University of Pretoria Admission Requirements for 2028

If you are planning to study at the University of Pretoria (UP) in 2028, understanding the admission requirements is one of the most important steps to take before applying. Continue to read more about University of Pretoria Admission Requirements for 2028.

The University of Pretoria is one of South Africa’s major research universities and offers undergraduate programmes across fields such as economic and management sciences, education, engineering, built environment, information technology, health sciences, humanities, law, natural and agricultural sciences, and veterinary science.

However, there is no single admission requirement that applies to every UP programme. The required Admission Point Score (APS), school subjects and achievement levels depend on the programme you select.

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What Are the University of Pretoria Admission Requirements for 2028?

For applicants using the South African National Senior Certificate (NSC) or Independent Examinations Board (IEB) qualification, UP generally considers:

The appropriate school-leaving qualification
The required APS
Required school subjects
Minimum achievement levels in those subjects
Grade 11 results for provisional admission
Final Grade 12 results for final admission
Programme-specific selection requirements
Availability of space in the programme

UP’s admission regulations state that applicants for a first bachelor’s degree must meet the general admission requirements as well as the particular subject, achievement-level and APS requirements for their chosen programme.

Applicants should therefore identify their intended programme before checking their APS. A score that is sufficient for one UP programme may not be sufficient for another.

Does UP Have a Minimum APS Score?

There is no universal APS score for admission to the University of Pretoria.

The required APS differs by programme and faculty.

The UP APS is calculated using six recognised 20-credit subjects based on the NSC achievement scale. Life Orientation is excluded from the APS calculation. The highest possible APS using this system is 42.

The current UP scoring system is generally as follows:

NSC Achievement Level	Percentage	APS Points
Level 7	80–100%	7
Level 6	70–79%	6
Level 5	60–69%	5
Level 4	50–59%	4
Level 3	40–49%	3
Level 2	30–39%	2
Level 1	0–29%	1

Because Life Orientation is excluded, applicants should not add their Life Orientation result when calculating the UP APS.

Example of an APS calculation

Suppose a student receives the following results:

UP Admission Requirements for Grade 11 Applicants

Students who are currently in Grade 12 do not have to wait until their final matric results are released before applying.

UP uses Grade 11 or equivalent results when considering prospective Grade 12 students for provisional or conditional admission. The university states that final admission depends on the student’s final NSC or equivalent results.

This makes Grade 11 performance extremely important.

For example, a student applying for a programme requiring a strong Mathematics result should not assume that poor Grade 11 Mathematics results can simply be ignored until matric.

UP programme pages commonly state that applicants currently in Grade 12 must apply using their final Grade 11 results, while applicants who have completed Grade 12 must apply with their final NSC or equivalent results.

UP Admission Requirements for Grade 12 Students

Applicants who have already completed Grade 12 must generally apply using their final NSC/IEB or equivalent qualification results.

Final matric results are important because provisional admission based on Grade 11 results does not necessarily become final admission automatically.

For example, UP’s Bachelor of Arts information states that candidates must achieve the required final APS in their Grade 12 results to retain admission.

Students should therefore continue working toward their final matric results even after receiving a provisional or conditional admission offer.

University of Pretoria Programme-Specific Admission Requirements

One of the most important things to understand about UP admission is that requirements vary significantly between programmes.

Below are examples from the latest published requirements to illustrate the differences applicants can expect when planning for 2028.

BCom Admission Requirements

The 2027 BCom four-year programme lists the following minimum requirements for NSC/IEB applicants:

English Home Language or English First Additional Language: Level 4
Mathematics: Level 3
APS: 26

UP also states that Life Orientation is excluded when calculating the APS.

However, other BCom specialisations can have higher requirements.

For example, the BCom specialising in Information Systems requires English at Level 5, Mathematics at Level 5 and an APS of 30 in the latest published requirements.

This demonstrates why students should check the requirements for the exact BCom specialisation they intend to study.

University of Pretoria BCom Accounting Admission Requirements

Accounting-related programmes can be highly competitive and may have specific Mathematics requirements.

Applicants interested in accounting should not rely on the general BCom requirements. Instead, they should check the requirements for the exact qualification, such as a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting Sciences.

The university publishes programme-specific requirements and updates them according to each admission cycle. Applicants planning for 2028 should therefore compare their subjects and APS against the relevant 2028 programme page once it becomes available.

UP Bachelor of Arts Admission Requirements

The latest published Bachelor of Arts three-year programme provides another example of UP’s programme-specific admission system.

The 2027 requirements list:

English Home Language or English First Additional Language: Level 5
APS based on Grade 11 results: 30
Final NSC/IEB APS: 28

UP notes that candidates must obtain at least the required final APS to retain admission.

Students interested in Humanities should therefore pay particular attention to both their English results and APS.

University of Pretoria Engineering Admission Requirements

Engineering programmes generally have significantly higher Mathematics and Physical Sciences requirements.

For example, the latest published requirements for the BEng in Electronic Engineering four-year programme require:

English Home Language or English First Additional Language: Level 5
Mathematics: Level 6
Physical Sciences: Level 6
APS: 35

UP also publishes five-year engineering options. For the 2027 BEng Electronic Engineering five-year programme, the published minimums include 65% in English, Mathematics and Physical Sciences and an APS of 33.

This makes it particularly important for prospective engineering students to take Mathematics and Physical Sciences seriously from Grade 11.

UP BSc and Natural Sciences Admission Requirements

Science programmes also tend to require stronger Mathematics and Physical Sciences results.

According to UP’s published 2027 admission requirements, several Biological Sciences BSc programmes require:

English: Level 5
Mathematics: Level 5
Physical Sciences: Level 5
APS: 32

Some four-year BSc programmes have lower percentage thresholds and foundation modules.

For certain Physical Sciences programmes, including areas such as Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Geoinformatics and Meteorology, the published requirements include:

English: Level 5
Mathematics: Level 5
Physical Sciences: Level 5
APS: 34

Some corresponding four-year programmes have foundation-year requirements.

Therefore, students interested in science should check the exact qualification instead of assuming that every BSc programme has the same APS.

UP Computer Science Admission Requirements

Computer Science is another programme where Mathematics can be particularly important.

The latest UP information includes a specific BSc Computer Science programme, with programme-level admission requirements that must be checked before applying.

Students considering Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Science or related programmes should carefully compare:

Mathematics requirement
English requirement
APS requirement
Programme-specific selection criteria
Available alternatives if the applicant does not qualify

The requirements can differ between computing-related degrees, so applicants should avoid treating “Computer Science” and “Information Science” as having identical admission requirements.

University of Pretoria Law Admission Requirements

UP’s Faculty of Law has its own admission requirements for programmes such as the LLB.

Because Law is a popular qualification, students should pay close attention to the required APS, English achievement level and other programme-specific conditions.

Applicants should also remember that meeting the published minimum does not necessarily guarantee admission. UP uses a ranking and selection process, and programmes with limited places can be highly competitive.

Does UP Require the National Benchmark Test (NBT)?

An important distinction exists between UP and some other South African universities.

According to UP’s 2027 international undergraduate prospectus, the University of Pretoria does not consider NBT results for admission to its programmes.

This means applicants should not automatically assume that they need an NBT simply because another South African university requires one.

However, applicants should always verify the requirements for their particular 2028 programme when the official information becomes available.

University of Pretoria Admission Requirements for International Students

International students and applicants with school-leaving qualifications that were not issued by Umalusi in South Africa follow a different admission process.

UP publishes a separate International Undergraduate Prospectus for applicants with school-leaving certificates issued outside South Africa. The university’s current international prospectus includes specific requirements for applicants with international qualifications.

International applicants may need to provide:

A valid passport
School-leaving certificate
Academic transcripts
Qualification documentation
Evidence of eligibility for university admission
Required exemption documentation
English-language evidence where applicable
Additional documents specified by UP

UP’s international prospectus also provides information about SAT requirements used in determining eligibility and for USAf exemption purposes.

International applicants should therefore not use the South African NSC/IEB APS requirements as their only guide.

Does UP Accept International Qualifications?

Yes. UP considers applicants with recognised qualifications other than the South African NSC/IEB.

However, the applicant’s qualification must satisfy the university’s requirements for the intended degree. UP provides a separate international undergraduate prospectus and percentage conversion information for qualifications not issued by Umalusi.

Students from countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia and other countries should therefore consult the international admission information rather than attempting to convert their results into an NSC APS without official guidance.

Does Meeting UP’s Minimum Requirements Guarantee Admission?

No.

This is perhaps the most important point for applicants to understand.

The University of Pretoria explicitly states that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. The university uses a ranking system, and admission is also subject to available space. Competition for some programmes can be exceptionally strong.

For example, a student might meet a programme’s minimum APS but still not receive admission if there are more qualified applicants than available spaces.

Therefore, students should aim to achieve results comfortably above the minimum requirements whenever possible.

UP Application Process for 2028

Although the exact 2028 dates will need to be confirmed by UP, prospective students can prepare using the following general process.

Step 1: Choose your programme

Identify the exact degree you want to study.

Step 2: Check the 2028 requirements

Look at the required:

APS
English level
Mathematics
Physical Sciences
Life Sciences
Other programme-specific subjects

Step 3: Calculate your APS

Use your six recognised subjects and exclude Life Orientation from the calculation.

Step 4: Prepare your Grade 11 results

If you are currently in Grade 12, your final Grade 11 results are used for the initial application and ranking.

Step 5: Apply online

Complete the UP online application and provide the required information and documents.

Step 6: Monitor your application

UP advises applicants to check their application status regularly through the UP Student Portal.

Step 7: Meet your final requirements

If you receive provisional or conditional admission, make sure your final Grade 12 results satisfy the requirements.

When Should You Apply to UP for 2028?

Applicants should not wait until the last minute.

For the 2027 cycle, UP’s published programme pages generally listed 30 June 2026 as the closing date for South African and international undergraduate applications for many programmes.

However, closing dates can differ between programmes and admission cycles.

For 2028 applicants, the safest approach is to begin preparing early and confirm the official 2028 closing date on the UP website as soon as applications open.

Tips for Getting Admission to the University of Pretoria in 2028

1. Start preparing in Grade 11

Your Grade 11 results can be used in the initial UP admission process, so do not wait until matric to start improving your academic performance.

2. Know your programme’s subject requirements

Having a high APS does not compensate for failing to have a compulsory subject.

3. Aim above the minimum APS

The minimum requirement is not necessarily the score that will secure a place.

4. Prioritise Mathematics where required

Many programmes in science, engineering, commerce and technology require Mathematics at a particular level.

5. Take Physical Sciences seriously for engineering and science

Several UP programmes require specific achievement levels in Physical Sciences.

6. Apply before the deadline

Do not leave your application until the closing date.

7. Keep your documents ready

Having your ID, school results and other required documentation available can make the application process easier.

8. Monitor your application status

Do not assume that submitting the application means the process is complete. Regularly check your UP application status.

9. Consider a second-choice programme

Some faculties advise students to consult academic advisers about alternative programmes where applicable. This can be useful if your first-choice programme is highly competitive.

Frequently Asked Questions About UP Admission Requirements 2028

What APS score is required at the University of Pretoria?

There is no single APS requirement for every UP programme. Requirements vary from programme to programme. Examples in the latest published requirements range from the mid-20s for some programmes to 35 or higher for competitive programmes such as certain engineering degrees.

Does UP use Life Orientation when calculating APS?

No. UP’s APS calculation excludes Life Orientation because it is a 10-credit subject rather than one of the six recognised 20-credit subjects used for the APS calculation.

Can I apply to UP with Grade 11 results?

Yes. Grade 12 learners can apply using their final Grade 11 results. However, final admission depends on their final NSC or equivalent Grade 12 results.

Does UP require NBT?

According to UP’s current international undergraduate prospectus, UP does not consider NBT results for admission. Applicants should nevertheless verify the final requirements applicable to their 2028 programme.

Can international students apply to UP?

Yes. UP has a separate admission process and prospectus for applicants whose school-leaving qualifications were not issued by Umalusi in South Africa.

If I meet the minimum requirements, will I definitely be accepted?

No. UP uses a ranking and selection process, and admission is subject to available space. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

Final Thoughts on University of Pretoria Admission Requirements 2028

The University of Pretoria admission requirements for 2028 will ultimately depend on the programme you want to study and the final requirements published by UP for the 2028 admission cycle.

The current official information shows that UP considers the applicant’s APS, subjects, achievement levels and academic results, while programme-specific requirements can be considerably different. Grade 11 results are important for applicants currently in Grade 12, while final Grade 12 results determine whether admission requirements are ultimately met.

Applicants should also remember that minimum requirements are not a guarantee of admission. UP uses a ranking system and has limited places in certain programmes, meaning that competitive applicants should aim to perform above the published minimum wherever possible.

Since the official 2028 UP prospectus has not yet been published, prospective students should use the current requirements for planning purposes and then verify the exact requirements, programme availability and closing dates when the 2028 information becomes available. UP’s official admission information page provides access to its undergraduate prospectus and application resources.