Foreign Qualifications
Admission of
foreign school leavers
South African universities and Higher Education (HE) institutions in
general are popular study destinations for school leavers and
post-graduate students from many parts of the World, especially from the
African continent.
In addition exponential growth in the number of countries with
diplomatic representation since 1994 has also had an effect on South
African universities as school-leavers from more than 150 countries
could theoretically apply for admission to South African universities
and HE institutions.
In view of different international school leaving benchmarks, the
Matriculation Board as advisory body to Higher Education South Africa (HESA)
updates the list of
qualifications that are acceptable on face value for admission to first
degree studies at South African universities on an ongoing basis.
Registrars of universities are required to apply on behalf of candidates
for foreign exemption certificates
(regulation
28)
or mature age exemption (regulation
30)
whilst other candidates may apply directly to the Board. As result of
practical problems experienced by institutions in handling foreign
qualifications and the legal implications thereof, institutions
requested the Matriculation Board to compile a guideline document for
the handling of applications of exemption.
As already indicated above the list of qualifications to follow can by
no means be regarded as comprehensive and qualifications that are not
listed will have to be checked with Matriculation Board officials.
NB: It should also be noted that whereas there is regular consultation
and cooperation between the Matriculation Board and the SA
Qualifications Authority’s Directorate: Foreign Qualifications
Evaluation and Advisory Services (DFQEAS), such evaluations are aimed at job placement and
the determining of school leaving requirements and not at university
degree admission. In as much as most holders of senior certificates in South
Africa do not qualify to study for degree purposes at South African
universities, many candidates from foreign countries who are in
possession of foreign school leaving certificates are also not eligible
for university admission in their own countries of origin, or in South
Africa due to benchmark differences. Universities should therefore only
refer foreign school leavers who want to study for diploma purposes
at their institutions to the DFQEAS for evaluations.
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