Where do I apply to become a police officer?

You apply to SAPS (at saps.gov.za) when recruitment opens, or to your city's metro police. You do not apply to a university to become an officer.

Should I study policing at university to become a police officer?

You do not need to. To become an officer you must be recruited by SAPS, which needs matric, not a degree. A Diploma in Policing (UNISA) can help you advance later, but it does not replace recruitment.

Can I study policing at a TVET college?

Yes. TVET colleges offer the NCV Safety in Society (Levels 2 to 4), which teaches policing, criminal law, and physical training. It prepares you for law enforcement, but you still apply to SAPS to become a police officer.

Where is SAPS training done?

At SAPS academies around the country. You spend 12 months at the academy, then 12 months in the field.

Can I become a metro police officer instead?

Yes. Metro police, like JMPD in Johannesburg, recruit separately through their city. The route is similar: apply, pass selection, and train.

Where to study policing in South Africa: universities and colleges

Where can you study policing at university?

You can study policing at 4 public universities in South Africa. Each one asks for a different mark to get in, and a few use their own points system instead of APS. Tap a university to open its page, or work out your APS to see which ones you can get into.

You do not become a police officer by studying policing. To become one you must be recruited by SAPS, which needs matric, not a degree. A policing course, at these universities or a TVET college (see below), helps you learn the field, but it does not replace being recruited. To join, see the SAPS section below.

Work out your APS

North West UniversityNorth West Tshwane University of TechnologyGauteng Vaal University of TechnologyGauteng Walter Sisulu UniversityEastern Cape

Where to apply, and where to study policing

You become a police officer by being recruited, not by studying first. Apply to SAPS or your city's metro police when recruitment opens, then they train you (and pay you). You can also study a policing course at a university or a TVET college, which teaches you about the field, but it does not replace being recruited. Here is where to apply and where to study.

National

SAPS Careers (official recruitment)

Go to the Careers section for open intakes and the application form. Recruitment opens at certain times each year.

Visit website

National (optional)

TVET colleges: Safety in Society (NCV)

TVET colleges offer the NCV Safety in Society (Levels 2 to 4), with subjects like Policing Practices and Criminal Law, plus physical training. It prepares you for law enforcement, but you still apply to SAPS to become an officer.

Visit website

National (optional)

Study a policing qualification (UNISA)

UNISA offers a Diploma in Policing and a BA in Police Science. This helps you advance or specialise, but you still apply to SAPS.

Visit website

Metro police (like JMPD, Cape Town, and Tshwane) and traffic departments recruit separately, through their city or provincial websites.

Private colleges

Private colleges also offer the policing or law enforcement course. They charge fees, so always check the college is properly registered and its course is accredited before you pay.

Do you run a private college that offers the policing or law enforcement course? List it on NavyBlue.