What You Need to Know About University of Fort Hare
University of Fort Hare sits in Alice, Eastern Cape, with extra campuses in East London and Bhisho. It pulled in over 200,000 applicants for the 2025 intake, so competition for spots is real. Around 13,000+ students are currently enrolled across undergrad and postgrad programs.
The university reports an 85% success rate in undergraduate studies, and 91.8% of students list UFH as their first choice. If you're looking for a university that takes teaching, agriculture, and social sciences seriously, this is a solid option.
What APS Do You Need?
UFH uses a system where all seven subjects sit on an eight point ladder. Life Orientation is capped at four points even if you scored higher. That means your maximum possible score is 52 points, not the standard system some other universities use. For a Bachelor's degree, you generally need 26 points or higher, depending on the programme.
To qualify, you need at least a rating of 4 (50-59%) in English Home Language or First Additional Language. You also need a rating of 4 or higher in four more subjects, plus a rating of 2 (30-39%) or higher in one more subject. You need at least a rating of 4 in Life Orientation too.
Some faculties set the bar higher. The Faculty of Education wants 28 APS, going up to 29 APS if you're taking Maths Literacy instead of Maths.
Fees and Funding
Sorting out funding is stressful, but NSFAS can help. It covers you if your household earns R350,000 or less a year, or R600,000 or less if you're living with a disability. Fort Hare also offers the Funza Lushaka Bursary if you're studying towards a teaching qualification. For a full breakdown of tuition and residence costs, check the official University of Fort Hare page for exact details.
Life on Campus
UFH runs three campuses (Alice, East London, and Bhisho), so where you study depends on your programme. The university offers 23 sports codes through its Sports Department, plus support through health and wellness, counselling, and disability services. For residence costs and availability, check the official University of Fort Hare page for exact details.
Not sure if your marks are enough? Use our free APS calculator to check where you stand before you apply.
