What Can I Study Online? – What Can I Study

There is a wide range of courses that you can study online, such as:

ICB courses
CIMA courses
NATED courses
Matric programmes
Short courses

Each of these types of courses have different entry requirements, and some you can even study without Matric. So, your choice of courses can be narrowed down by looking at what level you want to study at:

Study without Matric
Study after Matric
Study Matric

Study Without Matric

There are many courses you can study even if you do not have your Matric, such as accredited ICB and CIMA courses, or non-accredited short courses designed to upskill you to help you get employment more easily.

ICB Courses

The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) courses are offered through accredited distance learning colleges. These courses are accredited by ICB and also by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO).

Being accredited by QCTO means that they are recognised as formal qualifications throughout South Africa. ICB courses go all the way up to the Diploma level, and are also recognised internationally.

There are three streams of study offered in ICB courses:

Business Management
Financial Accounting
Office Administration

ICB Study Stream	Business Management	Financial Accounting	Office Administration
Entry Requirement	Grade 11 or Equivalent	Grade 10 or Equivalent	Matric or Equivalent
Examples of Equivalents	NC (V) at NQF level 3 ICB National Certificate in Bookkeeping	NC (V) at NQF level 2	NC (V) at NQF level 4 ICB FET Certificate in Bookkeeping ICB National Certificate in Small Business Financial Management
Starting NQF Level	4	3	5
Completion NQF Level	6	6	6
Subject Examples	Business Management 1 (BMT1) Marketing Management and Public Relations (MMPR) Financial Management and Control (FMCL)	Bookkeeping to Trial Balance (BKTB) Cost and Management Accounting (CMGT) Income Tax Returns (ITRT) Management Accounting Control Systems (MACS)	Business and Office Administration 1 (BOA1) Human Resources Management and Labour Relations (HRLR) Financial Statements (FNST)
Career Opportunities	Junior Analyst Senior Office Administrator Business Manager	Junior Bookkeeper Junior Accountant Technical Financial Accountant Financial Accountant	Office Assistant Labour Relations Administrator Office 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) courses are offered through accredited distance learning colleges. These courses are accredited by CIMA and are recognised globally.

CIMA Business Accounting goes up to the Degree level, and the entry requirement for the first level is only that you are over 16, you can understand, read and write in English, and that you took Maths for Grade 10.

There are four study levels to CIMA Business Accounting:

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 designed to upskill you as efficiently as possible, so you can get the skills you need to start your career journey as soon as possible. The short courses offered at our partnered colleges are open-access, which means there are only two entry requirements:

You must be over the age of 16
You must be able to understand, read and write in English

Each of our colleges offers a different selection of short courses.

Short Courses At Matric College

Short Courses At Skills Academy

Short Courses At Ember Academy

Short Courses At Learning Group

Study After Matric

Once you have your Matric, you can choose from many courses, including National Accredited Technical Education Diploma (NATED) courses, or university courses, depending on how well you passed.

NATED courses

You can study a NATED course with your Matric. The only requirement for a NATED course is that you have your Matric, no matter your passing level. These courses have been designed by the Department of Higher Education to help bridge the youth unemployment gap.

These courses are fully accredited, and go up to the Diploma level. There are seven streams of study offered in NATED courses:

Business Management
Educare
Financial Management
Human Resource Management
Legal Secretary
Marketing Management
Management Assistant

Each course has three theory levels. Each theory level takes six months to complete. This is followed by 18 months of work experience, which counts as the practical side of the course.

For your work experience, you will apply to be placed with a business relevant to your study stream. You will apply through iWIL, a free placement service. Note that placement is not guaranteed.

Your work hours and progress will be recorded, and this record will be submitted for review before you can receive your Diploma.

Where Can I Study NATED Courses?

There are many reputable distance learning institutions that offer NATED courses, such as:

University Courses

University courses are available to you depending on your passing level. There are four passing levels:

Bachelor’s Degree pass – can allow you to apply for Bachelor’s Degree courses
Diploma pass – can allow you to apply for Diploma courses
Higher Certificate pass – can allow you to apply for Higher Certificate courses
National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass/Matric pass – this pass level will not allow you to apply to study any university courses, but you can study NATED courses with this passing level

Each passing level has its own subject and APS requirements. However, meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee your admission into any courses. Meeting the requirements means the university will consider your application.

The passing requirements for each passing level are as follows:

Pass Level	Subject Requirements	APS Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree pass	40% or above for your Home Language subject 50% or above for four subjects 30% or above for two other subjects	23
Diploma pass	40% or above for your Home Language subject 40% or above for four other subjects 30% or above for two other subjects	19
Higher Certificate pass	40% or above for your Home Language subject 40% or above for two other subjects 30% or above for four other subjects	15
National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass/Matric pass	40% or above for your Home Language subject 40% or above for two other subjects 30% or above for the remaining subjects You can fail one subject	14

You can still pass at each of the passing levels if you fail one subject, on two conditions:

You meet the requirements for all other subjects
You cannot fail your Home Language subject

If you fail your Home Language subject, you cannot pass Matric. However, you can apply to rewrite your exam to improve your marks.

Study Matric

There are three Matric programmes you can choose from, depending on what your needs are:

Matric Rewrite – for those under 21 who would like to improve their marks
Matric Upgrade – for those over 21 who would like to improve their marks
Adult Matric – for those over 21 who did not get to complete their high school education and to write their Matric

Matric Rewrite

Whether you passed but are unsatisfied with your marks, or failed and would like to pass, you can apply for a Matric Rewrite. You may rewrite a maximum of four subjects. You cannot change subjects, you must rewrite subjects you wrote for your Matric final exams.

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

Matric Upgrade

Whether you passed but are unsatisfied with your marks, or failed and would like to pass, you can apply for a Matric Upgrade. You may upgrade a maximum of four subjects. However, you can choose to change any four subjects instead if you would prefer.

There is no limit to the number of times you can upgrade your Matric. There is also no age limit to upgrading your Matric, as long as you are over 21. You may apply for a Matric Upgrade as early as 19, but you must be over 21 to write the exams, because you will write the Adult Matric exams.

Adult Matric

Adult Matric is an option available for those over the age of 21 who did not get to complete their Matric. Once you have completed your Adult Matric, you will be awarded your Senior Certificate (Amended).

This certificate will then function the same way as a National Senior Certificate, commonly known as a school Matric. You can use it to apply for work, or to further your studies.

Are Online Qualifications Recognised?

Yes, as long as the course you are studying is accredited, and the institution you are studying at is approved to offer the course, your qualification will be recognised.

Do Employers Accept Online Qualifications?

Yes, your online qualification will be accepted as long as it is a recognised qualification.

Can You Get A Job With Online Courses?

Yes, in fact, it is becoming more common for employers to hire people who have an online qualification. This is because online courses are usually more skills-oriented, and make you more workplace-ready by the end of your course.

What Is The Most In-Demand Course?

Some of the best courses to study are based on what jobs are in demand. The following jobs are among the top 10 most in-demand jobs in South Africa currently:

Marketing
Human Resources
Accounting
Finance

What Have We Learned?

There is a wide range of courses available to study online
You can study online with or without Matric
Online qualifications are recognised as long as the course is accredited
Employers do accept online qualifications, as long as they are recognised qualifications
You can be employed with an online qualification
Some of the most in-demand jobs in South Africa have courses offered by our partnered colleges

Author: Chloe Bydawell
Editor: Razeen Dollie
Date: July 8, 2022