University of Johannesburg (UJ)
UJ is one of the more accessible of the large Gauteng universities, with a genuinely wide spread from higher certificates through to degrees. It is also strict about two things people underestimate: which subjects count, and which maths you took.
Six subjects, with Life Orientation left out entirely
UJ adds up your six best subjects, excluding Life Orientation. Maximum 42.
Life Orientation is not counted at all. It does not contribute a fraction, it is simply left out of the calculation.
The subjects you count are not your choice
The six subjects used to work out your APS must include the subjects the programme requires. You cannot leave out a required subject because you did badly in it and substitute a stronger one.
This matters more at UJ than people expect, because it means two learners with identical totals can have very different outcomes. If your 30 includes a required Mathematics at Level 4 and someone else's 30 includes it at Level 6, you are not equally placed for a programme that specifies Mathematics.
Mathematics versus Mathematical Literacy
UJ frequently publishes two requirements for the same programme: one for applicants with Mathematics and a higher one for applicants with Mathematical Literacy. A programme might, for instance, ask for an APS of 32 with Mathematics or 33 with Mathematical Literacy.
Two things follow:
- Maths Literacy is not automatically a barrier at UJ, which is genuinely useful to know. A number of programmes accept it, at a slightly higher score.
- But it is not accepted everywhere. Programmes with real mathematical content generally require Mathematics, and no APS total substitutes for it.
If you took Maths Literacy, check the specific programme requirement rather than the faculty summary. This is the single most common reason a UJ application is declined despite a sufficient total.
Per-programme APS figures are not reproduced here. UJ publishes them per qualification and revises them each cycle, and a stale number would be worse than none. The 32-with-Maths and 33-with-Maths-Literacy pairing above is quoted from UJ material as an illustration of the structure, not as the requirement for any programme you might be considering.
A full range of entry points
UJ is worth understanding as a ladder rather than a single door. It runs higher certificates, diplomas and degrees, and the entry points differ substantially between them. A score that is short of a degree may comfortably clear a diploma, and a score short of a diploma may clear a higher certificate.
Because a higher certificate is a recognised NQF Level 5 qualification, completing one is also a route into degree study the following year. If your marks came in below what you hoped, this is a more realistic plan than reapplying to the same degree unchanged. See study options with a lower APS.
Where UJ is
UJ is spread over four campuses in Johannesburg. Auckland Park Kingsway and Auckland Park Bunting Road in the Auckland Park area, Doornfontein near the city centre, and Soweto.
Campus matters practically, because a given programme is taught at a specific campus. Check which one before you commit, since a daily commute across Johannesburg is a significant cost in both money and time, and it is a common reason students struggle in first year.
Applying
- Apply directly to UJ online. UJ is not part of the CAO.
- Apply early. UJ receives very high application volumes and popular programmes close well before the deadline.
- Residence is a separate application with its own process. An academic offer does not reserve accommodation.
- Funding is separate again. NSFAS has its own portal and its own deadline.
UJ has historically not charged an application fee for online applications, but fee policy changes between cycles and this has not been confirmed for the current one. Check before assuming it is free.
Who UJ genuinely suits
- Learners who want a large, well-regarded university with more accessible entry points than the most selective institutions.
- Anyone who may need to start on a higher certificate or diploma and build upward within one institution.
- Learners with Mathematical Literacy, who have more options here than at several other universities.
- Students based in or around Johannesburg, particularly near a campus that teaches their programme.
What people get wrong when applying to UJ
Counting Life Orientation
It does not count. If you have been quoting a total that includes it, your real UJ score is lower than you think.
Assuming Maths Literacy is accepted everywhere
It is accepted for a good number of programmes and refused for others. Check the specific qualification, not the faculty.
Not checking which campus teaches the programme
Four campuses across a large city. Getting this wrong turns a manageable year into an exhausting one.
Applying late
Volume at UJ is enormous. Late applications compete for whatever remains, which is usually not the popular programmes.
Official source
Confirm every figure against UJ directly before applying:
Where to next
- All South African universities
- Wits. Scores out of 49, so its numbers are not comparable to UJ's
- UP and TUT: the other Gauteng options
- Study options with a lower APS