To become a foundation phase teacher in South Africa you need a professional teaching qualification that specialises in the foundation phase: either a four-year Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching, or an approved degree followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Foundation Phase Teaching. You must then register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) before any school may employ you.
Foundation phase teaching means teaching Grade R to Grade 3. It is one of four teaching phases in South Africa, alongside the intermediate phase (Grades 4 to 6), senior phase (Grades 7 to 9) and further education and training phase (Grades 10 to 12), and it is the phase in which one teacher is trained to teach every subject in the class.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
- A foundation phase degree (BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching, 480 credits, NQF level 7) or a PGCE in Foundation Phase Teaching (120 credits, NQF level 7) on top of a suitable first degree
- For degree entry: a National Senior Certificate with a bachelor pass, plus the language, mathematics and APS minimums set by your chosen university
- The ability to teach in at least one official language as a language of learning and teaching, plus conversational competence in another
- Supervised teaching practice in schools, built into the qualification
- SACE registration: provisional while you study, full once you qualify
- A valid police clearance certificate for SACE registration, and clearance against the National Child Protection Register for employment
Education and Subject Requirements
The national rules for teacher qualifications are in the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Revised Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (2015). It names the BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching and the PGCE in Foundation Phase Teaching as the initial professional qualifications for the phase, and requires both to prepare you to teach from Grade R to Grade 3.
Every foundation phase degree has to prepare you to teach the four foundation phase subjects: Home Language, First Additional Language, Mathematics and Life Skills. These match the Department of Basic Education’s CAPS curriculum for the foundation phase, so the university modules you take mirror what you will teach. Expect coursework in early literacy, early numeracy, child development and inclusive education, not only teaching methods.
Language is the most specific requirement. The policy says all foundation phase students must specialise in Home Language teaching in one of the official languages, together with English First Additional Language teaching. The combination you choose affects what else you study:
- African language as home language: you also study English at first additional level, and may add Afrikaans at conversational level
- English as home language: you must also study another official language at home or first additional level, and an African language at conversational level if that language is Afrikaans
- Afrikaans as home language with English as first additional language: you must also study an African language at basic conversational level
Your degree certificate is endorsed with your language of learning and teaching and your language of conversational competence, so schools can see which languages you are qualified to teach in. University entry requirements differ widely. For example, Wits lists an APS of 37 or more for its BEd Foundation Phase Teaching, with English at level 5 and either Mathematics at level 4 or Mathematical Literacy at level 5, while Unisa’s distance-learning degree lists 23. Check each institution’s current prospectus.
If you already hold a degree, a PGCE in Foundation Phase Teaching is a one-year route, but the policy says your first degree must give you knowledge that supports teaching literacy, numeracy and life skills to young learners. You may need extra language modules before or during the PGCE.
Age, Fitness, Licence and Background Requirements
The professional licence for teaching is SACE registration. Section 21(2) of the South African Council for Educators Act 31 of 2000 states that no person may be employed as an educator by any employer unless registered with the council. Student teachers register provisionally; full registration is for qualified educators who hold a professional teaching qualification.
SACE requires new teachers to submit a valid police clearance certificate when they register, and its registration requirements specify that the certificate may not be older than six months. Separately, the Children’s Act 38 of 2005 requires employers whose services give access to children to check, before appointing you, that your name is not on Part B of the National Child Protection Register. A person listed there may not work with children.
The national sources checked for this page, the teacher education policy and SACE’s registration requirements, do not set a minimum or maximum age or a medical fitness standard for foundation phase teachers. Individual universities and employers may have their own conditions for things like recognition of prior learning, so check with them.
Documents and Evidence Required
For your university application you normally need your ID, your National Senior Certificate or latest results, and any previous academic records. When you register with SACE, its registration requirements ask for:
- A certified copy of your identity document
- A certified copy of your NSC or matric certificate
- Your professional teaching qualification certificate and a complete academic record showing the qualification is finished, with the completion date and credits
- A police clearance certificate no older than six months
- Proof of payment of the registration fee
SACE currently lists a registration fee of R200 for South African educators and an annual levy of R180, and states that it does not process applications without proof of payment. If your teaching qualification is foreign, confirm the additional requirements with SACE before applying.
Application and Selection Process
- Choose between a four-year BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching or, if you already have a suitable degree, a PGCE in Foundation Phase Teaching.
- Decide on your home language specialisation. Foundation phase teaching in South African indigenous languages is a national priority.
- Compare universities’ foundation phase teaching courses, APS minimums, closing dates and whether they teach on campus or by distance learning, then apply directly to each institution.
- Apply for funding separately. The Funza Lushaka bursary is applied for through eservices.gov.za.
- Register provisionally with SACE as a student teacher and complete your teaching practice in foundation phase classrooms.
- After you graduate, get a police clearance certificate, register fully with SACE, and apply for posts.
The number of modules in a foundation phase degree is not set nationally. The policy fixes credits instead: 480 for the BEd and 120 for the PGCE. Each university divides those credits into its own modules, and every programme must include supervised, assessed teaching practice in schools. For one institution’s curriculum and module rules, see our page on Unisa requirements for teaching foundation phase.
On funding, the Department of Basic Education’s Funza Lushaka bursary covers tuition, accommodation or transport, meals, learning materials and a personal allowance for students in priority areas. The Department has said that since 2024 its selection criteria include an added focus on South African indigenous languages in the foundation phase. Read the bursary agreement, including any service obligation, before you sign.
If you already teach Grade R, the policy sets the Diploma in Grade R Teaching (NQF level 6) as the minimum qualification for Grade R teachers. Up to 180 credits from that diploma may be recognised towards a BEd in Foundation Phase Teaching, which is the route to full foundation phase teacher status.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is foundation phase teaching?
It is teaching children in Grade R to Grade 3. The focus is on learning to read, write and count, and a foundation phase teacher teaches all the subjects for their class.
What are the foundation phase subjects?
The four core subjects are Home Language, First Additional Language, Mathematics and Life Skills. Under CAPS, Life Skills is organised into four study areas: Beginning Knowledge, Personal and Social Well-being, Creative Arts and Physical Education. The Department of Basic Education also publishes a Coding and Robotics curriculum for Grades R to 3.
What is the curriculum for foundation phase?
Schools follow the Department of Basic Education’s Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) for Grades R to 3. Teacher training degrees are built around the same subjects, so a foundation phase degree covers the content and teaching of each.
Can I teach foundation phase with a PGCE?
Yes, if it is a PGCE in Foundation Phase Teaching and your first degree gives you enough background to teach literacy, numeracy and life skills. A PGCE in another phase does not qualify you for Grades R to 3.
Do I need Mathematics for a foundation phase degree?
Many universities accept Mathematical Literacy at a higher level instead of Mathematics. Wits, for example, asks for Mathematics at level 4 or Mathematical Literacy at level 5, but the mark differs from one institution to the next. Mathematics is one of the four subjects you will teach, so every degree includes it.
Can I teach foundation phase in any language?
Your qualification is endorsed with the language or languages you are qualified to teach in, your language of learning and teaching, plus a language of conversational competence. Every foundation phase student must specialise in teaching one official language as a home language and English as a first additional language.
Can I teach before I am registered with SACE?
No employer may employ you as an educator unless you are registered with SACE. Student teachers register provisionally with SACE while they study.
Teacher qualification rules are set by the Department of Higher Education and Training, registration by SACE and school curriculum and bursaries by the Department of Basic Education. Confirm current requirements with them and with your chosen university before you apply. See job requirements and browse all career requirements.