In South Africa, students have the option to study at a number of institutes. These include colleges, technikons and universities. What will differentiate these types of institutes are the courses they offer, the types of qualifications they offer, and the lengths of the courses they offer to the student.

• Universities

Universities are the learning institutes in South Africa that offer the highest qualifications. Universities mostly offer degree programmes that run a minimum of three years but can be as long as six years. These institutes also have the most stringent entry criteria. For example, if you want to study for a business degree at a university, you might well need to have achieved at least 60% for mathematics, accounting, and business studies. Apart from offering degree courses, universities may also offer diploma courses that follow degree courses. For example, if you study to be a teacher, you fill first complete your degree and then enrol for a teaching diploma. Universities offer full-time, part-time, and distance learning options.

• Technikons

Technikons are institutes that offer national diploma courses that may culminate in a B.Tech degree. These diploma courses are usually two to three years in length, with further study to convert the diploma into a degree. Technikons focus more on technical studies, such as engineering, design studies, computer networking and programming studies, as well as food and laboratory technician studies. Most technikons are full-time institutes where you attend class and do a lot of practical work. This is what often attracts students to technikons, as they will gain hands-on experience working in their chosen field while still studying. Often, the companies where they perform their practical work offer them employment once they graduate.

• Colleges

Colleges are institutes where students can obtain qualifications in most fields of study. Longer college courses usually run for two years, but most of them also offer courses that are as short as six months. These courses can be either for diploma or certificate studies. What makes colleges the preferred option for many students is the fact that the courses are not long and the entrance criteria is not hard to meet. Many colleges don’t even require you to pass grade 12 in order to enrol for their shorter courses. Of course, if you want to enrol for a CIMA accredited accounting course, there will be entrance criteria, just to make sure that you know what you are letting yourself in for!

College tuition is usually also much cheaper than university and technikon tuition. A further advantage is that colleges of full-time, part-time, and distance learning courses, with the latter being especially popular for students who don’t have time to attend classes or who live far from their chosen institute.