What Is The APS Needed For University? 

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The APS you will need for university depends on many factors. Some of these factors are:

  • The university you are applying to study at
  • What course you are interested in studying
  • What level you are applying to study at

However, having an idea of the most commonly searched APS requirements could help you in your search to decide what to study. 

Universities And Their APS Requirements

Many universities will have their own admission requirements, as well as their own APS requirements for each course. It is important to check with the university you are applying to about whether there are any specific requirements for the course you want to study.

Most universities will have their own APS calculators on their websites. However, calculating your own APS will give you a great starting point of what your APS will be. Below is a list of some universities. Follow the links to read more about the requirements at each university.

Pass Levels And The Minimum APS Requirements

There are four different passing levels to Matric, each of which has its own requirements. When calculating your APS, remember that Life Orientation does not count towards your APS. 

Bachelor’s Degree Pass

To receive a Bachelor’s Degree pass, you must have the following:

  • 40% or above for your Home Language subject
  • 50% or above for four subjects 
  • 30% or above for two other subjects

This makes your APS total 23. 

Diploma Pass

To receive a Diploma pass, you must have the following:

  • 40% or above for your Home Language subject
  • 40% or above for four other subjects
  • 30% or above for two other subjects 

This brings your APS total to 19, which is the minimum entry requirement for a Diploma at a university. 

Higher Certificate Pass

To receive a Higher Certificate pass, you must have the following:

  • 40% or above for your Home Language subject
  • 40% or above for two other subjects 
  • 30% or above for three other subjects

This brings your APS total to 15 which is the minimum entry requirement for a Higher Certificate at a college. 

National Senior Certificate (NSC) Pass

To receive an NSC pass, you must have the following:

  • 40% or above for your Home Language subject
  • 40% or above for two other subjects 
  • 30% or above for the remaining subjects
  • You can fail one subject

This brings your APS total to 14 which is the minimum requirement to pass matric, but will not admit you into any university.

Note that these are only the minimum requirements for each passing level, and achieving this does not guarantee you entry into any university course.

Some Bachelor’s Degree courses will require a higher APS. For example, most universities require an APS of 26 to study teaching. The APS requirements for Medicine are much higher. 

How To Calculate Your APS

Your APS is calculated using your Matric marks. The marks are separated into percentage brackets, which are then each allocated a number of points. The point allocation is as follows: 

Percentage Bracket

Point Allocation

80% – 100%

7

70% – 79%

6

60% – 69%

5

50% – 59%

4

40% – 49%

3

30% – 39%

2

0% – 29%

1

Using this information, you can find out how many points you have achieved for each of your subjects. You can then add these up to get your APS. Remember that Life Orientation does not count towards your APS.

You can also choose to use an online calculator. Note that online calculators do not have the option to leave Life Orientation out of the calculation, so you will need to input it as the single point bracket no matter what your actual mark was. 

What Subjects Count For APS?

The subjects that count for your APS are as follows:

Accounting 

Agricultural Management Practices

Agricultural Sciences 

Agricultural Technology

Business Studies 

Civil Technology

Computer Applications Technology

Consumer Studies 

Dance Studies

Dramatic Arts 

Economics 

Electrical Technology

Engineering Graphics and Design 

Geography 

History 

Hospitality Studies

Information Technology 

Life Sciences 

Mathematics 

Mathematical Literacy

Mechanical Technology

Music 

Physical Sciences 

Religion studies 

Tourism

Visual Arts

Your Home Language and your First Additional Language subjects will also count toward your APS.

What Is The Highest APS?

The highest APS you can achieve is 42. This is because Life Orientation is not counted in your APS, and the highest number of points you can get for any subject is 7. 

What Is The Minimum APS?

The minimum APS to pass Matric is 14. However, this will not grant you entry into any university courses. If you want to get into any university courses, the lowest you can get is a Higher Certificate pass, which requires a minimum APS of 15. 

What Can I Do If My APS Is Not High Enough?

If your APS does not meet the requirements for what you want to study, there are other options available to you. You can:

  • Start at a lower course level and work your way up
  • Rewrite your Matric 
  • Upgrade your Matric

Start At A Lower Course Level

You can begin at a course level below the one you are trying to apply to. For example, you could start with a Higher Certificate, and then do a Diploma once you have successfully completed the Higher Certificate. Or, if you wanted to study for a Bachelor’s Degree, you could begin with a Diploma. 

Rewrite Your Matric

Rewriting Matric is an option available to anyone under the age of 21 who would like to improve their Matric marks. Improving your Matric marks will improve your APS.

To rewrite your Matric, you may rewrite a maximum of four subjects. These must be subjects you wrote for your Matric final exams, you cannot change subjects. There is no limit to the number of times you can rewrite your Matric, as long as you are still under the age of 21.

To apply for a Matric rewrite, you will need:

  • A copy of your Statement of Results 
  • A certified copy of your ID

Upgrade Your Matric

Upgrading Matric is an option available to those who are over the age of 21 and would still like to improve their Matric marks and their APS. You must be over the age of 21 to upgrade your Matric because you will be writing the Adult Matric exams.

To upgrade your Matric, you can change up to four subjects if you would like to. You may upgrade a maximum of four subjects. There is no limit to the number of times you can upgrade your Matric.

To apply for a Matric upgrade, you will need:

  • A copy of your Statement of Results
  • A certified copy of your ID

Can I Be A Doctor With Maths Literacy?

No, you cannot study Medicine with Maths Literacy. Every university requires Maths when applying to study in the field of medicine. If you want to study in the field of medicine, but you took Maths Literacy, you can do our Matric Upgrade Course and change your subject to Mathematics or  do a bridging course at a TVET college. 

What Is The APS Requirement To Be A Doctor?

The minimum APS requirement to study Medicine in South Africa is 35. However, many universities require an even higher APS to study Medicine. There are also additional subject requirements for Medicine.

For example, to achieve a Bachelor’s Degree pass, you are required to achieve a minimum of 40% in Maths. However, to be eligible to study Medicine, you must have achieved a minimum of 80% in Maths. Always check with the university you are applying to study at for any further requirements. 

Why Is Grade 11 Important?

You can apply to universities early to gain provisional entry. You can do this using your Grade 11 marks. Once your Matric marks have been released, the university will use them to make a final decision about whether to grant you admission. 

What Have We Learned?

  • APS requirements differ for each institution
  • Each university may have its own requirements for certain courses
  • Life Orientation does not count towards your APS
  • You can calculate your APS yourself, or you can calculate it online
  • The highest APS you can achieve is 42
  • This minimum APS to pass Matric is 14
  • There are options available if your APS does not meet the requirements for the course you want to study
  • You can apply to universities early using your Grade 11 marks



Author: Chloe Bydawell 
Editor: Razeen Dollie
Date: June 30, 2022