UCT’s Admissions Policy is published annually as part of the Undergraduate Prospectus, and was published in 2024.
UCT’s admissions policy is explicitly framed as an instrument of positive discrimination for redress: its stated aim is to widen access to historically excluded and disadvantaged South Africans while maintaining academic standards. The university says the policy must operate within the values of the Constitution and the Higher Education Act, and that it has three cornerstones — promoting access, active redress, and supporting student success. That intent is reflected across UCT guidance for applicants and in public explanations of the policy.
In practice, UCT uses a hybrid selection model that combines open competitive places (based primarily on school marks and admission point scores) with targeted selection mechanisms designed to correct for past and present disadvantage. Over the last decade UCT has moved to reduce sole reliance on race as a proxy for disadvantage and to incorporate more direct measures of socio-economic and educational disadvantage (for example: quality of school attended, parents’ education, reliance on social grants, and language of instruction) into selection weighting. The effect is to preserve places filled on academic merit while reserving a portion of intake (and using selection weights) to boost socio-economically disadvantaged applicants and thereby increase representivity.
Admission is therefore a two-stage process in most programmes: first, applicants who meet the minimum academic requirements are identified (the “open competitive pool”); second, faculties apply selection criteria and, where relevant, contextual and redress weights to compose the intake. UCT also operates academic development and support programmes — bridging courses, peer learning, and other interventions — designed to improve success rates for admitted students from under-resourced schooling backgrounds. Those retention and success supports are treated as integral to the redress effort: admission without support would defeat the objective of equitable participation.
The admissions model has evolved amid public debate and scrutiny: independent commentators and the university itself have stressed both the moral and practical reasons for using a mix of indicators (race, socio-economic context and schooling quality) and for phasing toward measures that rely less on race alone. UCT’s approach is therefore both procedural (clear selection stages, faculty criteria, admission point scores) and developmental (complementary academic development and student-support systems) — a combined strategy intended to correct structural educational inequalities while maintaining standards and student success.
UCT admissions and redress: frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. What is UCT’s approach to admissions?
UCT uses a holistic admissions process designed to balance academic excellence with social justice and redress. The policy aims to identify talented students from all backgrounds while correcting the unequal access to quality schooling that continues to affect South Africa.
2. What does “redress” mean in this context?
“Redress” refers to active measures that seek to correct historical inequities in access to higher education caused by apartheid and persistent socio-economic disparities. UCT’s policy acknowledges that not all students have had equal educational opportunities, and therefore includes mechanisms to level the playing field during selection.
3. How does UCT ensure fairness and transparency?
UCT applies a two-stage selection process:
- Academic eligibility: Applicants must first meet the minimum academic requirements (e.g. Admission Points Score (APS) and required subjects for a programme).
- Selection weighting and ranking: Among qualifying applicants, UCT applies contextual factors that account for disadvantage. Selection is competitive and transparent within each faculty.
4. What are “contextual factors” or “redress indicators”?
UCT assesses disadvantage using multiple measures rather than relying solely on race. These factors include:
- School context: Quintile or type of school attended, average school performance, and available resources.
- Home and family background: Parents’ education level and household income.
- Socio-economic status: Reliance on social grants or similar indicators.
- Language and environment: Home language and rural/urban setting.
- Race may still be considered as one element among these factors, recognising ongoing systemic effects of racial inequality.
5. Does UCT reserve places for disadvantaged applicants?
UCT does not use fixed quotas, but faculties allocate a portion of available places to ensure diversity and representivity. Contextual weighting helps identify academically capable students who performed strongly relative to their opportunities.
6. How are admission scores calculated?
UCT calculates an Admissions Points Score (APS) based on National Senior Certificate (NSC) results or equivalent qualifications. For selection purposes, some faculties apply weighted APS values that factor in the applicant’s contextual indicators.
7. Are there additional assessments?
Certain programmes (for example, Commerce, Law, Health Sciences, and Engineering) may use National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) or faculty-specific assessments to gauge academic readiness. These help contextualise school marks and strengthen fairness in selection.
8. How does UCT support students after admission?
Redress does not end at admission. UCT provides:
- Extended Degree Programmes and Foundation Courses in several faculties.
- Academic Development Programmes (ADP) offering mentoring and tutoring.
- Financial aid and scholarships targeted at students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Wellbeing and social support via Student Wellness Services and the Office for Inclusivity & Change.
9. Is the policy the same for international applicants?
No. The redress and contextual admissions measures apply primarily to South African applicants, though all applicants are assessed for academic merit and potential.