Cape Town - Rubber bullets and teargas have reportedly been fired at Rhodes University after protests in Grahamstown on Tuesday.
The unrest is understood to have emanated from examination regulations released earlier.
According to an email sent to students, new rules will be "strictly enforced".
Students were instructed to report to examination venues an hour before the starting times. Venues would be locked and latecomers would not be given access.
A photo ID would be required, pockets would have to be emptied and students would be patted down before being allowed entry.
Nothing other than a plastic sleeve can be brought into the venue and no one would be allowed to exit early as the venues will be "locked down".
Venues would also be under CCTV surveillance.
Earlier, protesters barricaded the road leading to the residences, and teargas and stun grenades were fired by police, one student said.
By 20:00 calm had reportedly been restored.