What maths mark does your child need for university? A parent's guide to APS scores
The link between "maths marks now" and "degree options later" is more predictable than it looks — here's how it actually works.
Your Grade 10 son mentions, almost in passing, that he wants to study engineering. Or your Grade 11 daughter is eyeing a BCom at a top university. You nod, proud — and then a quiet worry sets in. What mark does she actually need? Is a 60% average in maths going to be enough? Should he be doing Pure Maths, or would Maths Literacy still get him in somewhere?
For most South African parents, the connection between "maths marks now" and "degree options later" is fuzzy at best. Universities don't exactly publish parent-friendly explainers, and by the time Grade 12 final results land, it's too late to change course. The good news is that the requirements are more predictable than they seem — and understanding them early gives your child years, not weeks, to close any gaps.
Understanding the APS score
Most South African universities use an Admission Point Score (APS) to evaluate applicants. Each subject mark is converted into points — typically on a scale where 80–100% earns 7 points, 70–79% earns 6, 60–69% earns 5, and so on down to a minimum pass. Your child's best six or seven subjects (rules vary slightly by university) are added together to produce a total APS, which is then measured against the minimum required for each degree programme.
Here's the catch: APS is only the entry ticket. Competitive programmes like medicine, actuarial science, and engineering also set a minimum mark in specific subjects — almost always Pure Maths and, often, Physical Sciences. A high APS built on strong marks in less demanding subjects won't compensate for a weak maths mark if the degree requires, say, 70% in Pure Maths specifically.
Pure Maths vs Maths Literacy — why the choice matters so early
This is where many families get caught out. The decision between Pure Maths and Maths Literacy is typically made in Grade 9, based on performance up to that point — but its consequences only become real three years later, in Grade 12, when university applications go in.
Maths Literacy closes the door on an enormous range of degrees: engineering, most sciences, actuarial science, architecture, computer science, and most commerce degrees at competitive universities all require Pure Maths, usually with a mark of 50–70% depending on the institution and programme.
If there's any chance your child might want to keep STEM, commerce, or health science degrees open, Pure Maths needs to stay on the table — which means the years leading up to that Grade 9 decision matter more than most parents realise. A child who's quietly falling behind in Grade 7 or 8 maths is often the same child who gets steered toward Maths Literacy simply because Pure Maths starts to feel unmanageable.
Typical maths requirements by degree field
While exact cut-offs vary by university, some rough benchmarks are useful for planning:
- Actuarial science, engineering: Often 70–80%+ in Pure Maths, alongside a high overall APS.
- Medicine, health sciences: Frequently 60–70% in Pure Maths and Physical Sciences, plus a strong overall average.
- BCom, computer science, IT: Commonly 50–60% in Pure Maths at most universities, higher at the most competitive ones.
- BSc (general science): Usually 50–60% in Pure Maths and a related science subject.
- Humanities, law, education: Requirements are more varied — some accept Maths Literacy, though a solid maths mark still strengthens an application and keeps options open.
These numbers shift year to year and campus to campus, so it's worth checking the specific university's published faculty requirements once your child reaches Grade 11 or 12. But the broader pattern holds: the more technical or competitive the degree, the higher and more specific the maths requirement.
Starting early beats scrambling later
The real takeaway for parents isn't the exact percentage — it's the timeline. A Grade 12 student trying to lift a Pure Maths mark from 45% to 65% in one final year is fighting an uphill battle, especially if the underlying gaps go back several grades. A Grade 6, 7, or 8 student with the same weak spots has years to fix them gradually, with far less pressure.
A child with years to close a gap has options. A child with months to close the same gap has stress.
This is exactly why consistent, targeted practice matters long before matric looms. Equals2 covers maths from Grade 1 through Grade 12, tracks exactly where a child is struggling, and serves practice targeted at those specific weak areas — including the option to step back a grade or term to shore up a shaky foundation before it becomes a bigger problem. And with a new feature coming soon, students will also be able to request extra questions on whatever topic they're currently covering in class, making it easier to stay ahead of test and exam pressure in the run-up to those crucial Grade 9 and Grade 12 milestones.
The bottom line
University maths requirements aren't arbitrary — they're a fairly reliable map of which degrees stay open and which quietly close off, based on marks your child is earning right now. The earlier you understand where they stand and where the gaps are, the more time there is to fix them without stress or last-minute cramming.
If you're not sure exactly where your child's maths stands relative to where it needs to be, that's worth finding out sooner rather than later.