Characteristics of students receiving counselling services at the University of Cape Town, South Africa

The aim of the study was to document the correlates of receiving counselling services at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. The 932 students who received counselling over a 3-year period were compared with the other 23,158 students registered at the university. Data were obtained from the university computerised record system. Women, Black people and 20-24-year-olds were significantly more likely to receive counselling services. When adjusting for these demographic variables, non-English speakers, humanities students, undergraduates, first-year students, students who were eligible to receive financial assistance, and students from outside Cape Town were significantly more likely to receive counselling. New research is required to determine the reasons for these findings.