Interior design admission is unusual in that the portfolio often carries more weight than the academic score. Most applicants underestimate that, prepare the portfolio last, and are surprised by the outcome.
This page covers the academic requirements and then what a portfolio submission actually needs to show, since that is where places are won and lost.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
Typical admission requirements.
- A National Senior Certificate with the pass level the qualification requires — Diploma or Bachelor’s pass depending on level
- The institution’s APS for the programme
- A minimum achievement in the language of instruction
- A portfolio of creative work, submitted in the format the institution specifies
- An interview or selection assessment at some institutions
- Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at the level specified, since the field involves measurement and costing
- A valid South African ID, or a passport with a study permit
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
Verify accreditation before paying anything. The qualification should appear on the SAQA National Qualifications Framework register; the provider should be registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training or accredited by the relevant SETA or Quality Council; and a higher education programme should be accredited by the Council on Higher Education. All three checks are free and online. Marketing phrases such as “internationally recognised” carry no weight on their own.
Start the portfolio months before the deadline. Institutions generally publish a brief specifying what to include, how many pieces, and in what format. Follow it exactly — submissions that ignore the brief are read as an inability to work to a brief, which is the core professional skill.
What a portfolio should show is thinking, not only finished images. Include process work — sketches, iterations, measured drawings, material samples, and a short written note on what problem each piece solved. Assessors are looking for spatial reasoning and problem-solving, not decoration.
Breadth helps. Freehand drawing, technical drawing, colour work, model-making and photography of real spaces all demonstrate different capabilities. Ten strong varied pieces beat thirty similar ones.
You do not need to have taken art at school. Visual Arts and Design help and are not usually compulsory. Portfolio preparation courses exist and are worth considering if your school offered no art subjects.
Interior design and interior architecture differ. The latter is closer to the built environment and is sometimes offered within architecture faculties with heavier technical and mathematical requirements. Establish which one a programme is before applying.
Architecture is separately regulated. The South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) registers architectural professionals under the Architectural Profession Act, and interior design is not within that registration. If you intend to work on structural or building-permit work, check SACAP’s categories — the scope boundary matters professionally.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
Subject and portfolio requirements.
- The correct matric pass level for the qualification level
- Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at the level specified — degree programmes more often require Mathematics
- A minimum in the language of instruction
- Visual Arts, Design or Engineering Graphics and Design are an advantage, rarely compulsory
- An institution-specific APS, which changes annually
- A portfolio meeting the institution’s published brief
- An interview or on-site drawing assessment, where required
Documents and Application Requirements
The application document set.
- Certified copy of your South African ID or passport
- Certified copy of your National Senior Certificate or final Grade 12 results
- Academic transcripts and certificates from any previous study
- Proof of payment of the application fee, where one applies
- Proof of residence, where required
- A study permit, for international applicants
- A curriculum vitae, where the programme requires work experience
- A portfolio in the specified format — digital, physical or both
- A short written statement of intent, where the institution requires one
- Certificates from any art, design or technical drawing short courses
- Photographs of three-dimensional work, models or built projects
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Get the total cost in writing. Design study carries substantial material and equipment costs beyond tuition — drawing equipment, model-making materials, printing, a computer capable of running design software, and the software itself. Ask for a realistic annual figure for those, because it is often significant.
Ask which software the programme teaches and whether student licences are provided. Industry-standard drafting and visualisation software is what employers expect, and buying licences yourself is expensive.
Check NSFAS eligibility before choosing a provider, since funding is generally available at public universities and TVET colleges rather than private colleges.
Ask about work-integrated learning and industry links. In design, the first job usually comes through a placement or a lecturer’s contact, and a programme’s industry relationships are a fair thing to ask about directly.
Keep building the portfolio through study. It remains the primary hiring instrument after graduation, and the strongest graduate portfolios include real projects — a friend’s flat, a small retail fit-out, a volunteer community project — alongside coursework.
Apply to more than one institution. Portfolio-based selection is subjective and places are limited; a single application is a single point of failure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What matters most in the application?
The portfolio, at most institutions. Start it months ahead and follow the published brief exactly — ignoring the brief reads as an inability to work to one.
Do I need art as a matric subject?
Usually not. Visual Arts, Design or Engineering Graphics and Design help but are rarely compulsory. A portfolio preparation course can fill the gap.
What should the portfolio contain?
Process as well as outcome — sketches, iterations, measured drawings, materials and a note on the problem each piece solved. Ten strong varied pieces beat thirty similar ones.
Is interior design a registered profession?
SACAP registers architectural professionals, and interior design falls outside that registration. Check SACAP’s categories if you intend to work on structural or permit-related work.
Admission requirements, portfolio briefs, APS scores and fees are set by each institution and are revised annually. Confirm current requirements and the portfolio brief with the institution, and check accreditation with SAQA and the Council on Higher Education.