University of Western Cape (UWC) Admission Requirements

General Criteria for Admission to the University

For the Bachelor’s Degree:

The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 4 (Adequate achievement, 50-59%) or better in four subjects chosen from the following recognized 20-credit NSC subjects (known as the ‘designated subject list’): Accounting, Agricultural Sciences, Business Studies, Dramatic Arts, Economics, Engineering Graphics and Design, Geography, History, Consumer Studies, Information Technology, Languages (one language of learning and teaching at a higher education institution and two other recognized language subjects), Life Sciences, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Music, Physical Sciences, Religion Studies, Visual Arts.

For the Diploma:

The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 3 (moderate Achievement, 40-49%) or better in four recognized NSC 20-credit subjects.

For the Higher Certificate:

The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate as certified by Umalusi​.

The Point System

For admission to degree and diploma programmes, UWC will use a weighted system for calculating points, stated as follows:

(*) – ‘English’ here refers to either English home language or English first additional language, not second additional language, which would rather fall under ‘other subjects’