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Frequently Asked Questions About Tertiary Education

Accreditations

Boston City Campus, registration number 1996/013220/07, is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training as a Private Higher Education Institution under the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 101 of 1997).

Registration Certificate No. 2003/HE07/002.

Yes, Boston is accredited: Registration Certificate No. 2003/HE07/002.

All Higher Education Institutions in South Africa, both public and private, are required by law to offer only qualifications that have been accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE). Accreditation ensures that all qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) with the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) have been quality assured within the Higher Education Qualifications Sub-Framework (HEQSF). This means that where an Institution has accreditation for a Bachelor’s Degree, the qualification meets the minimum requirements set for all Bachelor’s Degree programmes in South Africa.

In addition to South African accreditation, Boston City Campus continues to explore international accreditation opportunities. While international accreditation is a voluntary activity, at Boston we believe it demonstrates our ability to offer academic qualifications that meet the requirements of external bodies, validating our quality and enhancing the value of our academic offerings. We are currently accredited as an Independent Higher Education Institution with the British Accreditation Council (BAC), UK, and we are a Accredited with the Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP), USA, for the for the following programmes: Bachelor of Accounting, Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management, Bachelor of Human Resource Management, and the Postgraduate Diploma in Management.

Teaching Mode

While some of our Short Learning Programmes and Higher Education programmes require students to attend workshops, excursions and lectures as part of their curriculum, Boston is registered to deliver teaching and learning of Higher Education programmes in the distance mode – online. This enables students to study from anywhere, at any time.

For more details, please refer to the Prospectus and Fact Sheet of the programme in which you are interested, or enquire at your chosen Boston Support Centre.

Boston is registered to deliver teaching and learning of Higher Education programmes in the distance mode – online – which enables students to study from anywhere, at any time.

Please refer to the Prospectus and Fact Sheet of the programme in which you are interested, as there are some Short Learning Programmes and Higher Education programmes that require students to attend workshops, excursions and lectures as part of a programme’s curriculum. Your chosen Support Centre can also provide you with more details.

Boston City Campus is registered in the distance mode, with all qualifications offered online. This means you can study from overseas, as long as you have an internet connection.

Note that T’s & C’s apply: Students who elect to study with Boston as International Students in the full-distance mode will be responsible for any courier costs and proctored exam costs (when applicable).

Qualifications

Boston offers a wide range of qualifications, ranging from Higher Education (Postgraduate, Degrees, Diplomas, and Higher Certificates under the HEQSF) to Short Learning Programmes.

For a full listing and description of our courses, you can search this website and/or download our Prospectus.

The time it will take depends on what type of qualification you’d like to study, as well as how many modules you study – and pass – each year. Please refer to the relevant Fact Sheet for the answer to your question.

There are some courses you can study. Please refer to the Prospectus or contact your chosen Support Centre for the relevant enrolment criteria of each programme.

Note: There are a number of short courses you can study to gain access to higher-level qualifications via RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning).

You must be at least 17 years old and preferably have completed your Grade 10 (or equivalent) academic year at a public or private school.

Note: You may register at Boston for any programme if you are over the age of 45 – including a Bachelor’s Degree!

Yes. Boston offers the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).

Applications

Please refer to the Academic Calendar in the Higher Education programme Fact Sheet, for the programme you are interested in studying.

Boston has two Higher Education intakes per year – from January to February and again from June to July. You may apply at any time to start your studies in the following cycle.

You may register for a Boston Short Learning Programme at any time to commence your studies.

In the final step of the online application process, you will be prompted to upload your documents in PDF format. Alternatively, you can email your documents to your chosen Support Centre for assistance with uploading your documents. Don’t forget to include your reference number!

If you have submitted all the required documents, you will have received an SMS and an email with your application outcome.

Alternatively, please visit your nearest Support Centre or contact the National Call Centre on 011 551 2000 for assistance. When doing so, please provide us with your application reference number.

I’ve applied but haven’t received a response yet.

Applications may take up to 24 hours to be processed, provided all the relevant documents were submitted. If you haven’t received an email or SMS response within that time, please contact your chosen Support Centre for assistance.

Different qualifications have different entry requirements – please refer to the Prospectus. For Higher Education programmes, the relevant Fact Sheet will further assist in understanding the entry requirements.

Boston will issue non-South African applicants with the necessary documents to submit an online/in-person application to the Department of Home Affairs/Consulate Office/Embassy in order to receive a study visa.

Applicants who elect to study in the full-distance mode from abroad are not required to apply for a study visa. Please email your selected Boston Support Centre to inform them of your decision to register and study abroad with Boston as an International Student.

Registrations

Please visit your chosen Support Centre to register, or register online at https://portal.myboston.co.za/Registration, using the fee quotation received from your Support Centre.

Note: If you intend amending the modules you were quoted for, please contact your Support Centre to ensure you select your modules in the correct order.

Please refer to the Academic Calendar in the Higher Education programme Fact Sheet, for the programme you are interested in studying.

Boston has two Higher Education intakes per year, from January to February and again from June to July. You may apply at any time to register and start your studies in the following semester cycle.

You may register for a Boston Short Learning Programme at any time to commence your studies.

Fees

Fees vary by qualification. To see the fees for your chosen qualification(s), please refer to the relevant Fact Sheet. Alternatively, visit your chosen Support Centre for more details, or to discuss our flexible payment plans.

Please take note that Boston does not cover the expenses of applicants for:

  • SAQA equivalence evaluations/translations
  • Matriculation Board Exemption certificate applications
  • Courier and proctor expenses of International Students studying from abroad
NSFAS does not sponsor tuition at Private Higher Education Institutions. To assist our students with affordability, Boston offers flexible payment plans. Prospective students also have the option of applying for low-interest finance through Capitec bank – with up to 84 months to pay. Visit your chosen Support Centre to discuss your options.

Bursaries

Boston City Campus offers a range of bursaries for new (not yet registered) students, as well as existing (registered) students who require assistance with fees in order to start, continue or complete their Boston qualification.

For more details, visit our Bursaries page.

This process is fully explained on our Bursaries page.

Exams

All exams are offered online and students are required to download and use the Invigilator App – either from home or at your nearest Support Centre.

Matric

No, Boston does not offer Matric rewrites.

You may contact any Boston Support Centre for information about alternative entry/study pathways to access Higher Education programmes.

Off Campus

No, Boston does not offer accommodation.

Boston is registered in the distance mode, and all qualifications can therefore be studied from anywhere, provided one has access to the internet.

After Graduation

Yes, please refer to the Learning Pathways in the Prospectus.

Nobody can promise you a job after you graduate: in the end, you must complete the journey independently. But the journey will be much easier if you learn the best ways to go from “I’ve qualified” to “I’ve got the job!”

That’s why Boston offers the Graduate Support Services programme, which is FREE to all Boston graduates. The Work Readiness Skills coaching will equip you with effective job-hunting skills, including:

  • How to write a professional CV
  • How to write an effective cover letter (which is just as important as your CV)
  • Where – and how – to look for jobs (including internships)
  • Interview skills
  • Methods of applying for jobs that increase your chances (you’ll get a chance to practise these in the programme)
  • How to use LinkedIn – it’s an excellent tool you can use to market yourself!
  • Enhanced written and verbal English communication skills