Faculty of Law

University of Cape Town

Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Level 4 Kramer Law Building, Middle Campus, Rondebosch
Tel: +27 (0) 21 650 3086
E-mail: law-studies@[Link]
Internet: [Link]

UNDERGRADUATE LLB PROGRAMME: ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR 2026

Applications are assessed on the basis of the applicant's results in the National Senior Certificate
(NSC) or other school-leaving examination, together with the applicant's results in the Academic
Literacy and Quantitative Literacy components of the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs). Both sets of
results are used in determining whether an applicant meets the entrance requirements and may be
admitted to the LLB degree.

CALCULATING THE FACULTY POINTS SCORE AND WEIGHTED POINTS SCORE

An applicant's NSC results are converted into a Faculty Points Score (FPS), based on the percentage
obtained in each subject. The FPS is out of 600, and the score is derived by calculating the applicant's
average across their six best subjects, excluding Life Orientation.

For applicants to the undergraduate LLB with socio-economic disadvantage including home and/or
schooling circumstances, the applicant's Weighted Point Score (WPS) will also be considered
alongside the FPS and NBT results. The WPS is calculated by multiplying the FPS by up to a
maximum of 10%, depending on the applicant's circumstances.

To calculate the WPS, adjust the FPS by the factor applicable to you. You can calculate your
disadvantage factor using the following link: [Link]

THE NATIONAL BENCHMARK TESTS

All applicants normally resident or at school in South Africa are required to write the National
Benchmark Tests (NBTs) in Academic Literacy (AL) and Quantitative Literacy (QL). The results of
the NBTs are used for both admission and placement purposes. Applicants who meet the FPS but
whose NBT results are below the 'proficient' range in AL and the 'intermediate' range in QL will
generally not be admitted to the undergraduate LLB degree.
The criteria for the 2025 admissions cycle, for students entering the LLB in 2026, are as follows:

FOR THE UNDERGRADUATE LLB (4-YEAR CURRICULUM)

ELIGIBLE BAND ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Guaranteed admission
Band A 500 FPS or above
NBT scores of proficient for AL
FPS
and intermediate or above for QL
All South African (SA)
applicants Probable admission

Band B 485 WPS or above

WPS NBT scores of proficient for AL

and intermediate or above for QL

Possible admission

Only SA applicants in Band C

470 FPS or above
targeted redress FPS

categories NBT scores of proficient for AL

and QL

Probable admission

510 FPS or above

International applicants
NBT scores of proficient for AL

and intermediate or above for QL

MINIMUM ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS FOR NON-SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOL-

LEAVING CERTIFICATES
For applicants in possession of, or writing for, qualifications other than South African, an offer of
admission may only be made conditionally, subject to the equivalent bachelor's exemption being
obtained from the Matriculation Board (refer to [Link] for further
information and online assessment and application).

In addition, candidates writing A-level, AS-level, NSSC or IB Diploma examinations* must meet the
following minimum requirements, obtained using the scoring table in the admissions prospectus.
Meeting these requirements does not guarantee admission which is limited by available capacity.

PROBABLE ADMISSION MINIMUM ADMISSION

International applicants 46+ APS points 44+ APS points

All SA applicants 44+ APS points 36+ APS points

SA applicants in targeted redress categories 39+ APS points 36+ APS points

*Applicants writing other international authority examinations will be assessed on their individual merits.

NOTE:
Please be aware that qualifying for an LLB degree in South Africa does not automatically grant non-
citizens and non-permanent residents of South Africa the right to practice as attorneys or advocates in
the country.
EARLY OFFERS

Conditional offers will usually be made only once two sets of internal school examination results and
the NBT results are available. Final offers will only be made final once the final FPS and NBT results
are available, and provided both the FPS and NBT results confirm that the admission criteria have
been satisfied. In exceptional cases, where the applicant is unable to write the NBT and the school
results that are available place the applicant in the 'guaranteed admission' FPS range, a conditional
offer may be made based on the FPS results alone. The applicant will however still be required to
write the NBTs before the offer is confirmed.

ADMISSION TO THE COMBINED LAW AND HUMANITIES OR LAW AND COMMERCE

LLB STREAMS

Applicants to the Humanities and Commerce Faculties must meet the admission requirements of those
faculties to commence their undergraduate Humanities or Commerce degree. Students who wish to do
a combined degree begin taking law subjects in their second year of study as an undergraduate major.
Students are not automatically permitted to do law subjects in their second year. The number of places
available on the law major stream is limited and varies from year to year. Places are offered on a
competitive basis to candidates with the highest results and in accordance with the Law Faculty's
redress enrolment targets.

In order to be eligible for consideration for possible (but not guaranteed) admission to the law major
stream of the BA/BSocSc or BCom/BBusSci degrees, candidates must have attained an average of at
least 65% in the case of Humanities students and 63% in the case of Commerce students on a first
sitting of a full first year course load totaling at least 144 credits for Humanities students and 164
credits for Commerce students.

In order to be eligible for consideration for possible (but not guaranteed) admission to the law major
stream, candidates in the extended (4-year degree) programme for the general BA/BSocSci degrees
must have passed all their courses in their first and second years of registration on a standard course-
load (i.e. 6 semester courses per year, excluding co-requisite Augmenting courses) on a first sitting
and have obtained a cumulative average of at least 65% after completion of the second year of the
extended programme.

Results in supplementary exams are not included when calculating the average but results in deferred
exams are included.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

The 65% first year GPA for Humanities students and 63% first year GPA for Commerce students is
the minimum requirement for a candidate to be eligible for consideration for a place on the law major
on a competitive basis. It does not guarantee a place. Given the large number of candidates who apply
for the law major and the fact that places are limited and are offered on a competitive basis to
candidates with the highest GPAs, it is likely that a candidate will require a GPA well above 65% or
63% in order to actually receive a place.

The Law Faculty retains the discretion to admit Humanities students with an average of less than 65%
and Commerce students with an average of less than 63% on redress grounds.

Once students have completed their Humanities or Commerce degrees with law subjects, they must
apply to the Law Faculty for admission to the 2-year graduate LLB degree. Applicants for the 2-year
graduate LLB are considered and offered places on a competitive basis taking into account the
Faculty's admissions policy.

ADMISSION TO THE GRADUATE LLB

Applicants must obtain an average of at least 65% in a standard undergraduate degree to be

considered for possible admission to the graduate LLB. This average is calculated from the results
over all years of the applicant's undergraduate degree. Places are however limited and are allocated to
applicants with the highest averages on a competitive basis and in accordance with the Faculty's
admissions policy. Given the large number of applicants and the limited number of places, it is likely
that applicants will require a higher GPA to actually receive place.
TRANSFERRING STUDENTS

A UCT student (who has not been excluded) may apply to transfer to the LLB degree but must satisfy
the requirements for admission to the LLB on a competitive basis. Successful applicants may be
granted credit or exemption, or both, for courses already completed, up to a maximum of four full
courses (or the equivalent).

A non-UCT student who has not been excluded from another university may apply to transfer to UCT
as an LLB student but must satisfy the requirements for admission to the LLB on a competitive basis.
Successful applicants may be granted credit or exemption, or both, for courses already completed, up
to a maximum of four full courses (or the equivalent).

Credits and exemptions will only be granted for courses taken at another institution if the Law Faculty
is satisfied that the courses are substantially equivalent, in both content and standard, to the courses
offered at UCT. Such transferring students will be required to complete the remaining courses
prescribed for the LLB at this University over a period of not less than two years.