UCT students only: How to apply for transfer to Commerce

The deadline to submit transfer applications for semester two is 15 June 2023. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.

Please note the process outlined below, which needs to be followed by transferring applicants:

  1. A student must contact the Faculty Office for details on the process to transfer into the Faculty of Commerce (you will receive guidance on the process from the Faculty Office).
  2. Students should complete an ACA09 Application for change of curriculum form and submit a service request. Please indicate the programme you wish to be considered for transfer.
  3. Students must email comfm@uct.ac.za. Your email should be titled: CAMPUSID Transfer application. The name of the Student Advisor consulted (if applicable) should be included in the body of the email.
  4. The Commerce Admissions Committee has the final authority to approve or reject the transfer application. Applications from UCT students will be considered in July after the Faculty Examination Committee meetings and final results have been released.
  5. Applicants will be informed of the outcome on 19 July.

Process for students transferring from outside UCT

The student who wishes to obtain credits for University courses successfully completed elsewhere is required to do the following:

  • UNIVERSITIES AND COURSES LISTED BELOW:
    - Standard credits awarded are listed on the Faculty Website. Your UCT student adviser will be able to approve the credits and credit exemptions for these courses.
  • ALL OTHER UNIVERSITIES AND COURSES:
    - The student is required to liaise with the course convenor of the course for which he/ she is applying for credits and/ or exemption. Student advisers can let you know the course convenor’s contact details.
    - The student is required to send the convenor the course outline and final exam paper, as well as their transcript.
    - The student is required to complete an ACA36 credit and exemption request form and have this signed off by the relevant course convenors and programme convenor.

General transfer criteria

You will be considered based on your school-leaving results and your higher education results. Generally, you must have a good academic record and must submit an academic transcript with your application, or as soon as it is available.

The Faculty of Commerce requires students wishing to transfer into the Faculty (either from within UCT or from other universities) to meet the following criteria:

  • Meet the minimum school subject and points requirements for Commerce.
  • Have a good academic record acceptable to the Faculty. It is unlikely that students who have failed one or more courses will be accepted. Particular attention will be paid to courses relevant to degrees in the Faculty and the proposed programme.
  • All transferring applicants must write the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs). There are two tests - Academic Literacy and Quantitative Literacy (AQL) and Mathematics (MAT). If you have written in the past 3 years, the test scores are valid. Please note: Commerce applicants only need to write the AQL test. If you intend to apply to transfer to another faculty, please check the NBT requirements for that faculty.

Application for Credit Exemption

Please complete the following form to apply for course credits and exemptions:

The following list contains the various courses that are recognised at UCT for degree purposes:

ENTRANCE EXAMS for transferring students

To register for ACC2012W Financial Reporting II, eligible students must write the ACC1011N Financial Reporting I entrance exam and obtain a result of at least 60%. Students who obtain a result of 50%-59% in the ACC1011N entrance exam will earn a CR for ACC1011S Financial Reporting I, but will not be permitted to continue into ACC2012W Financial Reporting II. Students can typically choose to write the entrance exam in either November or January.

Only graduates of other universities applying to postgraduate programmes that require final year accounting courses to be done at UCT are eligible to write the ACC2012N Financial Reporting II entrance exam. If they obtain a result of at least 60%, they may be accepted into ACC3009W/3020W as part of the bridging year. Any student who wishes to obtain an undergraduate degree from UCT in a programme with an Accounting major is required to complete ACC2012W (as well as ACC3009W/3020W) at UCT. Only if they have completed the second-year financial accounting course at an accredited university is it unnecessary to write the ACC1011N entrance exam to gain admission into ACC2012W.

    Other than South African Qualifications

    Your application will be assessed individually. If you have not completed Mathematics in your final year of schooling, you will not be considered.

    • LEVEL / AS – LEVEL/ O– LEVEL

      Bachelor of Business Science

      • Applicants must have at least an A- Level D or AS – level C in Mathematics.
      • Applicants must have at least A-Level E or AS- Level D or O – level B in English.


      Bachelor of Commerce

      • Applicants must have at least an A– Level D or AS – level C in Mathematics.
      • Applicants must have at least A-Level E or AS– Level D or O – level B in English.


      Bachelor of Business Science – Actuarial Science

      • Applicants must have at least an A– Level A in Mathematics.
      • Applicants must have at least A-Level C or AS– Level C or O – level A in English.

    • HIGCSE AND IGCSE

      Bachelor of Business Science

      • Applicants must have HIGCSE level Grade 3 in Mathematics.
      • Applicants must have HIGCSE level 3 or IGCSE B in English.


      Bachelor of Commerce

      • Applicants must have HIGCSE level Grade 3 in Mathematics.
      • Applicants must have HIGCSE level 3 or IGCSE B in English.


      Bachelor of Business Science – Actuarial Science

      • Applicants must have HIGCSE level Grade 1 in Mathematics.
      • Applicants must have HIGCSE level Grade 3 IGCSE A in English.

    • SAT RESULTS

      • SAT I score of 1050 or more with sub minima of 500 for both the Verbal and Mathematics score or
      • STAII score of 1050 or more for English and one of Physics or Chemistry with sub-minimum of 500 for either the English or Physics or the Chemistry score

    Holders of other qualifications are considered individually. A Scholastic Aptitude score of 625 for mathematics and Verbal is required of holders of USA school-leaving certificates. IB Mathematical Studies at a subsidiary level will not be accepted.