South African Matric Pass Levels
Matric pass levels for admission into higher education are divided into 3 categories:
1. Higher Certificate pass, you will need to pass: 3 subjects (1 must be your official Home Language) with 40% or more; and 3 subjects with 30% or more
A Higher Certificate pass will give you provisional entrance (conditional acceptance) into any college or Higher Certificate qualification programme.
There are many programmes and courses (at NQF Level 5) you can complete at a university or college to get a Higher Certificate. For example, in accounting sciences, law, marketing, tourism management, and much more.
Once you have completed your Higher Certificate, you can apply for a National Diploma qualification (at NQF Level 6).
2. Diploma pass, you will need to pass:
4 subjects (1 must be your official Home Language) with 40% or more, excluding Life Orientation.
A Diploma pass will gain you provisional entrance into university, technical university or college to complete a diploma or certificate qualification programme.
Once you have completed your Diploma qualification (at NQF Level 6), you can use it as a stepping stone into a Bachelor degree programme (at NQF Level 7).
3. Bachelor pass (or exemption), you will need to pass:
4 designated subjects (1 must be your official Home Language) with 50% or more, excluding Life Orientation.
A Bachelor pass will gain you provisional entrance into university, technical university or college degree, diploma or certificate qualification programme.