NSC Pass Rates In South Africa

The National Senior Certificate pass rate is the number of people per 100 that pass their Matric year. A Matric Certificate can set the pace for your future.

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Last Updated : March 18, 2024

A Matric pass rate is the number of students out of a hundred (100) who passed Matric. Here are the Matric pass rates from 1995 up to 2023:
YEAR PASS RATE (%)
1995 53.4
1996 54.4
1997 47.4
1998 49.3
1999 48.9
2000 57.9
2001 61.7
2002 68.9
2003 73.3
2004 70.7
2005 68.3
2006 66.5
2007 65.2
2008 62.5
2009 60.6
2010 67.8
2011 70.3
2012 73.9
2013 78.3
2014 75.8
2015 70.7
2016 72.5
2017 75.1
2018 78.2
2019 81.3
2020 76.2
2021 76.4
2022 80.1
2023 82.9

Which Province Had The Highest Matric Pass Rate In 2023?

The Free State had the highest Matric results pass rate in 2023. Here are the Matric pass rates for each province:

PROVINCE

PASS RATE (%)

Free State

89.0

Gauteng 

85.4

Western Cape

81.5

North West

81.6

Kwazulu-Natal 

86.4

Mpumalanga

77.0

Eastern Cape

81.4

Northern Cape

75.8

Limpopo

79.5

How Are Matric Points Calculated?

Your Matric Points are calculated by looking at the codes you have achieved per subject and then adding those codes to get a total.  APS stands for Admission Points Score. The percentage that you achieve per subject determines your points. You can calculate your own APS by adding the points of your six (6) best subjects. The total points that you receive is your APS score.

NOTE:

Your Life Orientation marks do not count as part of your APS Score.

Here is how the point system works:

  • 80 – 100% = 7 points
  • 70 – 79% = 6 points
  • 60 – 69% = 5 points
  • 50 – 59% = 4 points
  • 40 – 49% = 3 points
  • 30 – 39% = 2 points
  • 0 – 29% = 1 point

Below is an example of how your APS is calculated:

SUBJECT

MARK (%)

APS SCORE

English – Home Language

65

5

Afrikaans – First Additional Language

51

4

Maths

45

3

Life Orientation

50

–

Business Studies

66

5

Economics

74

6

Physical Science

63

5

YOUR APS

 

28

What Is A Bachelor’s Degree Pass In Matric?

The Bachelor’s Degree Pass in Matric is the Matric Pass Level that will allow you to study towards a Bachelor’s Degree at a university. Here are the four (4) Matric Pass Levels:

Bachelor’s Degree Pass Level

To achieve a Bachelor’s Degree Pass, you must obtain at least the following:

  • 40% for your Home Language
  • 50% for four other High Credit subjects
  • 30% for two other subjects

Diploma Pass Level

To achieve a Diploma Pass, you must obtain at least the following:

  • 40% for your Home Language
  • 40% for four other High Credit subjects
  • 30% for two other subjects

Higher Certificate Pass Level

To achieve a Higher Certificate Pass, you must obtain at least the following:

  • 40% for your Home Language
  • 40% for two other subjects
  • 30% for three other subjects
  • One of your languages must either be English or Afrikaans 

National Senior Certificate Pass Level

To achieve a National Senior Certificate Pass, you must obtain at least the following:

  • Pass at least 3 subjects with 40%. One of these subjects should be an official Home Language.
  • Pass at least 2 subjects with 30%. One of these subjects should be a First Additional Language or Home Language.
  • You are allowed to fail 1 subject. The minimum percentage you can get for this subject is 20%

Is 75 A Distinction In Matric?

No, 75% is not a distinction. A distinction in Matric is a pass of 80% or more. The table below shows the Achievement Type of your Matric marks:

MARK (%)

ACHIEVEMENT TYPE

APS POINTS

80 -100

Outstanding Achievement

7

70 -79

Meritorious Achievement

6

60 – 69

Substantial Achievement

5

50 – 59

Adequate Achievement 

4

40 – 49

Moderate Achievement

3

30 – 39

Elementary Achievement

2

0 – 29

Not Achieved

1

What Is Symbol C In Matric Results?

Symbol C is a percentage mark between 60 – 69. Here are all the Matric symbols and what they mean:

MATRIC SYMBOL

MARK (%) 

APS POINTS

A

80 -100

7

B

70 -79

6

C

60 – 69

5

D

50 – 59

4

E

40 – 49

3

F

30 – 39

2

FF

0 – 29

1

What Does 777 Mean In Matric Results?

777 in Matric results refers to an outstanding mark. This means that there is no mark for the subject indicated. It happens when a mark has not been captured and a reason for this irregularity has not been established. Here is the meaning of other Matric codes:

MATRIC RESULT CODEMEANING
BBachelor’s Degree Pass
DDiploma Pass
HHigher Certificate Pass
Not AchievedDoes not qualify for NSC / SC(A)
NSC/BACHNational Senior Certificate, qualifies for studying for a Bachelor’s Degree
NSC/DIPNational Senior Certificate, qualifies towards studying for a Diploma
NSC/HCNational Senior Certificate, qualifies towards studying a Higher Certificate
NSCAchieved the National Senior Certificate only
NSC/LSENNational Senior Certificate, a learner with special educational needs
999Absent
888Subject change
777Outstanding mark
zzEnding (irregularity)
pxNull and void (irregularity)
moMarks outstanding

Can You Fail One Matric Subject?

Yes, you can fail one (1) Matric subject. With the National Senior Certificate, you can take seven (7) subjects and fail one and still pass. With the Senior Certificate, you can take six (6) subjects and fail one (1) and still achieve a pass. 

What Are The 4 Compulsory Subjects?

Here are the compulsory Matric subjects:

  • Home Language subject 
  • Life Orientation 
  • First Additional Language subject 
  • Mathematical subject 

Matric College offers the following Matric subjects:

Compulsory SubjectsElective Subjects
  • Sesotho Home Language
  • Siswati Home Language
  • Setswana Home Language
  • isiZulu Home Language
  • isiXhosa Home Language
  • isiNdebele Home Language
  • Sepedi Home Language
  • Xitsonga Home Language
  • Tshivenda Home Language
  • English Home Language
  • English First Additional Language
  • Afrikaans Huistaal
  • Afrikaans Eerste Addisionele Taal
  • Mathematics
  • Mathematical Literacy
  • Life Orientation
  • Economics
  • Physical Sciences
  • Business Studies
  • Accounting
  • History
  • Geography
  • Religious Studies
  • Life Sciences
  • Agricultural Sciences







How Do I Check My Matric Results?

Here is how you can check your Matric results:

  • Mobile devices
  • Department of Education
  • School or exam centres

Mobile Devices

Here are the three mobile device services that you can use:

  • Short Messaging Service (SMS) 
  • Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) 
  • MatricsMate App 

Short Messaging Service (SMS)

By using the Short Messaging Service (SMS) you can also access your Matric results. Here is what you do:

  • Open a new SMS message on your phone
  • Fill in your ID Number and Exam Number as the message
  • Both numbers must have 13 digits to be accepted
  • Send the SMS to this number: 35658
  • Your exam number and ID number will be checked 
  •  View your results

Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) 

When you want to access your Matric results, you can also do it by using USSD. Follow these simple steps: 

  1. On your phone, dial the USSD code *120*45856# 
  2. Enter your exam number
  3. Results will then be sent to your phone once they are available
  4. You will be charged for the USSD  

 

MatricsMate App 

By downloading the MatricsMate App, you can also be able to access your Matric results. Follow these simple steps:

  1. Download the MatricsMate App free from Google Play and Apple App stores
  2. Open the App
  3. Enter the following details:

    • ID number
    • Exam number

  4. View your results

Department Of Education

You can also contact your district or provincial education offices to collect your Matric results.

School Or Exam Centres

You can also collect your exam results at the school or the examination centre where you wrote your Matric.

Where Can I Rewrite My Matric If I Fail?

You can rewrite or upgrade your Matric at Matric College if you fail. We are a distance learning institution. With distance learning, you do not have to attend any classes. Your textbooks and study notes are couriered to your doorstep. We also reach out to our students through online tools.

For students under 21 and those who recently wrote their matric exams, the Matric Rewrite course allows you to study the subjects you want better marks and rewrite your matric exams. You can rewrite as many subjects from your previous exams, allowing you to gain better results for your future goals.

We also offer students who are 21 and over the Matric Upgrade course. This course allows older students who want better marks to study further or have better career opportunities. 

This programme also has the added benefit of adding new subjects to your matric certificate. So if there are subjects that you believe you can do much better at compared to your original exams, you are allowed to write them.

People Also Ask

There are many activities, tasks and hobbies students can take up if they feel nervous or impatient to receive their results. Here are some ideas of what you can do while you wait for your results:

  • Find and explore hobbies that fit your personality
  • Look for a part-time job
  • Understand the pass level and options they open after matric
  • Do research on the course you want to study after receiving your results
Matric Pass: APS Score: NQF Level:
Bachelor’s Degree Pass 23 7
Diploma Pass 19 6
Higher Certificate Pass 15 5
National Senior Certificate Pass 14 4

Author: Collin Wilbesi
Editor: Sive Ncanywa
Date: August 05, 2022