How can we help?

Prospectus is a free platform that helps South African school-leavers find the right programme, funding, and career. You enter your marks once, and we match you to every programme you qualify for, every bursary you’re eligible for, and the careers that fit your profile.

It’s free for students, and we intend to keep it that way.We don’t sell your data — read more in our Privacy Policy.

No. You can start with your Grade 11 final marks or your Grade 12 prelim marks. We’ll calculate a provisional APS and show you what you qualify for now. When your final results come out, update them and your matches refresh automatically.

Any device with a browser — phone, tablet, or computer. Prospectus is built mobile-first and low-data-friendly, because we know most South African students are on their phones with limited data.

Open any programme and click Start application. The wizard walks you through your details, academic record, documents, and funding in a few minutes. Documents you upload once are reused across every application, so your second and third applications take minutes.

When you submit, the institution receives your application and it appears in your dashboard pipeline.

Yes — that’s the point. Most students apply to two or three; the average eligible student qualifies for many more. Because your profile and documents are reused, applying to ten programmes takes about as long as applying to one used to.

Usually: a certified copy of your ID, your latest results, and proof of residence. If you’re applying for funding, you’ll also need household income proof (a parent or guardian’s IRP5 or an affidavit). Upload each once and we keep them in your vault.

Don’t panic — many programmes have late or supplementary windows, and NSFAS reopens for first-years in January. Filter for “open now” on the Programmes and Bursariespages, and set deadline reminders in your dashboard so it doesn’t happen again.

NSFAS is the National Student Financial Aid Scheme — the largest funder in the country. If your household earns under R 350,000 a year, you likely qualify for full cost of study: tuition, residence, and a living allowance, at any public university or TVET college.

You can check and apply directly from the Bursaries page.

Usually yes. NSFAS allows stacking with private bursaries up to the cost of attendance. If your private bursary covers tuition only, NSFAS can still cover residence and your living allowance. We flag stacking conflicts automatically when you shortlist funding.

A work-back commits you to working at the funder for a fixed period (usually 1–3 years) after you graduate. They’re great if you want a guaranteed first job and a clear path; less so if you want flexibility. Most pay market rates and count as full graduate placements.

No. Applying for NSFAS and the bursaries we list is free. We never charge students, and we never take a cut of any award. If a funder pays us a referral fee, the listing carries a visible “Sponsored” tag and it does not move up your match ranking.

APS (Admission Point Score) is how South African universities turn your matric marks into a single number. You get points for each subject based on your percentage — roughly, 80%+ = 7 points, 70–79% = 6, and so on — and your best six subjects (excluding Life Orientation) are added up, for a maximum of 42.

Prospectus calculates your APS automatically as you enter marks.

• Use the APS simulator in your dashboard to see which marks would close the gap and which programmes that unlocks.
• Look at Extended or Foundation pathway versions of the same programme — they often accept a lower APS.
• Consider a TVET route that articulates into a degree later.

No — there are small differences. Some weight Maths or a specific subject, some use their own point scale (UCT and Wits, for example). Prospectus shows each programme’s specific requirement and checks your marks against thatprogramme’s rules, not a generic formula.

Click Start free to create an account with your email, Google, or Apple. Already have one? Sign in here. If you’ve forgotten your password, use the “Forgot?” link on the sign-in screen.

Only you — until you choose to apply somewhere. We only share your information with a university or funder when you submit an application to them, and you can withdraw that consent at any time. We never sell your data. The full detail is in our Privacy Policy.

Go to Settings → Privacy & data in your dashboard and choose delete. We erase or de-identify your personal information within 90 days, except where law requires us to keep certain records. You can also export your data first.

POPIA requires a parent or guardian to consent when a learner under 18 uses Prospectus and when they apply somewhere. When your child enters their SA ID number, the application automatically detects they’re a minor and adds a guardian consent step where you confirm and provide your details.

You can review, correct, or withdraw consent at any time by contacting our Information Officer.

Yes. Most parents sit alongside their child and use the same account. For the guardian-consent step, you simply enter your details and tick consent — no separate account needed. If you’d like your own view, a parent account is on our roadmap.

Every funder listed on Prospectus is verified annually. We never ask students to pay to apply for funding — if anyone does, it’s a scam. Sponsored listings are clearly tagged and never rank higher because of it. When in doubt, contact usand we’ll confirm.