Is 17 APS a Bachelor pass?

No, these are two different things. A Bachelor pass is decided by your subject results against the NSC pass rules, while your APS is a points total universities use to rank applicants. You can earn a Bachelor pass and still fall short of a programme's APS cutoff, and a good APS does not by itself give you a Bachelor pass.

What Can I Study With APS 17? Courses at SA Universities (2027)

Q: What can I study with 17 APS points?

Students with an APS of 17 qualified for a median of 4 programmes when they checked on NavyBlue. APS 17 is below most degree and diploma minimums, but you still have real options: a Higher Certificate at UNISA or a university, an NC(V) or diploma at a TVET college, or upgrading your matric to open more doors.

NavyBlue Editorial Team

Higher Education Content

Published 16 Apr 2026Verified against university prospectuses 2027

What can I study with an APS score of 17?

APS 17 is below most degree and diploma minimums, but you still have real options: a Higher Certificate at UNISA or a university, an NC(V) or diploma at a TVET college, or upgrading your matric to open more doors.

How an APS of 17 compares

of students scored lower than 17

is the middle score, so 17 sits below it

programmes the typical student with APS 17 qualified for

Based on 12 121 students who used the NavyBlue APS calculator between June 2026 to August 2026, including 261 with an APS of exactly 17. Marks are entered by students and are not verified. This shows how you compare to other people using this calculator, not to all South African matrics: students who look up an APS calculator are more likely to be unsure whether they qualify.

Wondering how 17 compares generally? What counts as a good APS score in South Africa explains why the same number means different things at different universities.

Courses typically available at APS 17

Course / Degree	Typical universities
Higher Certificate (UNISA and others)	UNISA, TUT, DUT
NC(V) / National Diploma (TVET)	Public TVET colleges
Learnerships and occupational certificates	SETA learnerships

APS alone is not enough. Subject requirements (Maths, English, Physical Sciences) still gate specific programmes. Always verify on each university's prospectus.