Requirements

Iq Academy Requirements

iQ Academy requirements depend on what you study. For its NQF Level 5 higher certificates, you need a National Senior Certificate (NSC), Senior Certificate or NC(V) Level 4 with at least 30% in English, and you must be at least 18. For its short courses, the course pages ask for Grade 9, a minimum age of 18 and the ability to read and write English.

iQ Academy is a private higher education institution offering fully online distance learning, mainly in business, public management and related fields. iQ Academy (Pty) Ltd is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) under Registration Certificate No. 2012/HE07/001. Only its higher certificates are accredited qualifications. Its short courses are non-credit-bearing.

Entry Requirements at a Glance

Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements

For all four higher certificates, iQ Academy’s minimum academic requirement is one of the following Grade 12 level certificates, with at least 30% in English:

You must also be at least 18, able to read and write in English, and have basic digital literacy. If you don’t meet the academic minimum, iQ Academy says you may still be admitted on the basis of mature age, managerial or supervisory experience, relevant work experience, or RPL. Applicants without Grade 12 must prove 12 months of relevant employment.

Short courses are open to a wider group. The short course pages list Grade 9 as the minimum, together with the age, English and digital-skills requirements. There are no written exams for short courses. Instead, you complete a formative assessment at the end of each unit and pass a final summative assessment.

Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements

iQ Academy does not use an APS score and sets no subject requirements beyond English. What matters is which programme type you choose, because only the higher certificates are formal qualifications.

iQ Academy accredited courses (higher certificates)

Each higher certificate is at NQF Level 5, carries 120 credits and takes a minimum of one year and a maximum of three years to complete. The four iQ Academy higher certificates listed on its qualifications page, with the SAQA IDs it publishes, are:

Some short courses can count towards higher certificate entry. For example, a completed Introduction to Business Management or Fundamentals of Human Resource Management short course is accepted as an RPL route into the Business Management and Human Resources Management certificates.

iQ Academy courses list (short courses)

The iQ Academy courses list includes more than 40 short courses, usually a few weeks to a few months long. They cover areas such as project management, office administration, bookkeeping, supply chain, occupational health and safety, early childhood development, digital marketing, cybersecurity and data analytics. There are also two psychology short courses: Foundations of Psychology and Essentials of Educational Psychology. Short courses are internally quality-assured by iQ Academy’s Academic Board but carry no NQF credits.

Documents and Application Requirements

For a higher certificate, iQ Academy asks for:

To register for an iQ Academy course:

  1. Choose your programme on the iQ Academy courses list and open its course page.
  2. Select Enrol now and complete the online application form on that page.
  3. An iQ Academy enrolment consultant will call you to confirm your eligibility, documents and payment plan.
  4. Pay by once-off payment or instalment plan, using the payment options listed by iQ Academy (DebiCheck debit order, card or EFT).

iQ Academy says its short courses are offered all year round, so you can enrol at any time. For higher certificates, confirm the current registration closing date with an enrolment advisor before you apply.

Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations

iQ Academy publishes no selection or ranking criteria beyond the minimums above, and mature age and RPL routes are available if you don’t meet them. The practical questions are whether the programme type fits your goal and whether you can sustain online study.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is iQ Academy registered and accredited?

Yes. According to its accreditation page, iQ Academy (Pty) Ltd is registered with DHET as a private higher education institution until 31 December 2027 (Registration Certificate No. 2012/HE07/001). Its higher certificates are accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) through the Higher Education Quality Committee. Its short courses are not accredited qualifications. You can confirm the registration on DHET’s register of private higher education institutions at dhet.gov.za.

Is iQ Academy registered with SAQA?

Its higher certificates are registered on the National Qualifications Framework, which SAQA maintains. Each has a published SAQA ID, and you can check it with the SAQA qualification search. Short courses are not registered with SAQA because they carry no NQF credits.

Is iQ Academy registered with a SETA?

iQ Academy’s accreditation page does not list any SETA accreditation. Its higher certificates are quality-assured by the CHE as higher education qualifications, which is the relevant route for a private higher education institution. If an employer needs SETA-accredited training specifically, ask iQ Academy directly before you enrol.

Is iQ Academy registered with the Department of Education?

It is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training, which regulates private colleges and higher education. The Department of Basic Education covers schools, not providers like iQ Academy.

What are iQ Academy courses and fees for 2026?

iQ Academy’s course pages show monthly instalment amounts rather than a full fee schedule. At the time of writing, they advertise interest-free payment plans starting from R899 per month for higher certificates. Short course plans vary by course (for example, from R550 per month for Foundations of Psychology). The total cost, deposit and instalment terms depend on the programme and your affordability assessment. Get a written quote from an enrolment advisor before you sign.

What certificate do I get from iQ Academy?

Completing a higher certificate earns you an NQF Level 5 qualification, and iQ Academy holds an in-person graduation ceremony. Completing a short course earns you an iQ Academy Short Course Certificate once you have passed all assignments and settled your student account.

Does iQ Academy offer a matric rewrite?

No. iQ Academy’s course list does not include matric rewrite or upgrade programmes. To rewrite matric subjects, use the Department of Basic Education’s Second Chance Matric Programme or a registered matric rewrite provider.

Programmes, entry requirements, fees and payment terms change, so confirm the current details with iQ Academy on the relevant course page before you enrol. Check its registration with DHET and each qualification’s SAQA ID. For other institutions, see admission requirements and all education requirements.

Related Requirements