How many subjects do you need to pass matric in South Africa?
Many students ask this question when preparing for their final exams: how many subjects do you actually need to pass matric?
In South Africa, matric learners usually take seven subjects in Grade 12. However, you do not need to pass all seven subjects to pass matric.
Minimum subjects required to pass matric
To pass the National Senior Certificate (NSC), you must pass at least six subjects.
This means:
- One subject can be failed
- But the other six must meet the required pass levels.
Required pass levels
To pass matric, you must meet the following minimum requirements:
1. Home Language
- At least 40%
2. Two other subjects
- At least 40%
3. Three additional subjects
- At least 30%
This means you must pass six out of your seven subjects.
What happens if you fail more than one subject?
If you fail two or more subjects, you may not meet the requirements for the National Senior Certificate.
In this case you may need to:
- Rewrite the failed subjects
- Upgrade your results
- Consider alternative study options such as TVET colleges.
Different types of matric passes
Your results can lead to different pass levels:
Bachelor pass
Allows you to apply for university degree programmes.
Diploma pass
Allows you to study diploma courses at universities or colleges.
Higher Certificate pass
Allows you to study certificate programmes at colleges or universities.
Each option still opens different study paths after matric.
Final advice
Even though you only need six subjects to pass matric, it is always best to try to pass all seven subjects. Strong results give you more study opportunities and improve your chances of getting into university programmes.
If you want to understand how your results affect university entry, see our guide on APS points for university admission.