When it comes to education, there are numerous programs that an individual can pursue and attain. If you are looking to begin your educational journey in South Africa, you can consider pursuing a higher certificate course. In this article, we will talk about higher certificate courses in 2026.

Higher Certificate 

A higher certificate is a level 5 qualification that usually requires an individual to take a year to complete. It gives one entry-level vocational education and training whole focusing on diverse practical skills for some industry. 

Through this qualification, one can further their education and obtain either a diploma or a degree.

Benefits of Pursuing a Higher Certificate Programme at UNISA

Currently, the University of South Africa (UNISA) is among the best universities in South Africa that offers access to numerous educational study programs. Some of the benefits attached to pursuing a higher certificate programme at UNISA include;

Affordability and Flexibility 

One of the major benefits of chasing a higher certificate programme at UNISA is affordability and flexibility. An individual can decide and study part-time or full-time online at the University of South Africa (UNISA). So if you are considering having an easy study, the University of South Africa (UNISA) is a great option to consider.

Career-aligned

Another known benefit of pursuing a higher certificate programme at UNISA is access to career-aligned courses. At the University of South Africa (UNISA), you have the privilege of picking from numerous available courses that are linked to industry fields including banking, education, and law.

Route to Degrees

Studying for a higher certificate at the University of South Africa (UNISA) offers one a good you’re to other degree programs. Once you complete your higher certificate programme, you can easily qualify for other undergraduate studies at the said institution.

Open-access Option

Pursuing a higher certificate programme at UNISA is one of the greatest and most comfortable options if you can not study for a degree or diploma. If at a point in time you do not qualify for a diploma or degree program, you can consider starting your academic journey by completing this certification.

List of UNISA Higher Certificate Courses for 2026

The UNISA higher certificate courses are numerous in number and one has access to choose from either of the available ones for study. Currently, the below are the available UNISA certificate courses for the year 2026 that you can consider.

• Higher Certificate in Accounting Sciences
• Higher Certificate in Animal Welfare
• Higher Certificate in Archives and Records Management (Online)
• Higher Certificate in Banking
• Higher Certificate in Criminal Justice
• Higher Certificate in Economic and Management Sciences
• Higher Certificate in Education: Foundation Phase and Intermediate Phase (Online)
• Higher Certificate in Education: Senior Phase Maths and Science
• Higher Certificate in Education: Senior and FET Teaching
• Higher Certificate in Law
• Higher Certificate in Life and Environmental Sciences
• Higher Certificate in Marketing (Online)
• Higher Certificate in Mathematics and Statistics 
• Higher Certificate in Tourism Management 
• Higher Certificate in Physical Sciences
• Higher Certificate in Retailing
• Higher Certificate in Social Auxiliary Work
• Higher Certificate in Supervisory Management (Online)

Admission Requirements 

Before an individual can apply for admission into the University of South Africa (UNISA) for a higher certificate, they need to meet the admission requirements. They include;

National Senior Certificate 

An individual must attain a minimum of 30% in the language of teaching and learning.

Senior Certificate 

An individual must have at least an F on Higher Grade (HG) or an E on Standard Grade (SG) in the language of teaching and learning.

National Certificate (Vocational)

An individual must have at least 40% in teaching and learning language with completed vocational subjects from the same field.

How to Apply for a Higher Certificate at UNISA

When it comes to applying for a higher certificate at the University of South Africa (UNISA), an individual must endeavour to follow a good set of processes. Below are the necessary steps to be followed to apply for a higher certificate at UNISA.

Prepare Your Documents

Once you are considering applying for a higher certificate at UNISA, you will need to prepare your documents. These would include your ID, your senior certificate/NSC, and sworn translations.

Apply Online

Thereafter, you would need to apply online for admission into the institution. To do this, you would need to visit www.unisa.ac.za and get started with the process of applying.

Upload Documents

On the institution’s website, you would be required to upload your documents. Note that you upload your documents in either a PDF, DOC, or TIF form and it must be under 2mb.

Pay The Application Fee

Now that you have completed the application and submitted your documents, you need to finalize the process. You need to pay a non-refundable amount of R150 while using your UNISA number and allocation code as reference (online).