Eligibility for admission

The admission requirements differ depending on what you want to study. The criteria for certificate courses, diplomas and degrees is listed below:

Undergraduate Certificate Study

To confirm eligibility for admission to undergraduate certificate study, applicants must consult the Admissions Office or the faculty concerned.

Undergraduate Diploma Study

The minimum requirement for admission to undergraduate diploma study is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 3 (Moderate Achievement, 40-49%) or better in 4 recognised NSC 20-credit subjects.

Bachelor’s Degree Study

To be eligible for admission to degree study, applicants need to meet minimum requirements for eligibility:

• Applicants holding a South African National Senior Certificate (NSC) need to pass a minimum of 4 subjects at a rating of 4 (Adequate Achievement, 50-59%) or better from a designated list of subjects. The designated list is as follows:
  • Accounting
  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Business Studies
  • Dramatic Arts
  • Economics
  • Engineering Graphics and Design
  • Geography
  • History
  • Consumer Studies
  • Information Technology
  • Languages (one language of learning and teaching at a higher education institution and 2 other recognised language subjects)
  • Life Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Mathematical Literacy
  • Music
  • Physical Sciences
  • Religious Studies
  • Visual Arts
• Applicants holding a South African Senior Certificate need matriculation endorsement.
• Applicants holding non-South African school-leaving certificates must qualify for a matriculation exemption certificate. For more information please visit the website of the Matriculation Board.

Minimum language proficiency

All applicants must have attained a certain level of proficiency in English and are required to submit evidence of this, as outlined below, as part of their application to study.

South African Senior Certificate undergraduate applicants

• South African Senior Certificate undergraduate applicants to UCT must have achieved a pass of 40% or more on the Higher Grade in English (First or Second Language) at Senior Certificate level.

South African NSC undergraduate applicants

• South African NSC undergraduate applicants to UCT, must have achieved a rating of 2 (Elementary Achievement, 30-40%) or better at Home Language or First Additional Language level.

Applicants holding non-South African school-leaving certificates

• Please see UCT’s language requirements.

For further information on the IELTS and TOEFL exams, please contact the UCT English Language Centre.

Calculating Admissions Points Score (APS)

The percentages achieved in National Senior Certificate examinations (preliminary and final examinations) will be allocated an admission score equal to that percentage.

The sum of 6 subjects, excluding Life Orientation, but including English and any required subject(s) for the relevant programme, is considered when deciding on admission. For example, for a given programme where Maths and Physical Sciences are required, we will take scores for English, Maths, Physical Sciences and the next best 3 subjects other than Life Orientation to compute the NSC score towards the APS.

Results below 40% for any subject do not attract a score.