Is 21 a good APS score?

An APS of 21 is higher than about 17% of students who used the NavyBlue APS calculator, where the middle score is 26. APS 21 opens entry-level Diplomas at Universities of Technology, alongside Higher Certificates. Subject levels still decide specific programmes.

Is 21 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 21? Courses at SA Universities (2027)

Q: What can I study with 21 APS points?

Students with an APS of 21 qualified for a median of 31 programmes when they checked on NavyBlue. APS 21 opens entry-level Diplomas at Universities of Technology, alongside Higher Certificates. Subject levels still decide specific programmes.

NavyBlue Editorial Team

Higher Education Content

Published 16 Apr 2026Verified against university prospectuses 2027

What can I study with an APS score of 21?

APS 21 opens entry-level Diplomas at Universities of Technology, alongside Higher Certificates. Subject levels still decide specific programmes.

How an APS of 21 compares

17%

of students scored lower than 21

is the middle score, so 21 sits below it

programmes the typical student with APS 21 qualified for

Based on 12 121 students who used the NavyBlue APS calculator between June 2026 to August 2026, including 620 with an APS of exactly 21. 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 21 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 21

Course / Degree	Typical universities
Diploma (Business, IT, Engineering Tech)	TUT, DUT, VUT, MUT
Higher Certificate	UNISA, CPUT
Foundation / Extended BA / BCom	UJ, UFS

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