- Kopano Residence, one of the primary on-campus student housing facilities.
M
- Medunsa
- The historical name of the university (Medical University of Southern Africa), still used colloquially to refer to the campus.
- Medunsa Res
- General term used by older students or locals to refer to the original campus housing.
N
- New Res
- A common reference to the more recently constructed student accommodation blocks on campus.
S
- SCOPH
- Standing Committee on Public Health, a student-led health outreach organization.
- SMU-SADSA
- The campus branch of the South African Dental Student Association.
- SMUMSS
- SMU Medical Students' Association, representing students in the School of Medicine.
- SMUSRC
- Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University Student Representative Council.
- Student Center
- The central hub for food vendors, retail shops, and student social gatherings.
- Supplementary
- Often shortened to 'Supps', referring to second-chance exams for those who narrowly failed.
T
- The Caf
- The main campus cafeteria providing daily meals to students.
- The Tuckshop
- Small convenience shops located near residences for quick snacks and essentials.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Blackboard
- The official Learning Management System (LMS) used for course materials and online assessments.
- BMS
- The Basic Medical Sciences building, where foundational health science lectures occur.
- Clinical Path
- The Clinical Pathology building used for laboratory work and specialized lectures.
- DGM
- Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital, the primary teaching hospital adjacent to the campus.
- NSFAS
- The National Student Financial Aid Scheme, which many students use for tuition and living allowances.
- Self-Service
- The online student portal used for registration, checking results, and financial statements.
- Skills Lab
- The Clinical Skills Center where students practice medical procedures on mannequins.
- SMU Shuttle
- The university-provided transport service for students between campus, residences, and clinical sites.
- Student Card
- The multi-purpose ID card required for campus access, library services, and meal credits.
- student_cafeteria
- Student Cafeteria
- The Great Hall
- The primary venue for graduations, major assemblies, and university events.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Second Semester 2026 runs Jul 20, 2026 – Dec 15, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 16 approved campus terms and 11 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.