Good news for late deciders: in October 2026 the University of Mpumalanga is still accepting 2027 undergraduate applications, long after most universities have closed. UMP opened applications on 1 June 2026, and its online applications page gives 30 November 2026 as the closing date for undergraduate programmes and advanced diplomas. Honours, master’s and doctoral applications run until 30 January 2027.
What UMP does not have is a “2027 prospectus”. Its only undergraduate brochure, Creating Opportunities: Undergraduate Programmes (PDF), is an eight-page leaflet with no year printed on it. It lists each programme with its minimum Admission Point Score and subject levels. The brochure itself points readers to the UMP website for full details, and some programme pages have since changed, so treat the website as the final word.
How UMP counts your seven subjects
The clearest scoring rules sit under the BEd Foundation Phase entry in the brochure. UMP uses the seven NSC subjects you wrote, and if you took more than three electives, it counts the four compulsory subjects plus your three best electives. Life Orientation is not dropped; instead, its achievement rating is halved. For the BEd, preliminary offers rest on final Grade 11 results and final admission on Grade 12 results.
Some programmes also select in rounds. The Bachelor of Laws decides monthly: applicants who exceed the minimums with a completed NSC get conditional offers, and UMP reserves at least half the places for NSC (or equivalent) applicants. The science and agriculture programmes likewise consider applicants monthly. Applying early in the window therefore helps, even though the closing date is still weeks away.
Entry scores for in-demand UMP programmes
- Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching (4 years): APS 26 with Mathematics or 27 with Mathematical Literacy.
- Bachelor of Laws (4 years): APS 33; bachelor’s endorsement; English and an additional language at level 4; Mathematics level 3 or Mathematical Literacy level 4.
- Bachelor of Social Work (4 years): APS 32; English level 4; Mathematics level 2 or Mathematical Literacy level 3. The programme page also asks for a police clearance certificate or proof that you applied for one.
- Bachelor of Commerce (General): APS 30; English and Mathematics at level 4. Mathematical Literacy is not accepted.
- Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (4 years): APS 30; English 4; Mathematics 4 or Mathematical Literacy 6; Life Sciences, Biology or Agriculture 4; Physical Sciences 4.
- Bachelor of ICT: APS 32 with a bachelor’s endorsement and English and Mathematics at level 4. The Diploma in ICT in Applications Development asks APS 24.
- Diploma in Nature Conservation: APS 30; English 4; Mathematics 2 or Mathematical Literacy 3, with Life Sciences and Geography at level 4 recommended.
Hospitality applicants should note that the brochure’s Diploma in Hospitality Management entry belongs to an older curriculum that has been phased out. Check the revised diploma’s own page on the UMP site for its current score.
Two campuses and the R200 fee
UMP has two campuses: Mbombela, the main campus on the corner of the R40 and D725, and Siyabuswa, which focuses on teacher education. Applications go through the online iEnabler system, with a maximum of two programme choices. Unlike some universities, UMP charges an application fee: R200 for South Africans, R400 for SADC applicants and R550 for other international applicants, none of it refundable. Use your ID number as the payment reference.
Questions about applications go to studentapplications@ump.ac.za. Our UMP application guide shows the iEnabler steps. Because UMP’s deadline falls so late, compare it with the other dates on our university closing dates list, and the prospectus hub has the rest.