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Quantity Surveying Requirements in South Africa: Marks, Subjects and Registration

What you need to study quantity surveying in South Africa: subjects, APS targets, honours routes and the SACQSP steps to register as a professional QS.

To study quantity surveying in South Africa you need a National Senior Certificate (NSC) with a Bachelor’s degree endorsement, Mathematics (not Maths Literacy), English, and usually Physical Sciences or Accounting, at levels that vary by university. Universities set their own APS targets, so the University of Pretoria asks for 30 and CUT for 32 on its own scale. To work as a registered professional you then need an accredited qualification and at least 33 months of supervised training. This guide takes you through each step, from Grade 11 subjects to the PrQS title.

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TL;DR

  • You need a Bachelor’s pass in the NSC, Mathematics and English at level 4 or 5 (50% to 69%, depending on the university), and usually Physical Sciences or Accounting.
  • The University of Pretoria’s BSc in Quantity Surveying asks for a minimum APS of 30. CUT’s Bachelor of Construction in Quantity Surveying asks for 32 on its own scoring scale.
  • A BTech is no longer an option: enrolment in BTech programmes was not permitted from 2020. Today the route is a BSc or Bachelor of Construction, then an honours degree if your first degree is not enough for registration.
  • Registration with the SACQSP needs at least 33 months of in-service training, professional skills modules and a competence assessment interview. Only then can you use the PrQS title.
  • Apply early. Pretoria’s closing date for the 2027 intake was 30 June 2026, and other universities close between mid-year and September.

Table of Contents

What a quantity surveyor does, and why the entry rules are strict

A quantity surveyor (QS) measures, prices and controls the cost of construction projects. That means working out quantities from drawings, preparing tender documents, comparing contractors’ prices and tracking costs while a building goes up. The work sits between numbers and sites, which is why universities look hard at your Mathematics mark.

The profession is regulated. The South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession (SACQSP) registers professionals under the Quantity Surveying Profession Act, 2000 (Act No 49 of 2000), according to its routes to registration page. So you are really planning two things: getting into an accredited degree, and then meeting the council’s training requirements afterwards.

School subjects and marks you need

The details differ by institution, but the pattern is consistent across the programmes we have checked.

The NSC with a Bachelor’s endorsement. A diploma or higher certificate pass is not enough for a degree-level quantity surveying programme. If you are unsure what each endorsement means, read our guide to university admission requirements.

Mathematics. Pure Mathematics is the one subject you cannot skip. Both universities below ask for it at level 4 or 5.

English. CUT asks for at least 50% (level 4). Pretoria asks for English Home Language or First Additional Language at level 5.

A science or accounting subject. CUT asks for Physical Sciences or Life Sciences/Physiology at 50% (level 4), according to the CUT programme page. Pretoria accepts Physical Sciences or Accounting at level 4, according to its 2027 programme page.

The levels refer to the NSC achievement scale: level 4 is 50% to 59%, level 5 is 60% to 69%. Our guide to the minimum subject percentage for university explains how this works and why a good overall average can still leave you short on a single subject.

CUT and Pretoria subject requirements compared

APS scores for quantity surveying

Your Admission Point Score (APS) adds up your best subject results using each university’s own scale. The same marks can give different totals at different universities, so never compare an APS number across institutions without checking the scale.

University Programme Minimum APS Subject requirements
University of Pretoria BSc Quantity Surveying (3 years) 30 English HL or FAL level 5, Mathematics level 5, Physical Sciences or Accounting level 4
Central University of Technology Bachelor of Construction in Quantity Surveying 32 (CUT scale) Mathematics 50%, Physical Sciences or Life Sciences 50%, English 50%

Sources: University of Pretoria and CUT.

These figures are minimums. Quantity surveying places are limited, so meeting the minimum does not guarantee a seat. Wits states in its programme information that final selection depends on the availability of places, academic results and other entry requirements, and that limited-intake programmes may only be finalised at the end of the application cycle (Wits). In practice, aim a point or two above the published minimum. Our UJ APS guide shows how we think about that buffer.

Not sure how your marks add up? Our guide on how to calculate your APS walks through it step by step.

A worked example

Say your Grade 11 final results are Mathematics 66%, English Home Language 68%, Physical Sciences 58% and Accounting 72%. Against Pretoria’s subject rules, Mathematics (level 5) and English (level 5) meet the requirement, and Physical Sciences at level 4 or Accounting at level 6 satisfies the third subject. The remaining question is whether your total APS on Pretoria’s scale reaches 30 with your other subjects. That is the kind of check the APS calculator does in seconds, on your device, without sending your marks anywhere.

A worked example

Which qualifications lead to registration

The usual path has two stages.

  1. A first degree in quantity surveying or construction. Pretoria’s three-year BSc in Quantity Surveying is accredited nationally by the SACQSP and internationally by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), according to the university. CUT states that its Bachelor of Construction in Quantity Surveying is fully accredited by the SACQSP and provides the academic foundation for professional registration, subject to the council’s experiential and registration criteria.
  2. An honours degree where needed. Wits offers a one-year full-time BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying. Entry is a BSc Quantity Surveying degree with a 60% weighted average for final-year courses, or a BTech, Advanced Diploma or equivalent with 65%, according to Wits. The University of Johannesburg lists a BSc Honours in Quantity Surveying at NQF Level 8 (120 credits), with a BSc (Construction) or NQF level 7 equivalent as the minimum entry requirement. UJ designs it so graduates can meet the SACQSP registration requirements (UJ).

Whether you need the honours year depends on your first qualification and what the council recognises for it. Check this with the SACQSP and your chosen department before you commit.

What happened to the BTech

Older guides still mention the BTech in Quantity Surveying. The Durban University of Technology explains that, because of legislation signed by the Minister of Higher Education in Government Gazette no. 40123 of 6 July 2016, the last permitted enrolment for non-HEQSF aligned programmes was in 2019. Students cannot enrol for a BTech at DUT or any other South African institution from 2020 onwards (DUT). If a page promises a new BTech intake, it is out of date. Look at the current degree and advanced diploma routes instead.

Applying: timing and process

Quantity surveying is a selection programme at most universities, so you cannot leave it late.

  • Pretoria. For the 2027 intake, the closing date was 30 June 2026. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results; applicants who have already finished Grade 12 apply with their final NSC or equivalent results (UP). The previous year’s page showed the same 30 June closing date, so expect a mid-year deadline every cycle. Unsuccessful candidates are told after that date (UP 2026).
  • Free State. For the 2025 intake, applications opened on 1 April 2024. The Quantity Surveying (Compact Learning) programme closed on 30 September 2024, while non-selection programmes closed on 31 August 2024 (UFS). Our University of the Free State page tracks the current programmes and dates.
  • Honours programmes. UJ’s window for its 2026 honours intake ran from April to October. Wits handles postgraduate applications centrally through its Student Enrolment Centre by online application (Wits).

Deadlines change every year, so use these as a pattern: applications open around April, selection programmes close between mid-year and September, and you should always confirm the current date on the university’s own page. Our application guide sets out what to do first, including documents and fees.

From graduate to registered professional

A degree does not make you a registered quantity surveyor. The SACQSP requires:

  1. A recognised qualification. A degree or other relevant qualification, as covered above.
  2. Training in service. At least 33 months of in-service training as a candidate quantity surveyor. Depending on your qualification, you may also have to pass council exams.
  3. Professional skills modules. New candidates applying from 1 January 2013 must complete the prescribed SACQSP Professional Skills Modules during their post-qualification terms, while employed, supervised and mentored.
  4. A competence assessment interview. You are admitted to it only once you hold the module certificates.
  5. Registration. You can apply online on the SACQSP website or with downloadable forms. Registered quantity surveyors may use the suffix PrQS after their names.

All five points come from the council’s routes to registration page, which also explains the credit given for years of training you complete as a student. Read it before you plan your first job, because the way you document your training matters.

Choosing where to study

Use these questions to narrow your list:

  • Is the programme accredited by the SACQSP? Both Pretoria and CUT state that theirs is. Accreditation is what links your degree to registration.
  • Do my marks meet the subject rules, not just the APS? A strong APS will not help if your Mathematics is below the subject minimum.
  • Is it a university or a university of technology? Pretoria offers a BSc; CUT offers a Bachelor of Construction. Their entry scales and teaching styles differ, so compare the curriculum as well as the APS.
  • How many places are there? Selection programmes fill up. Apply to more than one institution.
  • What is the next step after the degree? If you will need honours for registration, check that route’s requirements now. Wits asks for 60% in your final year for a BSc Quantity Surveying graduate, so marks in third year matter.

Quantity surveying overlaps with other built-environment fields. If you are still deciding between them, our guide to architecture entry requirements shows how the marks compare, and choosing a degree with your APS gives you a method for weighing options.

What if your marks fall short?

A shortfall does not close every door. A few practical steps:

  1. Check the exact gap. Is it your APS, or one subject? A subject gap is harder to fix than a points gap.
  2. Look at related programmes. Construction management, building science and similar degrees often have different entry scales. Our page on courses for your APS shows which programmes your marks currently match.
  3. Consider improving your results. If Mathematics is the issue, speak to your school or the institution about rewriting options before you commit to a plan.
  4. Apply to several institutions. Different scales mean a different result for the same marks.

Perspective

Most students who ask us about quantity surveying are really asking two questions: “Do my marks qualify?” and “Which degree leads to registration?” The first is a matter of arithmetic, but it is often answered wrongly because every university scores APS differently.

We built AskSmarty to answer that first question privately. You enter your marks, and they never leave your device. We then match them against a database of more than 1,700 programmes, with entry requirements, deadlines and application fees referenced to official sources. We are independent of any institution, we charge nothing and we do not ask you to create an account.

Our advice is to check the subject minimums first, then the APS, and only then compare universities. Aim a little above the published minimum for selection programmes. And keep the registration path in mind from day one, because the degree you choose now shapes your route to PrQS.

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Check your marks against quantity surveying programmes

Enter your marks in the AskSmarty APS calculator and see which programmes you qualify for. It works on your device, so your marks stay private. It is free, and there is no sign-up.

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If you want to browse first, you can look through South African universities and colleges and open each institution’s page for programmes, deadlines and how to apply.

FAQ

What subjects do I need for quantity surveying?

You need Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy) and English, usually at 50% or higher. A science or Accounting subject is also required: CUT asks for Physical Sciences or Life Sciences/Physiology, and Pretoria accepts Physical Sciences or Accounting. Always check the current page for your chosen university.

What APS do I need for quantity surveying?

It depends on the university and its scale. The University of Pretoria asks for a minimum APS of 30 for its BSc in Quantity Surveying, and CUT asks for 32 on its own scale. Treat those as minimums, since limited places can mean selection above them.

Can I still do a BTech in quantity surveying?

No. Enrolment in BTech programmes was not permitted from 2020 onwards, according to DUT. Current routes are a BSc or Bachelor of Construction, followed by honours where your qualification requires it.

How long does it take to become a registered quantity surveyor?

Study time depends on your route, for example a three-year degree and possibly a one-year honours. After that, the SACQSP requires at least 33 months of in-service training, the professional skills modules and a competence assessment interview before you can use PrQS.

Sources

Published 2026-11-09 · AskSmarty is an independent guide. Confirm anything time-sensitive on the official source.