A Postgraduate Certificate in Education requires an appropriate bachelor degree containing school teaching subjects at the required levels. It is a one-year professional qualification that converts an existing degree into a teaching qualification.
The requirement that decides most applications is not whether you hold a degree but whether your degree contains the right subjects at the right levels. Institutions typically require one school subject to third-year level and a second to second-year level.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
Entry is generally assessed on the following.
- An appropriate accredited bachelor degree, commonly 360 or 480 credits
- One school teaching subject completed to third-year level
- A second school teaching subject completed to second-year level
- A subject combination the institution offers as a stream
- The phase you intend to teach, which determines the stream
- Registration with the South African Council for Educators after qualifying
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
The PGCE is offered by universities across South Africa, both contact and by distance. Streams are organised by phase and by subject combination, and you apply to a specific stream rather than to a general programme.
If your degree lacks the required subject combination, the options are completing the missing modules at an appropriate level first, or taking a four-year Bachelor of Education instead. See requirements for teaching for both routes.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
Your undergraduate subjects, not your matric subjects, determine eligibility. A degree with no subject taken to third-year level that maps to a school subject will not qualify you, however strong it is.
Foundation phase PGCE streams have different requirements from senior and further education phase streams, since the phase teaches literacy and numeracy rather than subject specialisations. See UNISA PGCE requirements for a worked example of one institution requirements.
Documents and Application Requirements
Applications normally require the following.
- Certified copies of your degree certificate and full academic record
- A certified copy of your identity document
- Proof that your subjects were completed to the required levels
- A SAQA evaluation certificate, if you qualified outside South Africa
- Proof of the application fee, where one is charged
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Check your academic record against the specific stream requirements before applying, since this is where most applications fail and it is entirely checkable in advance.
Teaching bursaries are available for PGCE study in shortage subjects in exchange for a service commitment, and these are worth investigating before you enrol.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need for a PGCE?
An appropriate bachelor degree with one school subject to third-year level and a second to second-year level, in a combination the institution offers.
How long is a PGCE?
One year full-time, though distance study commonly takes longer depending on module load.
What if my degree lacks the subjects?
Complete the missing modules at an appropriate level first, or take a four-year Bachelor of Education instead.
Do I need SACE registration?
Yes, to teach in a public school. It is a separate process after qualifying.
Confirm stream requirements against your academic record with each institution, and confirm registration requirements with the South African Council for Educators. See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.