NSC Grades 10 – 12 Requirements

The National Senior Certificate (NSC) requirements are the criteria students must meet to pass and obtain their high school diploma.

A student must take seven subjects in total, four (4) subjects, i.e. two official languages (at least one at Home Language level), Mathematical Literacy or Mathematics and Life Orientation and a minimum of any three subjects.

TO QUALIFY FOR THE NSC, A STUDENT MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING MINIMUM STANDARDS:

• Home Language: At least 40% in their Home Language.
• First Additional Language: At least 30%.
• Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy: At least 30%.
• Life Orientation: At least 40%.
• Three additional subjects: At least 40% in three subjects and at least 30% in the remaining one subject.

IMMIGRANT CANDIDATE

An immigrant candidate may offer only one (1) official language on at least the First Additional Language level and obtain a rating of 30% in that language.

Instead of offering another subject, an immigrant candidate may offer his or her home language instead of that one official language.

SUBJECT COMBINATIONS

There are specific subject combination rules for the NSC as part of the 7-subject package

• Physical Sciences must be offered with Mathematics
• Consumer Studies may not be offered with Hospitality Studies
• A learner may not offer two languages from any one of the following language groups:
  • IsiXhosa, isiZulu, SiSwati and isiNdebele;
  • Sepedi, Sesotho and Setswana; and
  • the same language as a Home and as a First or Second Additional Language.

Students must sit for the NSC final examinations, which include both internally assessed tasks and externally moderated exams.