Click here to find out the requirements for the Undergraduate Degree Programmes
Applicants are required to satisfy the relevant University minimum entrance
requirements for matriculation, either at Normal or Lower Level, before being
considered for admission to degree or other programmes. These are explained
below:
(a) Normal matriculation: admission to undergraduate degree courses
Applicants with the qualifications listed in Schemes A and B below are eligible
under normal matriculation for admission to degree programmes, provided that
they have an acceptable pass in English (A) in an examination of the Caribbean
Examination Council (CXC) or an acceptable equivalent. (An acceptable pass
in a CXC examination is defined as a pass with Grades I or II at the General
Proficiency Level, or Grade III General Proficiency from June 1998.)
Holders of CXC Certificates, General Certificates of Education (GCE) (or
the approved equivalents) who satisfy either Scheme A or Scheme B as stated
below:
Scheme A: They possess FIVE (5) subjects of which at least TWO (2) must be
GCE
Advanced Level (A-Level) passes, while the remainder may be acceptable passes
in the CXC or GCE "0" Level examinations.
Scheme B: They possess passes in FOUR (4) subjects of which at least THREE
must be GCE A-Level passes, while the fourth may be an acceptable pass in
the CXC or GCE "0" Level examinations.
CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination)
- Candidates who have passed two 2-unit courses in a particular subject
area fall within the two (2) A' Level matriculation standing (Reference
Scheme A).
- Six (6) Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) Units, including
the two single-unit courses - Caribbean Studies and Communication Studies
will be accepted for normal matriculation (Reference Scheme B).
In either scheme the subjects must be those approved by the University as
listed in its Regulations and need not have been passed at one sitting.
With the exception of the special concession for Mathematics subjects, no
subject may be counted at both CXC General Proficiency level and GCE Advanced
level and some subjects cannot be counted together.
Associate degrees
An Associate Degree from the Barbados Community College, the College of the
Bahamas, and St. John's College, Belize; the Associate Degree in Science of
the Marryshow Community College, Grenada; the Associate Degree in Management
Studies, Royal Bank Institute of Business and Technology (ROYTEC), Trinidad
& Tobago; and the Associate Degree in Business offered by the Council
of Community Colleges, Jamaica, provided that holders achieve a Grade Point
Average of 2.5 or above.
(b) Lower level matriculation
The following are eligible under lower level matriculation:
Holders of five (5) CXC or GCE "0" Level certificates with acceptable
passes or equivalent, not necessarily obtained at the same sitting, as follows:
(i) English (A), and
(ii) Mathematics or a foreign language, or an approved science (not Health
Science), or additional Mathematics or Geography
(iii) Three (3) other approved subjects not already counted above
You should note that the same subject cannot be counted at both CXC
General Proficiency and GCE Ordinary Level.
(c) Mature students
(i) Applicants will be considered for admission if they fulfil the following
criteria:
- have been out of school for at least five (5) years
- is over the age of 21 years
- have demonstrated academic potential
- have gained academically relevant knowledge and work place experience.
(ii) Applicants will be required to present, where appropriate:
- official academic transcripts*, certificate, documents and references
- a document outlining knowledge development and employment record
(iii) Applicants may be interviewed by the Dean of Faculty or his/her nominee
who may also administer a test.
Applicants should also submit two (2) references in support of their applications.
Please note that admission under this category is not guaranteed and is subject
to approval by the Faculty.
* Transcripts should be forwarded directly from the issuing institution to Assistant Registrar(Admissions),
Distance Education Registry,
2nd Floor Main Administration Building,
University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine, Trinidad
.
Transcripts in the student’s possession are not usually accepted as authentic
records of academic achievements.
(d) Specially admitted students
Some students may be able to apply to take distance education courses under
the category of specially admitted students. Below is an extract from the
UWI’s regulations for specially admitted students, taken from the University
Calendar 1999/2000, p.22.
In addition to the students admitted to courses leading to degrees, the Vice
Chancellor may admit to the University as specially admitted students, for
limited periods, such as he may deem fit provided that they comply with the
following regulations.
Special admission
The following persons are eligible for special admission:
1) Persons sponsored by governments or other employers to read certain courses,
not for credit towards a University qualification, under a special arrangement.
2) Private individuals who wish to pursue and develop a particular area of
intellectual interest.
3) Graduates of the University of the West Indies or of other recognized
universities who wish to pursue a particular course or courses:
(a) to equip themselves for a particular job;
(b) increase efficiency in the performance of a job;
(c) to satisfy entry requirements to a programme in this or another institution;
(d) to update or improve their knowledge in a subject.
- Such students should be known as “specially admitted students”.
- Applications for special admission must be made on appropriate forms.
- To be considered for entry as “specially admitted students,”
applicants should normally be matriculable.
- Those students who do not satisfy the requirements for entry to the
University must provide satisfactory evidence of their previous studies.
In appropriate cases they may be required to sit for a special entrance
examination. In the assessment of the qualifications of applicants due
allowance should be made for their maturity.
- Specially admitted students shall be required to pay the appropriate
fees as are in force.
- Such students shall be required to comply with the General Regulations
for Students as are in force.
- Normally a specially admitted student should be allowed to take no more
than twelve (12) credits in any given year; nor more than a total of 24
credits under this category of registration.
- Specially admitted students are permitted to write the University examinations
appropriate to the course(s) they have been allowed to pursue.
- Their membership of the University shall be subject to satisfactory
reports on their work and conduct.
- The credits obtained through special admission can be counted towards
UWI certification and University programmes provided they have been obtained
within such time limits as are set from time to time by the institution.
If, at some later time, a student who was specially admitted should seek
entry into a programme in which the course(s) taken are a part, the student
will need to apply for exemption and/or credit, and cannot use such a course(s)
for matriculation purposes.
(e) Provisional matriculation in the distance education programme
Mature applicants to programmes in the UWIDEC (i.e. those who would be aged
21 or more at the time of entry to the programme) who do not satisfy minimum
entrance requirements may be admitted on a provisional basis. Such students
will be required to complete successfully a number of courses, not less than
four, to be specified by the UWIDEC in the light of their background and the
programme they intend to take. Upon successful completion of these courses
within a timeframe determined by the UWIDEC, such students will be registered
as normally matriculated students.
