Subject Choices in Grade 9 – which subjects should you choose

To decide what you want to do with life in Grade 9 may seem like a big ask, but the subjects you choose for your senior phase in high-school will impact your future. At the end of Grade 9, you will get the opportunity to choose your subjects for Grades 10 to Matric. Your choice of subjects will open up many study opportunities for you and will close others.

It is therefore important that when you are in Grade 9, you ensure that your chosen subjects are aligned with your potential future studies. Your subject choices will also be impacted by the various subjects your school offers.

To ensure you are making the right choice, look at what you would potentially want to study and what subjects you would need to get there. In this article we will dive more into this topic and ultimately help you decide what subjects would be best for you.

How many subjects will you select in Grade 9?

In order to receive your National Senior Certificate (NSC), you will need to complete 7 subjects (and a maximum of 12 subjects). 4 of these subjects are compulsory, with the other 3 chosen by you.

The 4 compulsory subjects are:

1 Home Language
1 First Additional Language
Mathematics or Mathematics Literacy
Life Orientation

Your choice will be from a list of 25 approved subjects, with the option of a maximum of 2 additional languages.

Languages (Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Siswati, Tshivenda, Xitsonga)
Accounting
Agricultural Science
Agricultural Management Practice
Agricultural Technology
Business Studies
Civil Technology
Computer Applications Technology
Consumer Studies
Dance Studies
Design Studies
Dramatic Arts
Economics
Electrical Technology
Engineering Graphics and Design
Geography
History
Hospitality Studies
Information Technology
Life Sciences
Mechanical Technology
Music
Physical Science
Religion Studies
Tourism
Visual Arts

Can I change my subjects I selected in Grade 9?

Yes – in Grade 10 and Grade 11 you will be allowed to change up to 2 subjects for other subjects. In Matric, you will be able to change 1 subject for another subject.

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Why is it vital that you make an informed decision?

The subjects you choose in Grade 9 will determine what field of study you will enter post-high school. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to consider your future study options so that you can make an informed decision. Should you not research your study options before selecting your subjects, you could unfortunately find yourself unable to enter various further education programmes.

Certain career paths may require that you complete a degree at a higher education institution or another qualification (certificate or diploma) through SETA or a FET. In order to qualify for this, you need to choose the correct subjects. This will allow you to meet the necessary minimum requirements for further studies.

With regards to Degree or Diploma studies, it’s important that you choose subjects that connect with your chosen career and that you keep your options open. This is in their event that your plans change as you progress through the years.

Studies after Matric

Once you have chosen the subjects that will gain you admission into university, you will then need to ensure that your performance in each subject is exemplary. You will need to obtain a certain level of achievement to qualify for entry into a tertiary institution, with universities measuring your potential with a point rating system. Therefore, it is vital that you perform well in all your subjects, as it will open more doors in your future.

When applying for tertiary studies, institutions will consider your Grade 11 results before you have written your National Senior Certificate. Therefore, each subject you choose at the end of Grade 9 will have its own entry criteria that you will need to obtain at a certain level.

University and University of Technology studies

Should you choose to study at a university after school, you are required to obtain at least an NSC with a minimum achievement rating of 4 in at least four of the following 20-credit NSC subjects:

Accounting
Agricultural Sciences
Business Studies
Dramatic Arts
Economics
Engineering Graphics and Design
Geography
History
Consumer Studies
Information Technology
Languages (be sure to view various institution websites for language entry requirements)
Life Sciences
Mathematics
Mathematical Literacy
Music
Physical Sciences
Religion studies
Visual Arts

Should you choose to study at a University of Technology after school, you are required to obtain at least a NSC with a minimum achievement rating of 3 in at least four of the following 20-credit NSC subjects:

Accounting
Agricultural Management Practices
Agricultural Sciences
Agricultural technology
Business Studies
Civil Technology
Computer Applications Technology
Consumer Studies
Dance Studies
Dramatic Arts
Economics
Electrical Technology
Engineering Graphics and Design
Geography
History
Hospitality Studies
Information Technology
Languages (be sure to view various institution websites for language entry requirements)
Life Sciences
Mechanical Technology
Mathematics
Mathematical Literacy
Music
Physical Sciences
Religion studies
Tourism
Visual Arts

Read about: APS score for university entrance

Subject choice tool

If you are still unsure of which subjects you should choose (it is a big decision), then this subject selector tool by the Department of Higher Education and Training, may help you with:

Determining what you can do with different subjects
Checking which subjects are compulsory for your chosen career field
Choosing the correct subjects

Subject choices for certain career fields

If you have an idea of what you would like to study after completing high school, you will need to have completed the following subjects (these many differ by university):

Agrisciences

The following subjects are recommended: Agricultural Management Practices, Agricultural
Sciences, Agricultural Technology, Life Sciences.
Mathematics and Physical Science is compulsory.

Arts and Culture

The following subjects are recommended: Visual Art, Design, Dramatic Arts, Dance
Studies, Music (depending on your field of interest).
Students who select Mathematical Literacy may have access to all fields of study, however, Mathematics is required for those who would like to complete take Mathematics as a subject at university (Mathematics is possible in the music field of study).

Economics and Business Management

The following subjects are recommended: Business Studies, Accounting, Economics, Information Technology (depending on your field of interest).
Mathematics is compulsory.

Education

The following subjects are recommended for teaching modules (intermediary phase education): Natural Sciences (Ed), Life Sciences or Physical Sciences, Social Sciences (Ed), History or Geography.
Students who select Mathematical Literacy may have access to all fields of study, however, certain teaching modules may require certain subjects.

Engineering and Technology

The following subjects are recommended: Civil Technology, Electrical Technology, Mechanical Technology, Engineering Graphics and Design, Information Technology, Computer Application Technology (depending on your field of interest).
Mathematics and Physical Science is compulsory.

See which bursaries are OPEN for application here

Humanities and Social Sciences

The following subjects are recommended: History, Geography, Religion Studies, Additional Languages (depending on your field of interest).
Students who select Mathematical Literacy may have access to all fields of study, however, Mathematics is required for those who would like to complete take Mathematics, Statistics or Economics as a subject at university.

Law

There are no compulsory or recommended subjects, however, Mathematics is required for those who would like to complete take Statistics as a subject at university.
Mathematics is compulsory if you want to pursue BCom (Law) or BAccLLB studies.

Medicine and Health Sciences

Mathematics, Physical Sciences and/or Life Sciences (depending on the requirements of the programme that you choose) is compulsory.

Science and Technology

The following subjects are recommended: Life Sciences, Information Technology, Computer
Application Technology (depending on your field of interest).
Mathematics and Physical Science is compulsory.

Read our other tips and articles here:
Read our top tips on submitting your bursary application for the best chance of success.
Read our tips on how to write a bursary motivational letter here.
Read about how to prepare for a bursary interview here here.
Read about the various ways to get free education in South Africa.
Read about the National Benchmark Test (NBT) for University Entrance.

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This post was last updated in June 2023.
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