Matric results will be a critical part of forging your future life. Whether you’re looking to apply for tertiary education or are ready to move into the working world and must present your best face to your employer, good matric results will open doors. However, if you never had the opportunity to finish your Senior Certificate or performed poorly in your matric finals, that doesn’t mean those doors need to stay closed forever. Even if you don’t qualify for a standard matric rewrite, you can opt to upgrade your matric through an adult matric program
How Much Does It Cost to Upgrade Matric Results?
Matric upgrade courses are offered by a wealth of public and private institutions throughout South Africa. However, there is no standardized cost for this tuition, and it will be priced according to the entity offering it. This is why a rewrite session will always be more economical, but you may not qualify for one or have the academic support to achieve with just a rewrite.
Typically, looking to find a publicly-offered matric upgrade course will be cheaper than working through a private institution. However, you may receive more tutorials, support, and learning opportunities in a private environment. So carefully consider the degree of additional educational support you need when deciding where to take your adult matric or matric upgrade course.
Also, remember that the typical length of a matric upgrade course is between one and two years. Which option you choose will also affect the pricing, with longer courses typically needing more of a financial investment. However, you may get better results from the longer supportive study environment, so again, it’s a case of balancing your options.
How Do They Calculate Matric Upgrade?
Matric upgrade results are calculated differently from how your original matric subjects or rewrites were calculated.
When/if you wrote your original high school matric exams, 75% of your overall grade comes from your performance in the final examination, while the remaining 25% is an amalgamation calculated from your projects, assignments, portfolios, or other graded marks during the year.
When you choose to rewrite awesome matric subjects, the new exam you take will replace that 75% allocation, while the 25% based on in-school performance will remain.
When you do an adult matric or matric upgrade, 100% of your final results will come from the matric examinations you write. So make sure to study hard and do your best if you want to make the most of your matric upgrade opportunity. Don’t make the same mistakes that led to poor academic performance in your original matric session- instead, make a plan and use the resources at your disposal, including your new educational support system, to achieve your goals.
How Much Does It Cost to Combine Your Matric Results?
A combined replacement matric certificate currently costs around R144, and will need four to six weeks to be issued.
Combining your matric results means you integrate your original matric results with those you receive through either your matric rewrites or by taking a matric upgrade course. The government will re-issue you a senior certificate reflecting the best of your marks. You must have taken at least five subjects in order to qualify for
It’s often used to either incorporate a subject into your matric qualification, which you need to qualify for a tertiary education course when you didn’t initially take it or to show the ‘upgraded’ results you received in a later examination session so you can put your best foot forward with employers and educational institutions.
You will only be able to ‘use’ a specific amount of your subjects for the combined certificate and cannot select subjects that require an in-school practical.
How Long is a Matric Upgrade?
As the matric upgrade is a course offered by specific academic institutions, it is mostly offered as a 1-year course. This allows them the time to re-tutor you in new subjects or subjects you haven’t got a strong grasp of. It also allows you plenty of time to practice past papers and get your mind back into the studying groove. Some institutions may allow you to structure the length of your matric upgrade course differently but will typically have a minimum length of time for the course. Don’t hesitate to ask if you need special accommodations or a longer timeline. Many institutions are happy to help you find the right fit to further your educational goals.
Receiving dull matric marks can be a big blow at a time when you’re looking forward to starting your adult life. However, poor matric results don’t have to be the final word on your educational and employment prospects. If you’re willing to put in the work to upgrade your matric, you can get better results and open new doors for your future.
