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GENERAL
INFORMATION
Travel and Residence
International students accepted to the University
of Botswana are required to be in possession
of valid travel documents, visas and residence
permits (where applicable) to enter the country.
Basic Entrance Qualifications
1. Admission Regulations
1.1 Qualifications for Entry
1.1.1 The normal basic requirements for
entrance to Undergraduate Degree and Diploma
programmes shall be Botswana General
Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE)
with a grade C or better in English Language,
but other qualifications may be accepted on
their merit as alternatives. Entry into the Science
Degree programmes shall be on the basis of
BGCSE Science and Mathematics aggregates
and a grade D or better in English Language
or equivalents. (For further details see General
Academic Regulations covering the programme
in question.)
1.1.2 For all programmes, only the results of
examinations taken before March 1st in the year
of application will be considered in assessing an
applicant’s entrance qualifications.
1.1.3 Full particulars concerning qualifications
must normally be available to the University
before 1st March. It is the responsibility of the
applicant to ensure that all examination results
and other documents are forwarded to the
Admissions Office before the deadline.
1.1.4 Candidates who are awaiting the issue of
a certificate following results of an examination
shall normally be required to provide legal
proof of qualification from an examining body,
stating the level of the subjects passed, before
an offer of admission is issued and registration
to programmes of the University is effected.
Applicants admitted and registered under this
provision shall not normally be permitted to
register for, or write final year examinations
before submitting the certificate.
1.2 Admission Applications
1.2.1 Unless other specific instructions are
given, application forms are obtained from and
returned to:
The Undergraduate Admissions Office
University of Botswana
Private Bag 0022
Gaborone, Botswana
1.2.2 Each application shall consist of:
i) The application form to be completed by the
applicant himself/herself, in ink, clearly and in
capital letters;
ii) Academic transcripts;
iii) Certified copy of Secondary School
certificate;
iv) Appropriate application fee.
1.2.3 When returning the application form, the
applicant must enclose a (non-refundable)
application fee.
1.2.4 Applications will not be considered until
the University has received the application
form, relevant academic transcripts and
certificates, and the application fee.
1.2.5 In addition, an applicant who has attended
another university or other postsecondary
institution must submit a certificate of good
conduct, and a transcript, duly signed by the
competent officer of the issuing University.
1.2.6 Unless an applicant is notified to the
contrary, the closing date for the receipt of
complete application forms and accompanying
documents will be the last working day of March
immediately preceding the commencement of
the academic year for which application is made.
(The academic year starts in August.)
1.27 Graduate Degrees
1.271 Application procedures are as for
undergraduate study (1.2.1 to 1.2.6 above).
1.272 Admission to a programme leading to a
graduate degree must be approved by the School
of Graduate Studies on the authority of Senate.
1.273 On receipt of the completed application
forms, the Dean of the School of Graduate
Studies shall send one copy to the relevant
Head of Department who shall submit his/ her
recommendation to the Departmental Board for
consideration. The Board shall in turn forward
the application with its recommendation to
Senate via the Graduate Studies Board.
1.274 Permission to pursue a graduate degree
programme as a part-time student shall be
granted only to persons who can show that they
are able to devote a reasonable proportion of
their time to the work prescribed.
1.275 Registration for Master’s Degree
programmes by coursework and dissertation
shall normally take place at the beginning
of the first semester of each academic year
but may, in special circumstances, and on the
recommendation by the Graduate Studies Board,
take place at the beginning of the semester
following that in which the application is
approved by the Senate.
1.276 MPhil and PhD applicants may be
accepted and register anytime during the
academic year with permission of the relevant
Department/unit.
1.3 Notification of Acceptance
1.31 The Admissions Office for undergraduate
applicants and the School of Graduate Studies for
graduate applicants shall notify each applicant
whether or not he/she has been accepted for
admission to the University.
1.32 No applicant should come to the University
unless he or she has received a formal offer of
admission.
1.4 Conditions of Acceptance
1.41 Acceptance of an applicant by the
University shall be on the understanding that
the applicant undertakes to be bound by and
to observe the policies and regulations of the
University. Acceptance to the University will
be subject to the production of a satisfactory
medical certificate.
1.42 Academic Transcripts
An official transcript will be provided to each
student free at the conclusion of his/her
studies. Extra copies thereafter shall be issued at
a cost to be determined by the University from
time to time.
General Academic Regulations
2 00.0 General Provisions
00.1 Preamble
00.11 Senate reserves the right to alter,
amend, replace or cancel any of the Academic
Regulations and shall be the final authority for
the interpretation of these regulations.
00.12 Senate has the power to exempt any
student from any of the Academic Regulations.
00.13 In addition to these general academic
regulations, special faculty and departmental
regulations, which must be approved by Senate,
shall also apply.
00.14 General regulations shall take precedence
over special faculty and departmental regulations
unless Senate has otherwise provided
00.15 Faculty regulations shall take precedence
over departmental special regulations, unless
Senate has otherwise provided.
00.16 Should a regulation, according to which
a programme has been compiled, be amended,
a student who has started a programme under
the old regulation and who has not interrupted
studies, may complete such a programme in
accordance with the old regulation on condition
that a faculty board may formulate special
transitional requirements in order to enable that
student to complete studies in accordance with
the new regulation.
00.17 A student who has been admitted to
a programme and fails to register for such a
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