The psychology requirements for first year are simple: a National Senior Certificate with a bachelor’s pass, the language level your university sets, and the APS for the degree that carries psychology as a major, usually a BA or BSocSci. At the University of Pretoria, for example, the BA for the 2027 intake asks for English at level 5 and an APS of 30 on Grade 11 results.
Becoming a psychologist is the long part. A psychologist course path runs from an undergraduate degree through a selective honours year and a professional master’s to registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA Professional Board for Psychology). Plan it as a ladder, with a decision point at every rung.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
- Undergraduate: a bachelor’s pass and the APS for a degree with a psychology major (BA, BSocSci, or a science degree at some universities).
- Honours in psychology: selection on your second- and third-year psychology marks. UP requires a 70% weighted average across them, and 70% does not guarantee a place.
- Professional master’s: for example clinical, counselling or research psychology, with small intakes chosen by selection.
- Internship and registration: HPCSA registration as an intern psychologist, followed by the HPCSA’s requirements for registration as a psychologist.
The HPCSA Professional Board for Psychology registers in eight categories: clinical, counselling, educational, industrial, neuropsychology, research, psychometry and registered counsellor. Its registers include psychologists, intern psychologists, student psychologists, registered counsellors, psychometrists and their student categories. The 2026/27 annual fees (including VAT, from 1 April 2026) in Board Notice 870 of 9 January 2026 are R2 696 for a psychologist, R926 for an intern psychologist and R1 383 for a psychometrist or registered counsellor. The HPCSA’s internships page lists checklists for tailored internship programmes in counselling, educational, industrial and research psychology.
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
Universities rarely admit you to “psychology” as such in first year. You apply for a degree and choose psychology as a major, so the minimum admission requirements are those of the degree. Nationally, a bachelor’s degree needs an NSC with at least 30% in the institution’s language of learning and teaching and a rating of 4 (50–59%) or better in four 20-credit subjects, per Government Gazette 42100. Each university then adds its own requirements.
The University of Pretoria shows how this works. UP’s Faculty of Humanities states that students who want to become psychologists must complete a BA majoring in psychology, then the BSocSci Honours specialising in psychology, then an MA in clinical, counselling or research psychology. For the 2027 BA intake UP lists:
- English Home Language or English First Additional Language at achievement level 5
- An APS of 30 on final Grade 11 results to be considered, with Life Orientation excluded
- An APS of at least 28 in the final Grade 12 results to keep the offer
Other universities differ. Unisa lists an NSC with degree endorsement and at least 50% in English for its BA in Psychology (90180). UKZN asks for an NSC with a bachelor’s pass and gives the general Humanities APS as roughly 28 to 32, depending on campus and stream.
UP ranks applicants, so meeting the minimum does not guarantee a place. Check the faculty page of each university you apply to for the year you want to start.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
There is no single school subject that every psychology course requires. For a BA psychology route, the language requirement and the degree APS are what matter. UP’s BA, for example, lists English as its only named subject. If you take psychology inside a science degree, expect that faculty’s requirements to apply, so check its admission table rather than assuming.
The qualification you choose decides which HPCSA registration you can reach:
- BA or BSocSci with a psychology major (three years): the usual start for anyone aiming at honours and a professional master’s.
- Psychology courses for registered counsellors: UKZN’s PG Dip in Psychological Counselling prepares graduates for HPCSA registration as registered counsellors, and applicants with 60% or higher in third-year psychology are generally considered. The HPCSA also registers psychometrists.
- Honours in psychology: a year of advanced coursework and research. At UP you need at least six semester modules in psychology, including second- and third-year modules, and a third-year research module passed with at least 50%.
- Professional master’s: the qualification that leads to an internship and registration in one of the professional categories. UKZN requires an honours average of at least 60% to be considered for its clinical, counselling, industrial and research master’s.
Documents and Application Requirements
For first-year entry you apply through the university’s own online application. Grade 12 learners apply with final Grade 11 results, and applicants who have finished school use their final NSC or equivalent results. Have these ready:
- Your identity document or passport
- Your final Grade 11 report, or your NSC or equivalent results if you have finished school
- A SAQA evaluation if your school-leaving certificate was not issued by Umalusi
- Academic records from any previous university if you are transferring
UP’s closing date for the 2027 BA was 30 June 2026, and its 2027 BSocSci Honours in Psychology applications closed on 31 July 2026, so both have closed. Honours applications are separate and stricter at every university. UCT required applicants for 2027 honours to apply online through its central admissions office by 30 September 2026, with June and final third-year psychology marks and an official transcript. UCT made provisional offers by the end of December and final offers in January 2027. Late or incomplete applications are not accepted at UP, so check the next cycle’s dates early.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
First-year places are competitive at popular universities, but the real bottleneck comes later. UP warns that a 70% average does not guarantee an honours place. UKZN recommends at least 65% in psychology modules for honours but says that does not guarantee acceptance, and its professional master’s programmes use multi-stage selection and a separate application for each master’s. Treat your second- and third-year psychology marks as your application.
Pick a second major you would be happy to continue with. UP points out that a BA with two core disciplines gives you another postgraduate option if you are not selected in one of them.
After the master’s, the HPCSA registers you as an intern psychologist. Confirm the internship and registration steps for your category with the HPCSA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the psychologist course requirements?
You need an undergraduate degree with a psychology major, an honours in psychology and a professional master’s in a registration category, then an HPCSA-registered internship. Honours and master’s selection is competitive, and each university sets its own minimums.
What psychology courses are there in South Africa?
Universities offer psychology as a major in a BA or BSocSci. Unisa offers a BA in Psychology (90180), and UP, UCT and UKZN offer honours in psychology. UKZN also offers a PG Dip in Psychological Counselling for registered counsellor registration.
What is the difference between a BA psychology and a Bachelor of Psychology?
A BA with a psychology major is a three-year general degree that leads to honours. A Bachelor of Psychology is a professional degree aimed at registration as a registered counsellor or psychometrist. Confirm the exact route with the university and the HPCSA.
What APS do I need for psychology at UP?
For UP’s BA (2027 intake), you need an APS of 30 on Grade 11 results and English at level 5 to be considered. You must then achieve at least 28 in Grade 12 to keep the offer.
Do I need Mathematics to study psychology?
Not for most BA or BSocSci routes. UP’s BA, for example, names only English. A science-degree route carries that faculty’s requirements. Every psychology degree includes research methods and statistics, so be comfortable with numbers.
How long does it take to become a psychologist?
Plan on a three-year degree, a one-year honours, a professional master’s and an internship. The exact length depends on the master’s programme and the registration category.
Who regulates psychology in South Africa?
The Professional Board for Psychology at the HPCSA. It sets the eight registration categories and registers students, interns and practitioners.
Confirm APS, subjects and closing dates with each university’s faculty for your intake year. Confirm registration categories and training requirements with the HPCSA Professional Board for Psychology. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.