The main difference between a Bachelor’s Degree Pass and a Diploma Pass is that a Bachelor’s Pass can enable you to get entrance into any university to study for a Bachelor’s Degree Course. A Diploma Pass will enable you to gain entrance into a university of technology or study for a Diploma Course.
What Are Matric Pass Levels?
A Matric Pass Level is the level of pass that you will have achieved when you get your Matric results. Hence, the difference between a Bachelor’s Degree Pass and a Diploma Pass. Here are the (4) four Matric Pass Levels:
Bachelor’s Degree Pass
The minimum requirements to get a Bachelor’s Degree Pass is as follows:
- Get 40% for your Home Language
- Get 50% for four other Higher Credit subjects
- Get 30% for one other subject for the Senior Certificate (Amended) / Obtain 30% for two other subjects for the National Senior Certificate
Diploma Pass
The minimum requirements to get this certificate is as follows:
- Get 40% for your Home Language
- Get 40% for four other High Credit subjects
- Get 30% for two other subjects for the National Senior Certificate. For the Senior Certificate (Amended) obtain 30% for one other subject.
Higher Certificate Pass
A Higher Certificate Pass allows students to enrol at a college or distance learning institution.
The minimum requirements to get this certificate is as follows:
- Get 40% in your Home Language – Note: One of your Home Languages must be English or Afrikaans to qualify for this certificate
- Get 40% in two other subjects
- Get 30% for three other subjects for the National Senior Certificate
National Senior Certificate Pass
The minimum requirements to get this certificate are as follows:
- Pass at least (3) three subjects with 40%. One of these subjects should be an official Home Language.
- Pass at least (2) two subjects with 30%. One of these subjects should be a First Additional Language or Home Language. Obtain 40% in two other subjects for the National Senior Certificate
- You are allowed to fail 1 subject. The minimum percentage you can get for this subject is 20%. For the National Senior Certificate 30% in three other subjects. You can fail one subject, but you must get 30% or more for the rest of the subjects
What is APS?
APS stands for Admission Point Score. The APS Score is used to calculate the score that you will have achieved in your exam. This score also determines the pass level that you will have achieved for your Matric.
In turn, the pass level will also determine what you can study with your Matric. This leads us to another difference between the Bachelor’s Degree Pass and a Diploma Pass. It is their APS scores.
How Is The APS Score Calculated?
You calculate your APS Score by adding the points of your six best subjects. This is because with Adult Matric you write six subjects only. The percentage that you got in each of your subjects determines the points that you will have scored. The total number of points for your six subjects is your APS.
Here are the points for the respective percentage mark you can use to calculate an APS Score:
% MARKS | POINTS |
| 7 |
| 6 |
| 5 |
| 4 |
| 3 |
| 2 |
| 1 |
Why Is A Bachelors Pass Important?
A Bachelor’s Pass is important because it gives you a wide range of opportunities for further studies. It gives you access to study towards a Bachelor’s Degree at university. You can also qualify for Diploma Courses if you have a Bachelor’s Pass.
What you must remember is that the APS Score of 23 is the minimum. The highest possible score is 42 points. Depending on your degree choice, there might be other requirements for you to fulfil.
This could be higher points than the minimum, or you must have passed certain subjects. What you will need to do is to find out the specific requirements for your course from the university of your choice. Here is the list of all South African universities.
What Course Can I Study With A Diploma Pass?
With a Diploma Pass, you can study the following courses at Matric College:
- NATED Courses
- ICB Courses (Scarce skills Courses)
NATED Courses
NATED stands for National Accredited Technical Education Diploma. NATED Courses are also known as National Qualifications. They are a creation of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and they include a practical component. This was after the Department had noticed a skills gap in the job market.
These courses build on each other. This means that you cannot move to the next course unless you have completed the previous one. Here are the NATED Courses that you can study with a Diploma Pass:
| Courses | Qualifications |
| Business Management Courses | |
| Marketing Management Courses | |
| Management Assistant Courses | |
| Human Resources Management Courses | |
| Financial Management Courses | |
| Legal Secretary Courses |
Scarce Skills Courses
The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers offers (ICB) scarce skills courses, these courses are in demand. These courses build on each other. They are career-oriented. Here are the ICB programmes that you can study with your Diploma Pass:
| Courses | Qualifications |
| Business Management Courses | |
| Marketing Management Courses | |
| Management Assistant Courses | |
| Human Resources Management Courses | |
| Financial Management Courses | |
| Legal Secretary Courses |
Can You Go To University With A Diploma Pass?
Yes, you can go to university with a Diploma Pass but you may only apply for a Diploma course. You can also only go to university with a Bachelor’s Pass and study for a Bachelor’s Degree. You can however upgrade your Matric results if you want to achieve a Bachelor’s Pass. Matric College offers the Matric Upgrade programme.
How Many Points Is A Diploma?
A Diploma is 19 points for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) and 17 points for the Senior Certificate Amended – SC (A). Here are the minimum points for the different Matric Level Passes:
Matric Pass | National Senior Certificate Minimum APS Points | Senior Certificate (Amended) Minimum APS Points |
23 points | 21 points | |
19 points | 17 points | |
15 points | 13 points | |
14 points | 12 points |
What Symbol Is A Diploma Pass?
A Diploma Pass symbol is D. Here are the symbols for the rest of the Matric Level Passes:
What Are High Credit Subjects?
High credit subjects are those subjects that have higher ratings when you apply for a place to study at a university. For example, Mathematics is rated higher than Computer Application Technology. Here is a list of the high credit subjects:
Languages
- Afrikaans
- English
- IsiNdebele
- isiXhosa
- Isizulu
- Sepedi
- Sesotho
- Setswana
- Siswati
- Tshivenda
- Xitsonga
Non-Languages
- Accounting
- Agricultural Science
- Business Studies
- Consumer Studies
- Dramatic Arts
- Economics
- Engineering Graphics and Design
- Geography
- History
- Information Technology
- Life Sciences
- Mathematics
- Mathematics Literacy
- Music
- Physical Sciences
- Religion Studies
- Visual Arts
People Also Ask
If you want to pursue a better career path or gain access to more study options, the Matric Upgrade course helps you rewrite the subjects you got fewer marks.
You also have the option to add new subjects to your certificate, allowing you to study new subjects with a better understanding and have enough APS points to receive a Bachelor’s degree.
No, a National Senior Certificate pass is the lowest matric pass you can receive. It can only grant you access to some colleges, since the APS score is much smaller than what is required in university. However, since it is a matric pass, you are allowed to study all of our available courses, like:
- Matric Upgrade
- NATED Courses
- ICB Courses
- Short Courses
NATED courses offer 7 different qualifications that can help you get the knowledge and skills you will need to start your career on a high note. With this course selection and your goals and dreams in mind, you can choose the course you resonate with, for example:
NATED Courses | What each course is about: |
This is a course for anyone passionate about how a business works and would like to learn the skills to run and succeed in a business. | |
If you want to learn about the many functions of marketing, for example: branding and advertising and how to manage these functions, this is the perfect course for you. | |
If you see yourself in a management position and would love to learn the ins and outs of operating a business, try this course. | |
Managing the employees of a business is not an easy task, but with this course, you can learn how to do that effectively and efficiently. | |
For those who love working with numbers, calculations and being an organised person in an office space, this course will take you places in the world of Financial Accounting. | |
Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes in a court case? You can learn the skills to help lawyers work to their fullest and climb up the law and order ladder. | |
Working with children can be a fulfilling career and with this course you can learn the best methods to develop their physical and mental skills, helping them in their growth process. |
If you are someone who is 21 or over and would like to take a chance on your education without having to let go of your daily responsibilities, these courses are designed to be flexible and make sure you can understand your work.
We include study materials to help you study from home without any hassle and with our tutors to guide and support you throughout your journey, achieving your bachelor’s pass is a possibility that will allow you to reach your goals and dreams.
Author: Collin Wilbesi
Editor: Caitlin Roux
Date: June 15, 2022