Practical guide
How to Calculate Your APS Score
To calculate APS, identify the university method, select the subjects it counts, convert the marks if its method requires conversion, and add the correct contributions. Check compulsory subjects and Life Orientation separately. Use an institutional calculator rather than treating the standard NSC table as universal.
Updated 15 October 2026
| Example academic mark | Standard NSC points |
|---|---|
| 72% | 6 |
| 65% | 5 |
| 61% | 5 |
| 58% | 4 |
| 54% | 4 |
| 47% | 3 |
| Total | 27 |
1. Start with a consistent result statement
Use one complete set of results from the assessment stage relevant to your application. A school report, preliminary examination and final certificate can contain different marks. Do not combine your best mark from each stage unless the institution expressly permits that approach. Copy each percentage carefully, keeping subject names and language levels beside the figures. Enter a zero as zero; a blank entry means the result has not been supplied and is not the same thing.
2. Choose the method before adding anything
Decide which university and qualification you are checking. A standard six-subject points method, a weighted subject method and a percentage sum require different arithmetic. Confirm whether the output is points, an average or a Faculty Points Score. If the method is not confirmed, label the result a general estimate. Selecting a university name without changing the calculation does not turn a generic score into an institutional one.
3. Retain compulsory subjects
List the subjects that the programme requires. These may include a particular language, Mathematics and a science subject. When the calculation permits selection from extra subjects, a compulsory subject cannot necessarily be replaced by a stronger unrelated elective. Flag the required subjects in the calculator, inspect the counted-subject table and check that enough spaces remain for the other eligible results. Different rules can apply to the two languages or the mathematics route.
4. Apply the conversion and calculate
For a standard NSC example, marks of 72, 65, 61, 58, 54 and 47 give levels 6, 5, 5, 4, 4 and 3. The total is 27. Write the conversion beside every subject before adding. A mark of 69 remains in level 5, while 70 enters level 6. In a percentage-based method, those marks may contribute their actual values instead. The example demonstrates arithmetic only and is not an admission requirement.
5. Check Life Orientation without guessing
Read the selected tool’s LO rule. For an excluded-LO method, its mark is still visible but does not enter the total. A bonus rule adds only its specified amount, while a reduced-weight method applies a fraction or separate table. If a particular teaching programme counts LO as another subject, select that programme mode deliberately. A high LO mark must not silently displace a required academic subject.
6. Compare each entry condition
Compare the total with a target using the same method and units. Next check required percentages, language level, mathematics route and qualification endorsement. These are separate conditions. A learner can meet the total but fail a Mathematics condition, or meet subject conditions but fall below a score threshold. Additional tests, portfolios, interviews or selection procedures remain outside a simple APS calculation. Do not interpret a numerical comparison as a complete eligibility decision.
7. Recheck and keep a useful record
Read the subject breakdown after selecting Calculate. Verify each mark against the statement, confirm included subjects and repeat the addition by hand if the result seems unexpected. Use Copy result or Print for an application-planning record. Sharing a result can include the entered marks; sharing the page link does not include them. Recalculate when final results replace provisional marks, and keep the intake and programme details with the record so an old target is not mistaken for a current one.
Use the related calculators
Apply the explanation above with your own figures. Open a calculator below, check every input and review the result assumptions before making a decision.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my APS?
Use the relevant calculator, inspect the counted subjects and compare the arithmetic with the institution’s method.
Should I type levels or percentages?
These forms ask for percentages from 0 to 100. They perform any required conversion.
What if I have an extra subject?
Enter it as an additional subject and retain compulsory subjects before selecting the strongest remaining results.