Cape Audio College

Cape Audio College is a specialist private higher education institution in Cape Town that trains people for careers in sound and audio. It is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a private higher education provider under the Higher Education Act of 1997, with registration certificate number 2012/HE07/002, and its two formal programmes are accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education. Both qualifications are registered with the South African Qualifications Authority. The college trades as a private company, Cape Audio College (Pty) Ltd.

Teaching happens in person, full time, at a single campus in the Waverley Business Park in Observatory. The approach is practical and hands-on. Alongside lectures, tutorials and workshops, students are expected to put in regular practical hours in the college's recording studios, live rooms, post-production suites and edit labs, using industry software such as Avid Pro Tools and Ableton Live. The college does not advertise distance or online study for its qualifications.

Two accredited qualifications sit at the centre of what it offers. The Higher Certificate in Sound Technology is a one-year programme at NQF level 5. The Bachelor of Arts in Sound Technology and Production is a three-year degree at NQF level 7. Next to these, the college runs part-time short courses in digital music production and DJ skills, plus an enrichment programme aimed at school learners.

Formal programmes start once a year, early in the academic year, and applicants are expected to register by the end of the year before. Entry to the Higher Certificate needs a National Senior Certificate with a higher certificate pass, and entry to the degree needs a National Senior Certificate with a bachelor's pass, or a SAQA-approved foreign equivalent in either case. Computer literacy and good English are essential, and every applicant attends an interview that includes tests. International students need a valid passport and study permit.

Applying works in steps: send in the completed form with certified documents, pay a non-refundable application fee, attend the interview, then pay a registration fee to hold the place if accepted. Tuition fees are published per programme in the college's own prospectus and are paid by bank transfer to the college. Textbooks and external exams cost extra. The college points students to a private student-loan provider for finance and lists independent student accommodation close to campus rather than running its own residences.