Matric Guides: Understand Your Results and Plan Your Next Step
Our matric guides explain the National Senior Certificate (NSC) in plain language, so you know exactly where you stand and what to do next. They’re written for matric learners, parents and guardians, and anyone going back to improve their marks.
Start with the basics: what you need to pass matric, the difference between a bachelor’s,
diploma and higher certificate pass, and what the 1 to 7 achievement levels on your statement mean. Then learn how universities turn your marks into an Admission Point Score (APS), and why each university works it out differently.
We also cover the choices that shape your options, like Mathematics vs Mathematical Literacy, and what to do if a paper goes badly or your results aren’t what you hoped for. You’ll find guides on re-marks and re-checks, rewriting subjects, and second-chance routes, so one bad result never feels like the end of the road.
Matric is a starting point, not a finish line. Each guide links to your next step: choosing a career, applying to a university or TVET college, and paying for your studies with NSFAS or a bursary.
These guides are built to stay useful year after year. For dates that change every year, like exam timetables and results day, see our matric news.
Every guide is checked against official South African sources, such as the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and the institutions themselves.
Matric articles: 1–2 of 2
- Matric
Bachelor, diploma or higher certificate pass? Learn what each needs, what the 1–7 matric levels mean, and how SA universities work out your APS.
- Matric
One bad matric paper rarely means you fail. See how your year mark counts, what you need to pass the NSC, and your options if results disappoint.
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