A GED candidate asked the following question on our Go Prep Facebook group and found that there were at least seven options to study teaching with a GED to investigate.
“Has anyone passed the GED and gone on to study teaching? (Preferably intermediate to high school) The research I’ve done is very contradictory and I’m not sure if I will be able to study teaching if I do the GED.”
Below is information and comments from other Go Prep group members about studying teaching with a GED in South Africa.
The list below (in random order) are options to investigate as they all offer either higher certificates, diplomas or degrees and other courses in education. They all accept students with a GED (but do check as in time things often change).
You will have to check the admission pathway to their degree courses, as each may vary. Usually, a GED is accepted for admission to a higher certificate or diploma course. A GED plus a higher certificate qualification is required for admission to a bachelor’s degree, in accordance with the legal requirements set by Universities South Africa (USAf).
Read more about the requirements for university admission on our University page. In general, private institutions of higher education are much more welcoming to students with a GED than the public universities in South Africa.
- Independent Institute of Education (IIE) – This institute offers both Higher Certificates and Degrees in their Faculty of Education offered through Varsity College and Rosebank College, which are colleges within their ‘stable’.
They also offer a Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education through IIE MSA, another of the colleges in this group.
2. Cornerstone Institute – They offer various undergraduate degrees, including a Degree in Alternative Education, plus they offer post-graduate certificates in Foundation Phase and Intermediate Phase education. Generally, the GED is considered equivalent to the National Senior Certificate (NQF 4)* with a diploma pass, so a GED student should meet their alternative admission requirements as listed in the first bullet point below. Their admission requirements state:
Alternative Admission Requirements (with Senate approval as per Admissions Policy)
- A National Senior Certificate or National Certificate Vocational with a diploma pass (or equivalent) combined with the NBT results
- Mature age of 23 and over during the first year of studies and a National Senior Certificate (or equivalent). The conditions of the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) Policy for access and the results of the NBT are determining factors for admission. Contact the admissions office regarding RPL
- Mature age of 45 years can be admitted, determined by the RPL conditions and the results of the NBT.
3. Stadio offers a higher certificate in Preschool Education, various bachelor degrees in Foundation and Intermediate Phase Teaching, plus a postgraduate honours degree in Inclusive Education, an advanced diploma in technical and vocational teaching and a post-grad certificate in Senior Phase Education
Tina-Lynn Jones, who runs a learning centre that offers the GED shared: “My one staff member did her GED, and then higher certificate at Boston and then moved to Studio and is now in 3rd year B.Ed“
Katy Etchells warned: “You can only apply for teaching at Stadio if you have an additional language (Afrikaans etc). They also only offer Intermediate teaching as a full time option (so you can’t study distance). I had to complete a year of matric Afrikaans in addition to my GED to get accepted into Foundation Phase B/Ed.
However maybe try do the B.Com and then Post Graduate Certificate in Education route as I think then you might not need an additional language. It would definitely be worth it to give them a call and find out.”
4. Aros is an Afrikaans university. They offer a higher certificate as a bridging course to their various bachelor degrees in Education.
“Hoër Sertifikaat in Onderwys (SAKO-nr. 120165)
Die Hoër Sertifikaat in Onderwys het ten doel om aan kandidate wat potensiaal toon maar nie aan die minimum-intreevlakvereistes vir Aros se BEd-programme voldoen nie ’n billike kans op sukses te bied. Dit dien as ‘n oorbrugging na graadstudie. “
5. Akademia “is ‘n Christelike, klassieke en onafhanklike hoëronderwysinstelling vanuit en vir Afrikaanse taal- en kultuurgemeenskappe.”
Their admission information explains that prospective students must meet the gazetted requirements for admission to a degree and that those with foreign qualifications, (such as the GED) must provide a certificate of evaluation from SAQA. Therefore in order to be admitted to a degree in Education at Akademia, you would first need to complete a higher certificate.
It appears that matric-level Afrikaans may also be necessary as their website states the following as one of the options for admission to the degree in Foundation Phase Education:
“ʼn Hoër Sertifikaat in Kantooradministrasie met toelating tot diplomastudie, mits:
50% plus vir Afrikaans en Engels op die NSS-sertifikaat behaal is;
70% plus vir Sakeberekeninge (EHBCL151) behaal is;
en ‘n gemiddeld van 60% plus vir die voltooide kwalifikasie behaal is.”
6. Helderberg College offers a bachelor degree in foundation phase education. Their admission page explains that they offer a pathway to admission to bachelor degrees by completion of a Higher Certificate.
Intec offers a Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Development.
7. Montessori Centre offers a two year National Diploma (NQF 6) in Early Childhood Development plus other short courses in the Montessori method which do not lead to an accredited certification, but assist in the role as a teacher of Montessori-style education.
An online search revealed another South African institution offering Montessori courses accredited by the Association of Montessori International. Since they did not seem to be accredited by SAQA, they are not listed here. You may find other options too.
Important
To avoid disappointment, always check the accreditation status of the institute at which you intend to enrol and also check that the course you study has the required accreditation status for the purpose you intend to use it. A student who studied through a Namibian online university was told it was accredited in both SA and Namibia and after completing her degree, she found out that her teaching degree is not recognised anywhere! She wanted to teach in South African schools.
Contact the institution itself to request registration and accreditation information or contact SAQA – or both! As an example:
In 2024, the Department of Higher Education and Training cancelled the registration of four Educor institutions four institutes of higher education and training because they failed to submit proof of their financial viability to the department: the four institutions were City Varsity (Pty) Ltd, Damelin (Pty) Ltd, Icesa City Campus (Pty) Ltd and Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd.
Check this article too as there may be other options to explore where you can study a degree in teaching – Where Do GED Graduates Study?
Study Engineering after the GED
*SAQA (the South African Qualifications Authority) has evaluated the GED® and found the National Senior Certificate as its closest comparable qualification. As with any kind of matric or high school credential, there is no guarantee that a GED® graduate will be granted exemption from USAf, nor that a university will accept his/her application, as there may be other selection criteria too. Read more here: University with a GED® and read our GED Success Stories.
Disclaimer: Although every effort has been taken to provide accurate, up-to-date and correct information, Go Prep™ (previously Online GED Prep) shall never be liable for losses or other damages that may result from inaccuracy or incompleteness of information on this website about universities and their requirements.