Studying teaching by distance while working is the route most career-changers take, and it works — but it has one hard constraint that catches people out: teaching practice. You cannot complete a teaching qualification without supervised time in a classroom.
That has to be planned around a job, not discovered in the final year. This page covers the entry requirements and how to make the practical component work.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
What a distance teaching qualification generally requires.
- A National Senior Certificate with a Bachelor’s pass for a Bachelor of Education
- Alternatively a completed bachelor’s degree with appropriate subjects, for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education
- Subject achievement matching the phase and subjects you intend to teach
- A minimum in the language of instruction
- The institution’s admission score for the programme
- Access to a school for supervised teaching practice
- A computer and reliable internet connection
- A valid South African ID, or a passport with a study permit
Education and Subject Requirements
Confirm the admission requirements with the institution. Scores, subject requirements and closing dates are set by the university and revised annually.
Choose the phase before you enrol. Foundation phase, intermediate phase, senior phase and further education and training each require different subject preparation, and switching later usually means additional modules. Decide what age group and subjects you want to teach first.
The PGCE route suits graduates. Someone who already holds a bachelor’s degree with school subjects in it can qualify as a teacher through a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, which is shorter than a full Bachelor of Education. Check that your degree subjects match the teaching subjects you want.
Subject shortages are real and they matter. Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Technology, Accounting and African languages are in persistent demand, and a teacher qualified in them is far more employable and better placed for bursaries and posts than one qualified in an oversupplied subject.
Nobody may be employed as an educator without registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE). The South African Council for Educators Act 31 of 2000 makes it a condition of employment in public schools, independent schools and early childhood development centres alike. Registration requires a recognised professional teaching qualification, a police clearance and acceptance of the Code of Professional Ethics.
Age, Fitness, Licence and Background Requirements
Teaching practice is the constraint. Qualifications require a period of supervised classroom practice at an approved school, and it cannot be done remotely, compressed or substituted. Plan for it from the first year: arrange leave, negotiate with your employer, or accept that a period of reduced income is part of the cost.
Arrange the school early. Institutions have requirements about the type of school and the supervision, and finding a placement in the final semester is too late. Ask the institution what it requires and approach schools a year ahead.
A police clearance is required for SACE registration and for working with children generally. The Children’s Act 38 of 2005 establishes the National Child Protection Register and the Sexual Offences Act the National Register for Sex Offenders, and a person listed on either may not work with children. Employers check both.
Student teachers generally need SACE provisional registration before a teaching practice placement begins. Apply at the start of the academic year, not the week before.
Distance study has substantially lower completion rates than contact study. Be honest about whether you will study without a timetable, because an unfinished qualification is the most expensive outcome. Decide concretely when you will study each week and whether that survives a normal month at work.
Documents and Evidence Required
What is needed to apply and to register.
- Certified copy of your South African ID
- Certified copy of your National Senior Certificate or degree certificate
- Full academic transcripts
- A SAQA evaluation, for a foreign qualification
- A police clearance certificate
- SACE provisional registration documents, for teaching practice
- A letter from a school confirming a teaching practice placement
- Proof of payment of the application fee, where one applies
Application and Selection Process
Apply directly to the institution as soon as applications open, and apply for funding on its own separate timeline.
Investigate the national teaching bursary. The Funza Lushaka bursary programme funds initial teacher education in priority subject areas and carries a service obligation to teach at a public school for the number of years funded. Confirm the current criteria, priority subjects and application process with the Department of Basic Education, and read the service obligation before accepting — it is a binding contract.
Public school posts are advertised through provincial education department vacancy bulletins with prescribed application procedures and firm closing dates. Registration with SACE makes you employable; it does not place you.
Nobody can sell you a teaching post. Any offer to secure a school appointment for payment is fraud — report it to the provincial education department and the police.
- Decide the phase and subjects before enrolling
- Check whether your existing degree supports the PGCE route
- Choose a shortage subject if you can — it changes your employability
- Plan teaching practice from the first year, not the final one
- Approach schools for a placement a year ahead
- Apply for SACE provisional registration early
- Obtain a police clearance certificate
- Investigate the Funza Lushaka bursary and read its service obligation
- Be realistic about studying by distance while working
- Never pay anyone claiming to secure a teaching post
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I qualify as a teacher entirely by distance?
No. Teaching practice requires supervised time in a real classroom and cannot be done remotely. Plan for it from the first year, including how you will take the time off work.
I already have a degree. Is there a shorter route?
Often yes — a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, if your degree subjects match the teaching subjects you want. Check that alignment before enrolling.
Which subjects should I qualify in?
Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Technology, Accounting and African languages are in persistent demand, which materially improves employability, bursary access and posting options.
Do I need to register with SACE?
Yes. Registration is a condition of employment as an educator, and student teachers generally need provisional registration before a teaching practice placement.
Admission requirements, teaching practice rules, SACE registration and bursary criteria are set by the institution, SACE and the Department of Basic Education, and are revised. Confirm current requirements with each.