APS 28–33? Teaching Entry Requirements and Where You Qualify in SA

You need a National Senior Certificate with bachelor’s degree endorsement, an APS commonly set around the high twenties to low thirties depending on the university, and English at Level 4 or higher. From there, you qualify through either a 4-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) or an undergraduate degree followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). Meeting these numbers makes you eligible to apply, but does not guarantee admission, since selection is competitive and space-limited.

TL;DR:

• Meeting the minimum APS, typically in the high twenties to low thirties, is necessary but does not guarantee admission due to limited spaces.
• For FET teaching, universities require high-level Mathematics and Science, with Physical Sciences at Level 5 or above for Grade 10 to 12 subjects.
• International and Grade 12 applicants must demonstrate language proficiency and provide necessary medical and criminal checks before placements begin.
• A recognized degree with MRTEQ accreditation and SACE registration is essential, along with early application and proper subject choice alignment.
• TVET colleges do not lead directly to teaching qualifications, so they are not a substitute for a BEd or PGCE pathway.

Table of Contents

• What are the minimum academic requirements for teaching entry?
• Which qualification route should you take: BEd or PGCE?
• What subjects do you need for each teaching phase?
• How do you apply, and what documents do you need?
• What if you don’t meet the direct entry requirements?
• How do you choose the right BEd or PGCE programme?
• How AskSmarty helps you check where you actually qualify
• Do universities check health or criminal history before admission?
• Do you need to meet specific language proficiency standards?
• What funding and financial aid options exist for teaching degrees?
• Getting your subject choices right matters more than chasing the highest APS
• Check where you actually qualify before you apply
• Sources
• FAQ

What are the minimum academic requirements for teaching entry?

Every BEd programme in South Africa starts from the same baseline: a National Senior Certificate (NSC) with bachelor’s degree endorsement. Some universities also accept an NCV Level 4 qualification with the equivalent endorsement, though this varies by institution and programme. Without that endorsement, your matric result simply doesn’t open the door to a professional teaching qualification.

Your Admission Point Score (APS) is what actually decides whether you clear the threshold. It’s calculated by converting your six best subject percentages (excluding Life Orientation, in most cases) into points on a 7-point scale, then adding them together. BEd programmes commonly set APS requirements in the upper twenties to low thirties range, according to the University of Pretoria’s admission information.

Mathematics requirements split by what you intend to teach. If you’re aiming for Foundation or Intermediate Phase teaching, Mathematical Literacy is often accepted. If you want to teach Mathematics or a science subject at FET level, universities usually insist on pure Mathematics at a specified level, not Maths Literacy.

A few things worth checking before you get your hopes up on a specific campus:

• Your APS calculation method might differ slightly between universities, so always confirm using the exact institution’s formula, not a generic online estimate.
• English Level 4 is common, but some programmes for bilingual or Afrikaans-medium teaching require a second official language at a similar level.
• Meeting the minimum APS and subject requirements make you eligible to apply. It does not mean you’ll be offered a place, since university yearbooks explicitly warn that selection is competitive and space-limited.

You can check your own numbers against real programme thresholds using AskSmarty’s university admission requirements guide, which breaks down APS and NSC rules by institution.

Which qualification route should you take: BEd or PGCE?

South Africa recognises two professional routes into the classroom, and MRTEQ (the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications policy) governs both.

• The 4-year Bachelor of Education (BEd): an integrated degree combining subject knowledge, teaching methodology, and school-based teaching practice from first year onward.
• Degree plus PGCE: you complete a 3-year undergraduate degree in your chosen subject, then add a 1-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education to gain teaching qualification.

The PGCE route suits someone who already has, or wants, a subject-specific degree (say, a BSc in Chemistry) and decides on teaching later. The BEd suits someone certain about teaching from matric onward. Whichever path you pick, the DHET’s MRTEQ policy requires the programme to be accredited before it can lead to registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE), the body that licenses you to teach legally in South Africa.

Pro Tip: Check a programme’s SACE recognition status before applying, not after you’ve enrolled. An unaccredited or lapsed programme won’t get you registered, no matter how good the lecturers are.

What subjects do you need for each teaching phase?

Subject requirements shift depending on which age group and subject area you want to teach. Universities typically organise Initial Teacher Education around four phases, and your matric subject choices need to match the one you’re targeting.

1. Foundation Phase (Grade R to 3): focus falls on languages and numeracy. You’ll need solid English (or your language of instruction) and Mathematics or Maths Literacy, since you’ll be teaching early reading and basic maths yourself.
2. Intermediate Phase (Grade 4 to 6): broader subject spread, still leaning on language and maths competence, with growing emphasis on natural sciences and social sciences content knowledge.
3. Senior Phase (Grade 7 to 9): you start specialising. If you want to teach Natural Sciences or Technology, your matric science marks matter more directly.
4. FET Phase (Grade 10 to 12): subject depth becomes strict. Programmes preparing FET Physical Sciences teachers commonly require Physical Sciences and Mathematics at Level 5 or higher, according to University of Pretoria’s programme specifications.

Many BEd curricula, including Unisa’s, build around a rule of three school subjects studied to a defined depth across the degree, so your intended teaching subjects at matric level should already reflect real strength, not just a passing grade. If you’re coming from an International Baccalaureate background, understanding SL versus HL maths requirements helps you map your qualification onto South African equivalence tables before applying.

How do you apply, and what documents do you need?

Applications open roughly a year before the intake, and most universities close undergraduate applications between May and September for the following year. Apply as early as your Grade 12 results allow.

• Certified copy of your ID document
• Certified copies of your Grade 11 final results (for early application) and Grade 12 final NSC results once released
• Proof of residence, where the university requires it for local applicants
• Any subject-choice or motivation forms specific to the programme

Most universities issue conditional offers based on Grade 11 marks or midyear Grade 12 results, then confirm the offer once your final NSC results and endorsement come through. If you’re in Grade 12 now, apply immediately using your latest available marks and update the university once your final results are released. For a full walkthrough, AskSmarty’s university application guide covers the exact sequence.

What if you don’t meet the direct entry requirements?

TVET colleges cause the most confusion here. Their NCV and NATED programmes are genuine, valuable vocational qualifications, but neither one awards a BEd or PGCE, and neither leads to SACE registration on its own. TVET pathways work as a stepping stone into higher education for some learners, not as a direct teaching qualification.

If your NSC results fall short of a specific BEd’s APS or endorsement, look at:

• Access or bridging programmes some universities run specifically to strengthen underprepared applicants before mainstream BEd entry.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), which lets mature students or those with relevant work experience apply without a standard NSC pathway.
• Diploma-to-degree articulation, where a related qualification (like an education diploma) can credit you into a later year of a BEd.

How do you choose the right BEd or PGCE programme?

Once you clear the basic requirements, the real work is comparing programmes properly, because “meets minimum APS” and “right fit for you” are two different questions.

• Confirm the programme carries current MRTEQ accreditation and leads to SACE registration, not just a generic education qualification.
• Ask about compulsory teaching practice hours and how placements are arranged. Some institutions, like Walter Sisulu University, require minimum attendance thresholds (often around 80%) alongside school-based practice.
• Check that the subject combinations on offer actually match the phase and subjects you want to teach, not just a similar-sounding option.
• Review the delivery mode. Contact, distance, and blended programmes have different on-campus requirements, and distance BEd students still need practical school placements.
• Always read the university’s current yearbook or prospectus rather than relying on older guides, since APS and subject rules get revised annually.

Pro Tip: A programme with a slightly lower APS but weak teaching-practice placements can leave you underprepared for SACE registration. Weigh the whole package, not just the entry number.

How AskSmarty helps you check where you actually qualify

Running your marks against dozens of BEd and PGCE listings by hand is slow and easy to get wrong. AskSmarty’s APS calculator matches your matric marks against a searchable database of more than 1,700 university and college programmes, teaching degrees included, and everything runs locally on your device. Your marks never reach a server. Once you see which programmes you match, save the links and confirm final entry rules directly against each university’s own yearbook before you apply.

Do universities check health or criminal history before admission?

Teaching involves direct responsibility for children, so schools and universities apply extra scrutiny beyond academic results. Most Initial Teacher Education programmes require students to undergo a criminal record check, often specifically screening against child-protection registers, before or during the school-based teaching practice component of the degree.

This isn’t a one-time hurdle at enrolment. Because BEd students start classroom placements early, universities typically require clearance before your first school placement, not just at graduation. If a check flags anything relevant to working with minors, it can affect your ability to complete the practical component and, ultimately, your SACE registration later on.

Health checks are less standardised across institutions but commonly include confirmation that you’re medically fit for classroom and physical activity demands, particularly for programmes with a Life Orientation or Physical Education focus. Some universities also require a TB screening or general medical declaration before school placements begin, in line with the same child-safety and workplace-readiness logic that applies to student teachers entering real schools.

If you’re applying as an international student, expect this scrutiny to extend to police clearance certificates from your country of residence, on top of the standard South African checks. Build time into your application timeline for these processes, since criminal record checks in particular can take several weeks to process, and a delayed clearance can push back your placement start date even after your academic offer is confirmed.

Do you need to meet specific language proficiency standards?

Language requirements in teacher education run deeper than a general English pass. Because you’ll be delivering lessons in a specific language of instruction, universities test your competency in that language directly, not just your matric grade for it.

For Afrikaans-medium programmes, or dual-medium institutions, a similar threshold typically applies to Afrikaans.

If you’re pursuing Foundation Phase teaching, expect additional attention to language proficiency specifically, since you’ll be teaching young children to read and write in that language. Some BEd programmes include dedicated academic literacy or language proficiency modules in first year, partly to strengthen students whose matric mark was adequate but whose classroom-ready fluency needs work.

International applicants face a further layer: if your prior education wasn’t conducted in English or Afrikaans, universities generally require an approved English proficiency test result (equivalent to IELTS or TOEFL benchmarks used across South African higher education) alongside your qualification evaluation. Confirm this requirement directly with your target university’s international office, since thresholds and accepted tests differ by institution.

What funding and financial aid options exist for teaching degrees?

Teaching degrees carry one advantage over many other qualifications: dedicated government funding built specifically for this profession. The Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, administered by the Department of Basic Education, covers tuition, accommodation, and a book allowance for students committed to teaching in priority subjects and phases after graduation, in exchange for a commitment to teach at a public school for the same number of years the bursary was received.

Priority subjects for Funza Lushaka typically include Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Technology, and African languages, along with Foundation Phase teaching generally, since these areas face the most persistent staffing shortages in South African public schools.

Beyond Funza Lushaka, most universities offer general merit and financial-need bursaries that BEd and PGCE students can apply for through the standard financial aid office, and NSFAS funding remains available to qualifying students based on household income thresholds, same as for any other undergraduate degree. Some provincial education departments also run their own regional teaching bursaries tied to local school staffing needs, worth checking with your provincial education department directly.

Apply for Funza Lushaka in the same application cycle as your university application, not afterward, since allocation is competitive and tied to specific institutions and subject quotas each year.

Getting your subject choices right matters more than chasing the highest APS

The honest truth about teaching entry requirements is that most applicants worry about the wrong number. You’ll spend hours recalculating your APS when the bigger risk is choosing a BEd specialisation that doesn’t match the subjects you actually studied at depth in matric. A Foundation Phase applicant with strong English and Maths Literacy is often in better shape than someone with a high APS built on subjects that don’t align with any teaching phase at all.

Confirm MRTEQ accreditation, keep certified copies of every document ready before deadlines hit, and apply early using provisional results if you’re still in Grade 12. Run your numbers through an APS calculator before you commit to a shortlist, then bookmark the specific programme pages and follow up on your application status rather than waiting passively for an offer letter.

— Nkosi

Check where you actually qualify before you apply

Working out your APS by hand across five different university yearbooks wastes time you could spend polishing your application. AskSmarty’s APS calculator runs your matric marks against a national database of over 1,700 programmes, teaching degrees included, and shows you exactly which BEd and PGCE-track degrees you qualify for right now.

Your marks stay on your device the entire time, so there’s no account to create and nothing to submit before you’re ready. Once you see your matches, check the full admission requirements breakdown for each shortlisted programme, confirm the university-specific subject rules, and follow the official application portal link straight from AskSmarty’s programme page. Run your marks through the calculator today and see which teaching degrees are realistically within reach for the current intake.

FAQ

What are the minimum requirements to study teaching in South Africa?

You need an NSC with bachelor’s degree endorsement, an APS typically between 28 and 33 depending on the university, and English at Level 4 or higher, plus Mathematics or Maths Literacy depending on your intended teaching phase.

Can you study teaching at a TVET college?

No. TVET colleges offer NCV and NATED vocational qualifications, but neither leads directly to a BEd or PGCE, so they don’t provide the qualification needed for SACE registration as a teacher.

How much does a teacher earn in South Africa?

Public school teacher salaries follow national Department of Basic Education salary scales that vary by qualification level, experience, and post level, so figures differ significantly across career stages rather than sitting at one fixed amount.

What qualifications do you need to become a teacher in South Africa?

You need either a 4-year Bachelor of Education degree or an undergraduate degree followed by a 1-year PGCE, both accredited under MRTEQ, followed by registration with SACE before you can teach professionally.

Does meeting the APS requirement guarantee admission to a BEd programme?

No. University yearbooks state clearly that minimum APS and subject requirements make you eligible to apply, but admission remains competitive and depends on available places each year.

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