Careers › Education

How to become a Teacher

Teaches in the foundation, intermediate, senior or FET phase.

What does a Teacher actually do?

More about this career

Teaches a phase (foundation, intermediate, senior) or specific FET subjects, in public or private schools – the degree (B.Ed, or a PGCE after another degree) determines which phase and subjects you’re qualified for. Beyond the classroom, experienced teachers can move into subject head, deputy principal and principal roles, or curriculum development.

Where this degree can take you

  • Subject Head / HOD
  • School Principal
  • Curriculum Developer
  • Private Tutor

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

  • English
  • Your teaching subjects at a good level

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 5 of 8 degrees
  • Mathematical Literacy – asked for by 5 of 8 degrees
  • Technical Mathematics – 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 5 universities. More are added as we verify them.

Rhodes University

BEd Foundation Phase

Education · 4 years

Rhodes points 44 points

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Life Orientation: level 4 (50% or more)

Rhodes points of 39-43 are considered at the Dean’s discretion; 44 or more receives a provisional offer. We show 44 as the qualifying number so that "you qualify" means exactly that - but you are still worth an application from 39. 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

Stellenbosch University

Selection programme

BEd Foundation Phase

Education · 4 years

Stellenbosch aggregate 60 %

  • Mathematics: 40% OR Mathematical Literacy: 60%
  • Languages – Your language of teaching at Home Language 60%, plus a second language at 50%.

Every Stellenbosch programme is a selection programme. The figures shown are the published minimum requirements - the actual selection threshold is usually higher. About 125 places each.

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

Selection programme

BEd Intermediate Phase

Education · 4 years

Stellenbosch aggregate 60 %

  • Mathematics: 40% OR Mathematical Literacy: 60%
  • Languages – Your language of teaching at Home Language 60%, plus a second language at 50%.

Every Stellenbosch programme is a selection programme. The figures shown are the published minimum requirements - the actual selection threshold is usually higher. About 125 places each.

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

University of KwaZulu-Natal

From an older document

BEd Foundation / Intermediate / Senior-FET Phase

Humanities · 4 years

UKZN APS 28 points out of 48

  • Varies by phase – Subject requirements vary by teaching phase - see the UKZN brochure for the phase you want.

The published APS range is 48-28. 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

University of the Witwatersrand

BEd Foundation Phase Teaching

Humanities · 4 years

Wits APS 37 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) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 5 (60% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)

An APS of 31-36 may be wait-listed.

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

BEd Intermediate Phase Teaching

Humanities · 4 years

Wits APS 37 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) OR Mathematical Literacy: level 5 (60% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)

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

From an older document

BEd Senior Phase & FET Teaching

Humanities · 4 years

Wits APS 37 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Teaching subjects – Your teaching subjects are compulsory, and Mathematics or Technical Mathematics must be at 65% where relevant.

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?