How do you Know if a Course is Accredited?

How Important are Accredited Courses?

Well that depends on what your career and education goals are. Accredited courses are important because it shows employers that the knowledge you gained is valid. It also proves that you meet industry standards. Non-accredited courses aren’t bad, although they don’t carry as much weight as accredited courses. If you’re simply looking to upskill and make your CV stand out, a non-accredited short course could be a very good option. 

How do you Know if a Course is Accredited?

You have to check that the course you want to study is accredited. Sometimes the college itself is registered, but also offers non-accredited short courses. This does not necessarily mean they are scamming you. So how do you know if a course is accredited?

Here are some of the main ways you can check for accreditation:

• Ask the Institution 
• South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
• Umalusi
• Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)
• Council on Higher Education (CHE)

Ask the Institution

Before you go down an online rabbit-hole, contact the institution you want to study with. Tell them what course you want to study and then they’ll be able to tell you if it’s accredited. If it is, they’ll provide you with an accreditation number. You can then search this number online to check if they were telling the truth.    

South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)

The role of SAQA is to make sure that the goals of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) are implemented. This means that they ensure higher education courses meet national standards. SAQA can verify qualifications that have already been achieved. If you want to study overseas, for example, the institution will ask you to verify your South African qualifications.  SAQA can help you with this by giving you authentic transcripts. 

Umalusi

Umalusi is one of the quality councils for education. You can search for accredited institutions on their website. Need some help to complete your Adult Matric? Then you’re probably considering registering with a private college. The adult matric courses offered by part-time and distance learning colleges aren’t accredited. But rest assured, the matric certificate you get after writing your final exams, will be certified by Umalusi. 

Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO)

The QCTO is one of the three quality councils for education and training in South Africa. Their job is to make sure that work-based qualifications meet the standards and demands of the job market. This means that if you want to study a course with practical training, such as child day care or HR management, your course will be accredited by them. So before you choose a training provider, you can check with the QCTO to make sure they are registered.  

Council on Higher Education (CHE)

The CHE is also one of the quality councils for education. They are responsible for accrediting post-school programmes. So if a college wants to offer NATED qualifications, they have to meet the standards of the CHE first. They also have to register with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).