University of Cape Town (UCT) online Applications for 2022: The university has 6 faculties – Commerce, Engineering & the Built Environment, Law, Health Sciences, Humanities and Science – which are all supported by the Centre for Higher Education Development, which addresses students’ teaching and learning needs.

Among its more than 100 000 alumni are the late Professor Christiaan Barnard, the world-renowned heart surgeon, and 3 Nobel laureates, Sir Aaron Klug, the late Professor Alan MacLeod Cormack and JM Coetzee.

UCT also has more than 80 specialist research units that provide supervision for postgraduate work and is home to more than a third of South Africa’s A-rated researchers – academics who are considered world leaders in their fields.

Application Closing Dates for 2022 at UCT

• Applications for admission in 2022 will open on 1 May 2021. Applications will close on 31 August 2021 for all undergraduate programmes.

Application Requirements at UCT for 2022

The admission requirements differ depending on what you want to study. The criteria for certificate courses, diplomas and degrees is listed below:

Undergraduate Certificate Study Application Requirements

To confirm eligibility for admission to undergraduate certificate study, applicants must consult the Admissions Office or the faculty concerned.

Undergraduate Diploma Study Application Requirements

The minimum requirement for admission to undergraduate diploma study is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 3 (Moderate Achievement, 40-49%) or better in 4 recognised NSC 20-credit subjects.

Bachelor’s Degree Study Application Requirements

To be eligible for admission to degree study, applicants need to meet minimum requirements for eligibility:

• Applicants holding a South African National Senior Certificate (NSC) need to pass a minimum of 4 subjects at a rating of 4 (Adequate Achievement, 50-59%) or better in any four 20-credit NSC subjects.
• Applicants holding a South African Senior Certificate need matriculation endorsement.
• Applicants holding non-South African school-leaving certificates must qualify for a matriculation exemption certificate. For more information please visit the website of the Matriculation Board.

Minimum language proficiency

All applicants must have attained a certain level of proficiency in English and are required to submit evidence of this, as outlined below, as part of their application to study.

South African Senior Certificate undergraduate applicants Application Requirements

• South African Senior Certificate undergraduate applicants to UCT must have achieved a pass of 40% or more on the Higher Grade in English (First or Second Language) at Senior Certificate level.

South African NSC undergraduate applicants Application Requirements

• South African NSC undergraduate applicants to UCT, must have achieved a rating of 2 (Elementary Achievement, 30-40%) or better at Home Language or First Additional Language level.

Applicants holding non-South African school-leaving certificates

• Please see UCT’s language requirements.

For further information on the IELTS and TOEFL exams, please contact the UCT English Language Centre.

Calculating Admissions Points Score (APS) at UCT

The percentages achieved in National Senior Certificate examinations (preliminary and final examinations) will be allocated an admission score equal to that percentage.

The sum of 6 subjects, excluding Life Orientation, but including English and any required subject(s) for the relevant programme, is considered when deciding on admission. For example, for a given programme where Maths and Physical Sciences are required, we will take scores for English, Maths, Physical Sciences and the next best 3 subjects other than Life Orientation to compute the NSC score towards the APS.

Results below 40% for any subject do not attract a score.

How to Contact University of Cape Town

Postal address

University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa

Contact numbers and email addresses

Should the contact number or email address you require not appear below please use the Google search at the top of the screen or browse the A–Z lists on the UCT main, Staff and Students websites.

UCT switchboard: +27 (0)21 650 9111

The web manager can only be of assistance with website-related queries, not IT-related queries. For the latter (including queries about online systems and email), please contact IT Helpdesk on +27 (0)21 650 4500. If you have queries about Vula, please contact the Vula Helpdesk.

Other Universities to apply for 2022 studies in South Africa

• Cape Peninsula University of Technology
• Central University of Technology
• Durban University of Technology 
• Mangosuthu University of Technology
• Tshwane University of Technology 
• Vaal University of Technology
• Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
• North-West University
• Rhodes University
• Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences
• Sol Plaatje University
• Stellenbosch University  
• University of Cape Town    
• University of Fort Hare
• University of Johannesburg
• University of KwaZulu-Natal
• University of Limpopo
• University of Mpumalanga
• University of Pretoria
• University of South Africa
• University of the Free State
• University of Venda
• University of the Western Cape
• University of the Witwatersrand
• University of Zululand
• Walter Sisulu University