When students choose their university, this is determined by academic entry requirements, acceptance into a programme, sufficient funding and tips from their family and friends. They are also targeted by universities' marketing departments. In the context of higher education, the concept of "institutional culture" comprises a university's practices and values which are collectively shared by its staff and students. This institutional culture is communicated to potential students, who in turn match the information against their own aspirations before making their choice. This article presents a case study investigating the role of institutional culture in promoting access to the state-funded university system in South Africa. It draws on empirical data gathered from staff and first-year students at a South African university. The author's analysis reveals that students' university choice and aspirations are mainly influenced by three functions of culture, namely serving as a basis of: (1) communication; (2) motivation; and (3) identity. Arguing that it would be useful for universities to also consider the other four functions of culture, which are: serving as a basis of: (4) judgement; (5) stratification; (6) productivity; and (7) perception, the author concludes that South African students' access to higher education can be enhanced through a more nuanced inclusion of all cultural functions in institutional culture.