Undergraduate program information
Admission requirements
PLEASE NOTE: No NBT tests for Food Science programmes.
Basic admission requirements for university study:
- A National Senior Certificate (NSC) or Independent Examinations Board (IEB) school-leaving certificate as certified by Umalusi with admission to bachelor's degree studies.
- A university exemption certificate issued by the South African Matriculation Board to students with other school qualifications.
- The minimum academic requirement for a bachelor's degree is:
- 30% for a South African Language of Learning and Teaching (English or Afrikaans) and
- An achievement rating of 4 (50% - 59%) in four 20-credit subjects
- Writing of the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) required if School of Tomorrow applicant
Faculty requirements for BSc Food Science:
- An average of at least 60% in the NSC, IEB or relevant final school examination.
- The average is calculated by taking your highest score in Language of Learning and Teaching subject (English or Afrikaans) + (5 x best results in 20-credit subjects excluding Life orientation and Mathematics 3). The total divided by 6 equals your NSC average.
- Afrikaans or English (Home Language or First Additional Language) 4 (50%)
- Mathematics 5 (60%)
- Physical Sciences (Physics and Chemistry) 4 (50%)
Please note: All programmes are selection programmes and applications will be considered according to the rules and procedures as set out on the Selection guidelines and admission policy for undergraduate programmes for the Faculty of AgriSciences. Read more at: http://www.sun.ac.za/english/maties/Documents/AgriSciences.pdf
An outline of the degree structure for the four year BSc Food Science degree:
First Year
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Computer Skills
Mathematics
Introduction to Food Science
Second Year
Biochemistry
Biometry
Chemistry
Microbiology
Food Processing and Preservation
Third Year
Food Biochemistry
Food Chemistry
Microbiology
Meat Science, Nutrition, Food Safety, Cereal Science & Sensory Science
Fourth Year
Product Development
Food Chemistry & Analysis
Food Factory Machinery
Food Packaging
For complete information on degree structure, subject choices and application
procedures, please refer to University of Stellenbosch
yearbook AgriSciences Yearbook 2025 for the Faculty of AgriSciences, or contact staff at
the University Administration.
Applications:
- Opened 1 April, closes 31st of July
- Apply with your Grade 11 end of the year results (if in Grade 12)
- Apply with your Grade 12 end of the year results (if already matriculated)
- Apply at www.maties.com
- Can apply for 3 programmes (either in 3 different faculties or 3 programmes in same faculty)
- Applicants will be considered for all 3 programmes and can get conditional offers for all 3 programmes
- Applicants need to choose one programme they wish to study and accept the conditional offer by the end of September
- They do not have to wait to get all 3 offers to accept one, they can accept one and if at a later stage they get another, they can decline the first one they got and accept the 2nd offer
- Students need to meet the requirements again based on their final Grade 12 results and will then get a final offer they need to accept.
- One application for both programmes and residences
- Take note: Students nowadays receives an Application ID (App ID) and only later a student number.
Tel: +27 (0)21 808 3578 Fax: +27 (0)21 808 3510 corner of Hammandshand and Helshoogte Roads, Stellenbosch voedselw@sun.ac.za