Requirements

Uct Minimum Requirements

The minimum requirement for admission to undergraduate diploma study at the University of Cape Town (UCT) is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi, with an achievement rating of 3 (Moderate Achievement, 40-49%) or better in four recognised NSC 20-credit subjects[1].

For Bachelor’s degree study, applicants with a South African NSC must pass at least four subjects at a rating of 4 (Adequate Achievement, 50-59%) or better, each in 20-credit NSC subjects[1]. Applicants with a South African Senior Certificate require a matriculation endorsement, while those with non-South African school-leaving certificates must qualify for a matriculation exemption certificate[1].

Minimum language proficiency in English is required for all applicants:

  • South African Senior Certificate applicants: A pass of 40% or more in English (First or Second Language) at Higher Grade.
  • South African NSC applicants: A rating of 2 (Elementary Achievement, 30-40%) or better at Home Language or First Additional Language level.
  • Non-South African qualifications: See UCT’s language requirements or contact the English Language Centre[1].

UCT sets further programme-specific requirements in addition to these legal minimums. For example, Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Social Science applicants must have an NSC endorsed for degree study (matric exemption), a Faculty Points Score (FPS) of 380, and an Academic Literacy NBT score at Intermediate Level. They also require 50% for English (Home Language) or 60% for English (First Additional Language)[2].

Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (EBE) applicants have higher minimum FPS and subject-specific percentages (e.g., Mathematics and Physical Sciences) depending on the programme and “band” of admission considered (guaranteed, likely, possible)[4].

Applicants with non-South African qualifications (such as Cambridge, International Baccalaureate, or NSSC) must meet subject requirements comparable to the NSC, but having only IGCSE subjects is not sufficient. A pass in English is required at an appropriate level (A-level, AS, IGCSE, Baccalaureate, etc.)[3].

For international undergraduate applicants, English language proficiency may be demonstrated through:

  • An NBT Academic Literacy Test Plus report with an overall score of Upper Intermediate or above (valid within 3 years).
  • A TOEFL iBT Score Report with an overall score of 88 or above, with specific sub-score requirements (valid within 2 years).

[5]

For study abroad or exchange applicants, a general guideline is an overall academic score of 65% (or equivalent to a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or mid-point of ECTS B). However, additional faculty or course-specific requirements may apply[6].

References

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *