Higher education

Unlike Dutch higher education, South African higher education is not divided into HBO i and WO i . South African higher education institutions can offer both types of education. This often means that for each diploma we have to determine whether it is HBO or WO. Below, we describe the diplomas that we often see.

• Duration i : 1 year.
• Content: professionally oriented programmes with general subjects.
• Admission requirements: one of the following diplomas:
  • a National Certificate; or
  • a National Senior Certificate (NSC) with the remark that the graduate has met the requirements for admission to Higher Certificate programmes.
• Function of the diploma: work and sometimes access to bachelor's programmes.
• Diploma: Higher Certificate.

• Duration: 3 years.
• Content: professionally oriented programmes.
• Admission requirements: one of the following diplomas:
  • a Higher Certificate; or
  • a National Senior Certificate (NSC) with the remark that the graduate has met the requirements for admission to (National) Diploma programmes.
• Function of the diploma: work. Also, students with a (National) Diploma can often obtain a bachelor degree by studying 1 extra year after completing the (National) Diploma programme.
• Diploma: (National) Diploma.

• Duration: 3 to 6 years, depending on the study programme:
  • architecture: 5 years;
  • commerce, humanities and science: 3 years;
  • dentistry: 5½ years;
  • law and nursing science: 4 years
  • medicine and veterinary science: 6 years.
• Content: varies per study programme, sometimes an internship, usually no thesis.
• Admission requirements: the National Senior Certificate (NSC) with the remark that the minimum requirements for admission to bachelor's degree programmes have been met + extra requirements, such as certain subjects and/or grades. A (National) Diploma may also grant admission to bachelor's programmes in the same specialisation, with exemptions.
• Function of the diploma: access to honours bachelor's programmes, sometimes access to master's programmes, and work.
• Diploma: Bachelor, such as:
  • Bachelor of Arts;
  • Bachelor of Commerce;
  • Bachelor of Engineering;
  • Bachelor of Science;
  • Bachelor of Technology.

• Duration: at least 1 year.
• Content: profession-oriented or research-oriented subjects. Students study further in the field of study of their bachelor’s degree.
• Admission requirements: a bachelor’s degree.
• Function of the diploma: deepening the knowledge that students have acquired during the bachelor's degree, access to master's programmes and work.
• Diploma: an honours bachelor's degree, such as:
  • Bachelor of Arts Honours; or
  • Bachelor of Commerce Honours.

• Duration: 1 or 2 years.
• Content: either research and a dissertation or a package of taught subjects that is concluded with a final paper or research report.
• Admission requirements: one of the following diplomas:
  • a honours bachelor's degree; or
  • a bachelor’s degree following a 4- to 6-year study programme.
• Function of the diploma: access to PhD programmes or work.
• Diploma: Master, such as:
  • Master of Arts;
  • Master of Commerce;
  • Master of Engineering;
  • Master of Philosophy;
  • Master of Science;
  • Master of Social Science;
  • Master of Technology.

• Duration: at least 2 years.
• Content: research and a dissertation.
• Admission requirements: a master's degree and possibly extra requirements.
• Diploma: PhD and Doctor of Philosophy.