Tanzania Commission for Universities

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHANGE OF PROCEDURES, REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUMADMISSION ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS FOR UNDERGRADUATESTUDENTS

1.0. Background

This is to inform the General Public and allProspective applicants for admission into various undergraduate degree programmes that, pursuant tosection 5(1)(c)(i) of the Universities Act, Cap. 346 ofthe Laws of Tanzania, the Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU) is mandated to provide guidanceand monitor criteria for admission to universities in the United Republic of Tanzania. The minimumadmission entry qualifications currently in use were approved by the Commission in 2011.

2.0. Rationale for change of Minimum Admission EntryQualifications

In recent years, there have been concerns from different stakeholders on the quality of candidates being admitted to various universities,hence negatively affecting the quality of training and the resultant output/graduates. Similarly, there are concerns that by lowering the minimum points for admission into university institutions, almost every candidate with two principal passesis eligible to join a university and thereforeleaving most of the middle level tertiaryinstitutions without qualified students.

3.0. New Minimum Admission Entry Qualifications

In view of such concerns, the Commission has decided to raise the threshold for the minimum entry points for admission to university education. Thus from the 2016/2017academic year, the new Minimum Admission Entry Qualifications for Undergraduate Students shall now be as follows:

NO.	CATEGORYOFAPPLICANTS	MINIMUM ADMISSION ENTRYQUALIFICATIONS
1.	Completed A-Level studies before2014	Two principal passes (Two Ds) with a total of 4.0 points (where A = 5; B = 4; C= 3; D = 2; E = 1).
2.	Completed A-Levelstudies in 2014 and2015	Two principal passes (Two Cs) with a total of 4.0 points (where A = 5; B+ = 4; B = 3; C= 2; D = 1).
3.	Completed A –Levelstudies from 2016	Two principal passes (Two Ds) with a total of 4.0 points (where A = 5; B = 4; C= 3; D = 2; E = 1).
4.	Recognition of PriorLearningqualification	B+ Grade: where A =75-100, B+ = 65-74, B=50-64, C =40-49, D = 35-39, F = 0-38.
5.	Equivalentapplicants	At least four O’-Level passes (Ds and above) or NVA Level III with less than four O’-Level passes or equivalent foreign qualifications as established by either NECTA or VETA; AND
		i) At least a GPA of 3.5 for OrdinaryDiploma (NTA Level 6); OR
		ii) Average of B for Full TechnicianCertificate (FTC) (where A=5, B=4,C=3, and D=2 points); OR
		iii) Average of ‘B+’ Grade Teacher Education; OR	for	Diploma	in
		iv) Average of ‘B+’ Grade for Healthrelated awards such as Clinical Medicine and others; OR
		v) A Distinction for unclassified diplomasand certificates.
		vi) Upper Second Class for classifiednon-NTA diplomas.