Careers › Built environment

How to become a Construction & Property Professional

Costs, manages and values construction projects and property.

This needs more than the degree

Most routes into this field end in registration with SACQSP or SACPCMP after your degree, with further experience and board requirements that vary by specialisation – check the current requirements for the specific route you’re aiming at.

What does a Construction & Property Professional actually do?

More about this career

Quantity surveyors cost a construction project from the first sketch to the final invoice – estimating materials and labour, managing budgets and valuing the work as it’s built. It’s one of the more secure built-environment careers, since every project, public or private, needs one.

Where this degree can take you

  • Construction Cost Manager
  • Property Valuer
  • Contracts Manager
  • Project Manager (construction)

This is our general description of the role and related jobs, not from an official source – it’s here to give you a fuller picture, not as a careers-counselling guarantee.

Not from an official source

Subjects that usually help

  • Mathematics
  • Physical Sciences (for some routes)

This is our general guidance about which school subjects suit this career. It is not an admission requirement and not from an official source – the real requirements are on the degrees below.

Not from an official source

Where to check this yourself

What the programmes we’ve captured actually ask for

  • Mathematics – asked for by 19 of 19 programmes
  • Physical Sciences – asked for by 13 of 19 programmes
  • Technical Mathematics – asked for by 6 of 19 programmes
  • Technical Sciences – asked for by 5 of 19 programmes
  • Accounting – asked for by 3 of 19 programmes

Counted from the requirements below (an “or” alternative counts for each subject named). Each programme links to the page it came from.

Programmes that lead here

19 programmes at 11 universities. More are added as we verify them.

Central University of Technology

Partly verifiedSources disagree

Bachelor of Built Environment in Quantity Surveying

Engineering, Built Environment & IT

CUT APS 32 points out of 49

  • English: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 5 (60% or more)

CUT’s own page is internally inconsistent: the paragraph headed for pre-2008 matriculants gives 32 CUT points and 60-69% (level 5) in English, Mathematics and Physical Science, while the paragraph for 2008-onwards NSC says only "minimum NQF level 4" in those three subjects with no points figure. Level 5 and 32 points are shown as the safer reading - confirm with CUT.

Source: View the official page (cut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Partly verifiedSources disagree

Bachelor of Construction Management

Engineering, Built Environment & IT

CUT APS 32 points out of 49

  • English: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 5 (60% or more)

Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against CUT’s own programme page (it carries no intake year; applications for 2027 closed 30 September 2026). As with Quantity Surveying, CUT’s page is inconsistent: the paragraph headed for pre-2008 matriculants gives 32 points and 60-69% (level 5) in English, Mathematics and Physical Science, while the 2008-onwards paragraph says only "minimum NQF level 4". Level 5 and 32 are shown as the safer reading - confirm with CUT.

Source: View the official page (cut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Durban University of Technology

No cut-off published

Bachelor of the Built Environment in Construction Studies

Engineering & the Built Environment

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 4 (50% or more) OR Technical Sciences: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Two more subjects – Two further recognised NSC subjects at level 4 or better.

Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against the DUT 2027 Study Opportunities entry-requirements table (subject levels match). Read directly from DUT’s own career leaflet - no single APS number is stated, only these subject minimums. A generic Built Environment qualification that lets students specialise into Quantity Surveying or Construction Management at honours level. From DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus. Applications go through the CAO (cao.ac.za), not directly to DUT; general closing date 30 September 2026 (fee R250 SA / R300 international).

Source: View the official page (dut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

No cut-off publishedSelection programme

Diploma in Built Environment in Construction Studies

Engineering & the Built Environment

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 4 (50% or more) OR Technical Sciences: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Two more subjects – Two further recognised NSC 20-credit subjects at level 4.

New row, read directly from DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus (dut-pass-3). Closes 30 September 2026. From DUT’s 2027 Study Opportunities prospectus. Applications go through the CAO (cao.ac.za), not directly to DUT; general closing date 30 September 2026 (fee R250 SA / R300 international).

Source: View the official page (dut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Mangosuthu University of Technology

No cut-off published

Diploma in Building

Engineering · 3 years

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 4 (50% or more)

Raw-read from MUT’s own First-Year Prospectus 2026 (qualification tables, read 2026-10-04): English (First Additional Language) 4 and the Mathematics and Physical Science levels shown; 3 years; further departmental screening applies. CAO code MN-M-DBU.

Source: View the official page (mut.ac.za) (opens the official page)

No cut-off published

Building Access Course (bridging)

Engineering

No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.

  • English: level 4 (50% or more) OR English: level 3 (40% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 3 (40% or more)

Read 2026-10-04 from MUT’s own 2026 First-Year Prospectus: a bridging access course for applicants who do not meet the diploma entrance requirements (Mathematics 3, Physical Science 3, English Home Language 4 or First Additional Language 3). It is not itself a diploma.

Source: View the official page (mut.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Nelson Mandela University

Selection programme

BSc (Construction Economics / Construction Management)

Engineering, the Built Environment & Technology · 3 years

NMU Applicant Score (AS) 370 out of 600

  • Mathematics: 55%

New row, from the user-supplied NMU Z-Card admissions summary - Construction Economics and Construction Studies (Construction Management) are two separate BSc streams sharing this exact AS and Mathematics figure.

Source: View the official page (eleceng.mandela.ac.za) (opens the official page)

Selection programme

Diploma (Building)

Engineering, the Built Environment & Technology · 3 years

NMU Applicant Score (AS) 330 out of 600

  • Mathematics: 45% OR Technical Mathematics: 45%

Raw-read 2026-10-04 from the user-supplied NMU "Undergraduate Programmes 2027" Z-Card (A-Z table of Applicant Scores and subject percentages). Leads to the Advanced Diploma in Quantity Management / Construction Management. Admission is subject to departmental selection.

Source: View the official page (mandela.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Tshwane University of Technology

Diploma in Building Science

Engineering & the Built Environment

TUT APS 26 points

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 3 (40% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 3 (40% or more) OR Technical Sciences: level 3 (40% or more)

New row, read directly from TUT’s 2026 faculty prospectus (tut-pass-3). Closes 30 September 2026 (TUT First-Year Course Information).

Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Cape Town

BSc Construction Studies

Engineering & the Built Environment · 3 years

UCT Faculty Points Score 450 out of 600 (band a)

  • Mathematics: 65%
  • Physical Sciences: 60%

Band A (guaranteed offer) is an FPS of 450. Band B (likely offer) is a WPS of 420 - the WPS adds a 0-10% disadvantage factor that we cannot work out from your marks, so we only check you against Band A. Band C (390) applies to redress categories only. Physical Sciences 60% applies to Band A; Bands B and C need 55%.

Source: View the official page (uct.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

BSc Property Studies

Engineering & the Built Environment · 3 years

UCT Faculty Points Score 450 out of 600 (band a)

  • Mathematics: 65%

Band A (guaranteed offer) is an FPS of 450. Band B (likely offer) is a WPS of 420 - the WPS adds a 0-10% disadvantage factor that we cannot work out from your marks, so we only check you against Band A. Band C (390) applies to redress categories only.

Source: View the official page (uct.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Johannesburg

BSc in Construction

Engineering & the Built Environment · 3 years

UJ APS 30 points

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 5 (60% or more) OR Technical Sciences: level 5 (60% or more)

CONFIRMED 2026-10-02 against the user-supplied 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus PDF (CONSTRUCTION, B6CN0Q): APS 30, English 4 (50%+), Mathematics/Technical Mathematics 5 (60%+), Physical/Technical Science 5 (60%+), 3 years. Feeds into the BSc Honours in Quantity Surveying. An extended (4-year) version, B6SC0Q, exists at APS 26.

Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of Pretoria

BSc Construction Management

Engineering, Built Environment & IT · 3 years

UP APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 4 (50% or more) OR Accounting: level 4 (50% or more)

From the user-supplied EBIT 2027 Faculty Yearbook (programme code 12132034). Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.

Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

BSc Quantity Surveying

Engineering, Built Environment & IT · 3 years

UP APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 4 (50% or more) OR Accounting: level 4 (50% or more)

From the user-supplied EBIT 2027 Faculty Yearbook (programme code 12132032). Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.

Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

BSc Real Estate

Engineering, Built Environment & IT · 3 years

UP APS 30 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 4 (50% or more) OR Accounting: level 4 (50% or more)

From the user-supplied EBIT 2027 Faculty Yearbook (programme code 12132033) - leads to registration as a professional property valuer after an Honours year, not quantity surveying, but no dedicated career page exists for that yet. Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.

Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

University of the Free State

Selection programme

BSc (Quantity Surveying / Construction Management / Construction Economics)

Natural & Agricultural Sciences

UFS AP score 30 points out of 49

  • English: level 4 if it is your Home Language, level 4 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Economics, Business Studies, Accounting or Physical Science – One of these four at level 4 (50%).

New row, from the user-supplied 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus, covering three related streams (Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Construction Economics and Management) that all share this AP and subject profile. SACQSP/SACPCMP/SACPVP accredited, with international RICS accreditation. Closing date 30 September.

Source: View the official page (ufs.ac.za) (opens the official page)

University of the Witwatersrand

Construction Studies

Engineering & the Built Environment · 3 years

Wits APS 36 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)

Confirmed unchanged by a direct fetch of the 2027 course-finder page (2026-10-02 spot-check). APS 30-35 is wait-listed subject to place availability.

Source: View the official page (wits.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Property Studies

Engineering & the Built Environment · 3 years

Wits APS 36 points

  • English: level 5 if it is your Home Language, level 5 if it is your First Additional Language
  • Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)

Confirmed unchanged by a direct fetch of the 2027 course-finder page (2026-10-02 spot-check). APS 30-35 is wait-listed subject to place availability.

Source: View the official page (wits.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Walter Sisulu University

Diploma in Building Technology

Engineering, Built Environment & Information Technology · 3 years

WSU APS 24 points out of 48 (56 for Education programmes)

  • English: level 4 (50% or more)
  • Mathematics: level 4 (50% or more) OR Technical Mathematics: level 5 (60% or more)
  • Physical Sciences: level 3 (40% or more) OR Technical Sciences: level 4 (50% or more)

Raw-read 2026-10-04 from WSU’s own 2027 Undergraduate Information Brochure & Admission Requirements (main-stream figures; Extended Curriculum Programmes accept a lower APS, noted where the brochure gives one). Extended Curriculum route: APS 22. Quantity Surveying and Construction Management at technician level. Applications: the brochure lists no closing date - check wsu.ac.za.

Source: View the official page (wsu.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake

Are your marks enough?

Put your subjects in once and we’ll check them against every programme above – scored each university’s own way.

What do I qualify for?