New Students

General Admission Rules

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WELCOME MESSAGE FROM THE VC

 

Dear 2024 1st Year University Students,

Welcome to an exciting new chapter in your lives! We are thrilled to extend our warmest greetings as you embark on your journey into higher education. The doors of knowledge, discovery, and personal growth await you.

University life is an incredible adventure that offers endless opportunities for learning, networking, and self-discovery. As you immerse yourself in the vibrant campus atmosphere, you will encounter diverse perspectives, engage in stimulating discussions, and establish lifelong friendships with fellow students from all walks of life. This is a time to expand your horizons, challenge your limits, and embrace intellectual curiosity.

Our university is committed to providing you with a transformative educational experience. Our distinguished lecturers are leaders in their fields, dedicated to sharing their expertise and inspiring a passion for learning. They will encourage you to think critically, question assumptions, and explore innovative ideas, helping you develop the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in an ever-changing world.

In addition, our campus is a bustling hub of extracurricular activities, societies, and organizations. You have options to choose from, whether you have a love for sports, arts, , or entrepreneurship, there is something for everyone. These experiences will not only enrich your university life but also cultivate your leadership skills, teamwork, and invaluable life skills.

Remember, university is not just about the destination but also the journey. Embrace the challenges, celebrate your successes, and don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Embrace failure as a stepping stone to growth, and don't hesitate to seek support from the university's menu of resources, including academic advisors, counsellors, and tutors.

Sincerely,

Professor RN Songca

Vice-Chancellor & Principal

 


Students wanting to study at WSU must meet the minimum admission requirements for admission to the qualifications listed below as set out by DHET, as well as the university's own qualification requirements, which are indicated per qualification.

Higher Certificate

The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate with a minimum of 30% in the language of learning and teaching of the higher education institution as certified by Umalusi, the Quality Assurance Council. Institutional and programme needs may require additional combinations or recognised NSC subjects and levels of achievement.

Diploma

The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate with a minimum of 30% in the language of learning and teaching of the higher education institution and an achievement rating of 3 (40-49%) or better for 4 recognised 20-credit subjects, excluding life orientation, as certified by Umalusi, the Quality Assurance Council. Institutional and programme needs may require additional combinations or recognised NSC subjects and levels of achievement.

Bachelor's Degree

The minimum admission requirement is a National Senior Certificate with a minimum of 30% in the language of learning and teaching of the higher education institution and an achievement rating of 4 (50-59%) or better for 4 recognised 20-credit subjects, excluding life orientation, as certified by Umalusi, the Quality Assurance Council. Institutional and programme needs may require additional combinations or recognised NSC subjects and levels of achievement.

Students with international school leaving results.

Applications from students with international school leaving results are considered in terms of the "Higher Education South Africa (HESA) guideline document, " A guide to application for exemption certificates", and where required a submission of international qualification to SAQA for benchmarking in terms of HEQC.

These students will be assisted by WSU's international office.

Mature age endorsements

Admission in terms of Mature Age Endorsement will be in terms of Rule 1.13 in the General Prospectus.

 

  • Students applying for Diploma programmes must have a National Senior Certificate (NSC) with at least a diploma endorsement.
  • Students applying for Degree programmes must have a National Senior Certificate (NSC) with a Bachelor's endorsement.
  • Students with the old Senior Certificate or the NC(V) should refer to THIS LINK for the specific entry requirements.

WSU APS CONVERSION TABLE

Admission Point Scores (APS):

  • An Admission Point Score (APS) measures a student's National Senior Certificate (NSC) or Senior Certificate(Old Matric) examination performance. Walter Sisulu University uses APS, in addition to subject specific requirements to determine if a student is eligible for admission to our programmes.
  • The APS is calculated by adding together the point scores for a student's best six subjects or seven subjects in the case of the Faculty of Education. APS is determined on the WSU classification table (six subjects: English and one other language subject) plus 4 subjects in which the student scored the highest marks, and life orientation(only for the Education Faculty)
  • The point score for each subject is based on the student's percentage mark which is converted to a point score using the table below.

WSU APS Conversion Tables

                       

National Senior Certificate(NSC)

 

   

Old Matric Senior Certificate 

NSC Levels

%

WSU APS SCORE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HG %

WSU APS Score

 

SG %

WSU APS    Score  

 

7

90 - 100

8

 

90 - 100

8

 

90 - 100

7

 

7

80 - 89

7

 

80 - 89

7

 

80 - 89

6

 

6

70 -79

6

 

70 -79

6

 

70 -79

5

 

5

60 - 69

5

 

60 - 69

5

 

60 - 69

4

 

4

50 - 59

4

 

50 - 59

4

 

50 - 59

3

 

3

40 - 49

3

 

40 - 49

3

 

40 - 49

2

 

2

30 - 39

2

 

30 - 39

2

 

30 - 39

1

 

1

0 - 30

1

 

0 - 30

1

 

0 - 30

0

 

                       

WSU's APS conversion system allocates point values for a maximum of 6 Subjects or 7 subjects (when one includes LO) using the above table and the 3 categories listed below. Category 3 is only used if the qualification includes LO in the computation of the total APS score.

Category 1

2 Subjects - Maximum of two Languages (Home Language and First Additional Language)

Category 2

4 Subjects - The 4 subjects in which the student scored the highest marks excluding life orientation and Category 1 subjects. The 4 subjects must include the subjects that are specifically required for the qualification.

Category 3

1 Subject - Life Orientation

 


EXAMPLE OF APS COMPUTATION

The table below depicts how the APS score would be computed in the three scenarios below. Each percentage is converted into an APS score using the APS conversion table above. Students 1 and 3 applied for a qualification that does not use Life Orientation to compute APS. Student 1 and 3’s APS was calculated using only Category 1 and Category 2

Student 2 wrote 8 subjects in the NSC exams. The qualification that the student applied for is an Education qualification and therefore Life Orientation is included in determining the APS scores.  In line with the criteria for category 2 only the best 4 subjects were selected. Student 2’s APS was calculated using Category 1, Category 2 and Category 3.

 

aps

 


Faculties

Faculty Of Engineering, Built Environment And Information Technology
Faculty Of Management And Public Administration Sciences
Faculty Of Economic And Financial Sciences
Faculty Of Law, Humanities And Social Sciences
Faculty Of Medicine And Health Sciences
Faculty Of Natural Sciences
Faculty Of Education

Senior Certificate(Old Matric) and NC(V) Entry Requirements