EASE-OF-REFERENCE GUIDELINE - SOUTH AFRICAN AND INTERNATIONAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS - Matriculation Exemption and International Grade Conversion

Sep 14, 2026

Matriculation exemption requirements for first-degree study at South African universities are set out as a legal prerequisite for applicants holding international qualifications. Guidance explains how to verify grade achievement for chosen degree programmes, when to apply for an exemption certificate through the Matriculation Board, and when foreign qualifications must be evaluated by SAQA. Conversion tables then support mapping international and foreign qualification symbols to North-West University percentage and grade outcomes, including APS and NSC criteria.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages13

Reading Time33 min

AccessFree to download

Application for Exemption

Converting International Grades

South African National Senior Certificate

South African Senior Certificate (Pre-2008)

EASE-OF-REFERENCE GUIDELINE SOUTH AFRICAN AND INTERNATIONAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS 1 Application for Exemption Matriculation exemption is a legal requirement for first-degree study at a South African university. If you have completed an international curriculum or foreign schooling system, you will need to make sure that you meet the requirements for matriculation exemption set by Universities South Africa (USAf) [www.usaf.ac.za](www.usaf.ac.za) Please check that you meet the requirements for your chosen degree programme and that you have attained the indicated grades in the subjects listed in this booklet on the indicated levels. Please consult this booklet in conjunction with the USAf requirements: [https://mb.usaf.ac.za/qualification-bycountry/](https://mb.usaf.ac.za/qualification-bycountry/)[ ](https://mb.usaf.ac.za/qualification-bycountry/)All international students or students applying with qualifications other than the NSC, IEB or SACAI must apply to the Matriculation Board for an exemption certificate. This is an online application process and can be completed in conjunction with applications for degree studies. [https://mbit-application.usaf.ac.za/assessment/](https://mbit-application.usaf.ac.za/assessment/) If you have foreign qualifications (with the exception of those mentioned here) and wish to study in South Africa, you also have to apply to the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to have your qualifications evaluated. SAQA certificates will only be required when equivalence of qualifications is needed for evaluation purposes. Converting International Grades The following conversion tables will guide you in applying to the North-West University | % Awarded by the NWU | The percentage in this column is awarded for the symbol or number grade presented by the different systems in the shaded areas | HIGCSE/NSSC Higher
Level | Higher International General Certificate of Secondary Education / Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate Higher level | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | APS | Academic Performance Score calculated with the best six (6) subjects excluding life orientation | IGCSE | International General Certificate of Secondary Education | | SA NSC | South African National Senior Certificate (from 2008) | BGCSE | Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education | | M-Score | Merit Score calculated based on 4 subjects depending on the field of study. Only relevant for South African Senior Certificate pre-2008 | LGCSE | Lesotho General Certificate of Secondary Education | | SC HG | Senior Certificate Higher Grade | SGCSE | Swaziland General Certificate of Secondary Education | | SC SG | Senior Certificate Standard Grade | NSSC O-level | Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate Ordinary level | | Namibian
German School | Abitur | NSSC H-level/NSSC AS level | Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate Higher level / Namibian Senior Secondary Certificate Advanced Subsidiary level | | IB HL | International Baccalaureate Higher level | ZimSec O-level | Zimbabwe Secondary Education Ordinary level | | IB SL | International Baccalaureate Standard Level | Cambridge AS-level | Cambridge International Advanced Subsidiary level | | ACE | Accelerated Christian Education | Cambridge A-level | Cambridge International Advanced level | | GED | General Education Development | ZimSec A-level | Zimbabwe Secondary Education Advanced level | | NCV | National Certificate Vocational | Cambridge UK Grades | Cambridge International United Kingdom grade 1-9 | | South African and Foreign Qualification Conversion Table | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | % Awarded
by NWU | APS | SA NSC
(achievement
level) | Namibian
German
School /
Arbitur | HIGCSE/NSSC
HL | IGCSE/BGCSE/L GCSE/NSSC Olevel/GCSE/Zim Sec O-level | Cambridge
AS-level /
NSSC AS
level | Cambridge
A-level
/ZimSec A
level | Cambridge
UK Grades | IB HL |

FAQs

Who needs to apply for a matriculation exemption certificate?

All international applicants, or applicants using qualifications other than NSC, IEB, or SACAI, must apply to the Matriculation Board for an exemption certificate.

How do applicants submit an exemption request?

The process is an online application that can be completed alongside degree study applications through the Matriculation Board assessment portal.

When are SAQA certificates required for international qualifications?

SAQA certificates are required when equivalence evaluation of foreign qualifications is needed for assessment purposes.

Sep 14, 2026

Uploaded by Berry Peter