The requirements for electrical engineering in South Africa depend on which qualification you aim for. For every route you need Mathematics, not Mathematical Literacy, and a physical science. A professional degree (BEng or BSc Eng) needs a bachelor pass and high Mathematics and Physical Sciences marks. A Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BEngTech) or a Diploma in Engineering Technology accepts somewhat lower marks, and some universities of technology accept Technical Mathematics and Technical Sciences.
For example, Wits asks for an APS of 42 or more for its four-year BSc (Eng) in Electrical Engineering. CPUT asks for an APS of 36 for its BEngTech and 30 for its diploma. Each institution counts points in its own way, so compare figures within one institution rather than across them.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
- Professional degree (BEng / BSc Eng, 4 years): bachelor pass, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, a high APS or selection score. Leads to registration as a Professional Engineer.
- BEngTech in Electrical Engineering (3 years): bachelor pass, Mathematics or Technical Mathematics, and Physical Sciences, Technical Sciences or Electrical Technology. Leads to registration as a Professional Engineering Technologist.
- Diploma in Engineering Technology in Electrical Engineering: lower subject levels. Leads to registration as a Professional Engineering Technician.
- Never accepted: Mathematical Literacy, for any electrical engineering course.
- Other routes in: some universities of technology accept an NC(V) Level 4 or N4 electrical results in place of an NSC.
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
Here is how the 2027 minimums look at the institutions that publish them in detail. Use them as benchmarks and check the institution you are applying to.
Degree route: Wits BSc (Eng) Electrical Engineering
Wits lists a minimum APS of 42 or more. You need English (Home Language or First Additional Language), Mathematics and Physical Sciences at Level 5 or higher. Applicants at Level 5 in those three subjects are wait-listed, subject to space, and meeting the minimums does not guarantee a place.
Degree route: UCT, UP and UJ
- UCT (2027): the highest offer band for Electrical Engineering is a Faculty Points Score (FPS) of 500, with Mathematics at least 80% and Physical Sciences at least 75%. Check UCT’s 2027 engineering entry requirements for the lower bands.
- UP BEng Electrical Engineering (2027): English 5, Mathematics 6, Physical Sciences 6 and an APS of 35. The 5-year programme asks for 65% in each of those three subjects and an APS of 33. See UP’s 2027 requirements tables.
- UJ BEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering (2027): APS 32, with English, Mathematics and Physical Science each at level 5 (60%+).
- UJ BEngTech Electrical Engineering (2027): APS 30, with English at level 4 (50%+) and Mathematics and Physical Science at level 5 (60%+). The extended BEngTech asks for APS 26.
Degree route: Stellenbosch BEng (Electrical and Electronic)
Stellenbosch sets its own selection score for engineering and publishes the current criteria, including whether the National Benchmark Tests are needed, on its Faculty of Engineering pages. Confirm them there before you apply.
University of technology route: CPUT
- BEngTech in Electrical Engineering: APS 36 (CPUT Method 2). You need English 5 (60%), Mathematics or Technical Mathematics 5 (60%), and Physical Sciences, Technical Sciences or Electrical Technology 5 (60%).
- Diploma in Engineering Technology in Electrical Engineering: APS 30. You need English 4 (50%), Mathematics 4 (50%) or Technical Mathematics 5 (60%), and Physical Sciences 4 (50%), Technical Sciences 5 (60%) or Electrical Technology 4 (50%).
The diploma route is a normal starting point, not a lesser one. CPUT says its diploma allows registration as a candidate or professional technician with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA). The BEngTech gives access to NQF level 8 study, including honours and BEng programmes.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
- Mathematics: required everywhere. Degree programmes use pure Mathematics. Some universities of technology also accept Technical Mathematics, sometimes at a higher level. For example, CPUT’s diploma asks for Technical Mathematics at 5 but Mathematics at 4.
- Physical Sciences: required for degrees. Universities of technology may accept Technical Sciences or Electrical Technology instead.
- English: set by each institution, for example Level 5 at Wits and for CPUT’s BEngTech.
- Helpful but not required: CPUT recommends one of Computer Applications Technology, Information Technology or Electrical Technology.
- APS is not portable: Wits, UP, UJ and CPUT each calculate their score differently, and UCT uses its own FPS. Stellenbosch sets its own selection score. Compare figures within one institution.
From a TVET college: CPUT also accepts an NC(V) Level 4 with 60% in English and Mathematics plus three electrical vocational subjects at 60%. It accepts N4 results too: 60% in Mathematics, Engineering Science, Electrotechnics and Digital Electronics. This route suits you if you did not take Mathematics and Physical Sciences at school.
Documents and Application Requirements
Apply directly to each university or university of technology through its own online application. Most ask for:
- Your ID or passport
- Your Grade 11 final results if you are in Grade 12, or your NSC or equivalent if you have finished school
- NC(V) or N-level certificates and academic records, if you are applying on a TVET qualification
- A SAQA evaluation of a foreign school qualification, if the institution asks for one
- The application fee, where the institution charges one
Closing dates for the 2027 intake differ. Wits listed 30 September 2026 for this programme, so that date has passed. UP’s closing date for engineering was 30 June, also passed. UJ accepts undergraduate applications until 31 October 2026 at 12:00. Other institutions set their own dates, so check before you plan. An offer made on Grade 11 results stays conditional until your final NSC confirms it.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
- Minimums are not cut-offs. Engineering places are limited, and Wits and CPUT both state that meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission.
- Extended programmes. Some institutions run extended-curriculum versions of their degrees or diplomas for applicants who meet slightly lower thresholds. Stellenbosch and CPUT both offer them, and UJ has an extended BEngTech. Ask about them when you apply.
- Missing the degree cut-off. Stellenbosch says students who pass the first year of a BSc with its Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry modules can apply to switch to engineering. Its SciMathUS programme lets matriculants improve their Mathematics and Physical Sciences results.
- Check accreditation. ECSA registration requires an accredited qualification: a BEng for Professional Engineer, a BEngTech for Professional Engineering Technologist, and a diploma for Professional Engineering Technician. After graduating you register as a candidate and build supervised experience first. See ECSA registration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What subjects do I need to study electrical engineering?
Mathematics and Physical Sciences for a degree. At universities of technology, Technical Mathematics and Technical Sciences or Electrical Technology may be accepted for the BEngTech and diploma, as they are at CPUT.
Can I study electrical engineering with Mathematical Literacy?
No. If you took Mathematical Literacy, the practical routes are to upgrade to Mathematics, or to complete an NC(V) or N-level electrical qualification that a university of technology accepts for entry.
What APS do I need for electrical engineering?
It depends on the institution and the qualification. For 2027, Wits lists 42+ for its BSc (Eng), UP 35, UJ 32 for its BEng and 30 for its BEngTech, and CPUT 36 for its BEngTech and 30 for its diploma. UCT uses an FPS instead, with 500 as its top offer band. Stellenbosch sets its own selection score.
What is the difference between a BEng, a BEngTech and a diploma?
A BEng takes four years and leads to registration as a Professional Engineer. A BEngTech takes three years and leads to registration as a Professional Engineering Technologist. The diploma leads to registration as a Professional Engineering Technician. You can move up from each level by further study.
Do I need to write the NBT for electrical engineering?
It depends on the institution. Each university sets its own rule on the National Benchmark Tests, so check the admission page of every institution you apply to.
Can I get into electrical engineering from a TVET college?
Yes, at some universities of technology. CPUT accepts an NC(V) Level 4 or N4 electrical results at 60% for its electrical diploma and BEngTech.
What are the NC(V) Level 4 electrical engineering requirements, for example in KZN?
NC(V) Electrical Infrastructure Construction runs over three levels in one programme. At Ehlanzeni TVET College, Level 2 entry needs Grade 9 year-end results with Mathematics passed (or an NQF Level 1 qualification) plus a placement assessment, and Levels 3 and 4 follow. Colleges set their own intake rules, so ask the KwaZulu-Natal TVET college you want to attend what it offers and requires. See the Ehlanzeni course page for an example.
Electrical engineering course requirements, selection scores and closing dates are set by each institution and revised every year. Confirm the current figures with the institution’s faculty of engineering, and check accreditation with the Engineering Council of South Africa.
See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.