Degrees You Can Study With Maths Literacy in South Africa

Yes, you can get into a degree with Mathematical Literacy. Many programmes in business, information management, education, social science and the humanities accept it, often with a slightly higher APS than the Mathematics route. Engineering, the natural sciences and other mathematically based degrees generally do not. This guide shows real examples with real points, the programmes that close the door, and how to check your own marks.

TL;DR

• Maths Literacy is accepted for many BCom, BEd, social science and humanities programmes, but each university sets its own rule, so check the programme page.
• Expect a higher APS with Maths Literacy: UJ’s BCom Information Management asks for 28 with Maths Literacy and 26 with Mathematics.
• Engineering at UCT and similar mathematically based degrees do not accept Maths Literacy as a replacement for Mathematics.
• Meeting the minimum does not guarantee a place, because selection is competitive.
• Our free calculator matches your marks to programmes on your own device, so your marks never leave it.

Table of Contents

• What Maths Literacy is, and why universities treat it differently
• Degree areas that usually accept Maths Literacy
• Degrees that will not take Maths Literacy
• A quick comparison of the examples
• How to work out where you qualify
• Perspective: Maths Literacy is a route, not a ceiling
• Find your matches without sharing your marks
• When to apply
• FAQ
• Sources

What Maths Literacy is, and why universities treat it differently

Mathematical Literacy applies mathematics to real-life situations. According to the National Curriculum Statement, it develops your ability to interpret and analyse everyday situations and solve problems. The same document says it should not be taken by learners who intend to study mathematically based disciplines such as the natural sciences or engineering.

The Department of Basic Education introduced the subject in 2006. It covers financial management, percentages and VAT, measurement conversions, rates and tariffs, time and distance, and ratios and proportions. The department stresses that it is not another level or type of Mathematics. It is a different subject with a different purpose.

That is why universities split programmes into two groups. Some need the algebra, functions and calculus foundation that Mathematics builds. Others only need to know you can handle numbers in context, so they accept either subject. UJ’s own brochure says exactly this: some degrees require Mathematics, while others accept Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy.

Degree areas that usually accept Maths Literacy

There is no national list, because every university and every faculty writes its own admission rules. The examples below come from official programme pages, and they show the pattern.

Business and information management

The BCom in Information Management at the University of Johannesburg accepts Mathematical Literacy. The APS requirement is 28, compared with 26 for applicants who took Mathematics. It is a useful example of a BCom that does not demand Mathematics.

Walter Sisulu University shows the same gap on a smaller scale. In its Department of Business and Application Development, the main-stream APS requirement is 24 with Mathematical Literacy or 22 with Mathematics.

If you are drawn to administration and public management, look at our own listings for the Bachelor of Administration at UMP, the Bachelor of Administration at NMU and the Bachelor of Administration in Public Administration and International Relations at UP. Each page shows the entry requirements, so you can see how the subject rules read for your own marks.

Teaching (BEd)

Education is one of the biggest routes for Maths Literacy learners, though not every specialisation is open.

• Stellenbosch University’s BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching accepts Mathematical Literacy with a minimum achievement of 60%.
• At the University of the Western Cape, the Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Languages and Social Sciences degree requires level 3 Mathematics or level 5 Mathematical Literacy, alongside the stated language, History or Geography and general bachelor’s admission requirements.
• At NWU, the BEd Senior and FET with Mathematical Literacy is listed at APS 26. If you want to teach other subjects, compare the versions with English or Economics.
• Univen lists its BEd in Senior Phase and FET at APS 36, which shows how far the same type of degree can differ between universities.

Notice that a teaching degree in Mathematics itself is a different matter. The NWU BEd with Mathematics has its own subject requirements, so do not assume the Maths Literacy version and the Mathematics version ask for the same thing.

Social science and humanities

Walter Sisulu University describes its Bachelor of Social Science as a multidisciplinary qualification for social and human development. Its faculty programmes page lists a mainstream version at APS 27+ and an extended version at APS 26 to 29, plus a bachelor’s endorsement and set achievement levels in English and other subjects.

Cost matters here too. The University of the Free State’s 2026 estimated-fee schedule gives Bachelor of Social Science tuition for the three-year version of R58,060 in year 1, R42,160 in year 2 and R47,570 in year 3. The four-year version is R32,340, R42,990, R42,160 and R47,570. UFS describes these as estimated annual averages for South African and SADC students, charged by module and subject to change.

Architecture, with conditions

Architecture surprises many learners. The SEA Bachelor of Architectural Studies asks for a Bachelor’s Pass and either a maths pass or at least 50% in Mathematical Literacy, along with satisfactory English. Other architecture programmes may be stricter, so see our guide to architecture entry requirements and compare programme by programme.

Psychology and the helping professions

Psychology is a common question for Maths Literacy learners, and the answer depends on the university and the degree route. Our guide to psychology entry requirements maps the requirements to the programmes in our database, so you can see which ones your marks fit.

IT and computing

IT is more demanding. For UJ’s Diploma in Business Information Technology, NCV applicants need 80% in Mathematical Literacy as a fundamental subject. That figure comes from the 2022 prospectus, so confirm the current number with UJ.

If you want to start in computing without Mathematics, look at the access routes. Our database includes the B Sc Access Programme (Information Technology) and the Short Learning Programme in Basic Programming at Eduvos, each with its own requirements page.

Degrees that will not take Maths Literacy

Some doors are closed, and it is better to know before you apply. The Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at UCT does not accept Mathematical Literacy or Technical Mathematics as a substitute for Mathematics. The curriculum statement already says the same about the natural sciences and engineering.

Other programmes lean on Mathematics in the same way: science degrees with mathematics majors, for instance our listing for the BSc with majors in Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics at NMU. Medicine is also tightly controlled. Read our guide to medicine entry requirements before you plan around it.

School guidance says the same thing. St Andrew’s College tells pupils to choose Mathematical Literacy only after consulting their target tertiary institutions, because many mathematically based disciplines do not accept it as a replacement.

A quick comparison of the examples

The pattern is clear. Maths Literacy usually works, but it often costs you one or two APS points. That is why the buffer matters.

How to work out where you qualify

1. Calculate your APS the way each university does. UJ, for example, adds the achievement ratings of six school subjects and excludes Life Orientation. Other universities count differently, so never assume one number fits everywhere.
2. Check the subject minimums, not just the total. An APS can be high enough while one subject falls short. Our guide to the minimum subject percentage for university explains how this works.
3. Look for the Maths Literacy line. Many pages list two APS figures, as UJ and WSU do above. Use the one that matches your subject.
4. Add a buffer. UJ stresses that admissions are competitive and that ranking happens in January, so qualified applicants can still miss out when space runs out. Wits says the same: meeting the minimum does not guarantee placement. Our guides to UJ APS requirements and Wits APS requirements show what a buffer looks like in practice.
5. Confirm on the university’s own page. The University of the Free State says requirements can change without prior notice and that selection is competitive beyond the minimum thresholds.

Perspective: Maths Literacy is a route, not a ceiling

We see the same worry from learners again and again: “I took Maths Lit, so am I stuck?” You are not stuck, but you do have fewer doors, and each one has its own rule. The real danger is not the subject. It is finding out in January that the programme you built your plan around needed Mathematics.

So our advice is simple. Start from the programmes, not from the fear. Look at which degrees accept your subject, then rank them by how much APS buffer you have. Treat a programme that asks for 28 when you have 28 as a stretch, and one that asks for 24 as a safe choice. Also keep an access or extended programme in mind. These exist to give learners with a lower Mathematics mark or Maths Literacy a way in, and they can be a very good start.

We built AskSmarty because nobody should need to hand over their marks to an unknown site just to learn where they qualify. We are independent, we are not tied to any institution, and we point you to the official portal when you are ready to apply.

— Nkosi

Find your matches without sharing your marks

AskSmarty is a free guide to more than 1,700 university and college programmes in South Africa. You enter your marks, and the calculator works out your APS and shows the programmes you qualify for. Your marks never leave your device, there is no account and no fee, and each programme links to the official portal for the application.

If your plan is teaching, start with the BEd with Mathematical Literacy at NWU. To see everything your marks open up, use the calculator on AskSmarty.

When to apply

Deadlines vary by university and by programme, and many close well before the year starts. The University of the Western Cape, for example, opened applications for its 2027 intake on 2 April 2026 and closed programme applications on 30 September 2026. UJ closed its 2025 intake applications on 31 October 2024. Stellenbosch closes applications for the BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching on 30 July.

The pattern is that education and competitive programmes close earliest, and most universities open in the first half of the year for the following intake. Check the official page for the current dates before you plan.

FAQ

Can I study a BCom with Maths Literacy?

Sometimes. UJ’s BCom in Information Management accepts it at APS 28, against 26 with Mathematics. Other BCom degrees, especially those with accounting or finance majors, may require Mathematics, so check each programme page.

Can I become a teacher with Maths Literacy?

Yes, for many specialisations. Stellenbosch’s Foundation Phase BEd accepts it with at least 60%, and the UWC Languages and Social Sciences route accepts level 5 Mathematical Literacy. You cannot expect to teach Mathematics itself without the Mathematics requirement.

Can I study IT with Maths Literacy?

It is harder. Some diploma routes ask for a high Maths Literacy mark, such as the 80% listed for NCV applicants to UJ’s Business Information Technology diploma in its 2022 prospectus. Access programmes and short learning programmes in computing are an alternative start.

Is Maths Literacy accepted for engineering?

No. UCT’s engineering faculty does not accept Mathematical Literacy or Technical Mathematics in place of Mathematics, and the national curriculum statement advises against taking it for engineering.

Does a higher APS guarantee admission?

No. Wits and UJ both say selection is competitive and meeting the minimum does not secure a place. Aim for a buffer above the stated requirement.

Sources

• National Curriculum Statement Grades 10-12: Mathematical Literacy
• DBE marks 20 years of Mathematical Literacy implementation
• UJ Information Management undergraduate programmes
• UJ undergraduate brochure, 2025 intake
• UJ Undergraduate Prospectus 2022
• WSU Department of Business and Application Development admission requirements
• WSU faculty programmes
• Stellenbosch University education undergraduate programmes
• UWC programme rules
• UWC general admissions criteria 2027
• SEA admissions
• UCT EBE NSC entry requirements
• Wits entry requirements
• UFS prospectus addendum
• UFS 2026 estimated tuition and accommodation fees
• St Andrew’s College IEB subject choice booklet

Recommended

• Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Senior and Further Education and Training Grade 7 – 12 with Mathematical Literacy - NWU (APS 26)
• B Ed in Senior & FET Phase Teaching: Maths SP, Maths FET & Mathematical Literacy - UNIZULU (APS 26)