UCT Requirements

At the University of Cape Town, the undergraduate admission requirements are different for each faculty, and these requirements are apt to change every year. These include the type of documents and samples of work you need to submit with your application. Therefore, it is important that you study up on the specific requirements of your faculty of choice in the year that you intend to attend UCT to ensure that you meet all of them before you apply. If you have any concerns or inquiries, contact the relevant faculty for more information.

All applicants, however, must pass the minimum requirements indicated for each level of study: Undergraduate Certificate, Undergraduate Diploma, and Bachelor’s Degree. For the certificate, either the Admissions Office or the faculty you wish to apply for must be consulted in order to determine your eligibility for admission. Applicants for the diploma program are required to hold a certified National Senior Certificate (NSC) with an achievement rating of 3.

For those looking to be eligible for degree study, you will need to meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Successful completion of a minimum of 4 subjects at a rating of 4 or better in any four 20-credit NSC subjects (for bearers of a South African National Senior Certificate).
• Matriculation endorsement (for bearers of a South African Senior Certificate).
• Qualification for a matriculation exemption certificate (for bearers of a non-South African school-leaving certificate).

English Language Proficiency

All eligible applicants must also be proficient in the English language. To ensure that this standard is held, South African applicants must submit one of the following:

• A successful passing grade in English Home Language or First Additional Language for bearers of the National Senior Certificate (NSC), or
•  A grade of at least 40% in English on the Higher Grade (first or second language) for bearers of the Senior Certificate.

As for international applicants, you must also provide proof of English language proficiency if

English is not your first language, or you have not passed English at NSC Grade 12, AS-level, IGCSE, NSSC level or equivalent. According to the university’s website, proof can be given by submitting one of the following:

• A valid (no more than 2 years old) TOEFL iBT Score Report with an overall score of 88 or above, with at least 19 in Listening, 19 in Writing, 20 in Reading and 22 in Speaking.
• IELTS Academic Test Report Form with an overall score of band 6.5 or above, with at least 6.0 in each component.
• A valid (no more than 2 years old) PTE Academic Score Report with an overall score of 67 or above, with at least 59 in each communicative skills component.
• A valid (no more than 3 years old) NBT Academic Literacy Plus score report with an overall score in the Intermediate Upper range or above.

UCT Registration

After your application is sent in, you have met all requirements, and you have received your letter of acceptance, you should be ready to register yourself for attendance at UCT. Luckily, you can do this all online through the Student Self Service Online Registration. Here, you will be able to enrol for all of your courses and build your own schedule. For more information on registration at UCT, contact UCT’s helpdesk by phone (650 5227 or 650 4720) or email sss-helpdesk@uct.ac.za.

It is important to note that the University of Cape Town does not charge any registration fee. However, you are still required to make an initial payment at registration that will go toward the total cost of your tuition fee and student accommodation. Students who are on financial aid are not required to make this initial payment.

The University of Cape Town provides its students with a wide array of programs and support options that strive for keeping your best interest as priority. As long as you meet all the requirements for your desired faculty, applying to UCT should be a breeze. If you plan on doing so, mark your calendar to make sure you hand in your application on time. The earlier you submit your application, the better.

For any further concerns or inquiries on applying to undergraduate study, call 27 (0)21 650 2128 or send an email to admissions-ug@uct.ac.za. For postgraduates, email admissions-pg@uct.ac.za.