Entry Requirements and Cut-off points at University or College

The first step on your journey to obtaining a higher education qualification is gaining admission into a tertiary institution. Even before you decide on a program (or course) to study and where you would like to study, you need to know and understand the entry requirements, cut-off points and what influences them. When applying for admission, you will be required to pay an application fee and so it would be pointless for you to waste your time and money applying for a program where you will not be accepted.

Most programs of study can be classified into two categories namely Sciences and Humanities & Arts. Programs such as engineering, medicine, mining and agriculture are science based. On the other hand, law, political science, demography and psychology are humanities and arts-based. It is crucial for you to understand this classification because it plays a big role in determining general entry requirements and cut-off points.

Entry Requirements

General entry requirements are the minimum grades you should have for you to be eligible to be accepted into an institution. Being eligible does not mean you will be accepted. In Zambia, the general entry requirements for school leavers who want to go to any college or university are five O’ levels. The only difference is in the O’ level subjects that are required for science-based programs and those for humanities and arts-based programs.

Science-based programs require you to have five O’ level credits (grade 6) or better in

1. English language,
2. Mathematics
3. Science (Physics and Chemistry) and/or Biology or Agricultural Science,
4. Plus any other two subjects.

This simply means you need to have passed English language and Mathematics; plus, one or two science subjects; and any other two subjects to make a total of five subjects. For those who took pure sciences, a credit or better in physics and chemistry will be count as passes in two science subjects. Life sciences-based programs may only require you to pass either one of Biology or Agric or Science. Physical sciences-based programs may consider only Science and not Biology or Agric.

In humanities and arts, the general entry requirements are a credit (grade 6) or better in English language; plus, any 3 subjects from among the social sciences (e.g., History, Geography, RE, Civic Education) or business studies (e.g., Commerce, Accounts) or arts & crafts (e.g., Food and Nutrition, Art, Music, Woodwork, GMD); and any other subject to make a total of five subjects. The subjects listed here are only examples and do not represent a full list of subjects that will be considered.

General entry requirements are standard and do not change unless in special circumstances. An example of such a special circumstance is in the case of a course that is so mathematically inclined that an institution requires a minimum of a merit (grade 4) or better in Mathematics for you to be accepted.

Cut-off Points

Before we discuss cut-off points, let us first understand how points for school leavers are calculated at colleges and universities. To come up with the points each applicant has, a sum of the grades from their best 5 subjects at grade 12 is made, putting into consideration the general entry requirements for the desired program. Take for example a school leaver Chibwe, who has the following results English 1; Maths 4; Science 3; Biology 3; Geography 1; History 1; Woodwork 1; and Commerce 1. Chibwe has 5 points from his best 5 subjects (English, Geography, History, Woodwork and Commerce). However, if he was to apply for a science-based program, English, Maths and Science will be included amongst his best 5 subjects in order to satisfy the general entry requirements. In this case, Stan Chibwe actually has 10 points from he’s best 5 subjects (English, Maths, Science, Geography, History).

Cut-off point is the minimum score that you need to have to be accepted into a study program. Cut-off points may change from year to year and from program to program within the same institution. They are determined among other things by gender, mode of study and the demand for the program. Females are generally subjected to lower cut-off points than males. This is done to encourage more females to access higher education especially in male dominated fields. Mode of study also affects cut-off point with full-time study having higher cut-off points than part-time, distance or online. Read our article on How to earn a degree or diploma without stepping in class for more information on modes of study.

Program demand plays the biggest role in the determination of cut-off points. In Zambia, programs on highest demand in universities are Health-related, Engineering and other Natural Science programs. Because of this high demand, entry into the School of Natural Sciences in public universities has cut-off points as high as 6 points in 5 subjects in some years. Public universities have a many applicants with only limited places available making the competition stiff, hence the high cut-off points. In private institutions where competition is less stiff, you may only need to meet the general entry requirements for you to be admitted to the same programs. High cut-off point does not necessarily mean a better degree/diploma or better chances of employment. It only indicates the level of competition during the admission process at a particular institution. Qualifications obtained after completion of studies are the same.

Some universities e.g., UNZA and CBU do not allow direct entry into specific programs such as law, economics, engineering and medicine to mention a few. Students who wish to pursue such programs are admitted to a non-quota (NQ) program where they learn the foundation subjects. The students branch off into their desired programs in second year. This is again dependent on whether the student has met the cut-off point for that program determined from the first year results. The NQ program you need to apply to if you wish to pursue a non-direct entry program is the Bachelor of Science NQ (for science-based) or Bachelor of Arts NQ (for humanities and arts-based). Some programs which are non-direct entry at one institution may be direct entry at another. Other institutions do not have the NQ system but rather admit all students to specific programs. It is best to check with the university before applying whether the program you want is direct entry or not.

Though cut-off points for the same program are different from year to year, they do not vary much. If the cut-off point from the previous year was 9 points, in the current year it may be 8 points or 10 points or it can stay the same. It is therefore advisable to try and find out the previous year’s cut-off point before applying to know if you stand a realistic chance of being selected. Information on the previous year’s cut-off points may be requested from the institution’s admissions office.

How do University and College Assessments Work? 

Assessments form a major part of university and college life. Anyone who wishes or is about to go to such institutions needs to know about the types of these assessments. This is because they will spend a great deal of time studying for tests that come in many forms. And moreover, passing these assessments is what makes one progress from one year to another. The number and types of assessments may differ from one university or college to another and from program to program within the same institution. In general, a student will have continuous assessments (CA) and an end of year or end of semester assessment (final examination) in every course he/she takes. 

Before we go on discussing assessments, let us first clarify the meanings of program and course. A program is a combination of courses that you do leading to a degree or diploma. Courses can be thought of as the subjects or classes that you take whilst pursuing your degree/diploma (program). An example of a program is Civil engineering. Hydraulics, engineering mathematics and fluid mechanics, are examples of courses (subjects) that you take whilst studying for a civil engineering degree. 

The CAs are tests that are given to the students throughout the year i.e., they will be given during each term or semester. In most institutions, CAs contribute 40% to the final mark. The CA is made by adding all the marks scored from all the assessments given to a student throughout the academic year or semester excluding the final exam. All these marks earned are then compiled so that they account for 40% of the final mark. Institutions that have an academic calendar split into terms administer the final exam at the end of the academic year whereas those with semesters have a final exam at the end of each semester. The final exam contributes 60% of the final mark, if the CA contributed 40%. One should therefore know that the final mark is a sum of the continuous assessment and the final examination with the percentage contribution of each adding up to 100%. 

The following list includes some of the forms in which assessments come in universities and colleges. 

1. Written tests which include multiple choice questions (MCQs), short answer questions (SAQs), extended matching questions (EMQs) and essays. There are also small tests called quizzes which can be given just after a lesson or would have been planned for in the future. 

2. Oral examinations which are also called viva voce or simply vivas are exactly like tests but instead of writing a student must respond by word of mouth to a lecturer upon being asked a question. They are usually done at the end of the term or at the end of the year. 

3. Practical work depends on the program being done and the course. For example, those doing nursing may need to do some medical procedure and those in electrical engineering may need to make a specific circuit connection. These can be done individually or as a group depending on the instructions given. 

4. Assignments are usually written as long essays either done individually or as a group. These require a student to write about a topic using formal writing formats without plagiarising and as such one needs to have referenced work in their essay. Plagiarism is presenting someone else’s work or ideas as your own without their consent. Students, mostly do this unknowingly when they use someone else’s text in an assignment without fully acknowledging the author. Referencing means acknowledging the original source or sources. Plagiarism is a serious offence in academia and can have serious consequences including being failed in a particular course. 

5. Oral presentations are presentations that a student must make in front of an audience that may include his/her classmates, lecturers or invited guests. Most of the times one has to make a PowerPoint presentation to be submitted to the lecturer.  

6. Field reports are done when students have an experience outside the classroom and are required to write about their experiences. So, for a public health student this may include a report about a trip to a local clinic regarding their vaccination program or students of general agriculture may write a report about their visit to a farm about dairy production. 

7. Dissertations or theses, research and research proposals are usually done in the latter years (usually in the last year or the second last year) of the program. A dissertation/thesis can be defined as a formal writing that a student writes to complete the requirements of a degree. This thesis can be in the form of a research paper. Research proposals are written to summarise the question or problem one wants to research on and the plan they have to carry out that research. The proposals are marked by lecturers and taken for ethical approval by the students. After that, research can be done, and its results published. 

8. Projects are similar to dissertations as they are also done in the latter years. The major difference is that they are in most cases practical. As an example, a student in the school of the built environment may choose to make a model of a building with a proposed plumbing system while another student in the civil engineering program may make a computer model of football stadium. 

It is worth noting that these assessments are either formative or summative. Formative assessments are those that do not add to your final mark while summative assessments are those that add to the final mark. Either way a student must be serious in all assessments as a test that in the first place was formative may be added to the final mark when a lecturer sees it fit. 

Costs are another thing that come with assessments. There are costs incurred for completing typed work such as essays, field reports, dissertations and research proposals. These costs include printing, photocopying, binding and in some cases laminating. Projects and research work in the final years cost a lot and for students this can be very financially stressful. Although, for students in some institutions under government sponsorship or any other sponsorship may receive some allowances for this cause. 

After the all the assessments for the academic year or semester are completed and compiled, they are then graded usually A through to F. Grading systems differ from institution to institution and so do the pass marks. In some institutions the pass mark is set at 40% whereas in others it maybe be as high as 70%. At UNZA, the pass mark for most programs is at 40% and at CBU it is 50%. 

How can I get a scholarship to study abroad?

Many Zambian school leavers dream of obtaining a scholarship to pursue their university or college education abroad. Getting a scholarship to study abroad not only gives someone a chance to have the costs of their education paid for, but also affords a scholar the chance to attain a qualification that is internationally recognised. The process of obtaining an international scholarship comes with some dangers, and many people have been swindled into paying large amounts of money to people who claim they can get them a scholarship to study in a foreign country. In this blog, we will discuss how a Zambian school leaver may obtain an international scholarship through;

1. HELSB
2. NGOs
3. Agencies
4. Directly from foreign governments
5. Directly from universities abroad

We have also included the contact details of some NGOs and agencies that may be of help.

 

Scholarships from International Governments through HELSB

 

The higher education loans and scholarships board (HELSB) administers scholarships on behalf of the governments of countries such as Algeria, China, Cuba, Czech Republic, Egypt, India, Morocco, Russia, and Turkey among others. HELSB also administers scholarships from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission to study in the United Kingdom at Masters and PhD levels. These scholarships are based on academic merit. This simply means that vulnerability and level of need play only a minimal role in selecting of candidates. What is mainly considered is the academic performance and only those that have scored very good grades may be selected. These scholarships are very competitive and, in some cases, they may only consider candidates who did pure sciences and/or scored distinctions in every subject they sat for at grade 12. It should be noted though that merely having good grades is not enough to be awarded a scholarship. Many of the applicants have good grades, so an applicant must prove why they stand out through the quality of their study plan or synopsis (essay) and also through their CV and recommendations.

To be eligible for these scholarships, you need to be a Zambian citizen with a green NRC. Undergraduate applicants need to have completed grade 12 within the three years prior to when the scholarship is being offered, Master’s applicants should hold a relevant bachelor’s degree whereas PhD applicants need to hold a relevant Master’s degree. Undergraduate applicants must have a maximum age of 24, Master’s applicants must be 34 years or younger, while PhD applicants must not be older than 39 years.

HELSB periodically advertises on their social media platforms and in newspapers when the scholarships are on offer. Those interested are encouraged to be on the lookout for such adverts in order not to miss deadlines. The specific documents that need to be submitted differ for each scholarship but are specified in the adverts. Generally, an applicant needs to have a passport. Therefore, if you have plans to apply for these scholarships you need to obtain a passport well in advance because the process may take a while and if done at the last minute, it may result in missing the deadline for submission. Another arrear that applicants need to prepare for is the writing of an essay of summarised details of the preferred course and how the intended course will enhance one’s contribution to Zambia’s development. Many applicants struggle with essay therefore it is advisable to put some thought into it even before the scholarship is advertised.

Scholarships Offered Directly by Foreign Governments

Some foreign governments select international students to sponsor directly through their embassies, consulates or diplomatic missions. Applications are made through the embassy in the applicant’s country and the preliminary assessment and selection is made by that embassy. A good example of such in Zambia, is the Japanese government MEXT scholarships for undergraduate, master’s and PhD students. In the case of the MEXT scholarships, applications are sent to the embassy of Japan in Zambia. Shortlisted candidates are then called in for further screening e.g., through written exams, interviews etc.

The screening process in these kinds of scholarships is very meticulous. Applicants are required to pay particular attention to the instructions given. Simple things such as not arranging documents in the particular order they require may cost you the chance of being selected.

Such scholarships when on offer are typically only announced on the embassy’s website or may be advertised in newspapers. It is advised that interested individuals should keep a close eye on embassy websites of countries they are interested in studying in for any possible scholarship adverts. Preferably, you can even contact the embassies through email or phone call to find out if and when they offer scholarships.

Scholarships Offered Directly by Universities Abroad

Another way of obtaining a scholarship to study abroad is by gaining admission into a foreign university that offers scholarships to international students. Universities around the world offer scholarships to students especially from developing countries to provide assistance and also to promote cultural exchange. A simple google search can help one find such universities but it is best to counter check the credibility of those institutions at the embassy located in the applicant’s home country.

The most involving part with these scholarships is gaining admission into the university. Universities abroad may have different entry requirements from those in Zambia. For instance, universities in the USA require their undergraduate students to have passed the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Testing (ACT) which are the standardised tests used for college admissions in the United States. In the UK, students are required to have passed A’ levels. It is also a requirement in English-speaking universities that applicants who are non-native speakers of English need to have passed either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). All these tests may prove to be challenging and require months of preparation before you can attempt to sit for them. They are also quite costly and all this is done before you even begin the process of application which also has costs associated to it. After passing the standardised tests, one can then proceed to apply for admission into the university of choice and if admitted can subsequently apply for a scholarship if they are on offer

Take note that not all of these scholarships are full scholarships (covering tuition fee, transportation from home country to the university, accommodation and living stipend/allowance). A 100% tuition scholarship means that it only covers the tuition fee, nothing more. Attention should be paid to understanding what the scholarship really covers before getting your hopes up. Many of these scholarships will only cover 25, 50 or 75% of your tuition fee and at times only for a single academic year or semester. Leaving you to cater for everything else including visa applications, air tickets, room and board. Only a full scholarship will cover all the costs associated with your studies.

Scholarships from NGOs

Non-governmental non-profit organisations including Churches are among the institutions that provide students with scholarships to study abroad. Scholarships from NGOs rely a lot on availability of funds sourced mostly through goodwill hence, there is little consistency. A particular NGO may be offering scholarships in one year, but the following year the same scholarships may not be on offer. Unlike merit-based scholarships that we have already discussed, these scholarships tend to lean more on selecting scholars from among the disadvantaged. These include the underprivileged, the girl child and the physically challenged. However, scholars must still demonstrate an academic capability to successfully pursue their studies abroad. Below is a list of some NGOs that are known to offer both international and local scholarships.

1. Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia (FAWEZA) Facebook: Forum for African Women Educationalists of Zambia (FAWEZA) Tel: 0975 028344 Email: admin.office@faweza.org.zm Website: faweza.org.zm
2. Masomo Education Foundation Website: masomoeducation.org Email: contact@masomoeducation.org Tel: (613) 232-6349
3. The Beit Trust Website: beittrust.org.uk/beit-trust-scholarships Email: scholarships@beittrust.org.uk / africa@beittrust.org.uk

Agencies

Agencies or agents do not themselves offer scholarships but because they can help get you admitted to a university where you stand a good chance of getting a scholarship, they are worth mentioning in this article.

Getting a scholarship through an agency is quite similar to getting a scholarship directly from a foreign university (kindly read the section under Scholarships Offered Directly by Universities Abroad to fully understand this section). Agencies operate as the middlemen between a prospective student and a university of choice as they know and understand the admission requirements and application process better. Some agencies have specific universities that they work with and those are the ones they can help you gain admission into. In a typical scenario, the agency will recommend universities that you can get admitted to depending on your budget, results, preferred programme of study and whether or not you want a scholarship. They will then make the application on your behalf and process your travel documents for you. All this is done at a fee and in some instances all payments to the university will be made through the agency. It is not guaranteed that you will be awarded a scholarship, and even if you do gain admission, you may find that you are not on any scholarship. As with other scholarships offered by international universities, not all are full scholarships and not all will cover your entire duration of study.

Extra precaution needs to be taken when it comes to agents. Agents work in the same manner as agencies, the major difference being that agents work independently as individuals. Many have been swindled out of large amounts of money under the promise of a full scholarship only to realise once they arrive at the university that they do not have a scholarship or that their scholarship was just for one semester. When dealing with an agent, we advise that you only work with one that has been recommended to you by a person that you trust. Preferably someone who has utilised their services and can confirm that they are legitimate. Some agencies that we believe to be credible are listed below.

1. Group of Russian State Universities RACUS Website: zambia.racus.ru Tel: +260 211 231 369
2. Punzila Website: www.punzila.com Tel: +260 975 083 509 Facebook: Punzila