BCom (Accounting)
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences3 years
Subject requirements
Maths 60%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL
What you need in matric
You must have
- English
- Mathematics (not Maths Literacy)
Also good to have
- Accounting
- A high overall average
- Business Studies
University requirements
Compare the APS and subject requirements for programmes that can lead to Accountant. Universities use different APS scales, so check your marks against each university separately.
BCom Accounting
DegreeAPS 410
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting
North West University
Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences
Subject requirements
Maths 40%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting
Rhodes University
Faculty of Commerce
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting
Sol Plaatje University
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences3 years
Subject requirements
Maths 60%+Maths 50%+English HL 50%+English FAL 60%+Accounting 40%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor Of Commerce In Accounting
University of Fort Hare
Faculty of Management and Commerce
Subject requirements
Maths 60%+English 60%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting Extended Curriculum Programme
University of Fort Hare
Faculty of Management and Commerce
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting
University of Johannesburg
College of Business and Economics
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL, MAT
Bachelor of Commerce - Accounting
University of Kwazulu Natal
College of Law and Management Studies
Subject requirements
Maths 60%+English HL 50%+English FAL 50%+
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting
University of Venda
Code MSBBCAFaculty of Management, Commerce and Law3 years
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English HL 50%+English FAL 59%+Accounting 50%+
Extended Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting
University of Venda
Code MSEBCAFaculty of Management, Commerce and Law4 years
Subject requirements
English HL 40%+English FAL 40%+
B Com in Accounting
University of Zululand
Faculty of Commerce, Administration and Law
Subject requirements
Maths 40%+English HL 40%+English FAL 40%+
Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)
University of the Free State
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
Accounting
University of the Witwatersrand
Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management
Subject requirements
Maths 60%+English 60%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor of Commerce Finance
DegreeBachelor of Commerce in Finance
University of Johannesburg
College of Business and Economics
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL, MAT
Bachelor of Commerce General
DegreeBachelor of Commerce General
Rhodes University
Faculty of Commerce
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor of Commerce - General
University of Kwazulu Natal
College of Law and Management Studies
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English HL 50%+English FAL 50%+
Bachelor of Commerce (General)
University of Mpumalanga
Faculty of Economics, Development and Business Sciences
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English HL 50%+English FAL 50%+Afrikaans HL 30%+Afrikaans FAL 30%+IsiNdebele HL 30%+IsiNdebele FAL 30%+IsiXhosa HL 30%+IsiXhosa FAL 30%+IsiZulu HL 30%+IsiZulu FAL 30%+Sepedi HL 30%+Sepedi FAL 30%+Sesotho HL 30%+Sesotho FAL 30%+Setswana HL 30%+Setswana FAL 30%+Siswati HL 30%+Siswati FAL 30%+Tshivenda HL 30%+Tshivenda FAL 30%+Xitsonga HL 30%+Xitsonga FAL 30%+
Bachelor of Commerce General
University of the Witwatersrand
Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management
Subject requirements
Maths 60%+English 60%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting Sciences
DegreeBachelor of Commerce in Accounting Sciences
University of Pretoria
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
Subject requirements
Maths 70%+English 60%+
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting Sciences
University of Venda
Code MSBCASFaculty of Management, Commerce and Law4 years
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English HL 50%+English FAL 59%+
Bachelor of Commerce in Cost and Management Accounting
DegreeBachelor of Commerce in Cost and Management Accounting
University of Venda
Code MSBCMAFaculty of Management, Commerce and Law3 years
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English HL 50%+English FAL 59%+Accounting 50%+
Extended Bachelor of Commerce in Cost and Management Accounting
University of Venda
Code MSECMAFaculty of Management, Commerce and Law4 years
Subject requirements
English HL 40%+English FAL 40%+
Bachelor of Commerce: General (Business Management)
DegreeBCom: General (Business Management)
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences3 years
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL
BCom: General (Business Management) Extended Curriculum
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences4 years
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor of Commerce: General (Economics)
DegreeBCom: General (Economics)
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences3 years
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL
BCom: General (Economics) Extended Curriculum
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences4 years
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor of Commerce: General (Statistics)
DegreeBCom: General (Statistics)
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences3 years
Subject requirements
Maths 60%+English 50%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Bachelor of Education Degree in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training (Grade 8-12) - Commerce Education Accounting
DegreeBEd Degree in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training (Grade 8-12) - Commerce Education Accounting
University of Johannesburg
Faculty of Education
Subject requirements
Maths 50%+English HL 60%+English FAL 70%+
NBT components: AL, QL
Diploma in Accountancy
DiplomaPeople who are organised, have strong analytical skills, enjoy keeping records, working with numbers, and compiling reports.
Diploma in Accountancy
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Faculty of Business & Management Sciences
Subject requirements
Maths 40%+Maths Lit 60%+English 50%+Accounting 50%+
Diploma in Accountancy (Extended)
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Faculty of Business & Management Sciences
Subject requirements
Maths 40%+Maths Lit 50%+English 50%+Accounting 40%+
Dip (Accountancy)
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences3 years
Subject requirements
Maths 45%+Technical Maths 45%+Maths Lit 65%+English 50%+
Diploma in Accountancy
University of Johannesburg
College of Business and Economics
Subject requirements
Maths 40%+Technical Maths 40%+Maths Lit 60%+English 50%+
Diploma in Accountancy
Walter Sisulu University
Faculty of Economics and Financial Sciences
Subject requirements
Maths 40%+English HL 40%+English FAL 40%+
Diploma in Banking
DiplomaPersons with strong ethical culture and high capacity to adapt to changes.
Diploma in Banking
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Faculty of Business & Management Sciences
Subject requirements
Maths 40%+Maths Lit 50%+English 50%+
Ways to become a accountant
The best way is first. If your marks are not enough for one way, try the next one down.
DegreeNQF 8About 7 yearsBest way
Chartered Accountant, CA(SA)
To get in: About 30 APS or more. English, Mathematics. You need a good pure Maths mark (often 60% or more). Then a SAICA-accredited BCom Accounting, a CTA, a three-year training contract, and board exams.
Universities offer a SAICA-accredited BCom Accounting. After the degree and CTA, you do a three-year training contract at a firm and pass the ITC and APC exams. You register with SAICA as a CA(SA), the top accounting qualification.
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DegreeNQF 7About 6 years
Professional Accountant, PA(SA) (SAIPA)
To get in: English, Mathematics, An accredited accounting degree. A respected route that is a bit less strict than the CA.
You do an accredited degree, a three-year traineeship, and the SAIPA Professional Evaluation exam. You register with SAIPA as a Professional Accountant, PA(SA).
Higher certificateNQF 51 to 3 years
Bookkeeper or accounting technician (ICB)
To get in: A matric certificate (junior bookkeeping needs no matric). The lowest-entry route. You can start even without matric.
Colleges offer ICB bookkeeping and accounting courses. You work as a bookkeeper and study up. You work as a bookkeeper or accounting technician.
You can study up towards a full accounting qualification.
Marks too low, or no degree? Start with an ICB bookkeeping course, work, and study up.
If you don’t get in yet
Are your marks too low for the BCom, or is the CA route too long? You still have real ways into accounting.
Start with a bookkeeping qualification
You can start with an ICB bookkeeping course at a college, even without strong matric marks (junior bookkeeping needs no matric). You work as a bookkeeper and study up to accounting technician or accountant.
Do the SAIPA or CIMA route
The Professional Accountant (SAIPA) and CIMA (management accounting) routes are respected and a bit less strict than the CA. You still need a degree and a traineeship.
Upgrade your Maths
The CA route needs strong pure Maths. Rewrite it to get better marks, using the free Second Chance programme, then apply again.
Get ready to apply →How to sign up to work
You sign up with the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).
- To use a protected title like CA(SA), you must register with SAICA.
- For the CA route, you do a SAICA-accredited degree, a CTA, a three-year training contract, and the ITC and APC board exams.
- Other routes register with SAIPA (Professional Accountant), CIMA, or ICB (bookkeepers).
- You keep learning and pay a fee each year to stay registered.
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