The chartered accountant requirements in South Africa are set by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), not by a university. To use the CA(SA) designation you must complete a SAICA-endorsed undergraduate degree, a SAICA-endorsed Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA, still widely called the CTA), pass SAICA’s Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC), serve a training contract at a SAICA-accredited training office, complete a professional programme, pass the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), and then apply to SAICA for membership.
SAICA estimates the route takes about seven years from first-year university if you pass every exam at the first attempt. A degree in accounting, however good, is only the first stage of the chartered accountant qualification.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
SAICA lists five components, and you may only apply to become a CA(SA) member once all of them are complete.
- Academic programme: a SAICA-endorsed undergraduate degree (NQF level 7) and postgraduate qualification (NQF level 8), usually a three-year BCom followed by the PGDA/CTA year.
- Initial Assessment of Competence (IAC): SAICA’s first qualifying exam, which you can only write once you have completed the SAICA-endorsed PGDA. It replaced the Initial Test of Competence (ITC) from January 2025.
- Training programme: a registered learnership (through FASSET) at a SAICA-accredited training office. SAICA describes it as a three-year training contract.
- Professional programme: a SAICA-endorsed programme that prepares you for the final assessment.
- Assessment of Professional Competence (APC): the second qualifying exam, open only once you have passed the IAC, completed the professional programme and served at least 20 months of your training contract.
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
The academic stage is the only part with a school-leaving requirement. SAICA’s guidance for learners is that a CA-stream BCom needs a National Senior Certificate with a bachelor’s pass (matriculation exemption) and at least Level 5 in Mathematics. Universities then set their own APS and subject marks on top of that; those degree-entry details are covered on our BCom Accounting requirements page.
Only a SAICA-endorsed programme counts towards the designation. A general BCom, or an accounting degree that is not on SAICA’s endorsed list, will not give you entry to the PGDA/CTA that leads to the IAC. Check that the specific degree stream, not just the university, is SAICA-endorsed before you register.
Progression to the PGDA/CTA year is selective. Endorsed universities set their own minimum results for admission to the postgraduate year, so confirm them with your faculty early in your degree.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
At school, the subject that decides your eligibility is Mathematics. SAICA states that you need pure Mathematics, not Mathematical Literacy, at Level 5 or higher. Accounting as a school subject helps but, in SAICA’s words, it isn’t necessary.
The chartered accountant qualifications you need after school are:
- A SAICA-endorsed undergraduate degree at NQF level 7, such as a BCom in Accounting on a CA stream or UNISA’s Bachelor of Accounting Sciences in Financial Accounting
- A SAICA-endorsed postgraduate qualification at NQF level 8, the PGDA (CTA). At UNISA, for example, the CTA is split into two postgraduate diplomas, and all five modules of the final one must be completed in one academic year to meet SAICA’s entry requirements
- A pass in the IAC, then the professional programme and the APC
APS thresholds are set by each university for the undergraduate degree and change between intake years, so SAICA does not publish one national APS for chartered accountancy.
Documents and Application Requirements
Each stage has its own application, so plan for four separate processes rather than one.
- University: apply to the SAICA-endorsed degree through the university’s own admissions system with your ID, Grade 11 or final NSC results and any application fee the university charges. If your school qualification is foreign, it must be evaluated for exemption as the university directs.
- Training contract: apply directly to SAICA-accredited training offices, which include audit firms as well as accredited organisations outside public practice, such as SARS. SAICA publishes the list of accredited training offices, and your contract is registered on SAICA’s Training Contract Management System at my.saica.co.za. Expect to provide your academic record and proof of your endorsed qualification.
- IAC and APC: register for each exam with SAICA by its published deadlines. Dates and fees change every year and are published on SAICA’s exam information and APC examinations pages.
- Membership: once every component is complete, apply to SAICA for admission as a CA(SA) member.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Most people who drop off the CA(SA) route do so at one of three gates:
- The PGDA/CTA year, where endorsed universities admit on undergraduate results
- The IAC, which you cannot write until the endorsed PGDA is complete
- The APC, which needs 20 months of registered training, the professional programme and an IAC pass in place first
Training offices recruit competitively, so start applying while you are still studying. UNISA notes that a training programme runs between three and five years depending on academic progress.
Funding is available through SAICA’s own Thuthuka Bursary for eligible learners; see SAICA’s learner pages for current criteria. If the full CA(SA) route is not right for you, SAICA also awards the Associate General Accountant AGA(SA) and Accounting Technician AT(SA) designations, which have different academic entry points.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for a chartered accountant in South Africa?
A SAICA-endorsed degree and PGDA/CTA, a pass in the IAC, a registered training contract at a SAICA-accredited training office, a SAICA-endorsed professional programme, a pass in the APC, and then an application for SAICA membership.
Can you be a chartered accountant with maths literacy?
Not directly. SAICA requires pure Mathematics at Level 5 or higher for entry to a CA-stream BCom, and Mathematical Literacy does not meet that requirement. If you took Mathematical Literacy, you would need to obtain the required Mathematics result before a university will admit you to an endorsed programme.
How long does it take to become a chartered accountant?
About seven years from first-year university, according to SAICA, if you pass everything at the first attempt: a three-year degree, at least one postgraduate year, and a three-year training contract, with the IAC and APC written along the way.
What is the difference between the ITC and the IAC?
The IAC is the updated version of the ITC. SAICA renamed and updated the Initial Test of Competence as the Initial Assessment of Competence from January 2025, aligned to its CA of the Future competency framework.
When can I write the APC?
Only after you have passed the IAC, completed a SAICA-endorsed professional programme and served at least 20 months of a registered training contract.
Do I need Accounting as a matric subject?
No. SAICA says school Accounting can help with your degree but is not necessary. Mathematics is the subject that matters.
Does a BCom in Accounting make me a chartered accountant?
No. The degree is only the first component. The CA(SA) designation is awarded by SAICA once you have completed the postgraduate year, the IAC, training, the professional programme and the APC.
Confirm the current endorsed programmes, exam dates, fees and training requirements directly with SAICA, and check degree entry requirements with each university for your intake year, as both are revised regularly. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.