UCT Admission Requirements

The University of Cape Town (UCT) does not use the simple seven-point APS that many universities use. Instead, it scores your actual percentages and builds them into a Faculty Points Score, or FPS. The figures below come from UCT's 2027 guidelines for admission for holders of the National Senior Certificate.

How UCT scores your results

UCT starts with an Admission Points Score (APS), which is the sum of your six best subject percentages. These must include English and any subjects that your programme requires, but not Life Orientation. Subjects below 40% earn no score. UCT considers your Grade 11 final, Grade 12 preliminary and Grade 12 final results.

The FPS then depends on the faculty. In Commerce, Engineering and the Built Environment, the Humanities and Law, the FPS equals the APS and is out of 600. In Science, the FPS is out of 800, because UCT doubles your Mathematics and Physical Sciences scores. In Health Sciences, the FPS adds your National Benchmark Test (NBT) percentages to the APS, for a total out of 900.

Guaranteed admission scores for 2027

UCT sorts applicants into bands. Band A is guaranteed admission, as long as you also meet the subject and NBT requirements:

• BCom and BBusSc: FPS of 435 or more. The minimum for possible admission is 430, with Upper Intermediate NBT scores.
• BSc Engineering in Civil or Chemical Engineering: FPS of 500 or more
• BSc Engineering in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering: FPS of 450 or more
• Bachelor of Architectural Studies: FPS of 500 or more
• LLB: FPS of 500 or more, with Proficient NBT Academic Literacy
• Bachelor of Social Work: FPS of 450 or more
• Science degrees: FPS of 660 or more out of 800
• MBChB (Medicine): FPS of 810 or more out of 900, with at least 65% in English and 70% in Mathematics and Physical Sciences
• Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy: FPS of 730 or more

Redress and the Weighted Points Score

For South African applicants, UCT also calculates a Weighted Points Score (WPS). It multiplies your FPS by a disadvantage factor of 0% to 10%, or up to 20% in Health Sciences. UCT also considers redress categories, so some programmes have a "likely" or "possible" admission band below the guaranteed score. For example, Law offers possible admission from an FPS of 470 for applicants in targeted redress categories.

The National Benchmark Tests

Many UCT programmes require NBT results, and the required levels differ by programme. For instance, Commerce asks for Upper Intermediate scores in Academic Literacy and Quantitative Literacy. Register for the NBT early in your matric year.