Unisa sets admission requirements per qualification rather than for the whole university, so the courses and requirements you need depend on what you choose. Unisa calculates an Academic Point Score (APS) from your six recognised 20-credit NSC subjects, to a maximum of 42, and leaves out Life Orientation.
Meeting the requirements does not guarantee a place: Unisa says some qualifications have limited spaces. Applications for undergraduate study in 2027 ran from 17 August to 9 October 2026 and have closed, so check unisa.ac.za/apply for the next window.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
Whatever you apply for at Unisa, the assessment covers:
- The specific admission requirements published for that qualification
- Your APS, from six recognised 20-credit subjects
- Any minimum percentage in the language of teaching and learning
- Any subject minimum, such as Mathematics
- Whether space is available, since meeting the requirements does not guarantee an offer
- Whether you hold a matric endorsement, if you wrote before 2009
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
Unisa’s undergraduate qualification list covers higher certificates, advanced certificates, postgraduate certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas and bachelor degrees. You can filter it by college: Accounting Sciences, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Human Sciences, Law, and Science, Engineering and Technology.
Examples of what individual qualifications ask for:
- Higher Certificate in Education (Foundation Phase and Intermediate Phase, 90093): an NSC with at least 40% in the language of teaching and learning, or a Senior Certificate with at least an E on higher grade or a D on standard grade, or an NCV Level 4 equivalent; APS 18. Unisa states it is not a professional teaching qualification.
- Bachelor of Laws (98680): APS 20, and an NSC with degree endorsement and at least 50% in the language of learning, or another listed route such as a Higher Certificate in Law or Criminal Justice at a 60% average, or a related diploma.
- Diploma in Safety Management (90107): APS 17, with a diploma-endorsement NSC.
If you wrote matric before 2009 and do not hold a Senior Certificate with matriculation endorsement, check Unisa’s equivalence tables rather than assuming your certificate qualifies.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
Unisa works out the APS on the NSC 1 to 7 scale: 7 is 80 to 100%, 6 is 70 to 79%, 5 is 60 to 69%, 4 is 50 to 59%, 3 is 40 to 49%, 2 is 30 to 39% and 1 is 0 to 29%. The highest possible APS is 42. Life Orientation is a 10-credit subject and is excluded. Unisa’s general admission requirements set this out.
Each qualification adds its own language and subject minimums, which sit alongside the APS rather than replacing it. Read the requirements on the page for your qualification.
Documents and Application Requirements
Applications for undergraduate qualifications are online only, and the application fee is R160 for online applications. You pay it after you receive a student number, and it is not refundable. Unisa teaches by distance and online learning, so you need access to a computer and the internet. The supporting documents to upload are listed on Unisa’s application page.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Admission depends on meeting the requirements and on space.
If you fall short of a degree or diploma, a higher certificate is the usual way in; Unisa’s Foundation Phase Higher Certificate, for example, is an access route into the Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching. Short learning programmes, such as the Programme in Safety Management (72435) which needs only a matric pass, have their own dates and are not covered by the undergraduate window.
Frequently Asked Questions
What courses does Unisa offer?
Unisa offers higher certificates, advanced certificates, postgraduate certificates, diplomas, advanced diplomas and bachelor degrees across seven colleges, plus short learning programmes. Use Unisa’s qualification list for the current set.
How does Unisa calculate the APS?
On the NSC 1 to 7 scale, using your six recognised 20-credit subjects, to a maximum of 42. Life Orientation is excluded.
What are the Unisa Higher Certificate in Education requirements?
Unisa lists three Higher Certificates in Education (code 90093): Foundation and Intermediate Phase, Senior Phase Maths and Science, and Senior Phase and FET Teaching. The Foundation and Intermediate Phase one needs an NSC with at least 40% in the language of teaching and learning and an APS of 18. It is not a professional teaching qualification.
What are the requirements for the LLB at Unisa?
An APS of 20 and an NSC with degree endorsement and at least 50% in the language of learning, or another route Unisa lists on the Bachelor of Laws page.
Does Unisa offer safety or compliance courses?
Safety: yes, the Diploma in Safety Management (90107), and short learning programmes in Safety Management (72435) and Advanced Safety Management (76914). Unisa’s lists show no qualification titled “compliance”, but its short learning programmes include Advanced Labour Law (72737).
Does meeting the requirements guarantee admission?
No. Unisa states that some qualifications have limited spaces.
What if I do not meet the requirements?
A higher certificate is the usual entry route, and some qualifications accept recognition of prior learning, which differs per qualification.
I wrote matric before 2009. Do I qualify?
It depends on whether you hold a Senior Certificate with matriculation endorsement. Check Unisa’s equivalence tables.
Unisa revises qualifications and requirements between academic years, so confirm with Unisa before applying. For the wider picture see admission requirements and browse all education requirements.