Does UP include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core APS total.
APS method: Standard best 6 (LO excluded). Max APS: 42.
Calculate UP APS →NB
Published Verified against university prospectuses 2026Higher Education Content
Which South African universities include Life Orientation in APS?
Most South African universities exclude Life Orientation from APS (UP, UCT, UJ, Stellenbosch, UKZN, NMU, TUT, DUT, NWU, CPUT and more). Wits and UWC include Life Orientation in a weighted 7-subject calculation. UFS, CUT, MUT, UFH, UMP, SMU and SPU partially count LO, usually as a bonus point or at a reduced weight. Stellenbosch uses a percentage aggregate instead of a traditional APS. Always verify against the 2026prospectus of your chosen university.
LO-in-APS master comparison table
Sorted by South African university ranking cluster. Tap any row for the full APS calculator.
| University | LO counts? | APS basis | Max APS | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
UP Gauteng | No | Standard best 6 (LO excluded) | 42 | UP APS → |
UCT Western Cape | No | Faculty Points Score (raw % sum, best 6, LO & LS excluded) | 600 | UCT APS → |
Wits Gauteng | Partial | Weighted best 7 (English + Maths bonus) | 54 | Wits APS → |
Stellenbosch Western Cape | Aggregate | Percentage average across best 6 (LO excluded) | 100 | Stellenbosch APS → |
UJ Gauteng | No | Standard best 6 (LO excluded) | 42 | UJ APS → |
UKZN KwaZulu-Natal | No | Best-subject APS (bands) | 48 | UKZN APS → |
UFS Free State | Partial | Standard best 6 + LO bonus (1 pt if LO ≥ 60%) | 43 | UFS APS → |
NWU North West | No | Standard best 6 (LO excluded) | 42 | NWU APS → |
Rhodes Eastern Cape | No | Best 6 × percentage/10 (LO excluded) | 60 | Rhodes APS → |
NMU Eastern Cape | No | Applicant Score (raw % sum, best 6) | 600 | NMU APS → |
UWC Western Cape | Partial | Weighted best 7 (English + Maths heavier) | 49 | UWC APS → |
Fort Hare Eastern Cape | Partial | Best 7 with capped LO | 45 | Fort Hare APS → |
UL Limpopo | No | Standard best 6 (LO excluded) | 42 | UL APS → |
Univen Limpopo | No | Best 7 with 90%+ distinction bonus (LO excluded) | 49 | Univen APS → |
UNISA Gauteng | Partial | Qualification-specific APS screening | 42 | UNISA APS → |
UniZulu KwaZulu-Natal | No | Standard best 6 (LO excluded) | 42 | UniZulu APS → |
UMP Mpumalanga | Partial | Best 7 with reduced LO weight | 45 | UMP APS → |
SPU Northern Cape | Partial | Best 7 with capped LO | 45 | SPU APS → |
SMU Gauteng | Yes | Best 7 including LO | 49 | SMU APS → |
CPUT Western Cape | No | Percentage-based best 6 (LO usually excluded) | 42 | CPUT APS → |
DUT KwaZulu-Natal | No | Standard best 6 (LO excluded) | 42 | DUT APS → |
TUT Gauteng | No | Standard best 6 (LO excluded) | 42 | TUT APS → |
VUT Gauteng | No | Standard best 6 (LO excluded) | 42 | VUT APS → |
CUT Free State | Partial | Best 6 + LO bonus (1 pt) | 42 | CUT APS → |
MUT KwaZulu-Natal | Partial | Best 6 + LO bonus, 90%+ scores 8 | 48 | MUT APS → |
WSU Eastern Cape | No | Standard best 6 (LO excluded; Education varies) | 42 | WSU APS → |
Per-university answers
Direct answers for common “does [university] count Life Orientation” questions.
Does UCT include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded.
APS method: Faculty Points Score (raw % sum, best 6, LO & LS excluded). Max APS: 600.
Calculate UCT APS →Does Wits include Life Orientation in APS?
Partially. Life Orientation is included, but at a lower weighting than the main academic subjects.
APS method: Weighted best 7 (English + Maths bonus). Max APS: 54.
Calculate Wits APS →Does Stellenbosch include Life Orientation in APS?
Not traditionally. Life Orientation is excluded. Uses percentage aggregate, not traditional APS.
APS method: Percentage average across best 6 (LO excluded). Max APS: 100.
Calculate Stellenbosch APS →Does UJ include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core APS total.
APS method: Standard best 6 (LO excluded). Max APS: 42.
Calculate UJ APS →Does UKZN include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core APS total.
APS method: Best-subject APS (bands). Max APS: 48.
Calculate UKZN APS →Does UFS include Life Orientation in APS?
Partially. Life Orientation does not sit inside the best-6 total, but it can add 1 bonus point when you hit Level 5 (60%).
APS method: Standard best 6 + LO bonus (1 pt if LO ≥ 60%). Max APS: 43.
Calculate UFS APS →Does NWU include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core APS total.
APS method: Standard best 6 (LO excluded). Max APS: 42.
Calculate NWU APS →Does Rhodes include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded.
APS method: Best 6 × percentage/10 (LO excluded). Max APS: 60.
Calculate Rhodes APS →Does NMU include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core total, but some applicants can receive an LO equity bonus.
APS method: Applicant Score (raw % sum, best 6). Max APS: 600.
Calculate NMU APS →Does UWC include Life Orientation in APS?
Partially. Life Orientation is included, but at a lower capped value than the core academic subjects.
APS method: Weighted best 7 (English + Maths heavier). Max APS: 49.
Calculate UWC APS →Does Fort Hare include Life Orientation in APS?
Partially. Life Orientation is included, but the LO contribution is capped below a full main-subject value.
APS method: Best 7 with capped LO. Max APS: 45.
Calculate Fort Hare APS →Does UL include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core APS total.
APS method: Standard best 6 (LO excluded). Max APS: 42.
Calculate UL APS →Does Univen include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core total.
APS method: Best 7 with 90%+ distinction bonus (LO excluded). Max APS: 49.
Calculate Univen APS →Does UNISA include Life Orientation in APS?
Partially. Life Orientation can be partially weighted in some qualifications rather than fully included or fully excluded.
APS method: Qualification-specific APS screening. Max APS: 42.
Calculate UNISA APS →Does UniZulu include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core APS total.
APS method: Standard best 6 (LO excluded). Max APS: 42.
Calculate UniZulu APS →Does UMP include Life Orientation in APS?
Partially. Life Orientation is included, but its final contribution is reduced rather than counted at full value.
APS method: Best 7 with reduced LO weight. Max APS: 45.
Calculate UMP APS →Does SPU include Life Orientation in APS?
Partially. Life Orientation is included on a capped scale rather than as a full subject value.
APS method: Best 7 with capped LO. Max APS: 45.
Calculate SPU APS →Does SMU include Life Orientation in APS?
Yes. Life Orientation is included.
APS method: Best 7 including LO. Max APS: 49.
Calculate SMU APS →Does CPUT include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is usually excluded.
APS method: Percentage-based best 6 (LO usually excluded). Max APS: 42.
Calculate CPUT APS →Does DUT include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core APS total.
APS method: Standard best 6 (LO excluded). Max APS: 42.
Calculate DUT APS →Does TUT include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core APS total.
APS method: Standard best 6 (LO excluded). Max APS: 42.
Calculate TUT APS →Does VUT include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is excluded from the core APS total.
APS method: Standard best 6 (LO excluded). Max APS: 42.
Calculate VUT APS →Does CUT include Life Orientation in APS?
Partially. Life Orientation can add up to 1 point when you reach the required level.
APS method: Best 6 + LO bonus (1 pt). Max APS: 42.
Calculate CUT APS →Does MUT include Life Orientation in APS?
Partially. Life Orientation can add 1 bonus point when you reach the required level.
APS method: Best 6 + LO bonus, 90%+ scores 8. Max APS: 48.
Calculate MUT APS →Does WSU include Life Orientation in APS?
No. Life Orientation is usually excluded, but some education programmes can switch to a broader 7-subject view.
APS method: Standard best 6 (LO excluded; Education varies). Max APS: 42.
Calculate WSU APS →Want the full reasoning behind each rule?
Read the long-form guide Does Life Orientation count for APS? for per-university explanations, FAQ answers and how each university's rule fits into your application strategy.
Key takeaways
- Most SA universities exclude LO, but the APS ceiling, subject count, and weighting all differ by institution.
- Including LO (Wits, UWC) effectively raises your usable subject count from 6 to 7. That can help or hurt depending on your LO mark.
- Partial inclusion (UFS, CUT, MUT, UFH, UMP) typically adds 1 bonus point or counts LO at half weight, which is small but useful at the margins.
- Stellenbosch no longer uses traditional APS. It's a percentage aggregate across best 6 subjects (LO excluded).
- UCT uses the Faculty Points Score (FPS) out of 600. LO is always excluded, and marks below 40% score 0.
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