Tshwane University of Technology does not publish one big prospectus for school leavers. For 2027 entry it splits the job across two brochures: a 2027 General Information for First Year Enrolment guide, which carries the full entry rules for every first-year programme, and a shorter 2027 First Year Course Information booklet. The enrolment guide says “Printed January 2026” on every page and lists one of three closing dates under each programme.
Those dates matter most right now. TUT opened 2027 applications on 1 April 2026 and closed them in three waves: 15 June 2026 for health courses such as Nursing and Pharmacy, 31 July 2026 for arts, humanities and many science courses, and 30 September 2026 for the rest. All three have passed. However, a TUT notice titled “Qualifications still open for 2027 intake as of 1 October 2026” names a short list with space left: Electrical Engineering (BEng Tech, diploma and higher certificate) at eMalahleni, Polymer Technology and Credit Management at the Pretoria Campus, and six Arcadia science qualifications, including Food Technology, Geology and Industrial Chemistry.
Download the TUT documents for 2027 entry
- 2027 General Information for First Year Enrolment (PDF): application rules, the R240 fee, residences, campuses, and the admission requirements, selection steps and closing date for each programme, faculty by faculty.
- 2027 First Year Course Information (PDF): the shorter companion booklet, which repeats the 1 April 2026 opening date and the R240 fee.
- Qualifications still open for 2027 intake as of 1 October 2026 (PDF): the one-page list of courses still taking applications.
- Faculty prospectus parts and the fees part, still the 2026 editions, all linked from the TUT Study@TUT page. Example: 2026 Prospectus Part 8: Faculty of Science (PDF).
APS at TUT, then the potential assessment
TUT builds its Admission Point Score from your NSC achievement levels. The enrolment guide spells out two exclusions: Life Orientation never counts, and neither does any subject where you scored level 1. The university also accepts applications on final Grade 11 or mid-year Grade 12 results and may grant provisional admission until the final matric results arrive.
For many programmes the APS is only step one. A borderline score often leads to the TUT potential assessment, and some courses blend several scores into a final mark. Diagnostic Radiography, for example, weights the APS at 60%, the potential assessment at 20% and an interview at 20%. Arts and design courses lean on portfolios: Fine and Applied Arts counts the APS for 20%, a questionnaire for 30% and the portfolio for 50%.
Requirements for six popular TUT courses
These come from the 2027 General Information for First Year Enrolment guide. Levels refer to NSC achievement levels, and every APS excludes Life Orientation.
Health and science (closed 15 June)
- Bachelor of Nursing (Pretoria Campus): bachelor’s pass with English 4, Mathematics or Technical Mathematics 4 and Life Sciences 4; APS of at least 27. An APS of 27 to 29 means writing the potential assessment, where 50% is the minimum; an APS of 30 or more skips that test.
- Bachelor of Pharmacy (Arcadia Campus): English, Mathematics or Technical Mathematics, Physical or Technical Sciences and Life Sciences all at level 4, plus 4 in two other subjects; APS of at least 24. Qualifying applicants sit the potential assessment and a panel interview, and an APS of 32 or more gets preference.
- Bachelor of Radiography in Diagnostic: APS of at least 24, followed by the assessment, a biographical questionnaire and an interview.
Teaching and law (closed 31 July)
- BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching (Soshanguve North): bachelor’s pass with the programme’s home language at 5, first additional language at 4, and Mathematics 4 or Mathematical Literacy 5; APS of at least 25.
- Diploma in Law (Soshanguve South and Mbombela): English 4; APS of at least 20.
Computing, accounting and engineering (closed 30 September)
- Diploma in Information Technology (Soshanguve South): English 4, Mathematics or Technical Mathematics 5 (or Mathematical Literacy 7), and Physical or Technical Science 3; APS of 26 with Mathematics or 28 with Mathematical Literacy. Scores of 23 or 25 respectively lead to the extended programme instead.
- Diploma in Accounting (Ga-Rankuwa, Mbombela and Polokwane): English 4 and Accounting 3, or Mathematics 3, or Mathematical Literacy 5; APS of 22, or 24 with Mathematical Literacy.
- Diploma in Civil Engineering (Pretoria Campus): English, Mathematics or Technical Mathematics, and Physical or Technical Sciences all at 4; APS of at least 26. Engineering Graphics is recommended.
Fee, waiting lists and residence
The 2027 application fee is R240, paid once and not refundable. TUT warns that a programme can fill up and close before its official deadline, and once a course is full the university keeps a waiting list for places left open by applicants who fail to register. Check your status online with your ID number; our TUT application guide covers the portal steps. First-years should apply for university-run residence through ARLC, with residences on the Pretoria, Soshanguve, Ga-Rankuwa, eMalahleni and Mbombela campuses.
For questions, the TUT Contact Centre answers on 086 110 2421 or general@tut.ac.za. To compare TUT with other institutions, browse our university prospectus downloads, and if you need help with fees, read our NSFAS funding guide.