Requirements for Exemption Certificates

Candidates who did not follow the formal secondary school route in the South African schooling system need to qualify for a certificate of complete or conditional exemption from the matriculation endorsement requirements in terms of the provisions contained in regulations 10-40, as published in Government Notice (GN) 1226 of 1 December 2000 and amended in GN 1001, 1272 and 1345 of 12 October 2001, 11 October 2002 and of 26 September 2003 respectively.
Complete exemption certificates

  • complete exemption by virtue of a combination of N5 standard subjects and senior certificate languages (par 10);
  • complete exemption by virtue of combination of SYSTEM Recovery Programme and senior certificate subjects (par 11);
  • complete exemption by virtue of combination of ASECA and senior certificate subjects (par 12);
  • complete exemption in terms of O and A level subjects (par 13);
  • complete exemption in terms of the Advanced Subsidiary Level subjects (par 14);
  • complete exemption by virtue of IGCSE and HIGCSE qualifications (par 15);
  • complete exemption by virtue of Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) examinations (par 16);
  • complete exemption by virtue of academic and professional certificates ( par 17);
  • complete exemption by virtue of post-school qualifications (par 18);
  • complete exemption to immigrants by virtue of a combination of senior certificate subjects and one language with First Language HG equivalence (par 19);
  • complete exemption by virtue of a combination of senior certificate subjects and extra-curricular subjects with HG or SG equivalence (par 20)
  • date of issue of certificates of complete exemption (par 21)
  • conversion of certificates of conditional exemption to endorsed senior certificates or certificates of complete exemption (par 22)

Conditional exemption certificates

Period of validity of conditional exemption certificates

  • issuing of certificates of conditional exemption (par 23);
  • ordinary conditional exemption with one outstanding requirement for the matriculation endorsement to be satisfied before candidate can graduate (par 24);
  • conditional exemption by virtue of combination of N5 and Senior Certificate subjects (par 25);
  • one outstanding requirement to qualify for an A and O level exemption certificate (par 26);
  • conditional exemption by virtue of Advanced Subsidiary and Ordinary level or IGCSE and HIGCSE level examinations (par 27);
  • foreign conditional exemption (par 28);
  • immigrant’s conditional exemption (par 29);
  • mature age conditional exemption (par 30);
  • senate’s discretionary conditional exemption (par 31).
  • period of validity of certificates of conditional exemption (par 32)

Completion of outstanding requirements

  • completion of outstanding requirements for matriculation endorsement or certificate of conditional exemption at a supplementary examination (par 33)
  • completion of outstanding requirements from a previous dispensation (par 34)
  • certificate of conditional exemption in terms of par 24 to 27 (par 35)
  • certificate of conditional exemption terms of par 28 (par 36)
  • certificate of conditional exemption issued in terms of par 29 (par 37)
  • certificate of conditional exemption in terms of par 30 (par 38)
  • Exemption certificates by virtue of exceptional conditions and recognition of bachelor’s degree instructional offerings
  • complete or conditional exemption by virtue of medical conditions (par 39);
  • complete or conditional exemption by virtue of condonation authority (par 40);
  • recognition of bachelor’s degree instructional offerings in place of senior certificate subjects (par 41)
  • Transitional Provision (par 42)