Steps to Take If You Were Provisionally Accepted at University but Failed Your Final Matric Exams
It is a great achievement to be provisionally accepted at a university. But finding out you’ve failed your final matric exams is stressful when you’ve already begun to plan for university life.
If you’ve experienced this, don’t despair or think that your life is ruined. While provisional acceptance doesn’t mean final acceptance, there are things you can do to continue the process of exploring your options, enhancing results and making the steps toward your career goals.
In this article, we will discuss what to do if you were provisionally accepted at a South African university but failed to get the grades you need in your Matric.
1. Make immediate contact with the University.
A provisional offer is usually a conditional acceptance, meaning that you will be accepted to University upon satisfying the final requirements. The university may reconsider and/or revoke an offer if your final Matric results are lower than the criteria.
Make the admissions office of the faculty or the faculty itself. Let the parents know what has happened and ask if you are still eligible for the application.
It is advisable to contact the university:
If your provisional offer is still in force.
Which admission requirements you did not meet.
If you are eligible for an alternative programme.
If it’s possible to ask for reconsideration.
If it is possible to improve matrics so that they can re-apply.
Please review your application portal and email frequently—the university could email you important information regarding admission status.
For example, the University of the Witwatersrand’s application information explains that firm offers depend on final matric results.
2. Carefully review your final Matric results.
Carefully read your Statement of Results before you make a decision on what you need to do next.
See if you failed a subject, received lower grades than anticipated or if you did not pass a particular subject requirement for your chosen qualification.
Specific grades in Mathematics, Physical Science, English etc. are required by some University programmes. You’ve got a good overall matric grade but didn’t achieve the required grade for your subject.
Investigate the official re-checking and re-marking procedures if results are not as you believe they should be or if you think a mark might have been marked incorrectly.
The Department of Basic Education provides information through its National Senior Certificate examinations page.
Be mindful of re-checking and re-marking deadlines as they tend to have a deadline after the results are produced.
3. Determine if you can take another course.
If you fail to meet the criteria for your programme of choice, please enquire with the university if you are eligible to be considered for another qualification.
For instance, if you applied to a course for a degree and didn’t meet the entry criteria by means of either points or subject grades, another may have different.
Here are some options to consider:
A higher certificate.
A diploma programme.
An extended curriculum programme.
A qualification in the same faculty but not the same course.
A programme offered by another institution.
These options are not guaranteed and will require specific admission criteria.
Avoid taking an alternate programme without verifying to determine if it fits in your future career plan. If you may want to progress to a degree programme in the future, ask about this.
4. Consider Rewriting the Subjects You Failed
One of the most important options is to improve your matric results.
The Department of Basic Education offers opportunities to eligible candidates to rewrite subjects or to enhance their National Senior Certificate (NSC) results.
The Second Chance Matric Support Programme provides information about available support and examination opportunities.
You can also visit the Department of Basic Education’s official website to check eligibility requirements and registration information for the available examination opportunities.
Make sure you understand the subjects you can rewrite, registration closing dates and exam dates before registering.
If you have to study more subjects to satisfy the university’s admission criteria, concentrate on preparing those two or three subjects.
5. Discuss with the University if they will allow you to reapply if you improve your marks.
If you intend to rewrite your matric exams, please inform the university and provide details about your intent.
Inquire whether you can provide better scores for re-consideration or if you have to reapply for the following school year.
Depending on the school, there are certain procedures a student must follow if he/she gets better grades, or he/she might have to apply again.
For instance, Stellenbosch University’s final admission information contains specific reconsideration information for certain programmes and candidates.
Please note that higher marks do not automatically mean that your original offer is restored. Admission is based on the Policies of the University, Qualification criteria, availability of seats and deadlines.
6. Learn about TVET Colleges and Other Study Options
If there is no opportunity to enter the university for the current academic year, explore other education and training options.
Vocational and occupational courses are organised in TVET colleges, which help students acquire skills for various industries.
You might have the opportunity to study engineering, business studies, hospitality, information technology or other related subjects, depending on your skills and the institutions’ requirements.
Information about Technical and Vocational education is available from the Department of Higher Education and Training.
Check the entry requirements for the particular programme prior to applying. Some courses may have specific entry requirements such as a matric certificate or specific subjects, and other courses may have alternative entry options.
Becoming an enrollee at a TVET college does not mean that you are foregoing university. It could be an alternative means of skill development, earning credentials and literacy and vocational training opportunities.
7. Create a Study Plan (If rewriting Matric)
If you are willing to work to get better, make a reasonable study schedule.
Identify the subjects you were not able to pass required for admission to the University. Look through past exam papers and find out what areas you found the most difficult.
The following should be part of your study plan:
Daily study sessions.
Regular revising of challenging areas.
Use past exam papers to practise.
Time to look at errors and make corrections to answers.
Teacher, tutor or study group support (if available).
The Department of Basic Education’s Second Chance Matric Support Programme provides information about support resources for eligible candidates.
Attempt to determine the cause of the difficulty in the first place. If you have suffered from poor time management, exam anxiety or a lack of preparation, deal with these issues before you sit the exam again.
8. Avoid ignoring other University applications
If you have submitted applications to other schools, find out how they are doing.
Different universities and programmes have different admission requirements. But you still need to satisfy the minimum requirements of the college and degree you are looking to apply for.
Please be sure to check with a university to see if final results apply to your application.
Look to see if these institutions are open to late applications, applications for the next academic year, and/or alternative programmes. Availability is subject to change, please check official announcements from the university, not social media.
Avoid any college admission fraudster who promises you a university admissions or alters your grades.
9. Reflect on Work Experience and Skills Development
If you’re not able to begin university right away, you may use the time to get helpful skills and experience.
Depending on your situation, consider the option of learnerships, internships, entry-level jobs, volunteering or short courses.
These opportunities can assist you in developing communication skills, computer literacy, workplace discipline and practical experience, and be a stepping stone to your next academic step.
Do check the entry requirements for each opportunity, however. There are also some learnerships and training programmes which will also require a matric certificate or specific subject results.
Employment Services of South Africa (ESSA) and youth opportunities via SAYouth.mobi are available to explore.
Take advantage of this time, maintain your longer-term educational objectives.
10. Keep a positive outlook and talk with trusted persons
It can be disappointing to miss out on a university provisional offer. You might be afraid of letting your family down or not keeping up with your friends.
Keep in mind that a single exam score is not the end of the world.
Consult a teacher, school counsellor, parent, or guardian/career adviser about options. They can assist you in interpreting your findings, recognizing appropriate programmes and setting target goals for your future actions.
Do not make comparisons with other students. Take the focus on what you can do now and to make progress.
It might take you longer to achieve your goal but there are a number of education and training options to explore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will there be any automatic cancellation of the provisional acceptance if I fail matric?
It doesn’t always happen, but you shouldn’t assume that you are safe. Final admission will be based on the institution’s requirements, final results and programme requirements. Please check with the admissions office for an answer regarding your particular application.
Can I appeal if my university application is rejected?
Check if there is an appeal or reconsideration procedure at the University. Depending on the institution and the circumstances, the following may be available:Depending on the institution and circumstances, an appeal may be possible: Appeals do not secure admission to the lottery.
May I re-mark for matric and re-apply for university?
Yes. Eligible candidates are eligible to explore the official opportunities to help them boost their Matric marks. You can then re-apply or ask for reconsideration as per university procedures.
What if I have failed matric but got less than the admission points?
Do you have a similar qualification or programme available that has the same outcomes? If you qualify to do so, you can research enhancing a particular subject.
So, can I study at a TVET college instead?
Potentially, yes. Entry requirements vary from one programme to another, so please call the college to work out which programmes you can progress onto with your results.
Conclusion
It’s a tough situation to be taken on condition and then fall short at final exams, but it doesn’t mean that your education has come to an end.
Firstly, get in touch with the university, find out your results and see if you are eligible for another programme or if you need to re-apply. Consider changing your matric subjects if needed, via the Department of Basic Education.
While planning for your next step, you may want to take TVET colleges, skills development and suitable employment opportunities into account.
The most important thing is to act ASAP, take official information, and don’t quit your dreams. Your next step might be different than you intended, but you can still take steps in creating your desired future.
