No set matric subjects are prescribed for becoming a lawyer in South Africa. Neither the Legal Practice Act nor the national admission policy names specific school subjects. Each university law faculty sets its own, and the common thread is English plus either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at a stated level.
For example, UKZN asks for English Home Language at level 5 or First Additional Language at level 6, and Wits asks for English at level 6. If you are choosing Grade 10 subjects, keep English and either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy in your package, because both faculties set minimum levels in them.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
- An NSC that qualifies you for bachelor’s degree study
- English at the level the faculty sets
- Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at the level the faculty sets
- The faculty’s own minimum APS
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
The national minimum for a bachelor’s degree is an NSC with an achievement rating of 4 (50-59%) or better in four 20-credit subjects, plus at least 30% in the language of learning and teaching of the institution. Institutions may set additional requirements. The policy is published by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
To be admitted as a legal practitioner you need an LLB from a South African university after a course of at least four years, or at least five years if it is preceded by a bachelor’s degree other than the LLB.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
- Wits, four-year LLB: APS 46 or more, English Home Language or First Additional Language at level 6, and Mathematics at level 5 or Mathematical Literacy at level 6. See the Wits LLB page.
- University of Pretoria, four-year LLB (2027 intake): English Home Language or First Additional Language at level 6 and an APS of 35; no Mathematics requirement is listed. UP’s closing date for 2027 entry was 30 June 2026, so that window has closed, and offers must be accepted or rejected by 30 September. See UP’s LLB page.
- UKZN, four-year LLB: English Home Language at level 5 or First Additional Language at level 6, Mathematical Literacy at level 5 or Mathematics at level 3, Life Orientation at level 4, and a minimum APS of 32 excluding Life Orientation. See the UKZN LLB page.
The faculties ask for Mathematics at different levels (level 5 at Wits, level 3 at UKZN, none listed at UP), which shows why you must check the faculty you want. The UP figures are for the 2027 intake; the Wits and UKZN pages state no intake year, so confirm their figures for the year you apply.
Documents and Application Requirements
Each faculty lists the documents it needs, how to apply and its closing date on its own admissions page. Check that list before you submit.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Meeting the national minimum does not guarantee a place, because each faculty selects against its own requirements. Wits, for example, may wait-list applicants with an APS of 40-45.
After the LLB you must complete practical vocational training, including community service, and pass a competency-based examination. Candidate attorneys serve an uninterrupted 24 months, or 12 months if they completed at least 400 notional hours of structured coursework beforehand. The High Court admits applicants who are South African citizens or permanent residents and are fit and proper. See the Legal Practice Act and the Legal Practice Council.
Frequently Asked Questions
What subjects do you need to be a lawyer?
No subjects are prescribed nationally. Faculties set English levels and accept Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy at stated levels, for example Wits and UKZN as above.
Which Grade 10 subjects should I choose for law?
Keep English and either Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy in your package, since Wits and UKZN set minimum levels in both. Check the faculties you may apply to before you choose.
What subjects do I need for law?
It depends on the faculty. Both published examples require English at level 5 or 6 and a result in Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy.
Do I need Mathematics for law?
Not necessarily. Wits accepts Mathematical Literacy at level 6 as an alternative to Mathematics at level 5, and UKZN accepts Mathematical Literacy at level 5 or Mathematics at level 3. Other faculties and degree types may differ, so ask the faculty.
Confirm subject requirements with each law faculty, and practice requirements with the Legal Practice Council. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.