University of the Western Cape (UWC)
Almost every page on this site tells you Life Orientation does not count. UWC is the exception, and if you have been ignoring your LO mark you have been underestimating your UWC score.
Seven subjects, and Life Orientation is one of them
UWC scores seven subjects, and Life Orientation is one of them.
The seven are: English, an additional language, Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, Life Orientation, and your three best remaining subjects.
UWC also uses a scale that runs to 8 points for 90–100%, rather than stopping at 7 as the standard NSC achievement levels do.
What the 8-point scale changes
Two things follow from a top band worth 8 rather than 7.
First, a seven-subject total on an eight-point scale can reach 56, not 42 and not 49. So a UWC requirement is not comparable to an APS from anywhere else on this site, and a number you worked out for UJ or UP will understate your position at UWC substantially.
Second, the very top of the range is rewarded. At most universities, 90% and 82% are both a level 7 and worth exactly the same. At UWC the 90% is worth more. If you have distinctions, they count for more here than almost anywhere else.
The subjects are prescribed, not chosen
Note how specific the list is. It is not "your seven best". English is in. A second language is in. A maths of some kind is in. Life Orientation is in. Only three of the seven slots are filled by your best remaining results.
That has a real consequence: a weak English or a weak maths cannot be swapped out for a strong elective. Those two, plus LO, are locked.
Degree study still needs the national minimum
Separately from UWC's points, the national rule applies: for degree study you need a rating of at least 4 (50–59%) in four designated subjects. That is a national floor set in policy, not a UWC rule, and no points total substitutes for it. See Bachelor's, Diploma or Higher Certificate pass?
Where UWC is
UWC is in Bellville, about 20km east of central Cape Town, on a single main campus, with the dental faculty at Mitchells Plain.
Being out of the city centre makes accommodation somewhat more affordable than at UCT, and the campus is served by the Cape Town rail and bus network. Check the practicalities of your specific route, since travel time is a real cost over three or four years.
Applying
- Apply directly to UWC. It is not part of the CAO.
- Include your Life Orientation mark when you estimate your score. Here it genuinely counts.
- Check the requirement for your specific programme, since faculties set their own.
- Residence and funding are separate applications.
Application fees and closing dates change per cycle and are not stated here. Confirm on the UWC site.
Who UWC genuinely suits
- Learners with a strong Life Orientation mark, which is worth real points here and nothing almost anywhere else.
- Students with distinctions, given the eight-point top band.
- Anyone wanting a well-regarded Cape Town university at a more accessible entry point than UCT or Stellenbosch.
- Applicants for nursing, dentistry, community and health sciences, where UWC has real depth.
What people get wrong when applying to UWC
Leaving Life Orientation out
The most common error, and it makes your UWC score look worse than it is. LO is one of the seven.
Comparing a 42-point APS to a UWC requirement
Seven subjects on an eight-point scale is a different measure entirely.
Assuming "seven best subjects"
English, a second language, maths and LO are prescribed. Only three slots are yours to fill.
Meeting the points but missing the pass type
Degree study needs level 4 or better in four designated subjects, nationally. Points do not override it.
Official source
Where to next
- All South African universities
- UCT and Stellenbosch. The other Western Cape options, neither of which uses a standard APS either
- Bachelor's, Diploma or Higher Certificate pass?
- APS calculator