What Can I Study with a Low APS Score?
Don't stress if your score is between 15 and 22. There are excellent, fully accredited pathways into a degree, you just have to know where to look.
A low Admission Point Score doesn't shut the door on university study, it just changes the route. Thousands of South African students start on a Higher Certificate or National Diploma every year and later transfer, or "articulate," into a full Bachelor's degree once they've proven themselves academically. This page breaks down the realistic options for an APS between roughly 15 and 22, what they cost in time, and how the progression into a degree actually works.
Higher Certificates (APS 15 – 19)
A Higher Certificate is a one-year, NQF Level 5 qualification. It's the most accessible formal entry point into higher education and is offered in fields like Information Technology, Business Studies, Local Government, and Education Assistance. Institutions such as UNISA (distance) and DUT, MUT and TUT (contact) all run Higher Certificate programmes. Because it's a full qualification on its own, you're also not obligated to continue: plenty of people stop after year one and go straight into the job market.
National Diplomas (APS 18 – 22)
National Diplomas (NQF Level 6) typically run for two to three years and are common at Universities of Technology like DUT, MUT, TUT, CPUT and VUT. Engineering, Management Sciences, and Information Technology streams tend to have lower point thresholds than the equivalent Bachelor's degree, while still giving you a practical, career-focused qualification recognised by employers.
Extended / Augmented Degree Programmes
Many universities offer an "extended" or "augmented" version of a mainstream Bachelor's degree that spreads the first year over two years, with extra academic support. These programmes usually accept a slightly lower APS than the standard degree while still leading to exactly the same qualification at the end.
How the Progression Into a Degree Works
- Year 1: Enrol in and pass a Higher Certificate or the first year of a Diploma.
- Articulation: Apply to "articulate" (transfer your credits) into the second year of a related Diploma, or the first year of a related Bachelor's degree, once your results meet the receiving programme's requirements.
- Continued study: Complete the Diploma or degree. Many Diploma graduates go on to add a one-year Bachelor of Technology (or postgraduate diploma) to reach degree-equivalent status.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Higher Certificate a "real" qualification?
Yes, it's registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF Level 5) and recognised by SAQA, just like a Diploma or Degree. It qualifies you for entry-level roles in its field and, importantly, satisfies the minimum admission requirement for degree study at most universities once completed.
Will I lose time by starting with a certificate instead of a degree?
It can add a year overall compared to going straight into a degree, but for many students it's the difference between studying now versus waiting a year to rewrite subjects. It also lowers the risk of dropping out, since the first year is designed to build the academic skills a degree assumes you already have.
Do all universities offer articulation into a degree?
Most do, but the exact rules (minimum pass mark, which programmes you can move into) differ by institution and faculty. Always confirm the specific articulation policy with the university's admissions office before you enrol, rather than assuming it will happen automatically.
Not sure where you stand? Use the APS Calculator to see which of these pathways matches your marks.