There are many places you can choose to study, whether you have your Matric or not. Your study options include:
- Universities
- TVET colleges
- Distance learning colleges
Universities
The university courses you can study will depend on your Matric pass level. There are three levels of university courses, and four Matric passing levels. The university courses that you can study after Matric are:
- Bachelor’s Degree Courses
- Diploma Courses
- Higher Certificate Courses
Your Matric passing level will determine which type of courses you can apply to. The four Matric pass levels and their requirements are shown below.
However, these are only the minimum requirements. Achieving these marks will not guarantee your entry into any universities. Many universities will also have additional or higher requirements. Check with the university you are applying to about their specific requirements.
Bachelor’s Degree Courses
There are many Bachelor’s Degree courses available at all universities. Courses are categorised by faculty and department. There are a number of faculties in each university, and each faculty often has many departments.
There are many types of Bachelor’s Degrees, and many fields of study you can go into. The degrees offered will depend on the university you are applying to. Some top South African universities where you can apply to study for a Bachelor’s Degree are:
- University of Pretoria (UP/Tuks)
- University of Cape Town (UCT)
- University of Stellenbosch (Stellies/Maties)
- University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN)
Diploma Courses
Not all universities offer Diploma courses, though most universities do. Diploma courses are also categorised by faculty and department, though not all departments will have Diploma courses.
There are many fields of study you can go into with a Diploma course. The Diplomas offered will also depend on the university. Some top South African universities where you can study for a Diploma are:
- University of Zululand (UniZulu)
- Durban University of Technology (DUT)
- Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT)
Some examples of universities that do not offer Diploma courses are:
- UKZN
- UP
Higher Certificate Courses
Very few universities offer Higher Certificate courses, though there are some that do. Some top South African universities that offer Higher Certificate courses are:
- UCT
- University of the Free State (UFS)
- University of South Africa (UNISA)
TVET Colleges
If you do not have Matric, or you do not qualify to further your studies at a university, you can study at a TVET college, formerly known as FET colleges, with only Grade 9.
You can study a bridging course in the field you would like to go into, or you can get your Matric Equivalent at a TVET college. Check out or List of TVET Colleges in South Africa to see where you can study.
Distance Learning Colleges
- Bellview Institute of Distance Learning
- Matric College
- Skills Academy
- Ember Academy
- Learning Group
Distance Learning College |
Courses Offered |
Bellview Institute of Distance Learning |
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Matric College |
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Skills Academy |
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Ember Academy |
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Learning Group |
About Distance Learning Courses
The courses offered at these colleges are offered through distance learning only. This means your physical study material, such as textbooks, are delivered to you, and all other study material is online. There are no face-to-face interactions, everything is online.
All delivery fees are included in your study fees, so you will not come across any unexpected extra charges. If you want to know more about each course, you can contact one of our course experts. The courses offered are:
- NATED courses
- ICB courses
- CIMA courses
- Short courses
- Matric programmes
NATED Courses
National Accredited Technical Education Diploma (NATED) courses are designed by the Department of Higher Education and Training. These courses aim to help bridge the youth unemployment gap.
These courses have been accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), which means that they are recognised as formal qualifications in South Africa. These courses go up to the Diploma level, and you can use them to apply for work or to further your studies.
There are seven streams of NATED studies. The only requirement is that you have passed Matric. You can pass Matric with any passing level, you do not need to pass with any additional requirements for a NATED course.
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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ICB Courses
ICB courses are offered by the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) through reputable distance learning colleges. They are accredited by ICB and QCTO, which means they are recognised as formal qualifications locally and internationally.
ICB is an international organisation. Their courses go up to the Diploma level, and none of them require Matric to apply. There are three ICB streams of study:
- 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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CIMA Courses
CIMA Business Accounting courses are offered by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) through reputable distance learning colleges. CIMA is also an international organisation, so their courses are recognised worldwide.
CIMA courses go up to the Degree level, and also do not require Matric to apply. There are four levels of CIMA Business Accounting.
- Business Accounting: CIMA Certificate Level
- Business Accounting: CIMA Operational Level
- Business Accounting: CIMA Managerial Level
- Business Accounting: CIMA Strategic Level
CIMA Course | Entry Requirement | Subject Examples | Career Opportunities with Full Qualification |
Business Accounting | Be over 16, and taken Maths if you completed high school past Grade 9 |
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Short Courses
Short courses are non-accredited courses that are skills-based. These courses are designed to develop your workplace skills, so that you are workplace-ready as soon as you have completed your course.
All short courses listed below are open-access, which means there are only two entry requirements you must meet to apply:
- You must be over the age of 16
- You must be able to 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 Programmes
- 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 you study for your Matric online. You can get your Matric if you have not yet obtained it, or you can improve your marks if you failed and would like to pass. You can also choose to improve your marks even if you passed, but are still unsatisfied with your results.
There are three options available:
- Matric Rewrite – for students under 21 who would like to improve their results
- Matric Upgrade – for students 21 and older who would like to improve their results
- Adult Matric – for adults 21 and older who have not written Matric, and would like to get their Matric
Matric Rewrite
This option is available for those under 21 who are unsatisfied with their Matric results. You may rewrite up to four of your Matric subjects. You cannot change any of your subjects, you must rewrite subjects you wrote for your Matric final exams.
You may rewrite your Matric as many times as you like, and up to five years after your Matric exams, as long as you are still under 21.
Matric Upgrade
This option is available for those who are 21 and older, and who are unsatisfied with their Matric results. You may upgrade up to four of your Matric subjects. Alternatively, you can change up to four of your Matric subjects to new ones.
You may upgrade your Matric as many times as you like. There is no time limit to when you can upgrade your Matric, as long as you are 21 or older. You can apply as early as 19, but you must be 21 to write the exams, because you will write the Adult Matric exams.
Adult Matric
This option is for those who are 21 and older and have not written Matric. You can get your Senior Certificate (Amended) by completing your Adult Matric. This certificate then works the same was as a National Senior Certificate, which is known as a school Matric.
What Have We Learned?
- There are many options of places to study
- You can further your studies even if you do not have your Matric
- You can study at universities, TVET colleges, or distance learning colleges, depending on your Matric pass level
- There are a wide range of courses you can study even if you do not have Matric
Author: Chloe Bydawell
Editor: Sive Ncanywa
Date: August 11, 2022