Admission Requirements for Undergraduate Studies
Postgraduate Studies
Short Learning Programmes
There are specific matric exemption requirements that you must meet if you want to study at any South African university. If you completed school in or after 2008, and have a National Senior Certificate (NSC), you need the following to apply for admission to a Bachelor’s degree at any South African university:
Four (4) of the seven (7) subjects included in your NSC subject package must be from the designated subjects listed below, with a minimum mark of 4 (50%) in each of these four (4) subjects:
Designated list of school subjects:
| Accounting | Information Technology |
| Agricultural Sciences | Life Sciences (Biology/Physiology) |
| Business Studies | Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy |
| Consumer Studies | Music |
| Dramatic Arts | Three languages (one of these must be the language of teaching and learning at a higher-education institution and two other recognised language subjects) |
| Economics | |
| Engineering Graphics and Design | |
| Geography | Physical Sciences/Natural Sciences |
| History | Religion Studies |
| Visual Arts |
Calculation of your admission point (AP) score
| NSC Level | UFS AP |
| 7 (90%-100%) | 8 |
| 7 (80%-89%) | 7 |
| 6 (70%-79%) | 6 |
| 5 (60%-69%) | 5 |
| 4 (50%-59%) | 4 |
| 3 (40%-49%) | 3 |
| 2 (30%-39%) | 2 |
| 1 (0%-29%) | – |
| To calculate your AP, you can use the following example: | |
| For five (5) academic subjects, you must obtain a level 5 (60%) | 5 x 5 = 25 |
| For one (1) further academic subject, you must obtain a level 4 (50%) | 1 x 4 = 4 |
| For Life Orientation, a level of 5 (60%) or higher to score 1 point | 1 x 1 = 1 |
| UFS overall AP score | = 30 |
Note that your achievement level in Life Orientation is excluded from the calculation of your AP score for the allocation of a merit bursary in your first year of study. See the section on Financial Aid (Bursaries and Loans).
Are you a Top Achiever?
If you have an AP score of 35 and above, you are a Top Achiever and qualify for a conditional admission offer linked to a merit bursary of a corresponding value to your AP score. This excludes admission to selection programmes. Another benefit of being a Top Achiever is that you will be invited to an early-bird registration during January 2019, subject to meeting all the minimum requirements for the intended programme of study with your final Grade 12 results.
Important application closing dates
| Date | Programme/s for which application closes |
| 31 May 2018 | · MBChB · Radiation Sciences · All programmes in the Allied Health Sciences |
| 31 July 2018 | · Architecture · Quantity Surveying · Construction Management · Nursing |
| 31 August 2018 | International applications |
| 30 September 2018 | · Geology · Forensic Sciences · Music · Social Work · Community development (QQ only) · All non-selection programmes |
| 1 November 2018 | Fine Arts |
| 30 November 2018 | All University Access Programmes on the South Campus |
International students: If we receive your application after 31 August 2018, it will not be captured.
Application Helpdesk
- Information on any study programme’s admission requirements;
- Assistance to complete your application forms (online or hard copy);
- Tracking the status of your application.
Contact: +27 51 401 9666 | E: [email protected]
If you have applied to study a programme in the Faculty of Health Sciences, contact Lydia du Toit: +27 51 401 7513 | [email protected] | Fax2email: +27 86 579 5154 or +27 86 6669 191.
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