What Is The Difference Between NATED And NCV?

National Qualifications are post-school study options whilst NCV is an alternative to grade 10-12. Here are the key differences between NATED and NCV.

What Is an NCV Qualification?

NCV Qualifications are also known as National Certificate Vocational Qualifications. These qualifications were created to provide workplace-based skill sets in various career fields that are in demand in South Africa. 

With an NCV qualification, you are also able to move into higher education programs within the same learning areas. 

National Certificate Vocational Qualifications are offered on the following NQF levels:

  • NCV Qualification on NQF Level 2: Equivalent to grade 10
  • NCV Qualification on NQF Level 3: Equivalent to grade 11
  • NCV Qualification on NQF Level 4: Equivalent to grade 12

Watch the College Principal explain everything you need to know about the NQF and its levels on YouTube.

Advantages Of NCV

National Certificate Vocational allows students to master a specific set of skills in preparation for the workplace. This means that without finishing Matric, students get the chance to harness their skills and build a successful career. 

NCV courses also benefit students who do not do well in a traditional school environment. These students can instead study NCV qualifications to get a certification equivalent to matric. 

Having an NCV qualification means higher employment opportunities in your specific field. You will also have more employment opportunities with the highest NCV qualification than you would with just a traditional matric certificate.

NCV Requirements

To apply for an NCV course, you must meet the following requirements: 

  • Grade 9 pass certificate OR equivalent  (ABET Certificate or NQF 1 Certificate).
  • Will need to have a copy of your ID (Use a certified copy)
  • Provide a proof of address (If Applicable)

How Many Years Does An NCV Courses Take To Complete?

The NCV qualifications are made up of three levels. These represent the grades following after Grade 9. Each level takes a year to complete, which adds up to three years. 

How Many Subjects Does NCV Have?

Students will have to register for 7 subjects for an NCV course. These subjects are not that much different from the subjects you would choose in traditional Matric. Here is a brief overview of the subjects: 

  • Need to choose an official language
  • Either Mathematics or Mathematical literacy
  • Life Orientation 
  • 4 additional subjects

Here are a few NCV Courses that you can choose from:

  • Finance, Economics, and Accounting
  • Marketing
  • Management
  • Office Administration
  • Information Technology and Computer Science 
  • Civil Engineering
  • Electrical Infrastructure Construction
  • Engineering and Related Design
  • Education and Development
  • Hospitality
  • Primary Agriculture
  • Tourism

When Are Registrations Open For NCV?

If you are interested in doing an NCV course. You will need to register by January. Classes usually start in this month. So this means that the entire application and registration process should be concluded before the classes start.  

Is NCV 4 Equivalent to Matric?

Yes, National Certificate Vocational 4 is equivalent to a matric certificate. 

According to the National Qualification Framework, both of the above-mentioned certificates are on level 4 of the NQF. 

Can I Go To University With NCV 4?

Some universities accept applicants with an NCV 4 into certain Bachelor’s Degree programmes. Institutions will accept you if you meet some requirements set for the programme you are interested in. Take these requirements as guidelines:

  • You should at least have 60% in three fundamental subjects, including;

    • Your language of teaching 

  • You should also have received 70% in four vocational subjects
  • The subjects need to match the degree programme you choose 

Once the above requirements have been met, NCV applicants may also have to write an entrance examination.

What Does A NATED Course Mean?

NATED courses are also known as National Qualification Courses. The Department of Higher Education and Training designed each National Qualification course to train students for the workplace. 

NATED courses use both theoretical and practical teachings to give students the best career-based learning. At the end of each N6 course, students will need to complete a certain amount of months of work experience to be eligible for a Diploma. 

NATED Courses are broken into the following levels:

  • N1 National Certificate: NQF Level 2
  • N2 National Certificate: NQF Level 3 
  • N3 National Certificate: NQF Level 4 
  • N4 National Certificate: NQF Level 5 
  • N5 National Certificate: NQF Level 5 
  • N6 National Certificate: NQF Level 5 
  • N6 National Diploma: NQF Level 6

You need to apply with a Matric certificate for the foundational NATED courses. You can also start various N4 National Certificates with a Matric equivalent certificate.  

Even if you passed Matric with a National Senior Certificate Pass or a Higher Certificate Pass, you can still go on to get a diploma. Once you have entered the N4 National Certificate course, you can study your way to the N6 National Certificate. 

Once you have an N6 National Certificate, you are required to complete 18 months of work experience in your chosen study field. This will be noted in a logbook that must be approved by the Department of Higher Education and Training. 

After it has been approved, you can get your N6 National Diploma which is a level 6 on the NQF.

NATED Course Requirements

To apply for an N4 National Certificate you must have a Matric Certificate. For some NATED Courses, you can apply with a Matric Equivalent Certificate. These include:

Who Qualifies For NATED?

Anyone who has passed their Matric Can study. You can study a National Qualification (NATED) course if:

NQF Levels

The NQF Levels work as follows: 

  • NQF Level 1: Grade 9 certificate or equivalent 
  • NQF Level 2: Grade 10 certificate or equivalent
  • NQF Level 3: Grade 11 certificate or equivalent
  • NQF Level 4: Grade 12 certificate or equivalent
  • NQF Level 5: Higher Certificate. 
  • NQF Level 6: Diploma
  • NQF Level 7: Bachelor’s Degree 
  • NQF Level 8: Honours Degree
  • NQF Level 9: Master’s Degree
  • NQF Level 10: Doctorate Degree
NQF levels explained

Each NCV or NATED Course belongs to a different level on the National Qualifications Framework, determining its academic strength.

What Is An N6 Qualification Equivalent To?

An N6 National Certificate is equivalent to any other NQF Level 5 qualification. This includes Higher Certificates. 

These ICB Courses are also examples of NQF 5-level qualifications:

An N6 National Certificate with 18 months of approved work experience can become an N6 National Diploma. Once this happens, you will have an NQF 6 qualification.

Are NATED And NCV Courses Matric Equivalent?

N3 National Certificates and NCV 4 Certificates are on level 4 of the NQF. A traditional Matric certificate is also a level 4 of the NQF. 

That means that the N3 and NCV4 qualifications mentioned above are equivalent to Matric.

What Is Better, NATED Or NCV?

NCV courses are essentially courses you take to complete your Matric. So they are considered a great foundation for NATED courses or even degree programmes.

Main Differences

NCV courses were created to allow students to master skill sets away from a traditional school environment. They also exist for students who have already decided on a career vocation and do not need to further their traditional high school experience. 

NCV certificates give students the chance to become self-employed after they have completed their certificate. 

NATED N4-N6 qualifications are post-school courses that help further your education in a specific learning area. These career-based qualifications are different from other tertiary education courses as they use both practical and theoretical teaching. 

National Qualification courses run all the way to level 6 on the NQF whilst NCV courses only go up to an NQF level 4. Essentially, NCV courses are high school alternative courses.

List Of NATED Courses

Here is a list of all the NATED Courses offered by Matric College:

Marketing Management

Business Management

Financial Management

Educare (Requires a Matric Certificate)

Management Assistant

Human Resource Management

Legal Secretary (Requires a Matric Certificate)

List of NCV Courses

Here are a few NCV Courses that you can choose from:

  • Finance, Economics, and Accounting. 
  • Marketing.
  • Management.
  • Office Administration.
  • Information Technology and Computer Science. 
  • Civil Engineering.
  • Electrical Infrastructure Construction. 
  • Engineering and Related Design. 
  • Education and Development.
  • Hospitality.
  • Primary Agriculture. 
  • Tourism.

What Study Options Are Available At Matric College?

NCV and NATED Certificates are just some of the options for your education. There are a few other options that might suit you:

  • Adult Matric
  • Institute of Certified Bookkeepers 
  • Study Without Matric

Adult Matric

Adult Matric Courses give individuals the chance to finally complete their Matric certificate. Whether unable to finish or reach your Matric year, Adult Matric allows you to complete and receive a matric certificate identical to the one you would have received in high school. 

To apply for the Adult Matric course you must meet the following requirements:

  • Grade 9 certificate 
  • Be able to read and write in English OR Afrikaans

Institute Of Certified Bookkeepers

ICB And Matric Equivalent Certificates

We also offer two courses that double as Matric Equivalent Courses. These qualifications can then be used to apply to more advanced ICB courses that allow Matric Equivalent Certificates: 

The application requirements for the Matric Equivalent Courses above are as follows:

FET Certificate In Bookkeeping

The FET Certificate in Bookkeeping is accredited by QCTO and ICB and awarded by FASSET.

To apply for this course you must:

National Certificate In Small Business Financial Management

The National Certificate in Small Business Financial Management is accredited by QCTO and ICB and awarded by FASSET

To apply for this course you must:

  • Have a grade 11 certificate
  • Be able to read and write in English

Study Without Matric

You can also choose to study without a Matric Certificate. Matric College offers the following courses that you can choose if you have not completed your grade 12 certificate:

Event & Wedding Planning Courses

Beauty Therapy Courses

Educare & Child Care Courses

Tourism & Guest House Courses

Jan Badenhorst, CEO Of Matric College, Explaining The NQF And Its Levels

People Also Ask

No, all NATED courses require a matric certificate for you to be able to apply. This is because all the courses start at N4 which is an entry-level qualification for matric graduates.

Yes, depending on the course you’ve chosen, you will study a NATED course from N4 to N6 certificate qualifications. After you finish the N6 certificate course, to receive your qualification, you will need to do an 18-month practical(N6 Diploma course)

You will look for a company in the same industry that you are studying in and work for them until the 18 months is completed, gaining your qualification and some real work experience.

Yes, you can. If you feel that you prefer to get a targeted skill set, you can complete an NCV course. However, At Matric College you could try and improve your Matric results, with our rewrite course.  

We also provide students with Matric equivalent courses, that lead to more advanced ICB courses. 

An NCV level 4 qualification is set at 130 credits. 

Neither. An NCV qualification is on par with Matric equivalent courses. These courses are at an NQF level of 4, much like the NSC. You would also need to choose 7 subjects for your NCV qualification. 

Author: Kamogelo Mkonto & Lynnzelle Adams

Editor: Connor Bergsma
Date Updated: March 14, 2024