A bachelor pass is the highest achievement level of the National Senior Certificate and the level that makes you eligible to apply for degree study at a South African university. It is awarded on how many subjects you pass and the percentage achieved in each.
A bachelor pass makes you eligible to apply for a degree. It does not admit you to one: universities apply their own programme requirements and points scores on top, and most degree programmes require considerably more than the bare pass.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
Applications are generally assessed on the following.
- The number of subjects passed and the percentage achieved in each
- A minimum standard in your home language
- A higher minimum in a set number of your other subjects
- A lower minimum permitted in a limited number of subjects
- Life Orientation, which is treated separately in most university points calculations
- Compliance with the national policy in force for your examination year
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
The bachelor pass has a defined structure: a minimum standard in your home language, a higher minimum in a set number of subjects, and a lower minimum permitted in a limited number of others.
The thresholds for each pass level are set in national policy by the Department of Basic Education and can be adjusted. Confirm the current definition with the department or your school rather than relying on a figure published elsewhere. This page deliberately does not restate the percentages, because an out-of-date threshold is worse than none.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
Achieving a bachelor pass is separate from meeting a degree programme subject requirements. You can hold a bachelor pass and still be ineligible for a programme because you did not take a required subject.
Universities calculate a points score from your results, commonly called an APS, and the method differs between institutions. Some exclude Life Orientation, some weight designated subjects, and some use their own scale entirely.
Documents and Application Requirements
Applications normally require the following.
- A certified copy of your identity document
- Your National Senior Certificate or latest statement of results
- Proof of the application fee, where one is charged
- Your final matric results, used to confirm any conditional offer
- A SAQA evaluation certificate, if you hold a foreign qualification
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Conditional offers are commonly made on Grade 11 or mid-year Grade 12 results and confirmed once final results are released. A conditional offer is not a place until confirmed.
If your results fall short, supplementary examinations, rewriting subjects, or entering through a higher certificate or diploma and articulating into a degree are all realistic routes. See bachelor pass requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an NSC bachelor pass?
The highest achievement level of the National Senior Certificate, making you eligible to apply for degree study.
Does it guarantee university admission?
No. Programme subject requirements, points scores and competition for limited places all still apply.
Can I get one with Mathematical Literacy?
Yes, the pass level itself does not require Mathematics. But many degree programmes do require it.
Where do I confirm the thresholds?
With the Department of Basic Education, which sets and publishes them.
Confirm the current thresholds with the Department of Basic Education and programme requirements with each university. See matric pass requirements. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.