Fort Hare Admission Requirements

The University of Fort Hare (UFH) admits students based on an Admission Point Score (APS) worked out from seven National Senior Certificate subjects. Each faculty can set a higher minimum than the university-wide one. The figures below come from Fort Hare's 2026 general prospectus and its faculty pages.

How Fort Hare calculates your APS

Fort Hare gives points for the achievement level in each of your seven NSC subjects and adds them up. A score of 90% to 100% earns 8 points, 80% to 89% earns 7, 70% to 79% earns 6, and so on down to 1 point for 30% to 39%. Unusually, Life Orientation counts, but Fort Hare limits it to a maximum of 4 points, however high your mark.

The minimum for a bachelor's degree

To enter any bachelor's degree, you need a pass in seven NSC subjects, with:

• English, as a home or first additional language, at level 4 (50%) or higher
• Four other 20-credit subjects at level 4 or higher
• One more 20-credit subject at level 2 (30%) or higher
• Life Orientation at level 4 or higher

Together, these give a minimum APS of 26 for bachelor's degree study.

Higher requirements in some faculties

Faculties may set higher minimums. For example:

• LLB: Fort Hare's 2026 law prospectus asks first-time students for an APS of 27 with Mathematics, or 28 with Mathematical Literacy
• Bachelor of Social Work: an APS of 27
• Bachelor of Commerce (Economics stream): an APS of 28

Programmes in the sciences and agriculture also set specific Mathematics and science subject levels, so check the requirements for your exact programme.

Merit fee waivers

Fort Hare rewards strong results with fee waivers for new undergraduates. In the 2026 prospectus, 34 to 38 merit points earned a waiver of R3,500, 39 to 42 points earned R4,500, and 43 to 47 points earned R5,500. Students with 48 points or more qualified for full tuition. So it pays to aim well above the minimum.

Applying with mid-year results

You can apply using your Grade 12 mid-year or June results. If Fort Hare accepts you, your admission may be conditional on your final NSC results, so you must still meet the requirements in your final exams.

An example

Suppose you score 60% to 69% in English and three other subjects, 50% to 59% in two more subjects, and 80% in Life Orientation. You would earn 5 points each for the first four, 4 each for the next two and only 4 for Life Orientation, because of the cap. Your APS would then be 32, comfortably above the minimum of 26.

Meeting the minimum

Meeting the minimum APS makes you eligible, but places in each programme are limited. Apply early, and choose a second programme in case your first choice fills up.