PGCE Unisa

Below are the information find about PGCE Unisa.

Rules:
Students who do not comply with all the above admission requirements may not register for this qualification, but rather apply for the BEd (Intermediate and Senior Phase Teaching). DHET (Department of Higher Education and Training) encourages students to rather apply for a BEd degree, in order to promote better employment opportunities. Outstanding admission subjects may not be offered for non-degree purposes. A student who has successfully completed this qualification will be able to teach from Grade 4 to 9. Teaching Practice (10 weeks) is a compulsory component in this program and must be taken according to specific criteria. This qualification comprises both semester and year modules. Year modules may only be registered during the January registration period of each academic year. Students must also register themselves with SACE (South African Council for Educators) from the first year of BEd registration. Please visit the SACE website for more information: https://www.sace.org.za/

Purpose statement:
The PGCE serves as a professional ‘capping’ qualification for candidates who have completed an appropriate 360 or 480 credit Bachelor’s degree other than the BEd. The qualification accredits the development of professional competence reflexively grounded in educational theory.

This qualification will be presented using both online and distance learning modes.

Who can register?

• Applicants may only register once they have received confirmation from Unisa that their application for admission has been accepted. Unisa reserves the right to not process and / or to cancel your registration if it is found that you were incorrectly admitted to a qualification. Admission to the alternative qualification is not automatic. It will depend on whether you comply with admission requirements and if space is available.
• Re-registering students may register for the 2026 academic year once the registration period opens.

Please note: Should you wish to start a new qualification, please apply online for the alternative qualification during the prescribed application period.

How to choose your modules

Each Unisa qualification is structured in such a way that you need to pass a certain number of NQF level credits within a certain amount of time in order to graduate.

You may not register for more than the allowed maximum number of credits / modules per academic year and / or semester:

• For the 2026 academic year, you must register for your semester 1 and 2 modules by 12 March 2026. There will be no semester 2 registration period. No exceptions or registration extensions will be permitted.
• The maximum number of credits that will be allowed is 120 credits.

The maximum number of credits do not include supplementary and / or aegrotat examinations from a previous semester. Modules taken for non-degree / non-diploma purposes also count towards the maximum number of credits allowed.

You must take your available time into consideration when choosing your modules, as this will impact your academic performance. You need approximately

• 6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
• 4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.

Click here for more information on managing your studies.

Admission requirements

Qualification admission requirements

Your admission to Unisa is dependent on you meeting the specific admission requirements for your chosen qualification.

A Senior Certificate with exemption, as well as an appropriate accredited Bachelor’s degree (360 or 480 credits) or equivalent National Diploma (360 or 480 credits) with English completed up to third year or Applied Language in English completed up to third year level with English 1. Linguistics or African Literature or an African language or Afrikaans also must have been completed up to second year level. In addition to above requirements, you also must have completed Computer Literacy skills up to first level. Applications and registrations for this qualification is online ONLY and no self-help or personal applications or registrations will be accepted. Students who do not meet all the requirements, should rather consider applying for a Bachelor of Education degree.

Student fees and funding your studies

Application fee

Pay the application fee once you’ve received your student number:

• R115 for online applications
• R185 for hard copy applications (hard copy applications will only be considered in exceptional cases)

Please note that this application fee is non-refundable even if you decide not to study through Unisa, do not qualify for admission to Unisa or cannot be offered a space due to limited spaces available.

Student fees

Click here to find out more about Unisa’s student fees, and the bursaries and loans for Unisa students.

How do you qualify for PGCE at Unisa?

A Senior Certificate with exemption, as well as an appropriate accredited Bachelor’s degree (360 or 480 credits) or equivalent National Diploma (360 or 480 credits) with English completed up to third year or Applied Language in English completed up to third year level with English 1.