These FAQs are written for South African learners and parents. For a personalised answer, use the APS calculator and then browse requirements by university.
Quick links: APS calculator | University requirements | Past papers | NBT guide
APS stands for Admission Points Score. It is a points total calculated from your NSC results. Many South African universities use APS to screen applications and set minimum entry requirements.
Your APS is not a guarantee of admission. It is a quick way to compare applicants, and most programmes also have subject minimums.
To get a personalised answer based on your subjects, use the Examly APS calculator.
APS is usually calculated by converting each subject result into points, then adding a set number of subjects. Some universities use NSC achievement levels, others use percentages.
The important part: APS rules differ by university. The same marks can produce different APS totals depending on:
Examly shows you the rules for each supported university inside the calculator.
No. APS is a concept, but the calculation is not standardized across all universities.
That is why Examly is built around university-specific rules. Choose a university first, then calculate your score.
Start here: APS calculator.
In many cases, APS uses your languages, Maths or Maths Literacy, and your best additional subjects. But the exact set depends on the university and sometimes the programme.
If a programme has subject minimums (for example Mathematics or Physical Sciences), you can be disqualified even with a high APS.
Sometimes. Some universities include Life Orientation, and others exclude it from APS. This is one of the biggest sources of confusion.
On Examly, the calculator follows the university-specific rule so your score is consistent with that institution.
A “good” APS depends on what you want to study. Competitive programmes (like Medicine, Engineering, some Commerce and Law degrees) usually need higher APS and strong subject marks.
If you already know your APS, you can explore example options by score, then confirm with your subjects:
There is no single APS number that fits “most universities”. Requirements change by institution and by programme level (Higher Certificate, Diploma, Degree).
The fastest way to get a realistic answer is to pick a university, then browse programme benchmarks:
Yes. You can use your latest marks (Grade 11 or current Grade 12 results) to estimate where you are and what you need to improve.
Just remember: final eligibility depends on your final NSC results and the programme’s subject minimums.
FPS stands for Faculty Points Score. It is a ranking score used by some faculties to compare applicants after minimum requirements are met.
Unlike APS, FPS can change by faculty and may weight certain subjects more heavily.
APS is usually a general points total based on your NSC subjects. FPS is faculty-specific and is often used to rank applicants for competitive programmes.
Example: at UCT, many programmes use faculty-specific FPS and may consider NBTs. Examly calculates both where rules are available.
NBTs (National Benchmark Tests) are standardised assessments used by some universities to measure academic readiness. Some programmes require them, and some do not.
If you are applying to a university that uses NBTs, read the guide here: NBT requirements.
No. NBT requirements depend on the university and the specific programme you are applying for.
When a requirement exists in our extracted prospectus data, Examly surfaces it on the course page and in the calculator breakdown.
Sometimes. Many applicants apply while they are still waiting for results, but final decisions can depend on submitting required NBTs.
If you are unsure for a specific programme, open the university page, pick the course, and read the NBT section if it appears.
It depends on the programme. For some degrees, NBTs are used to rank candidates in addition to NSC marks. For others, they are not used at all.
Treat NBTs as important if the programme explicitly lists them. If you are applying to UCT, your faculty score can be affected.
Examly follows university-specific scoring rules and programme requirements from prospectus documents in our dataset. The calculator is only as accurate as the information provided and the marks you enter.
University rules can change year to year. Use Examly to get clarity fast, then confirm with the official prospectus when you submit applications.
We use admissions rules and programme requirements from official documents (such as prospectus PDFs) and convert them into structured rules.
This helps you search, compare, and calculate eligibility without reading hundreds of pages.
No. Examly is an eligibility and planning tool. Even if you meet a minimum score, admission can depend on capacity, competition, and programme-specific selection rules.
Use the results to plan your next steps, not as a final decision.
“Almost eligible” means you are close, but you are missing something important. It is usually one of these:
When you are close, the best move is targeted improvement. Start with past papers: Past papers hub.
It means your calculated score is X points below the relevant minimum or benchmark for that programme.
To close the gap, improve the subjects that are counted in the score (and the subjects that have minimum requirements).
Yes. You can use the calculator and browse resources without paying.
If login features are added later, the core eligibility and study resources will still be accessible.
No. You can calculate your score and browse past papers without creating an account.
Accounts may be useful later for saving results or personalised recommendations.
Eligible means your score and subject combination meet the listed minimum requirements for that programme in our dataset.
If the programme has limited space, being eligible does not guarantee an offer. It means you meet the baseline requirements.
Not eligible means you do not meet one or more key requirements right now. It can be a score gap, a missing subject, or a subject minimum that is too low.
If you want to improve, practise the highest-impact subjects first. Start here: past papers.
Programmes do not all have the same requirements. Even in the same university, different faculties can require different subjects and different score cutoffs.
This is normal. Use the university pages to compare options, then pick a realistic target: browse universities.
Yes. Many programmes have compulsory subjects (for example Mathematics for certain Science/Commerce degrees). If you do not have the required subject, you can be disqualified even with a high APS.
Course pages list these requirements, and the calculator checks them.