Admission requirements

Please note that the below admission requirements are subject to change pending selection and possible faculty-specific requirements.

Study information is subject to change and summarises the general fields of study. This information was compiled for introduction and orientation purposes and the North-West University accepts no liability for inaccuracies that may occur in this guide. The official yearbook of the University must in all cases be consulted during the process of compiling a programme for a specific field of study.

Download the yearbook here!

Please note that, owing to specific capacity constraints, the University reserves the right to select candidates for admission to certain fields of study. This means that prospective students who comply with the minimum requirements will not automatically be admitted to the courses in question. Because of the capacity limitations and the high demand from students for admission to particular fields of study, students will be selected on the basis of their Grade 12 results for admission to these fields.

Education

Visit the Faculty of Education

Degree

Field

Subjects / Requirements

APS

Campus
BEd Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) (birth to four years)  
  • A National Senior Certificate with endorsement for bachelor’s studies and with appropriate subject combinations and performance levels as per Government Gazette 31231 (2008).
  • Language of instruction: Home Language and First Additional Language level 4 (50-59%). To register First Additional Language as Language of Learning and Teaching, a level 5 (60-69%) is required for the First Additional Language. 
  • Languages available to choose from as a Language of Learning and Teaching (LoLT) are Afrikaans, English, isiXhosa, Sesotho, or Setswana. Languages available to choose from as a Language of Conversational Competence (LoCC) are Afrikaans, isiXhosa, Sesotho, and Setswana. Languages available to choose from as a Language of Conversational Competence (LoCC) are Afrikaans, isiXhosa, Sesotho, and Setswana. Please note that the LoLT and the LoCC may not be the same language.
  • Clearance certificate in terms of the provisions of the Children’s Act, Act 38 of 2005, as persons suitable to work with babies, toddlers and young children as contemplated in section 97(3) and duly verified against Part B of the National Protection Register in accordance with section 126 of the said Act.
  • Access to a computer and sufficient Wi-Fi.
  • DURATION: a minimum of 4 years
 26 *Distance learning

Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Foundation Phase Grade R – 3

  
  • MC: English/Setswana as HL ANDEnglish/Setswana as FAL;
  • PC: Afrikaans/English/Sesotho/Setswana as HL AND Afrikaans/English/Setswana as FAL;
  • VC: Afrikaans/English/IsiZulu/Sesotho as HL AND Afrikaans/English/Isi Zulu/Sesotho as FAL;
  • Distance: Afrikaans/English/IsiZulu/Sepedi/Sesotho/Setswana as HL AND Afrikaans/English/Setswana as FAL.
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Mahikeng

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

*Distance learning

Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Intermediate Phase Grade 4 – 6

with Mathematics, Science and Technology
  • PC: Afrikaans/Sesotho/Setswana as HL AND English as FAL;
  • VC: Afrikaans/English/IsiZulu/Sesotho as HL AND Afrikaans/English/Isi Zulu/Sesotho as FAL;
  • Subject-specific requirements: Mathematics level 3 OR Technical Mathematics level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark
 

with Life Skills and Social Sciences
  • PC: Afrikaans/Sesotho/Setswana as HL AND English as FAL;
  • VC: Afrikaans/English/IsiZulu/Sesotho as HL AND Afrikaans/English/ IsiZulu/Sesotho as FAL;
  • Distance: Afrikaans/IsiZulu/Sepedi/Sesotho/Setswana as HL AND English as FAL.
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

*Distance learning

Bachelor of Education (BEd) in Senior and Further Education and Training Grade 7 – 12
  • with Economics
  • with History
  • with Business studies
  • Home Language OR First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Mahikeng

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

Distance Learning
 

with English
  • Subject-specific requirements: English Home language level 4 OR First Additional Language level 5 AND Home Language/First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Mahikeng

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

*Distance Learning
 

with Physical Science
  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4
  • Subject-specific requirements: Physical Sciences level 4; Mathematics level 4 OR Technical Mathematics level 5
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Mahikeng

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark
 

with Accounting
  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4
  • Subject-specific requirements: Accounting level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Mahikeng

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

*Distance Learning
 

with Mathematics
  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4
  • Subject-specific requirements: Mathematics level 5
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Mahikeng

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

*Distance Learning
 

with Afrikaans
  • Subject-specific requirements: Afrikaans Home Language level 5 AND First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

*Distance Learning
 

with Life Sciences
  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4
  • Subject-specific requirements: Life Science level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Mahikeng

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark
 

with Life Orientation
  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4
  • Subject-specific requirements: Life Orientation level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

*Distance Learning
 

with Engineering, Graphics and Design
  • Home Language OR First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

*Distance Learning
  with Computer Application Technology
  • Home Language OR First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years
 26

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark
 

with Sesotho
  • Subject-specific requirements: Sesotho Home Language level 4 AND First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark

*Distance Learning
 
  • with Mechanical technology
  • with Civil Technology
  • with Electrical technology

  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4 

  • Subject specific requirements: Mathematics or Technical Mathematics pass rate of at least 50% in the Grade 12 examination. Recommendation: level 3 (40-49%) pass rate in Grade 12 in Physical/Technical Sciences, and any Technology subject. 

  • Students that do not meet the minimum requirements: who have passed Mathematics in Grade 12 with at least 40% OR who have passed Mathematical Literacy in Grade 12 with at least 60% with a pass rate of at least 40% for any Technology subjects in Grade 12 OR who have passed Technical Mathematics with at least 40% in Grade 12, may be allowed entry into these programmes on condition that they pass the bridging modules MTEC 111 and MTEC 121 during the first two years of study.

  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Potchefstroom

Vanderbijlpark
 

with Setswana
  • Subject-specific requirements: Setswana Home Language on level 4 AND First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Mahikeng

Potchefstroom

*Distance Learning
 
  • with Information Technology
  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Potchefstroom
 
  • with Art
  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years
 26

Potchefstroom 

*Distance Learning
 
  • with Mathematical Literacy
  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4
  • Subject-specific requirements: Mathematics on level 3 OR Mathematical Literacy on level 5 OR Technical Mathematics level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years

26

Vanderbijlpark
  with Geography
  • Home Language AND First Additional Language level 4
  • DURATION: 4 years
 26 Mahikeng
Potchefstroom
Vanderbijlpark

For distance learning, visit: distance.nwu.ac.za

 

HEQSF alignment

All universities in South Africa were obligated by law to take part in a National Project driven by the regulatory bodies (Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), to align all qualifications with the Higher Education Qualification Sub Framework (HEQSF). The NWU is thus currently in an ongoing process of aligning our qualification and programme offering with the requirements of the HEQSF.

Prospective students must take notice of the fact that NWU qualification names, programme names as well as the composition of curricula may change due to the HEQSF Project, prior to registration for the 2026 academic year. Successful candidates are advised to contact the relevant faculty  to ensure that they register for the correct qualification, programme and / or curriculum.