General Admission Requirements

The statutory minimum requirement for degree studies is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) certified by Umalusi, with an achievement rating of 4 (50-59%) in four recognised NSC 20 credit subjects from the designated subject list, below:

• Accounting
• Agricultural Science
• Business Studies (previously Business Economics)
• Consumer Studies (previously Home Economics)
• Dramatic Arts
• Economics
• Engineering Graphics and Design (previously Technical Drawing)
• Geography
• History
• Information Technology
• Languages *
• Life Sciences (previously Biology)
• Mathematical Literacy
• Mathematics
• Music
• Physical Science (previously Natural Sciences)
• Religion Studies
• Visual Arts

* Based on the languages used as medium of instruction at the University of Pretoria, it is advisable that students should offer English and/or Afrikaans as a Home Language or as a First Additional Language, together with any other language of choice.

Prospective students who do not obtain a NSC-pass that grants them access to Baccalaureus degree studies, will not be considered for our degree programmes even though their Admission Point Score does comply with the minimum requirements.

A Grade 12 certificate with university exemption is required if Grade 12 was obtained before 2008. For learners in Grade 12, provisional admission is granted based on the results obtained in the final Grade 11 year mark (promotion mark). Please note that the final Grade 12 results remain the determining factor for admission. Also note that the achievement of the minimum requirements does not necessarily guarantee admission to any programmes or fields of study.

Full or foreign conditional exemption certificate
This prerequisite applies to non-South African citizens and to students who do not have a South African National Senior Certificate and want to enrol for undergraduate studies at UP. The certificate can only be obtained from Higher Education South Africa (HESA).

Calculation of Admission Point Score (APS)
The calculation of an APS is based on a candidate’s achievement in any SIX recognised NSC 20-credit subjects (not only designated subjects), by using the NSC seven-point rating scale of achievement (see table 1). Students who do not have a NSC must please refer to the Admission Point Score Conversion Table.

Table 1: National Senior Certificate achievement levels

Achievement	Achievement level	Marks
7	Outstanding achievement	80-100 %
6	Meritorious achievement	70-79 %
5	Substantial achievement	60-69 %
4	Adequate achievement	50-59 %
3	Moderate achievement	40-49 %
2	Elementary achievement	30-39 %
1	Not achieved	0-29 %

Table 2: Example of APS calculation

School subject (example)	Report mark
Afrikaans	4
English	4
Mathematics	6
Physical Science	6
Life Sciences	7
Accounting	3
APS Total	30

International student must refer to the Conversion Table for the calculation of the Admission Point Score (APS).