Careers › Technology

How to become a Software Engineer / Computer Scientist

Designs and builds software systems, applications and infrastructure.

What does a Software Engineer / Computer Scientist actually do?

More about this career

Covers building the apps, websites, systems and infrastructure that run on computers and phones – what you actually work on (backend systems, mobile apps, games, data pipelines) varies hugely by job, not by degree. It’s one of the more flexible qualifications here: strong self-taught coders can break in without a CS degree, though a degree still helps for the first job and for more technical roles later.

Where this degree can take you

  • Mobile App Developer
  • DevOps Engineer
  • Cybersecurity Specialist
  • Game Developer

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 (if your school offers it)
  • Physical Sciences (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 8 of 8 degrees
  • Physical Sciences – asked for by 2 of 8 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

8 degrees at 6 universities. More are added as we verify them.

Stellenbosch University

Selection programme

BSc Computer Science

Science · 3 years

Stellenbosch aggregate 65 %

  • Mathematics: 70%
  • Language – A language at 50% is required.

Every Stellenbosch programme is a selection programme. The figures shown are the published minimum requirements - the actual selection threshold is usually higher. SU states specifically that the actual threshold for Computer Science is higher than the published minimum. The Science selection mark is [(Maths x 2) + your 5 other subjects] / 7. SU offers only two computing degrees: this one and the BEng Data Engineering stream.

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

University of Cape Town

Partly verified

BSc Computer Science

Science

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • Mathematics: 70%

UCT’s own Computer Science page states the Maths minimum directly but defers full admission rules to the Science Faculty Handbook - the FPS cut-off and other subject minimums are not yet confirmed from an official source. Do not treat this as fully specified.

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

University of Johannesburg

Partly verified

BSc Computer Science & Informatics

Science · 3 years

UJ APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 6 (70% or more)

This figure was read from the search-engine index of the official UJ programme page rather than from the full page, and UJ’s 2027 prospectus PDF could not be fetched. Confirm it on the UJ page before you rely on it. UJ also lists an Artificial Intelligence specialisation at APS 34 with Mathematics at level 7, but we could not capture that specialisation’s own programme page URL, so we are not showing it as a separate verified entry.

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

University of KwaZulu-Natal

From an older document

BSc Eng Computer Engineering

Agriculture, Engineering & Science · 4 years

UKZN APS 33 points out of 48

  • Mathematics: 65%
  • Physical Sciences: 65%
  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Life Orientation: level 4 (50% or more)

The published APS range is 48-33. This comes from the Study@UKZN 2026 brochure, the most recent official source we could find. UKZN had not published a 2027 table when we checked, so treat these as 2026 figures pending a 2027 update. Applications go through the CAO.

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

From an older document

BSc Computer Science & Information Technology

Agriculture, Engineering & Science · 3 years

UKZN APS 30 points out of 48

  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Life Orientation: level 4 (50% or more)
  • A science subject – One science subject at level 4.

The published APS range is 48-30. This comes from the Study@UKZN 2026 brochure, the most recent official source we could find. UKZN had not published a 2027 table when we checked, so treat these as 2026 figures pending a 2027 update. Applications go through the CAO.

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

University of Pretoria

BEng Computer Engineering

Engineering, Built Environment & IT · 4 years

UP APS 35 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 6 (70% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: 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. A 5-year extended BEng route (previously ENGAGE) exists at APS 33 with English, Mathematics and Physical Sciences at 65%.

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

BSc Computer Science

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 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

University of the Witwatersrand

From an older document

BSc Computer Science

Science · 3 years

Wits APS 44 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 6 (70% or more)
  • NBT – The NBT is required for Science.

This figure comes from the Wits schools-liaison Grade 12 guide, which is headed for 2026 entry. We have not yet found a 2027 course-finder page confirming it, so treat it as the most recent official figure rather than a confirmed 2027 one.

Source: View the official page (wits.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?