From matric to university: the whole journey.

You apply in Grade 12, before your final results. Universities give you a provisional place on your earlier marks, and your final NSC results confirm it. Here is the full path, the marks you need, and your backup options if things do not go to plan.

The timeline, step by step

Apply in Grade 12, before your final results

You apply in the year you write matric, well before your final NSC results are out. Most universities open applications around March or April and many close mid-year, so the work happens while you are still in Grade 12. Applying late is the single most common reason students miss out.

Get provisional admission on your Grade 11 or term results

Because final results are not out yet, universities assess you on your Grade 11 final marks and your Grade 12 mid-year results. A strong offer at this stage is usually provisional or conditional: a place that is yours if your final results meet the requirement.

Write matric and let your final results confirm the place

Your final NSC results, released in January, confirm whether you have met the condition. If you have, the provisional offer becomes firm. If you fall short, you move to a backup, a related programme, or an upgrade.

Accept, then register

Once your place is confirmed, accept the offer within the university’s window, pay any registration or minimum fee through the official channel, and complete registration to get your student number. Accepting is not the same as registering, so follow both steps.

What marks you need

Most universities use the APS (Admission Point Score): your best six subject levels, excluding Life Orientation. Each programme sets its own minimum APS, and many also require specific subjects at a minimum level, for example Mathematics or Physical Science. A few universities (UCT, Wits, Rhodes) score applicants differently.

The fastest way to know where you stand is to calculate your APS and see what it unlocks, then check the exact subject requirements for each programme.

Calculate your APS See entry requirements

Choosing what to study

Pick a few programmes you genuinely meet the requirements for, plus one or two safer backups with a lower requirement. Balance what interests you with what you qualify for and what leads to work you would want. Check that each programme is still open and note its closing date, since deadlines differ by university and even by programme.

Do not put all your hope on a single competitive programme. A spread of choices, including a Higher Certificate or diploma route, keeps your options open if your final marks land lower than expected.

Backup options worth knowing

Higher Certificate

A one-year NQF level 5 qualification with lower entry requirements than a degree. It is a real qualification on its own and can be a stepping stone into a diploma or degree afterwards.

TVET college

Technical and Vocational Education and Training colleges offer practical, career-focused National Certificate (Vocational) and Report 191 (NATED) programmes, often with NSFAS funding. A strong route if a university place does not work out, or if hands-on training suits you better.

Bridging or foundation programmes

Many universities run extended or foundation programmes that add a year and let students who are close but not quite at the requirement build up to the full degree.

Upgrade your matric

If one or two marks held you back, you can rewrite or upgrade subjects (for example through the Second Chance programme or a private college) and apply again the next cycle with a stronger result.

Gap year with a plan

A gap year only works if it has a purpose: working, saving, upgrading a mark, or gaining experience. Use the time to strengthen your next application, not just to wait.

What to do on results day

You met your provisional offer

Your conditional or provisional place becomes firm. Accept it within the window, pay the registration fee through the official channel, and register. Decline any offers you will not take so the spaces are released.

You fell just short

Check your backup choices and related programmes with a lower requirement. Ask the university about an extended or foundation route. A Higher Certificate or a TVET programme can also get you started immediately.

You want to improve a mark

Look at the Second Chance matric programme or a private college to rewrite or upgrade a subject, then apply again next cycle. One stronger mark can open the programme you wanted.

You missed the main window

Watch for late and second-semester applications. Some universities and many TVET colleges take a mid-year intake, and our late applications hub tracks what is still open.

Beware scams at this stage. Nobody can "guarantee" you a place or "unlock" your results for a fee, and no real official asks you to pay into a personal account. See our application scams guide.

Ready to start?

Calculate your APS How to apply

Matric to university, answered

You apply in Grade 12, in the year you write matric, before your final results are out. Most universities open applications around March or April and many close around mid-year. Applying late is the most common reason students miss out, so apply as early as you can.

Universities assess you on your Grade 11 final marks and your Grade 12 mid-year results, and make a provisional or conditional offer. That offer becomes firm once your final NSC results, released in January, meet the requirement.

It depends on the programme. Most universities use the APS (Admission Point Score), your best six subject levels excluding Life Orientation, and many programmes also require specific subjects at a minimum level (for example Maths or Physical Science). Use our APS calculator to work out your score and see what you qualify for, and check the requirements page for the detail.

You have several routes: a related programme with a lower requirement, an extended or foundation programme, a Higher Certificate (a one-year NQF level 5 qualification with lower entry requirements), a TVET college programme, or upgrading a matric mark and applying again next cycle. A near miss is not the end of the road.

A Higher Certificate is a one-year NQF level 5 qualification with lower entry requirements than a degree. It is a full qualification in its own right and can also be a stepping stone: after passing it you may meet the requirements for a diploma or degree.

For many students, yes. TVET colleges offer practical, career-focused training, often with NSFAS funding, and lead directly to jobs in trades and technical fields. They are a strong choice if a university place does not work out or if hands-on training suits you better than an academic degree.

Look for late applications and second-semester intakes. Some universities reopen briefly and many TVET colleges take a mid-year intake. Our late applications hub tracks what is still open, and you can also consider upgrading a mark and applying for the next full cycle.

No. Accepting your offer secures your place. Registration is a separate step you complete afterwards, once your final results confirm and you pay the registration or minimum fee. See our registration guide for the full process.

AskSmarty is an independent national guide - not a university, college, or the CAO. This page explains the matric-to-university journey in general terms; application dates, marks, and rules differ by institution and by programme and change between cycles. Always confirm requirements and deadlines directly with the official institution. We never take payment and never apply on your behalf.