On this page · 9
- How does the NQF fit in?
- What are undergraduate qualifications?
- What are postgraduate qualifications?
- Undergraduate vs postgraduate: side by side
- What marks do you need for honours or a master's?
- Is the PGCE a postgraduate qualification?
- Do you have to study postgraduate?
- How do you pay for postgraduate study?
- Frequently asked questions
Not sure what "undergraduate" and "postgraduate" mean? You are not alone. Here is the difference between undergraduate and postgraduate study in South Africa, in plain language.
An undergraduate qualification is what you study first, after matric, up to and including a bachelor's degree. A postgraduate qualification is what you study after a degree: honours, a postgraduate diploma, a master's or a doctorate.
Think of it as a ladder. You start at the bottom and each rung needs the one before it.
How does the NQF fit in?
The NQF (National Qualifications Framework) ranks every South African qualification from level 1 to level 10. Higher education starts at level 5.
- Undergraduate qualifications sit mostly at NQF levels 5 to 7.
- Postgraduate qualifications sit at NQF levels 8 to 10.
The official framework for higher education institutions is called the HEQSF (Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework). A revised version was published in the Government Gazette on 3 July 2026. The numbers below come from that revised version.
What are undergraduate qualifications?
The framework lists five undergraduate types: the higher certificate, advanced certificate, diploma, advanced diploma and bachelor's degree.
Qualification | NQF level | Minimum credits |
|---|---|---|
Higher certificate | 5 | 120 |
Advanced certificate | 6 | 120 |
Diploma | 6 | 360 |
Advanced diploma | 7 | 120 |
Bachelor's degree (general) | 7 | 360 |
Bachelor's degree (professional) | 8 | 480 |
What are credits? Credits measure how much study a qualification needs. For a first qualification, honours or a postgraduate diploma, the framework counts 120 credits as one year of full-time study. So a 360-credit bachelor's is about three years, and a 480-credit one is about four. For a master's or PhD, about 180 credits make up one year.
What do you need to start a bachelor's degree? A matric (National Senior Certificate) with a Bachelor's pass. That means at least 50% in four designated subjects. Read how that works in our guide to matric pass levels and APS.
Good to know: the advanced diploma counts as undergraduate, even though you can take it after a degree.
What are postgraduate qualifications?
"Post" means "after". The framework lists four postgraduate types.
Qualification | NQF level | What you usually need first |
|---|---|---|
Postgraduate diploma | 8 | A bachelor's degree or an advanced diploma |
Honours degree | 8 | An appropriate bachelor's degree or advanced diploma |
Master's degree | 9 | A relevant honours degree, postgraduate diploma or level 8 professional bachelor's |
Doctoral degree (PhD) | 10 | An appropriate master's degree |
- Honours and the postgraduate diploma are each worth at least 120 credits, about a year of full-time study. An honours degree must include at least 30 credits of research.
- A master's degree is worth at least 180 credits. It can be mostly research, mostly coursework, or professional.
- A doctorate is the top rung, at NQF level 10.
Undergraduate vs postgraduate: side by side
Undergraduate | Postgraduate | |
|---|---|---|
NQF levels | 5 to 7 (a professional bachelor's is level 8) | 8 to 10 |
You need first | Matric for most. An advanced certificate or advanced diploma needs an earlier certificate, diploma or degree | A degree (or advanced diploma) for honours or a postgraduate diploma |
How long | About 1 year (higher certificate) to 4 years (480-credit bachelor's) | Honours and postgraduate diploma: about 1 year full-time |
Examples | Diploma, bachelor's degree | Honours, master's, PhD |
Wits, for example, lists its BA Honours as 1 to 2 years.
What marks do you need for honours or a master's?
Each university sets its own rules, so check the page for your exact programme.
- Wits BA Honours: a bachelor's degree or equivalent with a 65% course mark aggregate in a third-year major, and at least an upper second class pass in the final undergraduate course in the subject. Wits adds that meeting these requirements does not guarantee a place.
- NRF funding: for the 2027 call, the NRF's minimum academic requirement for postgraduate funding is 65% for your previous degree.
Is the PGCE a postgraduate qualification?
By name, yes. In practice, no. The PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) has "postgraduate" in its name. But the framework says it conforms to an advanced diploma at NQF level 7. That is not honours level.
Want to know more about teaching? See our teacher career guide.
Do you have to study postgraduate?
No. Many people stop at a diploma or a bachelor's degree and start working. But some careers need more. The framework notes that in certain professions, such as in the health sciences, a specific type of master's degree is required to register.
Check the route for your dream job on our careers pages before you choose.
How do you pay for postgraduate study?
Paying for honours, a master's or a PhD works differently from paying for a first degree. Look at these first:
- NRF (National Research Foundation) funding for honours, master's and doctoral students, mainly in science, engineering, technology, social sciences and humanities.
- Your university's postgraduate funding office. Ask what bursaries it has for your programme.
- Our funding hub for other bursaries.
For the 2027 year, the NRF says students apply on the NRF Connect system and that "No manual applications will be accepted." Closing dates differ by level and some close mid-year, so check the NRF website early.
⚠️ Watch out for scams. Never pay anyone to "guarantee" a bursary. Apply only through the funder's official website.
Frequently asked questions
Is honours undergraduate or postgraduate?
Postgraduate. An honours degree is at NQF level 8, and you need a bachelor's degree (or an advanced diploma) first.
Is a diploma undergraduate?
Yes. A diploma is an undergraduate qualification at NQF level 6.
Can I do a master's without an honours degree?
In some cases. The framework lets you start a master's with an honours degree, a postgraduate diploma or a level 8 professional bachelor's. It also allows admission through recognition of prior learning. Each university decides.
How long does an honours degree take?
At least 120 credits, which is about one year of full-time study. Wits lists its BA Honours as 1 to 2 years.
Do I need a master's to do a doctorate?
Usually, yes. The framework gives an appropriate master's degree as the minimum entry for a doctorate. Recognition of prior learning can also count. Ask your university what it requires.
Is a bachelor's degree the same as an undergraduate degree?
A bachelor's degree is one kind of undergraduate qualification. Higher certificates, advanced certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas are also undergraduate.
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