Asked and
answered.

The three Higher Occupational Certificates require an NQF level 4 qualification (a National Senior Certificate or equivalent) with Communication and Mathematical Literacy. Short courses are open-access skills programmes — a Grade 10 or equivalent is the minimum. If you are unsure whether your subjects qualify, talk to admissions before you apply.

Yes. PASMA's 2027 qualifications are Higher Occupational Certificates at NQF level 5, quality-assured by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO) with MICTSETA as the Assessment Quality Partner. Every programme page links to its listing on the SAQA qualifications register so you can verify it yourself — see the accreditation page for the full picture.

The Department of Higher Education and Training is phasing out NATED (Report 191) programmes nationally; the final N Diploma awards close on 30 June 2029. PASMA's 2027 intake is offered on the successor occupational qualifications instead — Higher Occupational Certificates quality-assured by the QCTO. Our NATED transition explainer covers what this means for new and returning students.

The three qualifications are full-time and campus-based in Bloemfontein — the training is built around daily access to the studios. The short courses are blended: online video lessons and virtual mentor sessions, with monthly practical workshops on campus (workshops are streamed for learners who cannot attend in person).

Yes. All qualifications and short courses are structured as a once-off enrolment fee that secures your place, followed by fixed monthly instalments. The complete, current fee structure — including workplace-block pricing — is published on the fees page with a last-reviewed date, because we believe you should know the full number before you apply.

No — short courses are focused, part-time skills programmes and carry a PASMA certificate of completion, not a national qualification. They are ideal for targeted skills or for testing the field before committing. The accredited route is one of the three Higher Occupational Certificates at NQF level 5.

Yes. The Learn library on this site runs free, browser-based training activities — no account needed for the entry levels. They are real exercises from our teaching approach, so you can feel how we train before you commit to anything.

The External Integrated Summative Assessment is the national exit exam for occupational qualifications in South Africa. It is set and quality-assured nationally — not by the college — which is what makes an occupational certificate portable. You qualify to write it once you have completed your knowledge and practical modules and submitted your Statement of Work Experience from the workplace block.