University of the Western Cape (UWC) 2027 Quick Summary
Application Deadline: 30 September 2026 for all programmes
Application Fee: Apply online via the UWC portal
UWC Admission Requirements
Minimum UWC Points: 30 (for standard degrees like BCom or Nursing)
Competitive UWC Points: 35 to 40+ (for Arts, Law, and Dentistry)
Key subject requirements: You must have completed English (Home or First Additional Language) at Level 4.
Any important notes: UWC does not use a standard APS. They use a unique, weighted "UWC Points System" where Mathematics, Life Orientation, and other subjects are scored differently based on your percentages.
Most Students Miss This
Meeting the minimum UWC point score does not guarantee you a place.
UWC has highly competitive faculties. For example, Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) requires a massive 40 UWC points, plus Level 4s in Maths, Physical Sciences, and Life Sciences. Physiotherapy requires 39 points. If you are applying for these, you need to score well above the minimum score to stand out.
Also, be extremely careful with your Math choices: UWC scores Mathematics and Mathematics Literacy differently in their point system. If you have Maths Literacy, you usually need a much higher level (e.g., Level 6) to meet the same requirement as a Maths Level 4.
What Can You Study at UWC?
Here is a quick look at some popular UWC degrees and their minimum UWC point requirements:
Bachelor of Nursing — 30+ Points (Requires Maths 4 or Maths Lit 6, Life Sci 4)
BCom (3 Years) — 30+ Points (Requires Maths 4)
BSc Computer Science — 33+ Points (Requires Maths 5 and Phys Sci/Life Sci/IT 4)
Bachelor of Arts (BA) — 35+ Points
Bachelor of Laws (LLB) — 37+ Points (Requires Maths 3 or Maths Lit 5)
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) — 40+ Points
Don’t Guess — Check Your UWC Points
Because UWC uses a unique weighted point system instead of a normal APS, manual calculations are risky.
Calculate your exact UWC Points on VarsityToolkit by using our specialized UWC APS calculator
It takes less than 60 seconds to know exactly where you stand.