Yes, you can register for the Adult Matric Course if you are 19 years old. However, you will only be able to write the exam when you are 21 years of age. To apply for the Adult Matric Course at Matric College, you need the following:
- You passed Grade 9 and have proof of your report OR
- You completed a Grade 9 equivalent course (i.e. an ABET Certificate) that included two official language subjects
- You are 21 or older when you write your exams
- You can apply as early as the age of 19 and start studying
- You can apply as early as the age of 19 and start studying
- You can read, write and understand English or Afrikaans
- You can study via distance learning
Here is the course information on the Adult Matric course:
| Certificate Type | Senior Certificate |
| Awarded By | Umalusi |
| Award Type | Senior Certificate |
| NQF Level | Level 4 |
| SAQA ID | 49647 |
| Credits | 120 Credits |
Can You Do Matric At A College?
Yes, you can do Matric at a college. You can study the Adult Matric Course through Matric College. This course is for adult learners who do not have Matric. They study this course to gain knowledge from different subjects. These subjects are the same as the ones you studied in High School.
You are awarded a Matric Certificate once you have completed the Adult Matric Course at Matric College.
Where Can I Register For The Adult Matric Course?
You can register for the Adult Matric Course at Matric College. This is the process you can follow to register:
Step 1: Get in touch with the college
- Complete our online application form
- Book a call back
- Call the college on this landline (021 838 8280)
- You can visit our physical address
Step 2: Communicate with one of our friendly Course Experts, and register for the Adult Matric Course. Note that because we are a distance-learning college, you can apply any time of the year.
Step 3: We will courier the study material to your doorstep. With your study material, you will get all the information on how you can register for the Adult Matric exams with the Department of Basic Education.
We only provide the Adult Matric Course (with the textbooks and student support) and not the exams.
Step 4: Start studying as a Matric College student
Where Can I Register For The Adult Matric Exam?
You can register for Adult Matric through the following places:
- Provincial Education office
- Circuit Office
- District Office
- Provincial Head Office
- Department of Basic Education website (online)
Please note that we do not offer the Adult Matric exams. This is offered by the Department of Basic Education. You must register with them to write the exam. We have explained this information in your study pack that comes with your study material.
What Do I Need To Register For Adult Matric Exams?
This is what you need to register for the Adult Matric exams:
- A completed registration form
- A certified copy of your identification card OR birth certificate OR passport (Non-South African candidates)
- Repeater candidates must provide a copy of their previous highest qualification
- If you have written any other Grade 12 or equivalent examination before, you will need to provide the examination numbers for those exams
Watch Our Principal Of Matric College, Jan Badenhorst, Explain Everything You Need To Know About Adult Matric
How Do I Pass Adult Matric?
Requirements For A Bachelor's Degree Pass
A Bachelor’s Degree pass is the highest Matric pass a student can receive after completing Matric. To achieve this Matric pass level, here are the marks you need:
- 40% in your home language subject
- 50% in four other High Credit subjects
- 30% in one other subject
APS score: 23 and above
Requirements For A Diploma Pass
This matric pass level is the second-highest pass a student can receive on their matric certificate. Here are the marks you will need to achieve this pass:
- 40% in your home language subject
- 40% in four other High Credit subjects
- 30% in one other subject
APS score: 19 and above
Requirements For A Higher Certificate Pass
The third matric pass a student can receive after completing Matric, is the Higher Certificate pass. Here are the marks needed for this pass:
- 40% in your home language subject
- 40% in two other subjects
- 30% in three other subjects
APS score: 15 and above
Requirements For A Senior Certificate (Amended) (SC(A)) Pass
The last matric level pass, the Senior Certificate (Amended) pass, is the lowest pass a student can receive after matric. Here are the requirements for this pass:
- 40% in your home language subject
- 40% in two other subjects
- 30% of the remaining subjects
- Fail one subject by a maximum of 20%
APS score: 14 points
What Can I Do After The Adult Matric Course?
After you pass the Adult Matric Course, you will hold a Matric Certificate. This is an important qualification which will help you study further and find employment. After passing the Adult Matric Course, this is what you can do:
- Find employment
- Take a gap year
- Study further
Find Employment
The Matric Certificate you have received is an important document. This can help you find entry-level career opportunities. These careers include the following:
- Receptionist
- Personal Assistant
- Cashier
- Store Assistant
- Sales Agent
- Student Support Administrator
- Retail Associate
Working will help you gain an income which you can save for furthering your studies or other responsibilities.
Take A Gap Year
After studying your Adult Matric Course, you may be exhausted. You can take a break if you want to. You can take a gap year. This is where you take a break from formal studying and relax your mind and body.
During a gap year, you can be productive in other ways though you are not in school. These include the following:
- Learning a new skill, e.g. improve your typing skills
- Focusing on a talent, e.g. poetry writing
- Joining a non-profit organisation, e.g. voluntary work
Study Further
After passing the Adult Matric Course, you can study for more of our courses. These courses will help you gain skills and knowledge that are good for employment, studying further and entrepreneurship. These courses are:
NATED Courses
Our NATED Courses are created by the Department of Higher Education (DHET) to help you secure employment. These courses prepare you for employment. You will earn practical skills and knowledge that give you a higher chance of getting employed.
ICB Courses
ICB Courses are created by the ICB to assist you in getting employment or starting a company. These courses provide you with knowledge and skills that are in demand in South Africa. This makes you a candidate that is wanted by employers.
Short Courses
Our Short Courses are created by us. These courses help you open a business or find employment by providing you with different skills that are valued in the work environment. With these skills, you can get employed and open a successful business.
Upgrade Matric Course
With your Matric Certificate, you can enrol for the Upgrade Matric Course. This course will help you receive your desired marks and add new subjects to your certificate. Although you passed Matric, you may want higher marks so that you can qualify to study at university.
You can study at a university and upgrade your marks at the same time. Since you have experience with how Matric exams are set, this will be your second chance to do better in the exam. As you study and prepare for the final exam, we will assist you with this:
- Tutors
- Study material
- Grade 12 past exam papers and memos
How Do You Apply If You Are Upgrading?
You can use one of the following methods to apply at Matric College for the Upgrade Matric Course:
- Fill out our online application form
- Book a call
- Call the college on this landline (021 838 8280)
- You can come to our office
One of our Course Experts will communicate with you and help you get registered for the course you want.
Apply for our Adult Matric Course if you are 19 today and write the exams at 21. Start your educational journey with us today!
People Also Ask
Each Matric pass a student receives in their Matric pass determines the institution they will be able to study in after Matric. Other factors can affect these outcomes, for example, your APS score and the requirements of the institution and course you want to study. Here are the pathways you can take with your matric pass level:
| Matric Pass Level | Pathways you can take: |
| National Senior Certificate | The NSC pass allows students to study with us. All our courses are available to students with this pass. Here are our courses available to you: |
| Higher Certificate | A Higher Certificate pass allows a student to study a Higher Certificate course at any college in South Africa, including Matric College. |
| Diploma | This matric pass allows students to study a Diploma course at any University of Technology in SA. |
| Bachelor’s Degree | A bachelor’s pass allows students to study a Bachelor’s Degree course at any University in South Africa. |
Yes, however, they have a few differences between them to make each experience its own for students studying for each qualification. Here is a table detailing the differences between Traditional Matric and Adult Matric:
| Category: | Traditional Matric | Adult Matric |
| Qualification: | National Senior Certificate (NSC) | Senior Certificate (SC) |
| Institution: | High School | Distance Learning (College) |
| Age Requirements: | Under 21 | 21 and over |
| APS Score: | 23 points | 21 points |
| Subjects: | 7 subjects | 6 subjects |
| Credits: | 130 credits | 120 credits |
| Requirements: | Complete Grades 9, 10 and 11 | Grade 9 certificate or ABET Level 4 certificate |
| Duration: | 1 year (Grade 12/Matric) | 1–3 years |
Yes, our Adult Matric course caters to adults of all ages. This means that as long as you meet the entry requirements, you can apply and write your exams. Whether you are 21 or 41, you gain your matric certificate through our course.
This course is made to help adults without a matric certificate gain one. We believe in the possibilities this course can open, the guidance and support we give to our students and the best outcomes that this course comes with. The benefits are endless, but here is a summary of the important ones that each person can connect with:
- You gain relevant knowledge that prepares you for university
- You gain a Matric Certificate issued by Umalusi
- You gain a chance to apply to university or college
- You gain a chance to apply for bursaries and learnerships
- You can find entry-level employment
Yes, whether you are a student in grade 12 or an adult studying with us, passing 6 subjects is a big deal. Students in grade 12 study 7 subjects and passing 6 of those subjects can allow them to have a high APS score and achieve a high matric pass level (e.g. Bachelor’s/Diploma pass).
Adult Matric students have 6 subjects, and passing all of these subjects can help with any plans you might have after achieving your matric certificate. You will also have the same perks of a high APS score and a high matric pass level.
Author: Mulisa Nethononda
Editor: Sive Ncanywa
Date: July 28, 2022