5 Using this Prospectus This prospectus is a guide for school-leavers and others who are interested in studying for a first degree or undergraduate diploma at the University of Cape Town. Admission requirements reflected in this prospectus are for applicants writing the South African National Senior Certificate (NSC), Cambridge International Examinations (Ordinary, Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Levels) and the International Baccalaureate. Applicants who wrote the Senior Certificate (SC) in South Africa should contact the Admissions Office for information about selection criteria. Applicants writing other schoolleaving examinations are considered individually. The prospectus introduces you to life at UCT, describing the campus and detailing the services and facilities we provide for students. Details of all undergraduate programmes offered are provided. We recommend that you also visit the websites of faculties and departments in which you may be interested. To help you understand the contents of this prospectus, we list below some of the terms that we use in this prospectus and what we mean by these terms. Admission Points Score (APS): This is the measure of your academic achievement based on your school-leaving results (or an acceptable equivalent). The APS either on its own or (as in some faculties) combined with your NBT scores produces a Faculty Points Score (FPS) which we use to rank applicants. Admissions selection criteria: We use these to select whom we will accept to study at UCT. First, we decide who has met the (minimum) admission requirements. Then, we apply the admissions selection criteria for the programme concerned. Applicant: You (A person who applies to study for a degree, diploma or certificate). Once you register at UCT, you become a student. Application fee: This is the fee required as part of your application. It is non-refundable, even if your application is unsuccessful. Applicant number: An alpha-numeric number will be allocated to you to identify and track your application. It normally consists of the first three consonants of your surname, and the first three characters of your first name, followed by a unique three digit number. It is important that you quote this number in any subsequent correspondence that you have with us. Applicant status: Once you have submitted your application, you can check the progress of your application on the UCT website. You will need to use your applicant number or personal details to access information. Early conditional offer: This is an offer of admission, made during the course of the year preceding admission, which is conditional on performance in your final school examinations. are not made early conditional offers. An early conditional offer will be withdrawn if the conditions for admission are not met. Faculty Points Score: This is the score we use to rank applicants. In two faculties it combines the APS and NBT scores. In other faculties it is the APS - see pp 7 and following. Faculty: A faculty is a grouping of departments that offers specific degree and diploma programmes. There are six faculties at UCT. Students register in a faculty. Matriculation / Matriculation Endorsement: If you obtain a NSC endorsed for bachelors degree study you do not need a matriculation certificate or a certificate of exemption. If your school-leaving certificate is from another examining authority you will need to obtain a matriculation exemption certificate. Minimum Admission requirements: What you must have: for example, Mathematics is required for admission to some programmes. These are necessary requirements you must meet, but are not necessarily sufficient for entry. Programme: Students enter a degree, diploma or certificate programme, which is a combination of subjects that have been constructed to provide you with a particular knowledge and skills base, and leads to a qualification. Registration: If you are offered a study place, you must sign up before the start of the first term. We call this registration. Registration gives you student status, commits you to a certain programme, and to pay fees for it. School subject requirements: The subjects and ratings that you must obtain to be considered for admission for a particular degree or diploma programme. Obtaining the NSC with bachelors endorsement and meeting the minimum admission requirement does not guarantee admission to the University. Undergraduate: A university student registered for a first degree or an undergraduate diploma. This Prospectus is intended for you if you wish to be admitted to an undergraduate programme at UCT. 4