What You Need to Know About UCT
UCT sits on the slopes of Table Mountain in Rondebosch, and it's SA's oldest university. It runs a medical campus linked to Groote Schuur Hospital, plus a fine art campus in the city center. Right now it has about 17,000 undergrad students and 11,000 postgrad students on its books.
Getting in is not easy, especially for Health Sciences programs like MBChB. The Faculty of Health Sciences gets an exceptionally high number of applications for a small number of spots. Meeting the minimum entry criteria does not guarantee you a place, so your application needs to be strong across the board.
What APS Do You Need?
UCT does not use the standard APS out of 42 that most universities use. It uses a Faculty Points Score (FPS), which adds up your percentage marks for your best 6 subjects, with Life Orientation and Life Skills excluded, out of a maximum of 600.
Each faculty sets its own minimum FPS and subject requirements, and these change per program, so check the eligibility page for your specific course. If you took Maths Literacy instead of Maths, some programs like Actuarial Science, Engineering, and Health Sciences won't be open to you. Your safest move is to run your results through the official UCT APS calculator before you apply.
Fees and Funding
Your first fee payment for 2027 is due by 29 January 2027. That's R36,000 for tuition, or your full fee if it's lower than that, plus R47,000 if you're in catering residence or R31,000 for self-catering residence. Your final payment for the year is due by 31 July 2027.
Full annual costs vary a lot by faculty, with rough estimates ranging from R44,000 to R109,000 a year depending on what you study. If you're an international student, you'll need to pay at least R127,400 upfront before registering, unless you're doing a Masters or PhD, which have different amounts.
Money stress is real, so look into NSFAS if your household earns R350,000 or less a year. You apply through your myNSFAS account, and NSFAS funding can cover tuition, accommodation, and other costs if you qualify. Applications usually open near the end of the year, so get in early.
Life on Campus
Your residence fees kick in as part of that first payment, R47,000 for catering or R31,000 for self-catering. If you're stuck during registration, UCT runs a WhatsApp chatbot on 087 240 6965 that answers common questions for new and returning students.
Not sure if your marks are enough? Use our free APS calculator to check where you stand before you submit anything.
