The requirements for business management study come down to three things: the type of National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass you hold, your mark in Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, and your mark in the language of teaching and learning. Your pass type decides whether you can apply for a certificate, a diploma or a degree. Your maths mark and the institution’s Admission Point Score (APS) then decide which programme you get into.
If you don’t have matric, or your results are below degree level, there are other routes in: a higher certificate first, a National Certificate (Vocational), or recognition of prior learning based on work experience.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
- An NSC endorsed for the level you are applying for: higher certificate, diploma or bachelor’s degree
- At least 30% in the language of teaching and learning, the national minimum, although many programmes ask for more
- Mathematics for most degrees, with Mathematical Literacy more widely accepted for certificates and diplomas
- The APS the institution sets for the programme
- An alternative basis for admission if you have no NSC: a Senior Certificate, an NC(V), a cognate higher certificate, or recognition of prior learning
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
The Department of Basic Education sets the national floor. You pass the NSC by getting 40% in three subjects, one of which is a home language, and 30% in three others. Higher education asks for more, depending on the level:
- Higher certificate: an NSC with at least 30% in the language of learning and teaching of the institution
- Diploma: that minimum, plus at least 40% (achievement rating 3) in four recognised 20-credit subjects
- Bachelor’s degree: that minimum, plus at least 50% (achievement rating 4) in four recognised 20-credit subjects
These are only minimums. Every institution adds its own subject and APS requirements, so meeting the national floor makes you eligible to apply but does not guarantee admission.
The educational requirements for business management after school follow the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework. A certificate in business management at higher certificate level (NQF 5) is open to anyone with the basic NSC admission. An advance certificate in business management (strictly, an Advanced Certificate, NQF 6) requires a higher certificate in an appropriate field, so you cannot enter it straight from matric. An honours degree in business management requires an appropriate bachelor’s degree or advanced diploma.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
Mathematics is the subject that most often decides which qualifications for business management you can get into. The business management Unisa requirements show how much the bar rises with each level:
- Higher Certificate in Supervisory Management: 30% in the language of teaching and learning and 30% in Mathematics or 70% in Mathematical Literacy (APS 15)
- Diploma in Small Business Management: diploma endorsement, 50% in the language of teaching and learning, and 40% in Mathematics or 70% in Mathematical Literacy (APS 17)
- BCom in Business Management: degree endorsement, with 50% in the language of teaching and learning and 50% in Mathematics (APS 21)
Unisa calculates the APS from six recognised 20-credit subjects on the NSC’s 1 to 7 rating scale, excluding Life Orientation, which gives a maximum of 42. Other universities use their own formulas, so an APS score only means something to the institution that calculated it.
Accounting, Business Studies and Economics at school help you with first-year content but are rarely required. The exception is at TVET level, where some colleges set a minimum mark in Business Studies for the Business Management N4 to N6 programme.
If you wrote the old Senior Certificate, Unisa sets requirements in symbols: for the BCom, matriculation exemption with at least a D on Higher Grade or a C on Standard Grade in both the language of teaching and learning and Mathematics. NC(V) holders are assessed against separate minimums, set out on each qualification page.
Documents and Application Requirements
Have these ready before you open the application:
- A certified copy of your South African ID, or your passport if you are not a South African citizen
- Your NSC, Senior Certificate or NC(V) certificate, or your latest results if you are still in Grade 12
- Certificates and academic records for any higher certificate or other studies you want considered for admission or credits
- A SAQA evaluation and the syllabus if you studied outside South Africa, where the institution asks for them
- Proof of your age, schooling and five years’ relevant work experience if you are applying through recognition of prior learning
Unisa takes applications online only, through the qualification page on its website, during the application periods it publishes. Universities and TVET colleges set their own closing dates and fees, so check them on the institution’s admissions page.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Recognition of prior learning is the main route for adults without the school results. On Unisa’s business management qualifications, RPL applicants must be at least 30, have completed at least Grade 10 and have at least five years’ relevant work experience. RPL can also earn credits, but Unisa caps credits and exemptions at 50% of a qualification.
Credit transfer is decided case by case. If you completed modules elsewhere, Unisa evaluates them individually and can decline exemptions, so do not assume a previous certificate will shorten a degree.
Space is the last hurdle. Unisa states that meeting the general or specific admission requirements does not guarantee a place, because some qualifications have limited space. Apply to more than one programme level if you are close to a cut-off.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for business management at university?
You need an NSC with bachelor’s endorsement for a degree, or diploma endorsement for a diploma, plus the institution’s minimums for language, Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy and APS. For a certificate in business management, a basic NSC admission is the national minimum.
Do I need Mathematics to study business management?
For most degrees, yes. Unisa’s BCom in Business Management requires 50% in Mathematics. Its higher certificate and diploma options accept 70% in Mathematical Literacy instead.
Can I study business management without matric?
Not at degree level through the normal route. Unisa does consider RPL applicants who are at least 30, have Grade 10 and have five years’ relevant work experience.
What APS do I need for business management?
It depends on the institution and the level. At Unisa, the published APS is 15 for the Higher Certificate in Supervisory Management, 17 for the Diploma in Small Business Management and 21 for the BCom in Business Management.
What do I need for an Advanced Certificate in Business Management?
Normally a higher certificate in an appropriate field, not matric results alone. Institutions may also consider your management experience.
Which courses and levels are available?
The options range from TVET N4 to N6 programmes up to postgraduate study. For a level-by-level comparison of providers, see business management courses requirements.
Admission requirements, APS scores and application periods are revised every intake cycle. Confirm the current requirements for your chosen programme on the institution’s own admissions page. Unisa lists its requirements on each qualification page, such as the one for the BCom in Business Management.
See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.