VerifiedPassed Matric But Not Sure What You Can Study? Read This First.
There is no single matric pass. There are four different outcomes, and the one printed on your results decides whether you can register for a degree, a diploma, a higher certificate, or nothing at a university at all.
Thousands of learners every year believe they qualify for a degree because the word passed appears on their statement. They do not.
This guide shows you the four pass levels, the exact marks each one needs, and the two rules that catch learners out every January.
What Are the Four Matric Pass Levels?
The Department of Basic Education certifies your National Senior Certificate at one of four levels:
- NSC pass — you finished Grade 12, but you cannot register at a university
- Higher certificate pass — you can register for higher certificate programmes
- Diploma pass — you can register for a diploma
- Bachelor’s degree pass — you can register for a degree
Each level needs everything the level below it needs, plus more marks in more subjects.
Nobody decides this by hand. It comes straight off your subject percentages and is certified by Umalusi.
What Do You Need to Pass Matric?
To get the certificate itself, you need:
- 40% in three subjects, one of which must be an official language at Home Language level
- 30% in three other subjects
- Full School-Based Assessment evidence in every subject you take
Matric is a seven-subject qualification, so this leaves you one subject of slack. That is why people say you can fail one subject and still pass.
Important:
That slack protects your certificate. It does not protect your admission level.
Bachelor’s Degree Pass Requirements
For admission to bachelor’s degree study you need:
- 50% or more in four recognised 20-credit subjects (an achievement rating of 4)
- At least 30% in the language the university teaches in
Diploma Pass Requirements
For admission to diploma study you need:
- 40% or more in four recognised 20-credit subjects (an achievement rating of 3)
- At least 30% in the language the university teaches in
Higher Certificate Pass Requirements
This one is the simplest. You need an NSC pass plus at least 30% in the institution’s language of learning and teaching.
That 30% language mark is the only extra condition the national policy adds.
A higher certificate is not a dead end. Many of them articulate into a diploma afterwards.
Why Life Orientation Does Not Count
Here is the first rule that costs learners a degree place.
Every recognised matric subject carries 20 credits. Life Orientation carries 10. The admission rule asks for four 20-credit subjects, so Life Orientation can never be one of your four.
This hurts because Life Orientation is often a learner’s best mark.
Example:
68% for Life Orientation and 48% for four other subjects is a diploma pass, not a degree pass.
Most universities also leave Life Orientation out when they calculate your APS score.
Which Subjects Count Towards Your Four?
Any 20-credit matric subject. This changed, and many learners are still working off old advice.
The old 2008 policy only counted subjects on a named designated subject list, which favoured subjects like Physical Sciences and Life Sciences. The Department of Higher Education and Training revoked that list in March 2018.
All 20-credit subjects now count equally, with Life Orientation still excluded.
So Tourism, Business Studies, Consumer Studies and Geography at 50% each is a degree pass.
Does a Bachelor Pass Guarantee University Admission?
No.
This is the second rule that catches learners out.
The four pass levels are national minimums. Every university is allowed to set higher requirements for each programme, and they do.
Engineering will want Mathematics and Physical Sciences well above 50%. Medicine works off a selection score, not a minimum.
Your pass level tells you which door you may knock on. The faculty decides whether it opens.
If you qualify in January, move fast on universities still accepting applications.
Your Pass Level Also Decides Your Funding
Funders read these levels too.
Most undergraduate bursaries ask for a degree pass with specific subject marks. Many high school scholarships use the same rating scale.
Two percentage points short in a fourth subject can cost you a place and a bursary.
Matric Pass Levels FAQs
Can I fail a subject and still get a bachelor pass?
Yes.
The degree rule only looks at your best four 20-credit subjects at 50% or more, plus 30% in the teaching language. You must still meet the NSC pass requirements.
Does a good Life Orientation mark help me?
No.
It carries 10 credits instead of 20, so it cannot be one of your four subjects, and most universities exclude it from your APS.
What can I study with a higher certificate pass?
Higher certificate programmes at universities, universities of technology and private colleges. Many then articulate into a diploma.
Is the designated subject list still used?
No.
It was revoked in March 2018. All 20-credit subjects count equally now, though faculties can still demand specific subjects.
Can my pass level be changed?
Only if your marks change. The level is calculated from your results and certified by Umalusi, so you would need a successful remark to move it.
Check Your Four Best Subjects Today
Before you apply anywhere, do this:
- Cross out Life Orientation
- Take your next four best subjects
- Check them against 50% for a degree, 40% for a diploma
- Confirm 30% in the university’s teaching language
That tells you your real admission level in under a minute.
Then check the programme’s own requirements, because the minimum is never the offer.