unisa admission requirements

A National Senior Certificate (NSC) with admission for degree studies.

You will be able to study at the university if you have obtained the National Senior Certificate (NSC) with matriculation exemption.

The NSC must be obtained with a minimum of 30% in the language of teaching and learning and 40% in three designated university entrance subjects, namely Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, Physical Science or Life Sciences and English as First Additional Language.

NSC with endorsement for a diploma or certificate.

You need to meet the minimum admission requirements for your chosen qualification. You also need to make sure that you meet the language and minimum subject requirements, as well as any other specific requirements. These are detailed in a table below.

If you have exemptions or credit transfers, you should be aware of the following:

• Exemptions and credit transfers do not reduce the duration of your study programme. Only modules that are successfully completed count towards completing your qualification.
• A module is deemed to be successfully completed if you pass it or receive an exemption (recognition of prior learning) for it.
• You may only apply for exemptions once you have been formally accepted by Unisa for a specific qualification (and not when applying for acceptance). If you do intend applying for recognised prior learning, please do so within two years from registration – and only after consulting with your faculty/college about this possibility!

A National Certificate (Vocational) (NCV) Level 4 with an achievement rating of 4 in four subjects.

To qualify to study towards a Diploma:

• A Senior Certificate (SC) with a minimum achievement of 3 in four subjects, including language and Mathematics OR
• A National Certificate (Vocational) (NCV) Level 4 with an achievement rating of 4 in four subjects.

Note: If you have a non-language subject at the Senior Certificate level and wish to study a qualification that requires language competence, then you need to register for and successfully complete an English Bridging course before registering for your qualification.

An Advanced Certificate (AC) or Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC) with at least 50% in the language of teaching and learning.

A Further Education and Training Certificate (FETC) is a qualification awarded by a college of further education or training. You will need to have at least 50% in the language of teaching and learning for any of your subjects. The subject requirements vary according to each degree, so check the requirements carefully before applying. For example, a BCom degree would require English or Afrikaans as well as Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, while the BA degree would require English or Afrikaans as well as any two other subjects from the approved list.

Grade 12 School Leaving Certificate or equivalent international qualification at senior secondary level with a minimum score of at least 50% each in four subjects, including Mathematics, Science and English.

All applicants to study at UNISA are required to meet specific admission requirements for their chosen qualification. If you don’t satisfy the minimum admission requirements for your chosen qualification, you may need to apply for an alternative qualification or request a waiver of exemption from UNISA.

To be considered as an international student:

• You must have a Grade 12 School Leaving Certificate or equivalent international qualification at senior secondary level with a minimum score of at least 50% each in four subjects, including Mathematics, Science and English.
• You must have achieved the scores set by the National Benchmark Tests (NBT).

If you want to study at Unisa, you need to meet certain academic requirements.

To qualify for a qualification at Unisa, you have to have a senior certificate or equivalent. All applicants who have completed their secondary education outside of South Africa must have their qualifications evaluated by SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) before you can apply to study at Unisa.

You will also need to meet certain language requirements, and the minimum academic admission requirements for your chosen qualification. These vary depending on the faculty or college offering the qualification:

• Economic Sciences
• Education
• Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology (EBIT)
• Human Sciences