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Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) offers opportunities to Southern African and Southern African Development Community (SADC) nationals an opportunity to undergo a career in medicine. SMU in keeping up with international standards, bases selection on academic and non‐ academic measurable variables and ensures that selected students have the ability/ potential to successfully complete their studies in the required minimum time. SMU endeavors to attract talented students from all demographic groupings in South Africa whilst prioritizing transformation. In this regards, a quota system based on a principle that promotes equitable chances and fairness to students from all population groups (Indigenous Africans – 80.2%; Coloureds – 8.8%; Whites – 8.5%; Indians/Asians – 2.5%) is applied in all selection process excluding the special foundation medicine program. This proportion is based on the census demography of the SA population and will apply from one census to the other annually.

See Also: Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University SMU Prospectus

See Also: Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University SMU NSFAS Funding Applications

The selection process is done in three phases.

Preselection (will usually be completed by end November of the year before admission)

Students are offered a provisional place based on their final Grade 11 results. Pre‐selected Grade 11 students are expected to have attained an admission point score (APS) of at least 35.

Students will be preselected based on the performance in the following four subjects: English, Life Sciences, Physical Science and Mathematics (shown in Table 1).

A preselection offer is withdrawn if the applicant’s performance in these four subjects drops below their performance in the Grade 11 results. The application is then returned to the general pool of applicants in which applicants will be considered on the basis of their Grade 12 performance only using the four subjects previously listed.

Table 1: Pre‐Selection Criteria