Rhodes University (RU)

Written by Mohapi · Last updated 15 August 2026 · How these figures are checked

Rhodes has a rule that can quietly delete an entire subject from your score, and a Life Orientation requirement that applies even though Life Orientation earns you nothing.

The sub-40% rule, and why it hurts more than it looks

At most universities a weak subject still contributes something. A 35% is a level 2, and two points is two points.

At Rhodes it contributes nothing. If one of your six best subjects came in under 40%, you are effectively being scored on five subjects while other applicants are scored on six.

That is a large gap, and it is not obvious from a marks sheet. If you have a subject in the thirties, work your Rhodes position out with that subject set to zero rather than assuming it helps a little.

TUT has a comparable rule at a lower threshold. It discards any Level 1. Rhodes sets the line at 40%, which catches considerably more people.

The subjects are not entirely your choice

The six that count must include English and any other subject the programme requires. As everywhere else, a required subject cannot be dropped in favour of a stronger elective.

Life Orientation: worth nothing, and still able to stop you

Rhodes is the third institution on this site with this pattern, after UKZN and SMU, and it is the one people find most counter-intuitive.

Your Life Orientation percentage contributes zero to your score. A learner with 90% in Life Orientation gets nothing for it. But a minimum achievement rating of 4, that is 50% or above, is required.

So the subject cannot help you and it can exclude you. If your Life Orientation is under 50%, check this before you do anything else.

Rhodes publishes a points threshold for automatic acceptance with degree-relevant subjects, and per-faculty requirements on top. The exact scale Rhodes uses to express its totals is not stated on this page, because it could not be confirmed precisely enough to be worth publishing. Work from Rhodes's own entry requirements page rather than from a number quoted anywhere else, including here.

Small, residential, and selective

Rhodes is in Makhanda, formerly Grahamstown, a small town in the Eastern Cape. It is one of the smallest universities in the country, which is the main thing that distinguishes the experience.

Practically that means small classes and genuine access to academics, and it also means the town is the university. There is very little else. Almost everyone lives in or immediately around the institution, so residence is not a convenience but the basic shape of student life.

Residence places are limited and demand is high. This is one of the institutions where an academic offer without accommodation is a real problem rather than an inconvenience, because there is not much of a private rental market to fall back on.

Applying

• Apply directly to Rhodes. It is not part of the CAO.
• Check your Life Orientation is at 50% or above. It is a hard requirement.
• Recalculate with any sub-40% subject set to zero.
• Apply for residence at the same time as the programme, not after an offer. In Makhanda this matters more than elsewhere.

Application fees and closing dates are set per cycle and are not stated here. Confirm on the Rhodes site.

Who Rhodes genuinely suits

• Learners with consistent results and no weak subject, the sub-40% rule punishes an uneven profile hard.
• Anyone who wants small classes and close contact with lecturers rather than a large campus.
• Students who want a fully residential experience and are able to fund it.
• Applicants for journalism, where Rhodes has a long-standing reputation.

It suits you badly if you need a large city, a wide programme choice, or the option of living at home.

What people get wrong when applying to Rhodes