Accreditation and Registration at Matric College

We ensure that all of our students feel comfortable with our accreditation. If you are looking for information about our accreditation, you can contact us.

The accreditation and registration process at Matric College is relatively straightforward. Colleges that offer the Adult Matric Course have no accreditation or registration process.

The exam centres where our students write the Adult Matric exams are registered by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). The Matric Qualification that you receive after completing and passing the Adult Matric Course will come directly from Umalusi.

Our Accreditation

Our accreditation include:

  • ICB
  • QCTO
  • DHET
  • Umalusi
Accreditation Online Oxford Dictionary

ICB

The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers is an Independent external examination body. The institution does not offer their courses themselves, but they do have over 500 training providers that do offer their courses. Matric College is one of the many training providers that offer ICB Courses

We are also registered with them, our accreditation reference number is 301290. ICB allows these training providers to offer their courses if the training providers are:

  1. Accredited with ICB directly, or
  2. Accredited with the DHET

DHET

The Department of Higher Education and Training used to have an accreditation process with Private Colleges for NATED and ICB exams to be administered, but they no longer require this process. Here is what is expected of Private Colleges:

  • Register with QCTO first
  • Register with DHET later

Once a Private College is accredited with QCTO it can apply for an Exam Number from the DHET. This process includes meeting the DHET Exams Division Registration requirements and then getting a site visit from the DHET Exams Division.

Matric College does not have to go through this process because we offer all of our NATED Courses in partnership with Bellview Institute of Distance Learning. They have gone through this process to offer NATED Courses, which makes our courses accredited.

QCTO

The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations is a Quality Council that ensures that private and public colleges meet the quality standards when offering occupational qualifications such as our NATED and ICB Courses.

Umalusi

Umalusi is another Quality Council that accredits the following qualifications:

  • Matric Qualifications
  • Adult Education and Training
  • Vocational Qualifications

Although we are not accredited with them, our Matric Certificates are issued by them, which in turn, makes the certificate accredited.

What Does “Being Accredited” Mean?

“Being accredited” means that a course or a college/university has a set standard of quality in their education. Each country determines this in their own manner. In South Africa, we have many professional bodies that determine accreditation.

A college/university has to be accredited and registered, or the courses have to be accredited and registered.

Your College has to be registered with one of South Africa’s top 3 Quality Councils (QCs):

  1. Council on Higher Education – (CHE)
    This Quality Council accredits Higher Education Qualifications that do not consist of work-based learning.
  1. Quality Council for Trades and Occupations – (QCTO)
    This Quality Council accredits Work-based Qualifications, which consists of work-based learning.

We offer the following courses that are accredited by the QCTO:

We are accredited by the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB). Our accreditation number is, 301290. You can also go directly to the ICB website and search our college name after the map.

Our NATED Courses are accredited by QCTO and the exams are administered by the DHET.

All of our NATED Courses are offered in partnership with Bellview Institute of Distance Learning.

 

  1. Council for Quality Assurance in General Assurance and Further Education and Training – (Umalusi)

This Quality Council accredits General and Further Education and Training Qualifications, which include:

If the college you are attending is not accredited and the course/certificate is also not accredited then you are completing a non-accredited course. This means that:

  • It is not recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
    • SAQA is the oversight body of the National Quality Framework (NQF) that ensures that courses meet the necessary standards and quality.
    • If you are a Non-South African citizen, and you would like to work in South Africa with your Qualifications from your hometown, you can verify and evaluate your Qualification or Qualifications.
  • It does not feature on the NQF system
    • The NQF system indicates the different levels of qualifications. This system starts from a Grade 9 Certificate all the way up to a PhD. This way South Africans can determine at which level their qualification is.

Is Matric College Accredited By The Department Of Basic Education?

No, Matric College is not accredited by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). There is no registration or accreditation process for Matric Courses at a college. 

This does not mean that the Certificate you will receive after completing our Adult Matric Course or Matric Upgrade Course is non-accredited. Once you have completed one of our Matric Courses, you will receive a Matric Qualification with the SAQA ID number: 49647.

This qualification is awarded by Umalusi, one of the Quality Councils in South Africa. This means that you will receive an accredited Matric Certificate.

How Do I Know If My Matric Certificate Is Accredited?

You will know whether your Matric Certificate is accredited by looking at these factors:

  • Was your Matric Certificate awarded by Umalusi? If yes, then it is accredited.
  • Was your Matric Certificate given to you by your High School? If yes, then it is accredited.
  • Does your Matric Certificate have a SAQA ID number? If yes, then it is accredited.
  • Does your Matric certificate have the Umalusi logo? If yes, then it is accredited.
  • Did you buy your Matric Certificate from someone? If yes, then it is not accredited.
NOTE:

If you are still unsure about whether your Matric Certificate is accredited, you can verify it with the verification clients that Umalusi has on the website.

Umalusi does not verify your Matric Certificate.

What Is The Difference Between Certification And Accreditation?

The main difference between Certification and Accreditation is that Certification is the physical qualification, whereas Accreditation is the process of meeting certain standards and quality of education. Here is a table with even more differences:

Certification Accreditation

This usually refers to the written assurance of a third party that identifies the completion of a course.

E.g Matric Certificate

This usually refers to the formal recognition (the three Quality Councils in South Africa) that states that your course is accredited.

E.g A Matric Qualification that is accredited by Umalusi

Certification usually looks at all of the activities or tasks completed in the course.

E.g The matric exam results listed on the Matric Certificate

Accreditation usually looks at specific activities with the course.

E.g Looking at whether the course covers a specific curriculum etc

What Is The Difference Between Accreditation And Affiliation?

The main difference between accreditation and affiliation is that accreditation focuses on the act of accrediting a course of a college or university. Affiliation is the relationship between two parties. In the table below, we indicate the differences and examples.

 AccreditationAffiliation
DefinitionThis is when an official body gives credit to a course or institution.This is when you are associated or have a relationship with a person, group or party.
ExampleMatric College is accredited by ICB, which means we can offer ICB Courses.A trade union or in our case we are affiliated with: Bellview Institute of Distance Learning, Skills Academy, Together We Pass etc.

What Are The Different NQF Levels Of Accreditation?

The National Quality Framework (NQF) records 10 learner achievement levels. The NQF Levels determine at what level your qualification is. Here is a table that indicates all the NQF Levels and the qualifications for those NQF Levels.

NQF LevelsQualifications
NQF Level 1Grade 9 Certificate or,  GETC: ABET Level 4
NQF Level 2Grade 10 or,  NC (V) Level 2
NQF Level 3Grade 11, or our Bookkeeping: ICB National Certificate or, NC (V) Level 3
NQF Level 4Grade 12 or our Small Business Financial Management: ICB National Certificate, or our Bookkeeping: FET National Certificate, or NC (V) Level 4
NQF Level 5Higher Certificates and Advanced National Vocational Certificates – All of our NATED N4, N5 and N6 National Certificates is at the NQF Level
NQF Level 6National Diplomas and Advanced Certificates – All of our NATED N6 National Diplomas are at this NQF Level
NQF Level 7Advanced Diplomas, Bachelors Degrees, Post Graduate Certificate, B-Tech
NQF Level 8Post Graduate Diploma, Honours Degree
NQF Level 9Masters Degree
NQF Level 10Doctorate Degree

What Are Accredited Courses?

Accredited Courses are courses that have been approved by any of South Africa’s three Quality Councils. Accredited Courses generally have SAQA ID numbers and meet the standards and quality of the National Quality Framework system. All of our ICB and NATED Programmes are accredited.

What If A Programme Is Not Accredited?

If a Programme is not accredited, it is usually referred to as a Short Course or a Non-accredited Course. Short Courses give students specific skills that they can use in the workplace. This means that they have value to come employers. It is up to you to make sure that the company accepts applicants with Short Courses.

Is Accreditation A Certificate?

No, Accreditation is not a Certificate. However, a Certificate can be accredited. Does this make sense?  No? Accreditation is the process of confirming that a Qualification (it could be a Certificate) meets the standards and quality required to be on the NQF system. A Certificate is a Qualification you receive after completing a course. This course could be accredited or non-accredited. All Accredited Certificates should have a SAQA ID number that can be checked online. Here are the Accredited Certificates that we offer at Matric College:
  1. NATED Certificates
  1. ICB Certificates

Benefits Of Studying At Matric College

If you choose to complete your studies through Matric College, you will gain the following benefits:

  • You save money: You do not attend any physical classes, which cuts costs on getting to campus
  • Our courses are affordable: This means that you can complete more courses and gain more qualifications
  • Almost all of our courses can be completed quickly: There are many exam opportunities
  • We send your study material: This means that it is included in your course fees. You will not spend extra money on study material.

What Is An Example Of Accreditation?

An example of accreditation is the accreditation at Matric College:

What Is Proof Of Accreditation?

Proof of accreditation is what determines whether a course is accredited. Proof of accreditation can be determined by:

  • Accreditation reference number 
  • SAQA ID Numbers
  • Proof of being a training registered provider

How Do I Know If A College Is Accredited In South Africa?

You will know if a college is accredited in South Africa if they:

  • Have an accreditation reference number 
  • If the courses have SAQA ID numbers 
  • If the college is affiliated and accredited by professional bodies

What Are Bogus Colleges?

Bogus Colleges are Colleges that are not honest about their accreditation and registration. Here is how you know if a college is bogus:

  • If they are not clear about their accreditation
  • If they cannot or will not provide you with their accreditation reference number 
  • If they sell a course under false accreditation

Watch Our Principal Talk About College Accreditation

How Do I Register For Adult Matric In 2022?

Here is the registration process for Adult Matric in 2022:

Contact Matric College:

Register successfully

  • After you have successfully registered, expect your first batch of study material within 5 -7 working days.

Go over your study material

  • Read about what you will be studying and what to expect in the course.

Prepare for the final Matric exam 

  • Prepare for the final exam by completing our past papers and then getting the memo’s from us.

Write the final Matric exam and pass successfully

  • Once you have completed the exams, you can expect to get your accredited Matric Certificate from Umalusi.

What Do I Need To Register For Matric?

You need to meet the following entry requirements if you need to register for Matric as an adult:

You need to meet the following entry requirements if you need to register for Matric in High School:

  • Be 21 and younger
  • Have completed and passed Grade 10 and Grade 11
  • Study in the language preferred (Find out from the school which Home Languages they offer)
  • Study at a High School

Can I Still Register For Matric Rewrite 2022?

Yes, you can register for the Matric Rewrite at Matric College any time of the year. We are a distance learning college. This means you only write the final Matric exams. This means that you can work and study at the same time.

Who Qualifies For Matric Rewrite?

You qualify for the Matric Rewrite if you:

What Can I Study Without Matric?

You can study some of our NATED Courses and our ICB Courses without Matric:

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the other terms used for accreditation:

  • Approval
  • Authorisation
  • Endorsement
  • Licensed 
  • Recognition

Matric accreditation is the accreditation that any Matric Qualification holds. As mentioned above, Matric Courses can only be administered and accredited by the DHET. They administer the final Matric exams and there is a strict policy that goes along with this. For example:

  • The administration of the examination like:
    • The ID numbers of the students
    • The examination numbers of the students
    • The subjects they will write
  • The final Matric exam markers that are appointed
  • The invigilators that are appointed
  • The procedures of the final exams

In most cases, it can take between 4 – 6 weeks to verify a Matric Certificate, but this is subject to change. Your Matric Certificate cannot be verified on the exact day that you submit it for verification.

Only Private Assessment Bodies and Private Providers of Education can apply for accreditation with Umalusi.

The application process is generally done online. You have to provide a reason as to why you would like accreditation. Umalusi will do background checks to ensure that whoever applies falls under Umalusi’s standard of quality. 

The applicant will be contacted by Umalusi if they wish to take it further. If you want the full accreditation process, you can contact Umalusi at (012 349 1510).

It is only important to check accreditation if you are in a field of study that requires accreditation. These fields are:

  1. Medicine
    • Doctors
    • Nurses
    • Paramedics
  2. Law
    • Advocates
    • Lawyers
    • Legal Secretaries
  3. Health and Safety etc.
    • Health and Safety Officers
    • Human Resource Management

Other fields of study do not require accreditation. Certain employers employ people with non-accredited courses because they have acquired the necessary skills to perform the duties required. Always find out what the company’s hiring criteria are before applying.

Universities verify Certificates on the SAQA search engine as well. All Qualifications can be determined by SAQA.

Matric RewriteMatric Upgrade
Study at a High School.Study at a distance learning college.
Only rewrite the subjects you wrote in the previous exam.You can change your subjects.
Only rewrite the subjects you wrote in the previous exam.You can change your subjects.
Apply directly with the Department of Basic Education (DBE).Apply at Matric College and then the Department of Basic Education (DBE).
You can only rewrite until the age of 21 years old.You can rewrite it as many times as you like.

Yes, you can do your Matric Online at Matric college. We are a distance learning college that uses online tools to provide Matric Online. This means that you do not attend classes at a campus or live scheduled sessions. You only write the final Matric exam.

Yes, you can do our Matric Upgrade Course in three months. This means that you must have already completed Matric in order to complete Matric in three months. If you are interested in completing the full Adult Matric Course, it can take between one and three years to complete.

Author: Jesmé Africa
Date Published: April 21, 2022
Editor: Amy Venter