FET Colleges

Further Education and Training (FET) colleges are now known as Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges. These colleges are open to anyone who has completed Grade 9 and above.

What Is An FET College?

An FET college is an educational institution that provides educational opportunities to anyone who has completed Grade 9 and above.

You can choose to complete high school and get your Matric through a TVET college, or you can study vocational qualifications to get you into university courses.

What Is The Difference Between TVET And FET College?

There is no difference between TVET colleges and FET colleges. FET college is simply the old name for TVET colleges. In 2014, all public FET colleges became TVET colleges.

Does NSFAS Fund FET Colleges?

Yes, NSFAS does fund public FET colleges. However, when FET colleges became TVET colleges, public FET colleges became TVET colleges, and private FET colleges simply became colleges. Private colleges are not officially known as TVET colleges.

NSFAS will fund studies done at public TVET colleges, but NSFAS does not fund any studies done at any private institutions.

Can I Do Matric At FET College?

Yes, you can do your Matric through an FET college. These colleges offer National Certificate (Vocational) levels, often referred to as NC (V) levels. These levels are offered at NQF levels 2, 3, and 4, which are equivalent to Grade 10, 11, and Matric.

Can I Upgrade My Matric Results At A TVET College?

Yes, you can upgrade your Matric results at some TVET colleges. However, note that not all TVET colleges offer Matric Upgrade programmes. Check with the TVET colleges you are applying to about whether they offer Matric Upgrade programmes.

How Many FET Colleges Are There In South Africa?

There are 50 registered TVET colleges in South Africa. You can check out our list of TVET colleges in South Africa to find the TVET colleges closest to you.

What Can I Study Without Matric?

There are many courses you can study without Matric, depending on how far you completed school, and what you want to do. There are course you can study with only Grade 10, and also courses you can study with just Grade 11. There are a wide range of courses you can study without Matric, such as:

ICB courses
CIMA courses
Short courses
Matric programmes

ICB Courses

The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) offers three accredited programmes through reputable distance learning colleges. None of these courses require Matric to apply. All three courses are accredited by ICB and the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO). QCTO accreditation means that it is recognised in South Africa as a formal qualification. ICB accreditation means that these qualifications are recognised internationally, because ICB is an international organisation. The three ICB programmes offered are:

Financial Accounting
Business Management
Office Administration

ICB Course	Entry Requirement	Subject Examples	Career Opportunities with Full Qualification
Financial Accounting	Grade 10 or equivalent	Bookkeeping to Trial Balance (BKTB) Cost and Management Accounting (CMGT) Income Tax Returns (ITRT) Management Accounting Control Systems (MACS)	Financial Accountant Tax Practitioner Tax Consultant
Business Management	Grade 11 or equivalent	Business Management 1 (BMT1) Human Resources Management and Labour Relations (HRLR) Financial Reporting and Regulatory Frameworks (FRRF)	Accounting Officer Business Manager Business Advisor
Office Administration	Matric or Matric Equivalent	Business and Office Administration 1 (BOA1) Human Resources Management and Labour Relations (HRLR) Management (MGMT)	Office Manager Public Relations Manager Administrative Manager

Where Can I Study ICB Courses?

Many distance learning colleges offer ICB courses. Some reputable ones are:

CIMA Courses

The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) offers accredited Business Accounting levels through reputable distance learning colleges. CIMA Business Accounting is accredited by CIMA, which is also an international organisation. CIMA Business Accounting does not require Matric to apply, and these courses go up to the Degree level. There are four CIMA Business Accounting levels.

Business Accounting: CIMA Certificate Level
Business Accounting: CIMA Operational Level
Business Accounting: CIMA Managerial Level
Business Accounting: CIMA Strategic Level

Business Accounting: CIMA Certificate Level
Qualification	National Certificate
NQF Level	5
Accredited by	The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
SAQA ID Number	24418
Credits	120
Entry Requirements	Be 16 years or older Have had pure maths as a school subject Be able to read and write in English
Subjects	Fundamentals of Business Economics Fundamentals of Management Accounting Fundamentals of Financial Accounting Fundamentals of Ethics, Corporate Governance, and Business Law
Career Options	Business Manager Management Accountant Business Analyst

Business Accounting: CIMA Operational Level
Qualification	National Diploma
NQF Level	6
Accredited by	The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
SAQA ID Number	24406
Credits	240
Entry Requirements	Business Accounting: CIMA Certificate Level
Subjects	Managing Finance in a Digital World Financial Reporting Management Accounting Operational Case Study Operational Gateway
Career Options	Accountant Bookkeeper Financial Manager

Business Accounting: CIMA Managerial Level
Qualification	Advanced Diploma
NQF Level	6
Accredited by	The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
SAQA ID Number	24406
Credits	240
Entry Requirements	Business Accounting: CIMA Operational Level
Subjects	Managing Performance Advanced Financial Reporting Advanced Management Accounting Management Case Study Managerial Gateway
Career Options	Business Analyst Management Accountant Accounts Assistant

Business Accounting: CIMA Strategic Level
Qualification	Professional Qualification: Chartered Management Accountant
NQF Level	7
Accredited by	The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
SAQA ID Number	20400
Credits	390
Entry Requirements	Business Accounting: CIMA Managerial Level
Subjects	Strategic Management Financial Strategy Risk Management Strategic Case Study Strategic Gateway
Career Options	Debtors Clerk Business Manager Chief Financial Officer

Where Can I Study CIMA Courses?

Many distance learning colleges offer CIMA courses, such as:

Short Courses

Short courses are non-accredited courses that are designed by the college that offers the course, and are created to develop your workplace skills. These courses aim to get you workplace-ready by the time you complete your qualification.

These courses are skills-based, and more employers are choosing candidates with short course qualifications because of this.

Each of the short courses listed below is open-access, meaning the only entry requirements are that you are 16 or older, and that you can understand, read and write in English.

Short Courses At Matric College

Short Courses At Skills Academy

Short Courses At Ember Academy

Short Courses At Learning Group

Matric Programmes

Matric programmes allow students to get their Matric online, whether they failed and would like to pass, passed but would like to improve their results, or have not written their Matric and would like to complete their Matric. There are three options:

Matric Rewrite is for students under 21 who have written Matric and would like to improve their results
Matric Upgrade is for students who are 21 or older, have written Matric and would like to improve their results
Adult Matric, is for those who are 21 or older and have not written Matric, and would like to get their Matric

Matric Rewrite

You can do a Matric Rewrite up to five years after your Matric year, as long as you are still under the age of 21. There is no limit to how many times you can rewrite your Matric, as long as you are still under 21.

You may rewrite up to four of your Matric subjects. Note that you cannot change any of your subjects, you must rewrite subjects you wrote for your Matric final exams.

Matric Upgrade

You can do a Matric Upgrade any time after you have turned 21. There is no limit to how many times you can upgrade your Matric. There is no time limit to when you can upgrade your Matric, as long as you are 21 or older.

You may upgrade up to four of your Matric subjects. However, you may choose to change up to four of your subjects to new subjects.

Adult Matric

You can do an Adult Matric if you are 21 or older and have not written your Matric before. By completing your Adult Matric, you can get your Senior Certificate (Amended).

This Adult Matric certificate will function the same way as a National Senior Certificate, known as a school Matric. You can use your Adult Matric certificate to apply to further your studies, depending on how well you passed, or to apply for work.

Where Can I Study Matric Programmes?

There are many reputable colleges that offer Matric programmes through distance learning, such as:

Colleges such as Skills Academy offer a number of simple payment methods, to help students afford the courses they would like to study.

What Have We Learned?

FET colleges are now known as TVET colleges
There is no difference between an FET college and a TVET college
NSFAS does fund public TVET colleges
You can do your Matric at a TVET college
You can upgrade your Matric at some TVET colleges
There are a wide variety of courses you can study even if you do not have Matric

Author: Chloe Bydawell
Editor: Sive Ncanywa
Date: August 12, 2022

Contact Us

First Name*
Last Name*
Email*
Cell Number*
Course Interested In*
Email
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

FET College