North-West University
Noordwes-Universiteit
A three-campus South African university, formed in 2004, that teaches in English and Afrikaans and publishes APS entry scores for each degree.
- Students
- 57,900
- 50,409 undergraduates
- Tuition
- ZAR 51,866
- From · 2026
- Founded
- 2004
- QS World Ranking
- 1001-1200
- 2027 edition
About NWU
North-West University (NWU) came into existence in 2004 through the merger of the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, a historic university dating back to 1869, and the University of North-West (formerly the University of Bophuthatswana). It works from three campuses: Potchefstroom (the main campus), Mahikeng and Vanderbijlpark.
In 2025 NWU enrolled about 57,900 students (figures not yet final), of whom about 50,400 were undergraduates. Its own Quick Stats sheet says it was the third largest South African university by headcount in 2023. Its 2024 undergraduate success rate was 85.6% for contact students, against a national average of 81.6% for 2023.
Teaching is organised into eight faculties, from Economic and Management Sciences and Engineering to Health Sciences, Law and Theology. Study guides and examinations are available in English and Afrikaans. Admission is by National Senior Certificate results converted into an Admission Point Score (APS), with published subject minimums for each degree and extra selection for oversubscribed courses such as Law, Music and Pharmacy. NWU suits students who want a large, campus-based South African degree with a clear entry score and a residence system.
Why students choose NWU
Each degree's page lists its APS and subject levels, for example an APS of 34 or higher with 70% in Mathematics and Physical Sciences for BEng programmes at Potchefstroom.
Three campuses (Potchefstroom, Mahikeng and Vanderbijlpark) with self-catering residences priced from R31,050 to R55,080 a year in 2026.
An Academic Merit Bursary is awarded automatically to qualifying full-time first, second and third-year students, plus family discounts of 15% to 25% off tuition for second, third and fourth family members.
A one-year Xcel bridging programme is open to engineering applicants with 40% or more in both Mathematics and Physical Sciences and at least 60% in the language of instruction.
Admissions
2027 academic year (applications opened 1 June 2026)
Selectivity
NWU publishes no overall acceptance rate. It states that meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission and that, because of capacity limits, it selects on Grade 11 or Grade 12 results for some fields of study (for example Law, Pharmacy, Music, Graphic Design, Urban and Regional Planning, Biokinetics).
Typical entry requirements
| South African NSC / IEB / SACAI | Bachelor pass (50-59% or better in four 20-credit subjects) plus a programme APS and subject levels, e.g. BCom Accounting APS 24 (Mathematics 40-49%, English 50-59%), BCom Accounting for CA APS 32 (Mathematics 60-69%), LLB APS 30, BEng APS 34+ (Mathematics and Physical Sciences 70%+), Pharmacy Mathematics and Physical Sciences 60-69% |
|---|---|
| Other school systems (Cambridge IGCSE/AS/A-level, IB, Abitur, SAT/ACT, etc.) | Converted to an APS using NWU's published conversion table; all foreign-school applicants must first obtain a matriculation exemption from Universities South Africa (USAf). American High School Diploma: SAT results and a GPA of at least 3.5. |
| English language | No IELTS or TOEFL threshold was found on the NWU pages fetched. Programmes require a minimum level in the language of tuition (English or Afrikaans), commonly level 4 (50-59%) or level 5 (60-69%) on the NSC scale; international applicants should confirm requirements with the admissions office. |
Deadlines
- Selection courses (Music, Law and most other selection courses) Non-binding Passed30 June 2026
Closing date for Music and all other selection courses except Urban and Regional Planning (31 August), per NWU's selection page; Graphic Design has its own dates. Some health sciences programmes may close on other dates, so check the programme page.
- General courses and residence applications Non-binding Passed31 August 2026
Applications opened on 1 June 2026. Urban and Regional Planning also closes on 31 August.
- Higher degrees (Master's and doctoral) Non-binding Next deadline · In 55 days30 November 2026
Postgraduate research degrees.
NWU's apply page states that undergraduate applications are now closed for this cycle. These are the published dates for the 2027 academic year; check the apply page for any late-application arrangements. Calendar years follow the South African school year, with first-years starting in early 2027.
How to apply
Apply online through the NWU application portal with a personal email address, an ID document or passport (birth certificates are not accepted) and final Grade 11 or Grade 12 results. Residence placement is requested in the same application. A non-refundable administration fee is paid online: R150 for South African applicants and R600 for international applicants. International applicants also need a USAf matriculation exemption and must pay their full fees before registration. The USAf matriculation-exemption application carries its own fee, stated on NWU's international requirements page as R1,070 (paid to USAf, not to NWU).
What admissions looks for
- For selection courses, the best candidates by academic achievement in final Grade 11 or Grade 12 results; average performance is also considered.
- The required subject levels for the chosen degree, such as Mathematics and Physical Sciences at 70% or more for engineering.
- The minimum APS for the programme; meeting it does not guarantee a place.
- Selection tests or psychometric questionnaires where a programme requires them, and auditions for Music.
Tips for applying to NWU
- 1 Use NWU's online APS calculator (for NSC, ISC and SACAI results) before choosing a programme, and use the conversion table for other school systems.
- 2 Apply before 30 June if you want a selection course such as Music, and before 31 August for general courses and residence placement.
- 3 Nominate a second study option from another faculty if you apply for engineering with borderline Grade 11 results, as NWU itself advises.
- 4 Non-South African school leavers should start the USAf matriculation exemption early; American High School Diploma holders need a GPA of at least 3.5 and final SAT results.
- 5 International students pay their full study and residence costs before registration, so plan the transfer in advance.
Costs & financial aid
2026 · figures in ZAR
NWU offers an automatic Academic Merit Bursary for qualifying full-time first, second and third-year students, a family discount (15% off tuition for a second student from the same family, 20% for a third, 25% for a fourth), and leadership, support, arts and culture and sport bursaries. South African students may also apply for NSFAS funding or the Funza Lushaka teaching bursary. Bursaries listed for South African students should not be assumed to be open to international applicants.
- R2,525 (non-refundable)
- Registration fee 2026
- R24,175 (South African students; NSFAS-funded students exempted)
- Minimum first payment, residence students 2026
- Full cost payable before registration
- International students
- 2.5% on tuition and residence if both are paid in full by 31 March
- Early settlement discount
Academics
Engineering (BEng)
Chemical, electrical and electronic, computer and electronic, mechanical, industrial and mechatronic engineering at Potchefstroom, with an APS of 34 or higher and a one-year Xcel bridging programme.
Bachelor of Pharmacy
Selected on academic average, with Mathematics and Physical Sciences at 60-69% required.
Law (LLB, BCom Law, BA Law)
Offered at Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark (and the LLB also at Mahikeng), with selection on Grade 11 or 12 marks and an extended five-year LLB at Mahikeng.
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting
Vanderbijlpark-based degree with a separate Chartered Accountancy route requiring Mathematics at 60-69% and an APS of 32.
Music (Diploma, BA Music and Society, BMus)
Entry is by one or two audition rounds run by the School of Creative Industries and Performing Arts.
Sport and Human Movement Sciences
Diploma in Coaching Science and biokinetics degrees are offered in the Faculty of Health Sciences, with selection on best average mark.
Research
- NWU's Quick Stats report 2,097.52 published article equivalents for 2024, 327 NRF-rated researchers and 236 postdoctoral fellows.
- It conferred 787 master's and 273 doctoral degrees in 2024.
- NWU's rankings page reports that five NWU subject groups appear in the ShanghaiRanking Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2026, led by Nursing, and that QS 2026 kept its agriculture and medicine groups in the 301-350 and 701-850 categories.
- Construction has begun on the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine at the Potchefstroom Campus, expected to admit its first students in 2028 according to Wikipedia.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
- Faculty of Theology
NWU reports an undergraduate success rate of 85.6% for contact students in 2024 (national average for 2023: 81.6%) and 93.8% for distance students (national average 70.9%). It reports a 23.2% graduation rate for 2024 (national average for 2023: 15.3%); this is graduates as a share of enrolment and is not a cohort completion rate. No graduate employment survey figure was found.
Student life
Residences are central to student life at NWU. On the Mahikeng Campus alone there are 16 residences, each run by a house parent, a residence officer and a house committee, with single and double furnished rooms, shared kitchens and 24/7 security. All NWU residences are self-catering, and meals can be bought in dining halls, cafeterias and kiosks with the university card. The three campuses have their own sport teams and cultural activities, and NWU offers arts and culture and sport bursaries. Applying for a residence place is part of the online study application.
- Mahikeng has 16 residences, including Nelson Mandela 1 and 2, Lost City, Sol Plaatje and Biko House for postgraduates.
- Potchefstroom's residences include Excelsior, Heide, Karlien, Kasteel, Patria and Veritas, alongside self-catering units.
- Vanderbijlpark has on-campus residences (Thuthuka, Jasmyn, Vergelegen, Horizon, Kumba) and off-campus Faranani.
- Residence applications are made through the same online form as the study application.
Housing. Residence fees for 2026 are R31,050 to R55,080 a year for self-catering rooms; first-year residents pay a non-refundable R4,000 confirmation payment that is credited to the account.
Location
NWU's main campus is in Potchefstroom, a town in North West Province in South Africa. The university also has campuses in Mahikeng, the provincial capital, and Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal Triangle area of Gauteng. Because each campus is in a different town, living costs and student atmosphere vary by campus. NWU's international student pages list Mahikeng, Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark as its campuses.
Nearest airport: OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg (for Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark)
Notable alumni
- DT Demi-Leigh Tebow (Nel-Peters)Miss Universe 2017; graduated from North-West University in March 2017
- AR Arrie RautenbachBusinessman and former CEO of Absa Group; BBA and MBA from NWU's Potchefstroom Campus
- DH Dirk HermannCEO of the Solidarity union; studied at North-West University (BA law, BA labour relations, master's and PhD)
- KM Katlego MaboeTelevision presenter and singer; completed a chartered accounting bachelor's degree at NWU in 2017
- MP Mamokgethi PhakengMathematics education professor and former vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town; Bachelor of Education from the University of North-West, a predecessor institution
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at North-West University?
NWU does not publish an overall acceptance rate. It says meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission and that popular programmes are selected on Grade 11 or 12 results.
What APS do I need for NWU?
It depends on the degree. Examples published for 2027 entry: BCom Accounting 24, BCom Accounting (Chartered Accountancy) 32, LLB 30 and BEng 34 or higher.
What is the application deadline for 2027 entry?
Selection courses closed on 30 June 2026 and general courses and residence applications on 31 August 2026. Master's and doctoral applications close on 30 November 2026.
Do international students pay a different application fee?
Yes. The non-refundable online administration fee is R600 for international applicants and R150 for South African applicants.
Can I study in English at NWU?
NWU's study guides and examinations are available in English and Afrikaans, and many programmes require level 4 (50-59%) in the language of tuition.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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