Matric Pass Requirements Calculator - Check Your Results

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Pass Types Explained

Bachelor's Pass (University Degree)

• 30% or more in your home language
• 50% or more in four other subjects (excluding Life Orientation)
• Pass at least 6 out of 7 subjects

Allows you to apply for Bachelor's degree programmes at universities.

Diploma Pass

• 30% or more in your home language
• 40% or more in four other subjects (excluding Life Orientation)
• Pass at least 6 out of 7 subjects

Allows you to apply for diploma programmes at universities of technology and some universities.

Higher Certificate Pass

• 30% or more in your home language
• 40% or more in two other subjects (excluding Life Orientation)
• Pass at least 6 out of 7 subjects

Allows you to study for a Higher Certificate qualification (one-year programme) at a university or TVET college.

Bachelor's Pass

You can apply for any undergraduate degree (BA, BCom, BSc, BEng, LLB, MBChB, etc.) at any university in South Africa. Note that competitive programmes like medicine, engineering, and law have additional subject and APS requirements. Use our APS Calculator to check specific course requirements.

Diploma Pass

You can apply for national diploma programmes at universities of technology (e.g., CPUT, TUT, DUT) and some comprehensive universities. Popular options include IT diplomas, engineering diplomas, hospitality, and business management. Some universities also offer extended degree programmes for diploma-pass holders.

Higher Certificate Pass

You can study for a Higher Certificate (one-year qualification) at a university or university of technology. You can also enrol at a TVET college for N-courses or NCV programmes. After completing a Higher Certificate, you may progress to a diploma and eventually a degree.

To pass matric (NSC) in South Africa, you need at least 40% in your home language and 40% in two other subjects (excluding Life Orientation) for a Higher Certificate pass. For a Diploma pass, you need 30% in your home language and 40% in four other subjects. For a Bachelor's pass, you need 30% in your home language and 50% in four designated subjects.

A Bachelor's pass allows you to apply for degree programmes at universities, while a Diploma pass qualifies you for diploma programmes at universities of technology and some universities. The key difference is that a Bachelor's pass requires 50% in four subjects (excluding Life Orientation), while a Diploma pass only requires 40% in four subjects.

No, Life Orientation does not count toward the matric pass requirements. While you must still pass Life Orientation, it is excluded when determining whether you qualify for a Higher Certificate, Diploma, or Bachelor's pass. For APS calculations, Life Orientation is typically excluded or capped at Level 4 by most universities.

Yes, if you fail matric you may qualify for supplementary exams. You are eligible if you failed no more than two subjects, or if you passed all subjects but did not achieve the pass type you needed. Supplementary exams are typically written in February/March of the following year. You can also register to rewrite specific subjects as a part-time candidate.

You can apply for remarking (re-checking or re-marking) through your provincial education department within 30 days of results being released. Re-checking costs approximately R26 per subject and verifies that marks were correctly totalled. Re-marking costs approximately R126 per subject and involves a complete re-evaluation of your answer script by a different examiner.

With a Higher Certificate pass, you can study for a Higher Certificate qualification at a university or university of technology. These are typically one-year programmes. After completing a Higher Certificate, you can progress to a diploma and then potentially a degree. You can also study at TVET colleges for N-courses or National Certificate (Vocational) qualifications.

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