What Is APS? How to Calculate Your APS Score, and Why It Matters

What does APS stand for?

APS means Admission Point Score. (Some places say "Admission Points Score". It's the same thing.)

Here's the idea:

• Each school subject gets points, based on your mark.
• You add the points up.
• The total is your APS.

Every course has a minimum APS. If your APS is the same or higher, you can apply for that course.

How to calculate your APS score (step by step)

Most universities that use APS points follow these steps. Grab your report and a calculator.

Step 1: Find your percentage for each subject. Use your final Grade 11 marks if you're in matric now. Use your final matric results once you have them.

Step 2: Turn each percentage into points. Use this table. It matches the 7 achievement levels on your school report.

Step 3: Pick six subjects. Most universities count six subjects and leave out Life Orientation (LO).

Step 4: Add up the points. That total is your APS. The biggest possible score this way is 42 (six subjects × 7 points).

Not sure what the levels on your report mean? Read Matric results explained: pass levels, codes and APS.

Let's try one: Thandi's APS

Thandi is in matric. Here are her final Grade 11 marks:

So Thandi's APS is 6 + 5 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 33.

Notice her LO mark (85%) doesn't help her here. That's normal at most universities.

Big warning: not every university counts APS the same way ⚠️

This is the part most people miss. There is no single national APS. Each university picks its own method. So your APS can be different at different universities, even with the same marks.

Here's how a few of them do it (2027 intake rules):

• University of Johannesburg (UJ): Uses the 1-to-7 points table above. Counts six subjects. Life Orientation is not counted.
• University of Pretoria (UP): Uses APS points too, and leaves out Life Orientation.
• Wits University: Counts your best seven subjects, including LO. It uses its own table: 90–100% can earn 8 points, marks under 40% get 0, LO earns fewer points, and English and Maths get bonus points.
• University of Cape Town (UCT): Doesn't turn marks into 1-to-7 points. It adds up your six best percentages (no LO), so the score is out of 600. Some faculties add more, like the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) for Health Sciences.
• Stellenbosch University: Works with the average percentage of your best six subjects (no LO). Some faculties use a formula on top. Engineering, for example, adds your Maths and Physical Sciences marks to six times your average.
• Nelson Mandela University: Uses its own Applicant Score, built from percentages, not 1-to-7 points.

See the difference? With Thandi's marks:

• At UJ, her APS is 33 (out of 42).
• At UCT, her score is 413 (out of 600): 72 + 65 + 58 + 61 + 74 + 83.
• At Stellenbosch, her average is about 69% (413 ÷ 6).

Same marks. Three very different numbers. So always use the method of the university you're applying to.

Why is your APS so important?

Your APS matters for four big reasons:

1. It opens or closes doors. Below the minimum APS? Most universities won't look at your application for that course.
2. It decides what you can study. Popular courses, like medicine or engineering, often need a much higher APS than others.
3. It helps with ranking. When a course is full, universities often pick the applicants with the higher scores first.
4. It helps you plan early. If you know your APS in Grade 11, you still have time to push your marks up.

⚠️ But APS isn't everything. Meeting the minimum APS doesn't guarantee you a place. Most courses also need certain subjects at certain levels, like Maths at level 5. Some also ask for tests, interviews or a portfolio.

How to use your APS (the smart way)

Got your number? Here's what to do with it:

1. Pick 3 to 5 careers you like. Not sure yet? Explore our careers pages.
2. Find the courses that lead there. Look at each university's official prospectus or course page for the 2027 intake.
3. Work out your APS the way each university does. Use their own table or official calculator, not a random app.
4. Check the subject rules too. Do you need Maths, or is Maths Literacy OK? Which levels do you need?
5. Make a "safe, maybe, dream" list.
6. • Safe: your APS is well above the minimum.
   • Maybe: your APS is close to the minimum.
   • Dream: your APS is a bit below, but you're working to raise it.
6. Have a plan B. Lower APS? A diploma, a higher certificate or a TVET college can still get you where you want to go.
7. Sort out money at the same time. Check if you qualify for NSFAS or a bursary on our funding page.

How to improve your APS

Your APS isn't stuck. Here's how to lift it:

• Find your "almost there" subjects. A 58% is only 2% away from the next level. That one push adds a whole point.
• Focus on the subjects your course needs. These usually count the most.
• Ask for help early. Speak to your teachers, form a study group, and use free past papers from the Department of Basic Education.
• Didn't do well enough in matric? You can rewrite subjects to improve your marks. See Had a bad matric paper? Here's what happens next.

Watch out for fake APS calculators 🚩

There are lots of APS calculators online. Many are not run by universities, and some use the wrong rules, especially for Wits and UCT.

• ✅ Do: use the university's own table, prospectus or calculator.
• ❌ Don't: trust one number from one app for every university.
• ❌ Don't: pay anyone to "calculate" or "secure" your place.

Frequently asked questions

Sources:

• UJ 2027 prospectus
• UP course page
• Wits entry requirements
• UCT 2027 admission guidelines
• Stellenbosch Engineering selection