First, find out which pass you actually have
Before you decide anything, read your statement of results properly. The endorsement at the bottom decides which doors are open:
- Bachelor’s pass — you can apply for a degree at a university
- Diploma pass — you can apply for a diploma at a university or university of technology
- Higher Certificate pass — you can apply for a higher certificate
- Did not pass — you can rewrite
Most people who are disappointed in January have a Diploma or Higher Certificate pass, not a failure. That is a very different situation, and it still leads to a qualification.
Option 1: rewrite the subjects you need, for free
The Department of Basic Education runs the Second Chance Matric Support Programme. It exists for learners who did not meet the requirements of the National Senior Certificate, or who want to improve their results.
You write part-time, in the May/June or November examinations. The department publishes free study material for the subjects it targets: Accounting, Agricultural Science, Business Studies, Economics, English First Additional Language, Geography, History, Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences.
If you missed a Bachelor’s pass by one subject, this is the cheapest route to it. Getting the certificate also opens up bursary applications that are closed to you right now.
Register early. The registration window closes months before the exams, and it is the step people miss.
Option 2: a higher certificate, then upgrade
A Higher Certificate pass gets you into a higher certificate programme at a university or university of technology. Do well in it and you can apply to carry those credits into a diploma or degree.
It costs you a year. But it moves you into the university system with a weaker pass, and the qualification at the end is the same one everybody else holds.
Option 3: TVET college
TVET colleges will take you with a Grade 9 or Grade 10 for NC(V) programmes, and they offer NATED N4 to N6 in business, engineering and hospitality. They are cheaper than university and far more hands-on.
Many have their own bursary route, and the qualifications are the ones employers in trades and technical roles actually ask for.
Option 4: a learnership
A learnership pays you a stipend while you study and work. You finish with a qualification and work experience, which is more than most graduates have on day one.
If you are not sure how learnerships differ from internships, apprenticeships and the YES programme, that comparison is worth ten minutes before you apply to anything.
Option 5: work now, study later
Taking a job now is not giving up. Retail, warehousing and call centres hire matriculants without a degree, and a year of real experience changes what you are allowed to apply for next year.
The YES programme is a good route here: 12-month paid placements at national retailers, open to unemployed youth aged 18 to 34 regardless of your education level.
What not to do
- Do not pay anyone who promises to upgrade your results. Only the Department of Basic Education can change your marks. Everything else is a scam.
- Do not wait three months to decide. The registration deadlines for rewrites, and the application deadlines for the next academic year, both pass while you sit at home.
- Do not leave the gap blank on your CV later. There is an honest way to write it in one line, and it is not “unemployed”.
The order to do things in
- Read your statement of results and confirm which pass you have
- If you missed by one or two subjects, register for a rewrite this week
- If you have a Diploma or Higher Certificate pass, apply to a college or university now
- Register on sayouth.mobi for learnerships and work while you wait
Do them in that order and you will have something moving on every front by the end of the month.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rewrite matric if I already failed?
Yes. The Second Chance Matric Support Programme is specifically for learners who did not meet the NSC requirements, as well as those who want to improve their results. You write part-time in the May/June or November exams.
Is the Second Chance programme free?
The department provides free study resources for the targeted subjects. You register through the Department of Basic Education, not through a private college that charges you for it.
Can I go to university with a diploma pass?
Not directly for a degree. You can apply for a diploma, or for a higher certificate and then carry your credits upward once you have proven yourself.
Next step
Read your results statement today and write down which pass you have. Then pick one option above and start the registration this week — the deadlines are the part that actually closes doors.
If you are going the work route, register on sayouth.mobi and browse current vacancies.