Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 101 of 1997)

The Higher Education Act, 1997 ensures that policies of higher education institutions, including admissions policy, must be formulated with due regard for its relationship to and influence on education and training in other sectors. Institutions’ admissions requirements, policies and practice are expected to advance the objectives of the Higher Education Act, 1997 and the National Qualifications Framework and must be consistent with the Minister’s policies in terms of the Act. In particular, such requirements, policies and practices are expected to advance the objectives of redress, equity and quality in higher education.

Consequentially, this policy outlines the statutory minimum or threshold norms for admission to the undergraduate Higher Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree programmes. Such norms will apply to all public and private higher education institutions.

While this policy outlines the statutory minimum admission to higher education as the National Senior Certificate, the setting of the admission requirements is made in terms of section 74 of the Higher Education Act and section 16(7) of the General and Further Education and Training Quality Assurance Act by Higher Education South Africa (HESA), being the successor to the South African University Vice-Chancellors Association (SAUVCA) and the Committee of Technikon Principals (CTP). In this regard, I am hereby recognising HESA as the body to set the minimum admission requirements for the Higher Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor’s Degree Programmes requiring a National Senior Certificate.

Although the National Senior Certificate is the primary gateway between school and higher education, it does not guarantee a learner’s admission to any programme of study in higher education. Within the context of this policy, the right of higher education institutions to set specific admission requirements to particular programmes is confirmed in terms of section 37 of the Higher Education Act.

Many adult learners who have not achieved a National Senior Certificate or equivalent qualification can benefit from higher education. In keeping with the objectives of the National Qualifications Framework the Ministry of Education supports wider and more diverse access to higher education and fairer progression pathways within the system.

As at present, institutional admission policies must allow for alternative routes of entry that are equivalent to the National Senior Certificate standard, including the assessment of an adult learner’s capacity to benefit from a particular programme by the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) or other means. This document does not otherwise prescribe such alternative routes.