Careers › Technology

How to become a Information Systems / IT Specialist

Connects technology to how a business actually runs.

What does a Information Systems / IT Specialist actually do?

More about this career

Sits between IT and business – working out what systems a company needs, managing how they’re implemented, and keeping data and processes running. Less hands-on coding than software engineering, more about understanding both the technology and the organisation it serves.

Where this degree can take you

  • IT Business Analyst
  • Systems Administrator
  • ERP Consultant
  • IT Project Manager

This is our general description of the role and related jobs, not from an official source – it’s here to give you a fuller picture, not as a careers-counselling guarantee.

Not from an official source

Subjects that usually help

  • Mathematics
  • Information Technology or CAT (helpful)

This is our general guidance about which school subjects suit this career. It is not an admission requirement and not from an official source – the real requirements are on the degrees below.

Not from an official source

Where to check this yourself

What the degrees we’ve captured actually ask for

  • Mathematics – asked for by 9 of 9 degrees
  • Mathematical Literacy – asked for by 3 of 9 degrees
  • Technical Mathematics – asked for by 2 of 9 degrees
  • Physical Sciences – asked for by 1 of 9 degrees

Counted from the requirements below (an “or” alternative counts for each subject named). Each degree links to the page it came from.

Degrees that lead here

9 degrees at 7 universities. More are added as we verify them.

Mangosuthu University of Technology

Sources disagree

Diploma in Information Technology

Applied and Health Sciences · 3 years

MUT APS 24

  • English: level 3 (40% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 5 (60% or more)

MUT’s general admissions page states APS is calculated from your best FIVE subjects; this programme’s own page states best SIX excluding Life Orientation. We show both rather than pick one - confirm with MUT directly. Source PDF is labelled "2026", not yet confirmed as the 2027-intake version. No official 2027 closing date was found (only unverified third-party claims).

Source: View the official page (mut.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Nelson Mandela University

Partly verifiedFrom an older document

Bachelor of Information Technology

Engineering, the Built Environment & Technology · 3 years

NMU Applicant Score (AS) 370 out of 600 (+7 bonus in some cases)

  • Mathematics: 50% OR Technical Mathematics: 50%

From NMU’s own faculty "UG Guide" PDFs, most of which are dated/closing in 2024 - apparently covering the 2025 intake, not independently confirmed as current for 2027 (NMU appears to roll these forward with the same structure each year, but treat the figures as "last confirmed" rather than "2027-verified"). No 2027 closing date is stated.

Source: View the official page (eleceng.mandela.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Rhodes University

BSc Information Systems

Science · 3 years

Rhodes points 45 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Life Orientation: level 4 (50% or more)

Rhodes points of 40-44 are considered at the Dean’s discretion; 45 or more receives a provisional offer. We show 45 as the qualifying number so that "you qualify" means exactly that - but you are still worth an application from 40. Rhodes has no Engineering and no MBChB. The NBT is recommended, not required. Life Orientation is not scored, but you need at least 50% in it.

Source: View the official page (ru.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Tshwane University of Technology

Partly verified

Diploma in Informatics

Information & Communication Technology · 3 years

TUT APS 26 points

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 7 (80% or more)

APS 26 on the Mathematics route, 28 on the Mathematical Literacy route. Closes 30 September 2026. From TUT’s 2027 First-Year Course Information and General Information PDFs. Applications opened 1 April 2026 (fee R240).

Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Pretoria

BSc Information Technology (Information & Knowledge Systems)

Engineering, Built Environment & IT

UP APS 30 points

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 6 (70% or more)

Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.

Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

BIT (Information Technology)

Engineering, Built Environment & IT

UP APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)

Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.

Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

BCom Informatics (Information Systems)

Engineering, Built Environment & IT

UP APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)

Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.

Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Zululand

Partly verifiedFrom an older document

Bachelor of Commerce (Management Information Systems)

Commerce, Administration & Law · 3 years

UniZulu APS 28 points out of 48

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)

From UniZulu’s own 2026-labelled faculty handbooks, which contain no 2027-specific intake or closing-date information at all - do not assume a date, and treat this as the most recent official figures available rather than confirmed-current for 2027.

Source: View the official page (unizulu.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Vaal University of Technology

Partly verified

Diploma in Information Technology

Applied & Computer Sciences · 3 years

VUT APS 26 points

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 6 (70% or more)

APS 26 on the Mathematics route, 28 on the Mathematical Literacy route. From VUT’s 2027 Undergraduate Minimum Admission Requirements PDF. Academic applications close 30 September 2026 (residences 31 October 2026); fee R110.

Source: View the official page (vut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Are your marks enough?

Put your subjects in once and we’ll check them against every degree above – scored each university’s own way.

What do I qualify for?