How To Calculate Your Admission Point Score APS - 2023

Admission Point Score APS To South African Universities

What is an APS Score?

APS stands for Admission Point Score. Each University undergraduate programme requires a specific APS as a basis for admission to the programme. Applicants will need to meet the APS directly or fall within the testing band in order to be considered for a specific programme.

The combination of your final Matric marks determines the outcome of your APS. Each university in South Africa essentially have their own method of calculating the APS score.

How Do I Calculate My APS?

Breaking down the calculation of a student’s APS score is quite simple. When students receive their final exam marks, it usually comes in the form of percentages or a grade symbol (A, B, C, etc).

Using the final Matric marks, students who want to apply at Unisa can determine their APS score by use of the following chart:

Each final Matric exam mark gives you a point (depending on the percentage). Tallying up the points will give students their APS score. Alongside the APS score, students would also have to meet the basic subject requirements in order to do a qualification.

Using an example, the Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management undergraduate degree has an APS of 21. Additionally, students would have to have at least the following in order to qualify:

50% in the language of teaching and learning as well as at least 50% in Mathematics (National Senior Certificate w/degree endorsement);
A D on Higher Grade or C on Standard Grade in the language of teaching and learning as well as Mathematics (Senior Certificate w/matric exemption).

As you can see, the APS is only one piece of a larger puzzle. Students who want to study at Unisa can head to their admissions page here. Once there, click on the type of qualification, go through the application process and view the qualification of their choice. Once there, you’ll be able to see the APS requirements.

Each type of qualification offered by Unisa has a set minimum APS score that students have to match. The minimum requirements for the undergraduate qualifications are:

Higher Certificate: 15 points
Diploma: 18 points
Bachelor Degree: 21 points (some exceptions may apply)

Each university has its own way of calculating APS scores. However, some universities such as Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) are beginning to scrap the APS method and come up with their own application method.

Others may follow suit, but only time will tell. An easier way to calculate your APS score is by using the Edumatch APS Online Tool. It’s an easy-to-use tool that students can use to calculate their APS to any South African university.

How Does APS Assist Universities?

All universities use the APS – there’s no way around it. The APS streamlines the application process for universities. It makes handling the number of applications received by the university much easier, with a fair elimination of applications who do not meet their standards.

Additionally, students can do the National Benchmark Test (NBT) to determine their academic readiness for tertiary education. The National Benchmark Test is a series of tests that are provided to students by universities to test an applicant’s readiness for tertiary education. Read more on the NBT here.

Important Information on the APS

Always remember the following:

Students HAVE to match the APS score of a qualification provided by the university in order to study that course;
Study Hard: Studying harder means better grades. Better grades mean a better chance of getting a good APS.
Every university has different APS standards. Know what you want to study. There’s no harm in doing some research on what various universities offer in terms of similar courses.

The links below leads to the admission point score calculator for various universities in South Africa

Nelson Mandela University NMU Admission Point Score APS

Wits University Admission Point Score APS

Cape Peninsula University of Technology CPUT Admission Point Score APS

Central University of Technology CUT Admission Point Score APS

Tshwane University of Technology TUT Admission Point Score APS

North-West University NWU Admission Point Score APS

University of Cape Town UCT Admission Point Score APS

Rhodes University RU Admission Point Score APS

University of Limpopo UL Admission Point Score APS

Walter Sisulu University WSU Admission Point Score APS

University of KwaZulu-Natal UKZN Admission Point Score APS