To be admitted to a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in South Africa, you need an approved bachelor’s degree, or in some fields an approved 360-credit diploma, that contains enough study in the subjects you want to teach. In practice, most PGCE courses for secondary school teaching ask for one teaching-related subject passed at third-year level and a second passed at second-year level.
A PGCE is a professional teaching qualification at NQF level 7 with a minimum of 120 credits. It is built on top of a degree you already hold. National policy, the Revised Policy on the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (MRTEQ, Government Gazette 38487, 2015), sets the floor. Each university then sets the exact subjects for each of its streams.
Entry Requirements at a Glance
- Prior qualification: an appropriate bachelor’s degree (NQF level 7 or 8), or an approved 360-credit diploma in certain scarce fields
- Subject content: enough study in the disciplines behind the school subjects you will teach, usually one subject to third-year level and a second to second-year level
- Phase: you choose a phase stream, such as Foundation, Intermediate, Senior Phase and FET, or FET only, and the subject rules differ for each
- Language and computer skills: required by some universities. UP, for example, requires English proficiency and computer literacy
- After you qualify: you must register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE) before you can be employed as an educator
Academic and Minimum Admission Requirements
MRTEQ says the minimum admission requirement for a PGCE is “an appropriate diploma or Bachelor’s degree”. “Appropriate” means the qualification includes enough disciplinary learning to support the teaching specialisation. A degree is the preferred route. Some 360-credit diplomas can be evaluated for entry, mainly for FET teaching, in fields such as engineering, accounting, information technology, agriculture, tourism, music and mathematics technology.
Universities cannot rely on a fixed list of acceptable degrees. MRTEQ tells them to look at your degree as a whole, module by module, and judge whether it prepares you to teach a particular school subject in a particular phase. That is why two applicants with the same degree title can get different outcomes.
Some requirements change over time. For example, Unisa states that from 2026 the National N Diploma is not acceptable for admission to a PGCE.
Subjects, APS and Qualification Requirements
There is no APS for a PGCE. Your matric results do not decide admission. What counts is the undergraduate modules on your academic record. MRTEQ’s guidelines for each phase are:
- Senior Phase subject: at least 24 credits at NQF level 6, which is roughly a full first-year course
- FET subject: at least 48 credits, with at least 24 of them at NQF level 7, which is roughly second-year level or higher
- FET Mathematical Literacy: 24 credits at level 6 in a mathematical field such as statistics or applied mathematics is acceptable
- Single FET subject: the subject must have been a major in your degree. For Physical Sciences, that means a full major in Physics or Chemistry, plus at least 32 credits in the other at level 6 or higher
- Foundation Phase: a mix of subjects that prepares you to teach literacy, numeracy and life skills
University streams turn these guidelines into specific subject combinations. Two examples:
- Unisa, PGCE Senior Phase and FET Teaching, Mathematics and Natural Sciences (90148 – MAS): a 360- or 480-credit degree with Mathematics (including algebra and calculus) to third-year level, and Biological Sciences, Physics, Chemistry or Physical Geography to second-year level.
- University of Pretoria (UP), PGCE Senior Phase and FET Teaching (09127032): a relevant bachelor’s degree or approved diploma with at least one module relevant to a school subject passed at second-year level (for the Senior Phase), and at least one passed at third-year level (for the FET Phase).
If your degree is missing some subject content, MRTEQ allows universities to make you complete extra content modules, either before admission or alongside the PGCE (up to 32 credits can be taken alongside it). If you need more than that, a four-year BEd may be a better route. See requirements for teaching.
Documents and Application Requirements
You apply online directly to the university, and you choose a specific phase and subject stream rather than a general PGCE. UP asks for these documents:
- Certified full academic transcripts, from undergraduate level to your current level
- A certified copy of your ID or passport
- For foreign qualifications, a SAQA evaluation or a comprehensive Foreign Qualification Report
- TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson or Oxford Test of English results, if your previous studies were not in English
How the PGCE application works at two major providers, for the 2027 intake:
- Compare your academic record with the requirements of the exact stream you want to apply for.
- Unisa: apply online through the Unisa qualification page. The application period is 17 August to 9 October 2026, and the online application fee is R160. Unisa accepts online applications only.
- UP: apply through the UP programme page by 31 August 2026.
- Check your application status on the university’s own student portal. Selection happens after the closing date.
Looking for the PGCE application 2024 or 2025 dates? Those windows have closed. Application periods change every year, so always use the dates on the university’s current page.
Selection, Intake and Eligibility Considerations
Places are limited. At UP, the academic departments that teach each elective methodology select students after the closing date, and they take a limited number based on capacity and resources. Meeting the minimum does not guarantee a place.
Plan for time in schools. UP’s PGCE includes 16 weeks of school-based learning, split into two 8-week placements at different partnership schools. Unisa’s PGCE modules include work-integrated learning that will take you away from home and work for periods of time.
Think carefully about which phase to choose. The Department of Basic Education advises graduates not to take a PGCE for the Foundation or Intermediate Phase, because those phases need four years of specialised training. For the Senior and FET Phases, it recommends two content subjects rather than one language and one content subject.
Do not count on Funza Lushaka. The 2026 Funza Lushaka bursary notes say the scheme does not currently fund the PGCE.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the requirements for a PGCE in South Africa?
You need an appropriate bachelor’s degree, or an approved diploma, containing school-related subjects. For secondary teaching, this is usually one subject to third-year level and another to second-year level, in a combination the university offers.
How long is a PGCE course?
It is at least 120 credits. At UP it takes a minimum of 1 year full-time. Distance study through Unisa follows Unisa’s own module schedule.
What PGCE modules will I study?
MRTEQ requires 32 credits in education and its foundations. You also study teaching methodology for your chosen subjects and complete school-based practice. The exact modules depend on the university and stream.
Can I do a PGCE with a diploma?
Sometimes. Approved 360-credit diplomas in certain fields can qualify, mainly for FET teaching, if their content matches a school subject. The National N Diploma is not accepted at Unisa from 2026.
Is a postgraduate diploma in inclusive education the same as a PGCE?
No. Unisa warns that its Postgraduate Diploma in Inclusive Education and its Postgraduate Diploma in Tertiary Education are not equivalent to a PGCE and will not qualify you as a teacher.
Do I need SACE registration after my PGCE?
Yes. Under the South African Council for Educators Act, you must be registered with SACE before you can be employed as an educator. See the government’s register as an educator service page.
Stream requirements, closing dates and fees change every year. Before you apply, check your academic record against the specific stream on the university’s official page. See Unisa PGCE requirements for one provider in more detail, and see SACE for registration.
See admission requirements and browse all education requirements.