VerifiedGot Your Statement of Results and Not Sure What It Says? Start Here.
Most candidates read the percentages and stop. The slip carries more than that.
It tells you which qualifications you may register for, how each mark was coded, and how many days you have left to challenge a mark you think is wrong.
This guide walks you through every part of the document, what the rating codes mean, and the deadline printed on the back that most people never turn over to find.
Statement of Results vs Matric Certificate
These are two different documents, issued at two different times.
- Statement of results — issued when results are released, confirms what you achieved
- National Senior Certificate — the formal qualification, printed and issued later
For registering at a university in January, the statement is enough. Every institution accepts it, because the certificate does not exist yet.
Keep it safe anyway. Applying for the certificate is a separate process, covered in our guide on applying for your matric certificate.
What Do the Rating Codes 1 to 7 Mean?
Next to each percentage sits a single digit. That is your rating code, and the Department of Basic Education defines all seven of them.
| Rating code | Description | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Outstanding Achievement | 80 – 100% |
| 6 | Meritorious Achievement | 70 – 79% |
| 5 | Substantial Achievement | 60 – 69% |
| 4 | Adequate Achievement | 50 – 59% |
| 3 | Moderate Achievement | 40 – 49% |
| 2 | Elementary Achievement | 30 – 39% |
| 1 | Not Achieved | 0 – 29% |
University admission rules are written in these codes, not in percentages.
When a faculty asks for a level 5 in Mathematics, it wants 60% or more.
Watch out for this:
A code of 2 is 30% to 39%, and the certificate lets you clear three subjects at just 30%. So a subject coded 2 can count towards passing while being useless for admission.
Which Line Shows Your Admission Level?
Somewhere on the slip is a line naming your outcome: an NSC pass, or admission to higher certificate, diploma or bachelor’s degree study.
Universities read that line first. Umalusi works it out from your subject marks and certifies it, so your school cannot change it.
If it reads lower than you expected, check your four best 20-credit subjects against the table above before you phone anyone. Remember Life Orientation cannot be one of the four.
Most arguments about an admission level turn out to be arithmetic, not error.
Recheck, Remark or View Your Script?
Candidates mix these up and apply for the wrong one. They do different jobs.
1. Recheck — a Clerical Check
Someone confirms every question was marked, the marks were added correctly, and the total was captured correctly. Nobody re-reads your answers.
2. Remark — a Fresh Marking
A marker reads the script again and marks it from scratch against the memorandum.
3. Viewing Your Script
You or a representative see the marked paper. Useful for deciding whether a remark is worth paying for.
Rule of thumb:
Totals that do not add up? Recheck. Marking you believe is wrong? Remark.
The full process is in our guide to the matric recheck and remarking process.
How Much Does a Matric Remark Cost?
Fees are set by each province and charged per subject. The Western Cape publishes its schedule openly:
- Remark — R130 per subject
- Recheck — R40 per subject
- Viewing a script — R240 per subject, non-refundable
Confirm your own province’s amounts before you pay. They are not identical countrywide.
How Long Do You Have to Apply for a Remark?
This is the detail that costs candidates their chance every January.
The closing date is printed on the reverse side of your statement of results, and the Department says it is usually 14 days after results are released.
Not a month. Not negotiable afterwards.
So turn the page over on the day you collect it.
Where to Get the Application Form:
- Your school or examination centre
- Your education district office
- The Department’s online remarking and rechecking application
Two weeks sounds generous until you add a school still closed for the holidays and a queue at the district office.
Get your results the moment they are published through the online results service, because the clock starts at release, not at collection. The release date is announced each year.
The rating codes come from the Department’s National Protocol for Assessment, and the remark instructions from its examinations page.
Matric Statement of Results FAQs
Can I register at university with only the statement?
Yes.
The certificate comes later, so institutions register first-year students on the statement of results.
How long do I have to request a remark?
Usually 14 days after results are released. The exact closing date is printed on the back of your statement.
What is the difference between a recheck and a remark?
A recheck confirms the marking and adding were captured correctly. A remark means the script is marked again from the beginning.
What does a level 4 mean?
Adequate Achievement, 50% to 59%.
It is also the minimum rating needed in four 20-credit subjects for a bachelor’s degree pass.
Do I get my remark fee back if my mark goes up?
Ask when you apply, because policies differ by province. The Western Cape states specifically that its script-viewing fee is non-refundable.
Do This the Day You Get Your Results
- Turn the slip over and find the remark closing date
- Read your admission level line
- Check your four best 20-credit subjects
- Decide on a recheck or a remark within days, not weeks
You have two weeks, and the holidays eat most of it.
