How do I choose a university?

A: This is a critical step in your career and here is some information to help you along that path.

1. Choose 2-3 courses you want to study. There is a lot of competition and you may need an alternative course.
2. Not all universities offer the same options so use a search engine like Google to find which offer the courses you are after. You can ask ‘Where can I study (name of the course) in South Africa. You can also ask ‘Which is the best (name of the course)?
3. Most universities have a Prospectus or Student Guide. It is really worth downloading it or getting a hard copy. It is really worth spending time reading through it. 
4. Remember you will need to be accommodated if you are far from home, which can be expensive. If you look at the lists of institutions which you get from the links below, you can see which are near you.
5. Choose 2-3 universities to apply to. Many more people apply than get it.
6. Have a plan B. What if you don’t get into university? Think about an alternative: maybe a TVET college to give you some more knowledge and skill and then try again the following year or semester.
7. Most universities prefer you to apply online. Check out what questions they are going to ask so that you have all the information at hand.

There are the various kinds of university in South Africa: Universities of Technology, Traditional, Comprehensive and Specialised: 

UNIVERSITIES OF TECHNOLOGY offer vocational (practical) certificates, diplomas and degrees.

• Certificates can be taken before or after a Diploma or Degree and give students a grounding in a specific area of expertise. (e.g. Dental Assisting, Basic Accounting)
• National Diplomas (ND) are a 3 year courses which qualify students for practical work (eg Agriculture, Cartography, Clothing construction). They are known as technicians.
• Bachelor of Technology (BTech) is the next step if students want a degree. This is an extra 1 year course and after experience, they would be known as Technologists. Students can go on to earn MTech (Masters) and DTech (Doctor)

REMINDER: Most Science, Technology, Engineering and Medical courses require Core Maths and often Physical Science.

To see a list of Universities of Technology please click here: https://careerplanet.co.za/careers-listings/university-of-technology/

TRADITIONAL UNIVERSITIES offer academic (theoretical) degrees:

• Bachelor Degree eg Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Education (B Ed) Bachelor of Science (B.S.) These take 3-4 years to complete.
• Master’s Degrees are programs that let students specialize in an area of study. (eg Master of Arts (M.A.) Master of Science (M.S.) Master of Business Administration (MBA) They typically take 1-2 years to complete. Many master’s degree programs require a thesis or project for graduation.
• Doctoral Degrees also known as Ph.D. programs, are the most advanced type of degree program available. Admittance into a doctoral degree program may require individuals to hold a master’s degree and are competitive. A Ph.D. program usually takes several years, and often involves the completion of a dissertation and a major research project. Medical-related doctoral programs may have students complete hands-on clinical hours with real patients during the final years of the program.
• Doctoral graduates are qualified to work as experts in areas of business or research, and professors at the postsecondary level. E.g.Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Juris Doctor (J.D.) Doctor of Medicine (M.D.)

To see a list of Traditional Universities please click here: https://careerplanet.co.za/careers-listings/university/

COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITIES offer both Traditional and University of Technology programmes.

They include

• University of Johannesburg
• Nelson Mandela Metro University
• University of Venda
• University of Zululand
• Walter Sisulu University
• University of South Africa (Distance Education) See this article https://careerplanet.co.za/distance-learning-aka-home-study-or-correspondence-learning/
• The details of Comprehensive Universities can be found here: https://careerplanet.co.za/careers-listings/university/

SPECIALIST UNIVERSITIES

Health Sciences

Although several other universities offer health-related programmes, this university focuses only on health.

• Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University in Pretoria North, Gauteng
  • These are the faculties: School of Health Care Sciences, Medicine, Oral Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Science and Technology

Call Centre: (012) 521-5057 / 5059 / 5062 Fax: (012) 521-4110

Molotlegi Street, Ga-Rankuwa, Pretoria, Gauteng