WSU APS Score 2027: How to Calculate and What You Need

Thobeka Nkosi

June 3, 2026 4:48 am

Your matric results are in. Now comes the question every WSU applicant asks: Do I have enough points to get in? The WSU APS score, Admission Point Score, is the number that determines which programmes you qualify for at Walter Sisulu University. Get it wrong, and you apply for courses you cannot enter. Understand it properly, and you can apply with confidence.

This guide is based on WSU’s official 2026 Undergraduate Admission Requirements brochure and is regularly updated for accuracy. It explains exactly how the APS is calculated, what scores each faculty requires, and what to do if your score falls short.

The Admission Point Score (APS) is a number that measures your academic performance in the National Senior Certificate (NSC) or Senior Certificate (old matric) examinations. Walter Sisulu University uses this score, together with subject-specific requirements, to decide whether an applicant qualifies for a particular programme.

Your APS is not a grade average. It is a points total built from your six best matric subjects, converted using WSU’s official scoring table. Two students with similar averages can have very different APS scores depending on which subjects they chose and how they performed.

WSU receives thousands of applications every year. The APS score is one of the first filters used in the selection process which is why calculating yours accurately before applying matters.

WSU uses its own classification table to convert matric subject percentages into points. The table below applies to the National Senior Certificate (NSC) and the old Senior Certificate (HG and SG).

Notice that NSC Level 7 has two rows. A student scoring 90% or above earns 8 points, while a student scoring 80 to 89% earns 7 points. This split rewards higher performance within the same achievement level, something many guides miss entirely.

Results below 30% contribute zero points to your APS total. Always check this before calculating.

WSU uses a two-category system to determine which subjects count toward your APS. Understanding the categories prevents common calculation errors.

Your Home Language and your First Additional Language both count. WSU allows a maximum of two language subjects in the APS calculation.

Your four highest-performing subjects from the remaining NSC subjects are included here, excluding Life Orientation and the two languages already counted in Category 1. These four subjects must include any subjects specifically required for your chosen programme.

Life Orientation is excluded from APS calculations for all programmes except those in the Faculty of Education. If you are applying for a teaching degree, Life Orientation counts as a seventh subject, making the Education APS a 7-subject total instead of 6.

Here is how a student’s APS would be calculated for a non-Education programme:

Practical Example:

This student’s WSU APS score is 27. Life Orientation does not count. Even though Geography earned only 3 points, it was still higher than any remaining excluded subject.

Each WSU faculty sets its own minimum APS. Meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission; some programmes are competitive and may require a higher score due to limited space.

The Faculty of Education is WSU’s largest faculty, serving over 8,000 students. It includes 7 subjects in the APS calculation (Life Orientation included).

Located primarily at the Mthatha campus, this faculty covers Accounting Sciences, Auditing, Management Accounting and Finance, and Business Management.

Health Sciences programmes carry some of the highest APS requirements at WSU due to programme competitiveness and limited intake.

This faculty offers Diploma and Advanced Diploma programmes in Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering, as well as ICT streams and Building Technology.

Operating across Mthatha and Buffalo City campuses, this faculty covers Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Applied Sciences.

A score below the minimum for your chosen programme does not mean the end of your academic plans. WSU has built in alternative pathways.

If your APS qualifies for a Diploma but not a Bachelor’s degree, apply for the Diploma. Many Diploma programmes offer an exit route into degree studies after completing the first qualification successfully.

Higher Certificate programmes at WSU require an APS as low as 18 in some faculties. Completing a Higher Certificate can open a pathway into a Diploma, and from there into a full degree programme.

WSU offers foundation programmes for students who do not meet standard entry requirements. These are one-year programmes designed to develop academic skills and prepare students for mainstream study.

Some programmes within the same faculty have lower APS requirements than others. Check all available qualifications within your faculty of interest before concluding that WSU is not an option.

A student who enters WSU through a Higher Certificate or foundation programme and performs well academically often progresses further than one who waits another year hoping for better matric results. Early entry with a realistic qualification beats delayed entry every time.

International students applying to WSU are assessed against their own country’s school-leaving qualifications, which are evaluated for equivalence to the South African NSC.

The general international APS thresholds are:

International students must also meet subject-specific requirements set by the relevant faculty, in addition to the APS threshold.

Students who completed the old Senior Certificate before the NSC was introduced are assessed using a separate conversion scale based on Higher Grade (HG) and Standard Grade (SG) results.

The conversion points follow the same scale but are adjusted for HG and SG performance levels, as shown in the full conversion table earlier in this guide. Only applicants with a Matriculation Exemption endorsement on the old Senior Certificate are considered for Bachelor’s degree programmes.

WSU accepts certain National Certificate Vocational (NCV) and N-Certificate qualifications as alternatives to the NSC.

NCV applicants should contact the relevant faculty directly to confirm specific programme requirements, as these vary by course.

Understanding how WSU’s APS system compares to other institutions helps you build a realistic application strategy.

WSU’s conversion table differs from the standard NSC scale by awarding 8 points for 90% and above, rather than capping at 7. This means a student with very high marks in two or more subjects can achieve a maximum theoretical APS of 48 under WSU’s system.

Knowing your WSU APS score before you apply is not optional; it is the difference between applying with confidence and wasting an application on a programme you do not qualify for. Calculate your score using the official WSU conversion table, check the specific subject requirements for every programme you consider, and apply to realistic options that match where your score actually sits.

If your score is lower than you hoped, do not stop there. WSU’s Higher Certificate and foundation pathways exist precisely for students who are ready to work hard and earn their place in a degree programme over time. Many students who enter through these routes graduate with the same qualifications as those who came in through direct degree entry.

The students who struggle every year are not the ones with low scores; they are the ones who apply for programmes they do not qualify for, wait for outcomes that never arrive, and miss the entire academic year.

Calculate your APS today, check your faculty requirements, and apply before the WSU application deadline.

Apply now: applications.wsu.ac.za Check admission requirements: wsu.ac.za/index.php/en/study-with-us/undergraduate-programmes/new-students/admission-requirement

Thobeka Nkosi

I am Thobeka Nkosi, a content writer at wsuonlineapplication.co.za. I write simple, helpful guides on South African university applications, student portals, and admissions processes to help students understand and complete their academic steps without confusion.