It is really something to be proud of if you have received a Bachelor’s pass on your Matric certificate. After all of your hard work, you have finally obtained the highest Matric pass level available.
This pass level has opened several doors for you to pursue a successful career. A Bachelor’s degree will almost surely boost your chances of being accepted into a course of study.
What Is A Bachelor's Pass?
A Bachelor’s pass is an indicator on your Matric certificate that you are eligible to study for a degree at a university.
A Bachelor’s pass, formerly known as Matric with exemption, can, therefore, be used to apply to any further learning institute, providing the student also fulfils the institution’s other entry requirements.
How Can I Achieve A Bachelor’s Pass?
A Bachelor’s pass is possible if you graduate Matric with the following percentages:
- Have a minimum of 40% for your home language subject
- Have a minimum of 50% in four (4) subjects
- Have a minimum of 30% in two (2) other subjects
- You are allowed to fail one subject
What Are The Other Types Of Matric Passes?
Aside from a Bachelor’s pass, you can also obtain one of the following three (3) Matric passes:
- Diploma Pass
- Higher Certificate Pass
- National Senior Certificate Pass
Diploma Pass
To obtain a diploma pass on your Matric certificate, you must fulfil the following requirements:
- Have a minimum of 40% for your home language subject
- Have a minimum of 40% in four (4) subjects
- Have a minimum of 30% in two (2) other subjects
- You are allowed to fail one subject
Higher Certificate Pass
These requirements must be fulfilled in order to receive the Higher Certificate pass:
- Have a minimum of 40% for your home language subject
- Have a minimum of 40% in two (2) subjects
- Have a minimum of 30% in three (3) other subjects
- You are allowed to fail one subject
National Senior Certificate Pass
This is the lowest possible pass level on your Matric certificate. To obtain this pass, you must meet the following requirements:
- Have a minimum of 40% for your home language subject
- Have a minimum of 40% in two (2) subjects
- You are allowed to fail one subject
Note: You may not fail your Home language subject, but if you do, you must meet the following conditions. You may fail your home language subject if you score at least 30% in all of your other subjects, with no failed subjects.
What Courses Can I Study With A Bachelor's Pass?
With a Bachelor’s pass, you can apply to any university for a Bachelor’s degree programme. It should be noted, that having only a Bachelor’s pass does not guarantee entrance to a university. You must still fulfil the university’s other entry requirements, such as a high APS score and the relevant subjects.
Here is a list of degree programmes that you can apply for:
- Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
- Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
- Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.)
- Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
- Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS)
Where Can I Study With A Bachelor’s Pass?
With your Bachelor’s degree pass, you may apply to the following institutions:
- TVET Colleges
- University
- College
- University Of Technology
- Distance Learning Colleges
What Can I Do After Finishing My Degree?
Many people begin job searching after completing their degree in order to put their knowledge into practise. However, you may use your Bachelor’s degree to further your studies if you want to.
If you wish to continue your education after earning your Bachelor’s degree, you can do it in the following order:
- Honours Degree
- Master’s Degree
- Doctorate Degree
What Courses Do I Qualify For?
Not only can you apply for a degree course with your Bachelor’s pass, but you can also apply for any of these courses:
- Diploma Courses
- Higher Certificate Courses
- Certificate Courses
- Short Courses
What Are The Compulsory Subjects For A Matric Student?
These are the subjects that are compulsory for every South African student to take:
- Your Home Language subject
- A First Additional Language subject
- Any Maths subject such as: Maths, Maths Lit or Technical Maths
- Life Orientation
- English or Afrikaans as one of your language subjects
What Does A High Credit Subject Mean?
In simple words, high credit subjects are subjects that will help you when you go to college or university. They will also have a higher credit score when you apply to a university.
What Subjects Are Higher Credit Subjects?
Here is a list of some of the subjects that are considered Higher credit subjects:
- Language Subjects
- Accounting
- Agricultural Studies
- Business Studies
- Consumer Studies
- Dramatic Arts
- Economics
- Engineering Graphics And Design
- Geography
- History
- Information Technology
- Life Sciences
- Mathematics
- Mathematical Literacy
- Physical Science
- Religion Studies
- Visual Arts
What Is An APS?
An APS, or Admission Points Score, is a system used to evaluate the grades a student has received on their Matric certificate. Because this system counts for all students, the APS will then provide a fair score to every student. This APS score will then be used by the student to apply to colleges or universities to pursue a degree.
Each university or college will have a set of entry requirements for all of its courses that must be met. If a student’s APS is lower than the entry requirement, they will be denied admission to that course.
How Do I Calculate My APS?
You must first determine the total APS you have earned in each of your subjects. Use the following table as a guide:
Percentage Achieved In Subject | APS Allocation |
80% – 100% | 7 |
70% – 79% | 6 |
60% – 69% | 5 |
50% – 59% | 4 |
40% – 49% | 3 |
30% – 39% | 2 |
0% – 29% | 1 |
Life orientation does not count towards your APS | |
Now, add up the APS you have calculated, and the final result should be your APS.
Alternatively, you can make use of the APS Calculator to calculate your total APS.
How Do I Pass My Matric With A Bachelor's Pass?
Here are some tips for studying for the Matric exams and obtaining a Bachelor’s pass on your Matric certificate:
- Have a well-planned study schedule that you must strictly stick to
- Eat healthy foods, drink plenty of water, and keep to an exercise program
- Instead of studying from a textbook, make summaries of your work and learn from those
- Practice past papers or exercises from your textbooks
- Turn off any distractions, such as your phone or television, while studying
- Keep your study area organised and make sure you have everything you need to study
Author: Esmari Pool
Editor: Esmari Pool
Date Published: November, 9 2022