There are a wide variety of courses you can study online, such as:
- NATED courses
- ICB courses
- CIMA courses
- Short courses
- Matric programmes
You can study accredited courses or non-accredited courses, and you can do so through a number of distance learning colleges.
If you are studying an accredited course, be sure to check that the institution you choose to study at is accredited to offer those courses. Always make sure the institution you are applying to is a registered education provider.
Which Courses Can I Study Online?
You can study any of the courses listed above through reputable distance learning colleges. These courses are offered fully online, so there are no face-to-face classes. This means you are completely in control of when and where you study, as long as you have a device and internet connection to access your course material.
NATED Courses
National Accredited Technical Education Diploma (NATED) courses are created by the Department of Higher Education and Training. This is in an effort to help bridge the youth unemployment gap.
These courses have been accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), which means that educational institutions and potential employers in South Africa can recognise these as formal qualifications.
NATED courses go up to the Diploma level. There are seven streams of study:
- Business Management
- Educare
- Financial Management
- Human Resource Management
- Legal Secretary
- Management Assistant
- Marketing Management
NATED Course | Entry Requirement | Subject Examples | Career Opportunities with Full Qualification |
Business Management | Matric: National Senior Certificate or Amended Senior Certificate |
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Educare | Matric: National Senior Certificate or Amended Senior Certificate |
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Financial Management | Matric: National Senior Certificate or Amended Senior Certificate |
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Human Resource Management | Matric: National Senior Certificate or Amended Senior Certificate |
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Legal Secretary | Matric: National Senior Certificate or Amended Senior Certificate |
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Management Assistant | Matric: National Senior Certificate or Amended Senior Certificate |
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Marketing Management | Matric: National Senior Certificate or Amended Senior Certificate |
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Where Can I Study NATED Courses?
There are many reputable distance learning institutions that offer NATED courses, such as:
ICB Courses
- Financial Accounting
- Business Management
- Office Administration
ICB Course |
Entry Requirement |
Subject Examples |
Career Opportunities with Full Qualification |
Financial Accounting |
Grade 10 or equivalent |
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Business Management |
Grade 11 or equivalent |
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Office Administration |
Matric or Matric Equivalent |
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Where Can I Study ICB Courses?
CIMA Courses
CIMA Business Accounting courses are offered through reputable distance learning colleges by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). These courses are accredited by CIMA, which is also an international organisation. CIMA Business Accounting courses have four levels, which go all the way up to the Degree level.- 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 |
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Qualification |
National Certificate |
NQF Level |
5 |
Accredited by |
The Chartered Institute of Management Accountants |
SAQA ID Number |
24418 |
Credits |
120 |
Entry Requirements |
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Subjects |
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Career Options |
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Business Accounting: CIMA Operational Level |
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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 |
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Career Options |
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Business Accounting: CIMA Managerial Level |
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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 |
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Career Options |
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Business Accounting: CIMA Strategic Level |
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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 |
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Career Options |
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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 to develop your workplace skills. These skills help you to be workplace-ready as soon as you have completed your qualification.
The short courses listed below are all open-access, which means 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
- Beauty Therapy Courses
- Educare & Child Care Courses
- Event & Wedding Planning Courses
- Tourism & Guest House Courses
Short Courses At Skills Academy
- Accounting, Bookkeeping And Finance Courses
- Beauty Courses
- Computer Courses
- Educare And Childcare Courses
- Forensics And Policing Courses
- Human Resource Management Courses
- Insurance Courses
- Interior Decorating and Design, and Digital Photography Courses
- Management Courses
- Marketing Courses
- Occupational Health and Safety Courses
- Project Management Courses
- Tourism Courses
- Wedding And Events Planning Courses
Short Courses At Ember Academy
- Beauty Therapist Programme
- Child Daycare Programme
- Child Psychology Programme
- Crèche Management Programme
- Digital Photography Programme
- Event Management Programme
- Facial Skincare Programme
- Guest House Management Programme
- Human Resource Management Programme
- Make-up Application Programme
- Nail Care Programme
- Operational Health and Safety Programme
- Personal Assistant Programme
- Project Management Programme
- Receptionist Courses
- Supply Chain Management Programme
- Tourism Management Programme
- Tourism Marketing Programme
- Wedding Planner Programme
Short Courses At Learning Group
Matric Programmes
Matric Programmes are designed to help all students get their Matric online if they do not have their Matric yet, or to help them improve their marks if they failed and would like to pass, and even to improve their marks if they passed but are unsatisfied with their results.
There are three Matric Programmes offered:
- Matric Rewrite, which is for students under 21 who have written Matric and would like to improve their results
- Matric Upgrade, which is for students 21 or older who have written Matric and would like to improve their results
- Adult Matric, which is for adults 21 and older who have not written their Matric before, and would like to get their Matric
Matric Rewrite
You may rewrite a maximum of four subjects when doing a Matric Rewrite. You cannot change any subjects, you must rewrite subjects you wrote for your Matric final exams.
There is no limit to how many times you can rewrite your Matric. You can rewrite your Matric up to five years after your Matric exams, as long as you are still under the age of 21.
Matric Upgrade
You may upgrade a maximum of four subjects when doing a Matric Upgrade. You can also choose to change up to four of your subjects instead.
There is no limit to how many times you can upgrade your Matric. You can upgrade your Matric any time, and there is no time limit on when you can upgrade your Matric, as long as you are 21 or older.
Adult Matric
You may complete an Adult Matric Course if you are 21 or older and have not written your Matric before. You will receive your Senior Certificate (Amended) once you have successfully completed your Adult Matric.
Your Adult Matric certificate will then function the same way as a National Senior Certificate, which is known as a school Matric. You can use it to apply to further your studies, depending on how well you passed, or you can use it to apply for work.
Where Can I Study Matric Programmes?
There are many reputable colleges that offer Matric programmes through distance learning, such as:
If you would like more information on any of the above courses, you can ask one of our course specialists.
Are Online Courses Recognised In South Africa?
Yes, online courses are recognised, as long as they are accredited and the institution you study at is accredited to offer the course. However, it is also becoming more common for employers to hire candidates with short courses, as these courses are skills-orientated.
Is Distance Learning Full Time?
This is up to you. You can choose to study online full-time and complete your qualification as soon as you can, or you can choose to study part-time and work at the same time to earn an income while you are studying.
Is Distance Education Valid?
Yes, distance education is fully valid, and recognised fully as long as it is accredited. Not all employers will recognise a short course, but it is becoming more popular. However, an accredited course is recognised all over South Africa.
What Have We Learned?
- There are a wide variety of courses available to study online
- Online courses are recognised as long as they are accredited
- It is becoming more common for employers to recognise non-accredited short courses because they are skills-based
- Distance learning can be full-time or part-time, and you can choose which you would prefer
Author: Chloe Bydawell
Editor: Sive Ncanywa
Date: August 12, 2022
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