Admission Guidelines

The National Council for Technical Education (NACTE) was established to regulate and coordinate all matters pertaining to technical education and training in Tanzania.

Pursuant to the above mandate, among other functions, NACTE has to ensure efficient and effective admission service to both public and private technical institutions. Thus, NACTE shall coordinate admission of students into various programmes offered by technical institutions in order to ensure that all selected applicants have the requisite authentic entry qualifications for courses offered.

The role of NACTE in this endeavor shall be to examine and verify entry qualifications for all applicants selected by technical institutions. The Council may query doubtful school academic records of selected applicants and uses defined criteria in allocating applicants selected by more than one institution into programmes of their preference.

Considering the array of technical institutions under the ambit of NACTE and the number of programmes offered for every National Technical Awards (NTA) level, the Council shall coordinate the selection and admission of students into programmes at NTA level 7 (Higher Diploma) and above. For lower NTA levels, technical institutions are mandated to develop admission guidelines for controlling and managing the selection and admissions, but the same must be approved by NACTE.

The selection of students into public or private non-university tertiary institutions remains the responsibility of individual institutions. In order for an applicant to be eligible for selection into a technical institution therefore, he/she must satisfy both institution’s and course entrance requirements. Admission requirements for each level shall be stipulated in the College/Institute Admission Regulations.

Being eligible for a course, however, shall not guarantee selection and admission. Applicants for places in technical institutions will normally compete for available places. The standard admission criteria developed by technical institutions for approval by NACTE must meet the following minimum conditions:

Minimum Entry Requirements from Basic Technician Certificate (NTA 4 ) to Bachelors Degree (NTA 8) Programmes

Admission guidelines for technical institutions specify minimum entry qualifications for all levels of qualification offered by Technical institutions. This entails entry requirements for each NTA levels as follows:

(a) For NTA 4 - Basic Technician Certificate: Possession of at least four passes of relevant form four subjects or its equivalent established by NECTA based on Tanzania education system; or possession of at least two passes of relevant form four subjects or its equivalent established by NECTA based on Tanzania education system and NVA level 3 or its equivalent established by VETA.

(b) For NTA 5 - Technician Certificate: Possession of relevant NTA level 4 or its equivalent established by NACTE or possession of at least one principal and one subsidiary pass at Tanzania A-level or its equivalent established by NECTA

(c) For NTA 6 - Ordinary Diploma: Possession of relevant NTA level 5 or its equivalent established by NACTE

(d) For NTA 7- Higher Diploma which is part of NTA 8- Bachelors Degree:

(i) At least four O-level passes in relevant subjects or its equivalence and NTA Level 6 with at least second class lower or B grades in relevant modules or equivalent qualifications in the related field.

Or

Must hold at least three O-level credit passes in relevant subjects; and

(ii) For Arts students must have at least two principal level passes in appropriate subjects at "A" level education and must have grade point average of not less than 4.5 where: A = 5, B = 4, C = 3, D = 2, E = 1, S = 0.5 and F = 0; while

(iii) For Science students must have two principal passes of any level in relevant subjects.

(iv) Applicants who meet the general entry requirements as specified in (a) or (b) above but lack the specific course entry requirements must undertake and pass the institution’s approved foundation or pre- entry programme.

(v) Science students with only one principal pass must undergo an approved pre-entry programme of not less than ten weeks and pass the relevant examination as set by technical institutions.

(vi) Arts applicants with less than two "A"- level principal passes or who do not have "A" level qualifications such as those from the Kenya 8-4-4 education system or those using 12 years of pre-university education must undertake an approved foundation or pre-entry programme of not less than six months and pass the set examinations before they can be considered for selection.

Every institution is, therefore, required to have in place an approved foundation course or pre-entry course, to cater for the three groups of applicants mentioned above.

(vii)Applicants under equivalent qualifications with non-NTA qualifications must meet the following conditions before they can be selected:

-  Must hold at least four O-level passes in relevant subjects; and

-  Must hold a certificate at first class level or diploma at a minimum of second class level or credit for classified awards or average grade of B for unclassified awards except Full Technician Certificate holder who should posses at least an average of C grade all obtained from TCU or NACTE recognized and or accredited institutions; or

-  Applicants with certificates with less than credit level or second upper or average of B or diplomas of less than second class level or below average grade of B for unclassified awards must show proof that they have had at least two years of work experience in the relevant field of study needed and must, in addition, sit and pass the institution’s entry or mature age examination or undergo a ten weeks approved foundation or pre-entry course for those without work experience.

Note:There are two types of awards offered by technical institutions and other related institutions. They may be classified or unclassified awards.

For classified awards: There are three categories of institutions which offer such awards: First category of institutions specify class of awards in the levels first, second upper or lower classes and pass class. Second category of the same has: first, second and pass classes and the third category of institutions specify class of awards in the levels of distinction, credit and pass.

For unclassified awards: There are number institutions which do not classify their awards. These types of institutions include but not limited to institutions offering health related qualifications, teacher education institutions and the former institutions that were offering Full Technician Certificates courses.

Institutions are advised to liaise with the National Council of Technical Education (NACTE) to verify the status of institutions offering Certificates or Ordinary Diplomas submitted in support of applications for places in higher education institutions.