FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions are questions many students ask on a regular basis. We try to collect the most frequently asked questions related to Matric College and Matric College courses and answer them on this page. 

We do not stop there, we also answer these questions through our articles as well as when you contact any of our Course Experts.

Have any questions?

Here you will find answers to some questions you may have.

General Questions & Answers

These are general questions that students ask with regard to Matric College.

Yes, you will get textbooks for most if not all of your courses. This is how this works. If you are completing the following courses, you will receive textbooks and study guides:

For our Short Courses, you will only receive some textbooks depending on the type of Short course you complete. Most of our short courses only consist of study guides and relevant course information like your assignments. 

To find out more about these courses, contact our Course Experts.

This only applies to the Matric Courses that we offer. Our NATED, ICB, and Short Course subjects are fixed subjects, you do not have to choose subjects with these courses.

We suggest that you speak to a Course Expert about the subjects that you would like to complete.

If you are completing the Adult Matric Course or the Matric Upgrade Course. Our Course Experts will help you determine which courses are best suited for you based on:

Here is a list of all the Matric subjects that we offer:

Compulsory Subjects

These are subjects that you must select. You must choose at least (3) three compulsory subjects:

  • English Home Language
  • English First Additional Language
  • Afrikaans Huistaal
  • Afrikaans Eerste Addisionele Taal
  • isiZulu Home Language
  • isiXhosa Home Language
  • isiNdebele Home Language
  • Sepedi Home Language
  • Xitsonga Home Language
  • Tshivenda Home Language
  • Sesotho Home Language
  • Siswati Home Language
  • Setswana Home Language
  • Mathematics / Wiskunde
  • Mathematical Literacy / Wiskundige Geletterdheid

Elective / High Credit Subjects

These are subjects you can decide to select, which means that they are not compulsory but should be selected because you must have at least 6 subjects in total if you plan on completing the Adult Matric Course. You must choose at least (3) three elective / high credit subjects:

  • Physical Sciences / Fisiese Wetenskap
  • Life Sciences / Lewenswetenskappe
  • Agricultural Sciences / Landbouwetenskap
  • Business Studies / Besigheidstudies
  • Economics / Ekonomie
  • Accounting / Rekeningkunde
  • History / Geskiedenis
  • Geography / Geografie
  • Religious Studies / Religious Studies
NOTE:

The above-mentioned subjects are in Afrikaans because the Adult Matric is offered in Afrikaans as well.

No, you do not need a computer to study at Matric College. If you have a smartphone that has an email address then you can download a scanning application on your phone, write out or type your assignments, scan and send it through email. 

Alternatively, you can post your study material to us. 

Does this mean that you must have internet access or data? Yes, you must have data on your phone to send the assignment through email, but this will be the only time that you need data.

You only need to buy the following items, depending on the type of course you decide to complete:

  • Pens and pencils
  • Calculator
  • Exam pads

We provide the following study material:

  • Textbooks
  • Study guides
  • Assessment Guides
  • Past Papers

The only exams that we register on behalf of our students are the NATED Course exams. Short Courses do not have examinations, therefore students do not have to register for the exams. 

However, you have to register with us first and then register for the Matric exams with the Department of Basic Education and Training (DBE).

Our college is in Cape Town:

We offer telephonic student support at our branch in Cape Town. Please contact our Pretoria offices if you would like to register for a course.

Location:

Matric College Unit MP12B,

Mega Park c/o Peter Barlow & Mill Roads

Bellville South

7530

Landline for Support:

021 838 8295

We are also situated in Pretoria:

The Pretoria office is our registration office and is tasked with handling all registration requests by visitors.

Location: 

440 Hilda Street, Standard Plaza, 5th Floor

Hatfield, Pretoria

Landline for Registrations: 

012 762 7100

NOTE:

We are a distance learning college, which means that you do not have to come to our physical address to study with us. You can study from wherever you are located.

By law, we are not required to be accredited to offer our Adult Matric Course or Matric Upgrade Course. This does not mean that our Matric Qualifications are non-accredited. Our Matric Qualifications are issued by Umalusi which makes it accredited. To gain more information about our accreditation, go to our article titled “Accreditation and Registration At Matric College”.

All of our NATED and ICB Courses are accredited by:

  • QCTO
  • DHET

Our NATED Courses are provided to our students through our partnership with Bellview Institute of Distance Learning. The accreditation reference number for these courses is:  019992110 / 1199995016.

We are also registered to provide ICB Courses. Our reference number is 301290.

We strive to provide education to each student, whether it be with or without a Matric Certificate. Here are the courses you can complete without a Matric Certificate:

This depends on your needs as a student. Here is how you can determine which course you should apply for:

  • Adult Matric
    • Complete this course if you do not have a Matric Certificate and need one to apply for a course that requires a Matric Certificate
  • Matric Upgrade
    • Complete this course if you have completed Matric but failed or missed an exam sitting

You will study from anywhere in the world because we are a distance learning college. At Matric College, we want to close the gap between location and education. We believe that every student deserves the opportunity to further their studies, regardless of where they are located.

We will send you your textbooks and study through courier service and in return you will send your assignments through email or post. After completing a course, we will send your qualification through courier delivery.

Here is how your studies will work at Matric College:

Calling Hours

  • Speak to a Course Expert. After contacting us, you will speak to a Course Expert. Our Course Experts will guide you through the registration process and help you determine which course would be best suited for you.
  • Decide on the best course for you. With the help of our Course Experts, you can decide on a course. 
  • Successfully register as a student. After you determine the course you would like to complete, you will be registered for that course and become a Matric College student.
  • Receive your first batch of study material between (5 to 7 working days). You will receive your first batch of study material after you have made the first payment. 
  • Attempt your first assignment. Try to complete the first assignment, if you need assistance you may ask our tutors for advice on how to approach your assignments.
  • Submit your first assignment. After getting the assistance you need and completing the assignment successfully, you can submit it through email or post.
  • Get Comprehensive feedback from a tutor or lecturer. Our lecturers will mark your assignment and submit comprehensive feedback. Here they will indicate where you have gone wrong and how you can improve. 
  • Work on the feedback if you have failed an assignment and resubmit the assignment. If you have failed an assignment, we will motivate you to submit again. 
  • Attempt the next assignment until you have completed all the assignments. If there are final exams, you will register for the exams depending on the course you complete. Write all the exams, and we will send you your qualification or qualification. Keep in mind that the short courses do not have a final exam.

Yes, you may apply any time of the year because we are a distance learning college. This means that you decided when you are ready to study. This allows you to decide on the best course for you, as well as a course that suits your pocket.

Matric College fees range from course to course. To get more information about our courses, you can contact any of our Course Experts:

Christa Algera: Executive Course Expert

WhatsApp Number: 067 979 8751

Email Address: [email protected]

Lindiwe Molekoa: Course Expert

WhatsApp Number: 0817221268

Email Address: [email protected]

Tebogo Setsetse: Course Expert

WhatsApp Number: 0786402271

Email Address: [email protected]

Delmarie Lessing-Venter: Course Expert

WhatsApp Number: 060 697 6369

Email Address: [email protected]

Grace Makume: Course Expert 

Email Address: [email protected]

WhatsApp Number: 0604880895

Tatum Jansen: Course Expert

WhatsApp: 0795445215

Email Address: [email protected]

Kagiso Thobejane: Course Expert

Email Address: [email protected] 

WhatsApp Number: 0733957381

Charles Mnisi: Student Recruitment: Team Leader

Email Address: [email protected]

WhatsApp Number: 067 035 5349

The (3) three struggles commonly faced by students are:

  • Social anxiety
      • If you study at Matric College, you do not have to be concerned about interacting with people because you will study from home. This means you do not have to be concerned about social  anxiety that might occur.
  • Money 
      • Most students do not study because they simply cannot afford education costs. At Matric College, you can make affordable monthly payments that work for both you and Matric College.
  • Family expectation and motivation
    • Family plays an important role in students lives, and they tend to decide what it is that you need to study. You should always choose a course that suits your interests and needs. Most students also have a lack of motivation, at Matric College, our support team checks on our students on a regular basis. If you do not understand the work, we have tutors that will assist you.

College students need the following things the most:

  • Motivation
  • Dedication
  • Passion
  • Interest
  • Self-discipline
  • Integrity
  • Support

A college student can be successful if they are dedicated to their studies. Here is how you can become a successful student:

  • Make time for your studies
  • Do not procrastinate
  • Always ask for help
  • Submit all of your assignments
  • Never be afraid to try again and again

Each college has its own entry requirements. Here is what we look for at Matric College:

Some colleges do look at your social media to find out what type of person you are and if you will be dedicated to your studies. 

Matric College does not look at your social media, we determine your dedication to your studies through the assignments you submit to us and the final exams that you take. Even if you fail your assignments and exams, we motivate our students to try again and again.

You can stand out in college by completing and passing all of your assignments.

Each college has its own requirements that they look at, and each course that they offer has separate entry requirements. We offer many courses that you can study with different grades. Here are the courses that we offer with the minimum grades required.

  • Adult Matric
    • You only need a Grade 9 Certificate or
    • ABET Level 4 Qualifications

  • Matric Upgrade
    • You only need a Matric Certificate whether or be passed or failed

  • ICB Courses
    • You can apply for our ICB Business Management Courses with a Grade 11 or Grade 11 Equivalent Certificate (NQF Level 3)
    • You can apply for our ICB Financial Accounting Courses with a Grade 10 or Grade 10 Equivalent Certificate (NQF Level 2)
    • You can apply for our ICB Office Administration Courses with a Grade 12 or Grade 12 Equivalent Certificate (NQF Level 4)

  • NATED Courses
    • You can apply for our NATED Courses with a Matric Certificate at any Matric Pass Level

Yes, Matric College is legit. We offer accredited and recognised qualifications that can be found on the SAQA search engine. Here is our accreditation:

  • Accredited with ICB
  • NATED Courses exams are administered by the DHET
  • Matric Certificates are issued by Umalusi

If you want information about the specific courses that we offer, then you are on the right page. Here are more questions that students ask about the following courses:

Matric Courses – Questions & Answers

These are the Matric-related questions that students have.

Yes, you can do matric online. We are a distance learning college that provides Online Matric. The online tools that we make use of are:

  • Email 
  • WhatsApp
  • Registration forms
  • Past Papers

Matric Courses are any course that is Matric-related. This means that the course is at NQF Level 4. Any Qualification that is at NQF Level 4 is considered a Matric Course. Here are the Matric Courses that we offer:

  1. Adult Matric
  2. Matric Upgrade
  3. Matric Equivalent Courses

Yes, you can do your Matric 3 or 6 months. If you register with us at the beginning of the year, then you will qualify for the May / June examination.

No, you cannot write Matric without Grade 11. Our Adult Matric Course covers Grade 10, Grade 11 and Grade 12 work.

You first have to register at Matric College, and then you have to register with the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Here are the steps that you need to take to register with the DBE:

Step 1: Go to the DBE website

Step 2: Create a profile by clicking on the sign-up / registration button

Step 3: Tick off the both boxes

Step 4: Complete all of your details

Step 5: Successfully register

NOTE:

You can apply directly with the DBE, but they will not provide you with study material or support throughout your Matric journey. They will only give you the dates scheduled for the final exams.

Yes, there are assignments for the Adult Matric and Matric Upgrade Course, but they do not count towards your final marks. These assignments are there to prepare you for the final exams. We will look at the results of your assignments and determine whether you are prepared for the final Matric exams.

NATED Courses – Questions & Answers

These are all the NATED related questions that students have

A NATED Qualification is what is awarded to you after you have completed a NATED Course. These courses were designed by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to close the unemployment gap amongst the youth. 

These courses give students both practical and theoretical skills that will help them to be work-ready. Most employers employ graduates who already have work experience, therefore they prefer students that have completed a NATED Qualification.

You qualify for a NATED Course if you:

  • Have a Matric Qualification with any Matric Pass Level
  • If you are 16 and older
  • Enjoy studying through distance learning
  • Read, write and understand English

You can do NATED Courses at Matric College. We are a distance learning college that provides education to students from where ever they are.

This depends on how many courses you choose to complete as well as how you choose to complete it. Here is a table with the various study options:

 Only completing one course (NATED N4)Only completing two courses (NATED N5)Only completing three courses (NATED N6)
Completing the theoryThis will take 6 months to complete.This will take between 12 months to complete.This will take between 18 months to complete.
Completing the theory and then the work experienceThis will take 12 months to complete.This will take 24 months to complete.This will take 36 months to complete.
Completing both work experience and theory at the same timeThis will take 6 months to complete.This will take between 12 months to complete.This will take between 18 months to complete. 

You register for a NATED Course by applying at Matric College. We will register you for the final exam on your request. This means that you decide when and if you would like to write the  final exams. This process is not done automatically, which means that we will send you the exam dates, and you will inform us when and if you would like to write the final exams. 

This process includes you completing the exam registration form and getting approved by the Department of Higher Education (DHET). You also need to keep in mind that you can only register for a subject if you have passed and completed the (3) three assignments with at least 50%.

Yes, there are (3) assignments for each subject for the NATED Courses. You have to pass these assignments with at least 50% or above to be approved for the final exams. Here is an example of the amount of assignments that you might get for the Marketing Management: NATED N4 National Certificate:

SubjectsAssignments
Entrepreneurship and Business Management N43 x Assignments
Marketing Management N43 x Assignments
Management Communication N43 x Assignments
Computer Practice N43 x Assignments
You will complete (4) four subjects in total.You will complete 12 assignments in total.

Here is what you will get with each NATED Course:

  1. Textbook
  2. Study Guide
  3. Study Calendar
  4. Learning Outcomes Checklist 1
  5. Learning Outcomes Checklist 2

ICB Courses – Questions & Answers

Here are all the ICB related questions.

An ICB Qualification is a National Certificate, Higher Certificate or National Diploma that you will be awarded once you have completed an ICB Course. 

You can use an ICB Qualification to find entry-level employment, and you can further your studies with ICB. They provide you with (3) three programmes of study, namely:

Here are the qualifications that you can get from each programme:

  • ICB Business Management
  • ICB Financial Accounting
  • ICB Office Administration

All of these qualifications are scarce skill qualifications. This means that employers want to employ you because they need the skills that you have.

An ICB Course is a course that is designed to give you skills in business or management. These courses are provided by more than 500 training providers, Matric College being one of the many training providers. ICB Courses are recognised and accredited internationally and nationally.

Yes, ICB Qualifications are recognised by employers nationally and internationally.

No, Unisa does not recognise ICB Qualifications. However, they will look at some of your subjects and determine whether they qualify to be exempted. Keep in mind that this exemption is not guaranteed, therefore you should find out before applying for a course. 

ICB does recognise prior learning and even work experience. This means that you can complete one ICB Programme, and they will exempt you from certain subjects if they appear in another ICB Programme.

The fees for our ICB Courses depends on the type of course that you complete. There are also fees that are requested by ICB directly. Here is an image of the fees requested by ICB:

ICB Course Fees

If you want more information on our course information, contact any of our Course Experts.

You can register for any ICB Course by applying at Matric College. ICB does not offer tuition. At Matric College, we will provide you with the study material. Once you are ready for the final exam, you will register on the ICB portal, this will give you access to your assignments, which ICB will send to you on request.

Yes, there are assignments for ICB Courses. Here is an image that demonstrate all the assessments:

How ICB Courses Are Assessed

The final exam can be written in these (2) two ways:

  1. Online exam
  2. Paper-based

Online Exam

ICB decided to go online with their exams in 2021 due to the global pandemic. This allowed students to choose whether they would like to write the final exams online. Distance learning students and Face-to-face students can choose this option however, face-to-face students have to inform their college about their decision and distance learning, students can apply on the ICB Student Portal. The online exams usually occur between 01:00 pm  – 04:30 pm.

Paper-Based Exam

These exams will take place at a physical venue. Both Face-to-face and distance learning can make use of this option. Face-to-face learners will get more information from their college, whereas distance learning students can apply on the ICB Student Portal. The paper-based exams usually occur between 09:00 am – 12:30 pm.

NOTE:
Due to the COVID-19 protocol, ICB venues (paper-based exams) can only accommodate a limited number of students. Plan ahead to avoid disappointment by booking your paper-based exam in advance.


Also, NOTE:
Any exams and / or venues can be cancelled or withdrawn by the ICB at any time. It is not guaranteed that the ICB will accept your booking for any exam. Students whose exams are cancelled will be offered alternate dates.

Here are the entry requirements for each ICB Course:

  1. ICB Business Management
    • Apply with a Grade 11 Certificate or
    • Grade 11 Equivalent Certificate (NQF Level 3) or
    • ICB Bridging Course (NQF Level 3)
    • Understand, read and write English
    • Study through distance learning
  1. ICB Financial Accounting
    • Apply with a Grade 10 Certificate or
    • Grade 10 Equivalent Certificate (NQF Level 2)
    • Understand, read and write English
    • Study through distance learning
  1. ICB Office Administration

Short Courses – Questions & Answers

These are all the Short Courses related questions.

The best Short Courses to do are the ones that:

  • Suits your interests and passion
  • What you are capable of doing
  • The type of education you enjoy
  • What you can afford
  • The short courses that are in-demand

You can complete all of our courses online. We are a distance learning college that provides education by using online tools such as email, WhatsApp, as well as registration.

You can register for a Short Course by contacting any of our Course Experts. After you have been in contact with a Course Expert, you can choose a course that best suits your needs. Thereafter, you will be registered as a student and receive your study within (5 to 7 working days).

Yes, there are only assignments for Short Courses. You will receive (3) three assignments for each subject that you complete. You must get 50% or more for each assignment. Once you have completed all three assignments for each subject, you will be awarded with a Certificate of Completion. 

This is an indication that you understand what is expected of you from that particular subject. This applies to the rest of your subjects until you have completed all the assignments. Once you have completed all the assignments, you will receive your certificate. There will be no final exam.

You can also submit the assignments as many times as you like at no additional charge. As long as you submit and pass all the assignments before the course ends.

Here are the entry requirements for Short Courses:

  • Be 16 or older to apply
  • Understand, read and write English
  • Study through distance learning

This means that you can complete any of our Short Courses with or without a Matric Certificate.

Author: Jesmé Africa
Editor: Amy Venter
Date Published: May 31, 2022