Frequently asked questions

As several top universities, like Stanford’s Online High School, have proven, the academic excellence of universities can be extended to high school learners and create new opportunities for a diverse group of learners to join an aspirational school.

We asked the question: what if we broke down the unnecessary silos between high school and university and offered a solution where the high school experience sets our learners up for success in their university studies and careers?

Bold innovations are required to bring more cohesion to our education sector, and more access for the next generation of leaders across Africa. In response to the education crisis currently facing our country, the time to lead is now — in this regard, we are thrilled to launch the UCT Online High School.

UCT Online High School is a bold new initiative from the University of Cape Town and its partner, Valenture Institute. Developed to enable high school and adult learners throughout South Africa, and beyond, to choose an aspirational secondary school. UCT Online High School’s ecosystem is designed to help learners unleash their potential and set them up for success in school, university and life.

As an online school, we accept international learners from all over the globe, provided that they are not on our sanctioned list (see T&Cs), agree to adhere to the school academic calendar and are able to operate in South African Standard Time (SAST).

If you would like more details about how to join our online school from your country of residence kindly contact our Admissions Team at admissions@uctohs.valentureonline.com

Our support staff keep regular weekday operating hours between 8am - 5pm (SAST) and adhere to South African public and school holidays. Please note that all exams and live events happen in South African Standard Time (SAST).

We follow a southern hemisphere academic calendar, which runs from January to December each year.

Valenture Institute is an ed-tech company that partners with leading education institutions to offer aspirational high school experiences to learners worldwide. Valenture Institute’s proprietary learning technology, analytics and learner support model are at the forefront of online education.

UCT (the university) has partnered with Valenture Institute to create UCT Online High School. By combining UCT’s research-driven excellence with Valenture Institute’s proprietary learner support model, we’ve created something truly special at UCT Online High School.

UCT and Valenture Institute have a shared governance structure to manage UCT Online High School, with UCT’s Vice-Chancellor as Chair of the Oversight Committee, which is responsible for setting strategy and measuring the performance of the school. UCT and Valenture Institute appoint members of the Operations and Governance committee, which is responsible for academic quality assurance, governance and overall management of the school. Valenture Institute is responsible for the technology and day-to-day operations of the school — it’s a classic case of teamwork making the dream work!

Nope, UCT Online High School is an online high school for Gr 8-12 learners for the SA National Senior Certificate (CAPS), learners in Year 10 for the Cambridge International curriculum* and adult learners who want to receive their Adult Matric; an incredible, cutting-edge, online one at that!

*Years 11, 12 and 13 for the Cambridge International curriculum will be offered in the coming years.

No, we are an entirely online high school.

They are the remarkable group of individuals responsible for educating, motivating and inspiring our learners. They’ve been hand-selected and are some of the best in South Africa.

Our Learning Facilitators are passionate about making a lasting, positive impact in the world by enabling learners to reach their full potential. They know that the way to elicit the best from each learner is through meaningful engagement and a sincere commitment to their success.

We can’t wait for you to meet them!

Not automatically. Getting into any university requires good grades and hard work, and the normal application processes (and requirements) apply to all learners seeking admission to any tertiary institution locally or abroad. We’ll champion you/them every step of the way through!

UCT Online High School hires dedicated Learning Facilitators, Support Coaches and educational professionals who are incredibly good at creating and delivering content to high school and adult learners.

UCT (the university) and Valenture Institute have a shared governance structure to manage UCT Online High School. UCT’s Vice-Chancellor is Chair of the Oversight Committee, and UCT’s faculty sits on the Operations and Governance committee, which is responsible for academic quality assurance, governance and overall management of the school.

UCT Online High School learners* also gain access to UCT faculty through our virtual My Brilliant Future series, hosted by our Head of Student Culture, Kieno Kammies. In this series, Kieno will interview UCT faculty and industry experts on topics to help set learners up for success at school, university and in life. In addition, UCT Online High School’s learners will benefit from access to the UCT Vice Chancellor’s Open Lecture Series, as well as faculty-led seminars on areas of research at UCT.

*This is not applicable for Adult Matric learners.

No. Each learner can use one saving on their fees: either 15% off for paying the year upfront, or 5% off for each additional sibling. If you are not sure which works out better for your family, contact our admissions team and we will help you work it out.

Open your child’s profile in ConnectED and choose the option to contact their Support Advisor. This starts a WhatsApp conversation with them, so you can ask about a missed deadline or a notification without waiting for the next check-in.

Three calendar months, which is about one term. If you pay monthly, tuition is charged for the three months after the month you give notice, and nothing after that. If you paid the year upfront, we refund the fees for the months after your notice period ends (without interest).

No, placement is not guaranteed. However, we look at every application holistically and strive to be as inclusive as possible.

Yes. ConnectED is free to download on the App Store and Google Play, and there’s no extra charge to use it. Search for “UCT OHS ConnectED”. On an iPhone, you’ll need iOS 15 or later.

No. The R599 placement fee is non-refundable and non-transferable, and it is not offset against tuition. It covers your child’s final placement: pre-onboarding, record verification and the technology licences we buy on their behalf. Pay it by card in the application portal within seven days of receiving your offer.

Yes, there is an application deadline. To find out more details, please reach out to our Admission Team here.

UCT Online High School was established in 2021 as a partnership between the University of Cape Town and Valenture Institute. It is part of UCT’s Vision 2030 commitment to expanding access to high-quality education. High School learners work towards the National Senior Certificate, examined by SACAI. See how accreditation works.

Valenture Institute is the ed-tech company that established UCT Online High School with the University of Cape Town in 2021. It provides the school’s learning technology, learning analytics and learner support model, and publishes the free UCT OHS ConnectED app for guardians.

ConnectED is for parents and guardians of learners currently enrolled at UCT Online High School. It shows the progress, assessments and reports of the learner you’re linked to. If you’re still deciding on a school, the app becomes available once your child is enrolled.

Siblings of an existing enrolled learner get 5% off tuition. Only one promotional offer applies per learner.

Tuition is subject to an annual increase effective 1 January. Any increase is communicated to enrolled learners in writing beforehand.

Tuition is paid monthly in advance. Invoices are due on the 1st of each month, across 18 instalments for the length of your programme.

No. It is a once-off, non-refundable fee due within 7 days of your Offer to Study. It covers pre-onboarding, record verification and your technology licences, and is not offset against tuition.

Three calendar months’ written notice is required. On monthly instalments, no tuition is charged after the notice period ends.

No. The Free Curriculum is study material you use on your own, so it doesn’t include graded assessments, internal exams or a school report. To work towards the National Senior Certificate with us, enrol at UCT Online High School.

The Free Curriculum is self-directed: you get the learning material and work through it on your own. Enrolled learners also get an accountability coach, academic and technical support, remediation, graded assessments, internal exams, wellbeing services, virtual clubs and career guidance. Enrolment is from R2,985 per month. See High School for more.

Yes. The Free Curriculum costs R0 per month and there’s no application process. Go to free.uctonlinehighschool.com, choose “Create new account” and you can start learning straight away. It covers the SA National Senior Certificate (CAPS) curriculum only.

You get the UCT Online High School CAPS learning material and past exams: interactive notes and videos, animations, simulations, practice assignments and quizzes. Computer-graded assignments give instant feedback, and you can search the content and download it for offline study. The platform also tracks each learner’s learning path.

Good question! Learners* will have the opportunity to build community and make friends from all over the country through their Support Coach Check-in sessions, which will happen every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 15 minutes, not to mention our school assemblies and Virtual Clubs

*This is not applicable to Adult Matric learners

Yes, learners and guardians are encouraged to meet up and get to know each other. UCT Online High School will do its best to enable learners and guardians to do this by creating online spaces to get to know each other and self-organise.

Yes, we do. Please see our extracurriculars page. Please note, this is only for high school learners in South Africa.

Please read about our Virtual Clubs here.

*Please note that virtual clubs are only available for high school learners.

Virtual Clubs do not contribute to a learner’s* overall grade and are not compulsory, but they are a lot of fun! If a learner does sign-up for a club that piques their interest, they need to ensure that they attend their Virtual Club live sessions as often as possible.

*This is not applicable to Adult Matric learner

No. Tokens only exist on the Online Campus and can’t be sold or swapped for cash. Learners use them in the Rewards Store to claim rewards or enter raffles. Rewards are limited and often sell out within a few hours of going live, so it pays to check in on drop days.

Tokens reward good learning behaviour, not just marks. Learners earn them by completing their module paths, submitting formal assessments on time and attending live sessions. The more consistently a learner shows up and does the work, the more tokens they have to spend.

Learners earn virtual tokens and badges for good learning habits and can see how they rank on the learner leaderboard. They spend their tokens in the Rewards Store on the Online Campus, on experiences, vouchers and merchandise from our rewards partners, or use them to enter raffles for high-value rewards.

Not yet, but we’re working on it!

Our customised Moodle platform – it’s fantastic!

Our videos are hosted on our own server and streamed to you via an embedded player. No need to worry about any formats!

UCT Online High School has a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of bullying. We know that learners learn best in a safe and calm environment that is free from disruption.

We take the following steps to address this matter:
Learners, staff and guardians are required to accept the rules of engagement set out by the institution. These rules set out clear responsibilities, boundaries and expectations for all parties. These rules outline the procedures that are followed when instances of bullying are reported as well as the sanctions imposed if our rules are found to have been breached.

Key staff members that engage with learners during the learning journey complete intensive training that ensures they are fully equipped to offer support in so far as is appropriate. Dialogue regarding the issue of bullying is an ongoing part of the learning community to educate each member further, and strengthen their will to advocate for inclusion. Engagements between individuals on the Online Campus are all held by the system and are monitored.

When members of the learning community encounter engagement, which is not appropriate, they can report the exact piece of engagement immediately.

UCT Online High School is committed to working with a wider community of social services and local authorities where it is necessary.

Further initiatives are in the works!

A resounding yes! UCT Online High School is strongly committed to offering an inclusive learning experience. We celebrate the uniqueness of individuality. Our policies and rules are there to support and uphold these principles

The Learner Code of Conduct document can be accessed via the website.

Unfortunately, not. We place the highest authority on the safety and security of our learners. Our Learning Facilitators, Support Coaches, School Counsellors and staff are thoroughly vetted and monitored in line with our Safeguarding Policy to ensure that you/your child is as safe as possible in all their interactions with UCT Online High School.

Unlike a traditional school, you/your child will not be on our premises, and therefore, we cannot take responsibility for you/your child’s safety at your home or any other environment that you/your child is using to access UCT Online High School.

We cannot take responsibility or vouch for any third parties such as:
- au-pairs,
- tutors,
- schools,
- or any other person or institution that you contract with to supplement, care for, or assist you/your child with UCT Online High School’s programme.

UCT Online High School is completely independent of these people or institutions. We cannot take any responsibility for them. Where a learner or guardians contract with another party or school, such a contract is between the learner/guardian and that person or company and in no way involves UCT Online High School.

Speak to our friendly Admissions Consultants – they love answering questions. admissions@uctohs.valentureonline.com

Admissions Consultants are available to assist prospective high school learners and guardians with any questions regarding our offering. They’re also there to provide you with step-by-step guidance on the admissions journey and application process.

The Admissions Team would love to hear from you and assist with any questions that you may have. Please click here to request a call.

By going to our application page. Our friendly Admissions Consultants are looking forward to hearing from you and supporting you step-by-step throughout the entire process.

Yes, a non-refundable application fee is payable upon application for all our grades. This fee is to cover the cost of any assessments that may be necessary to adhere to our admissions criteria. Please refer to our fees handbook for detailed information about this.

You need to have the following key documents on hand: your identity document and your child’s latest term report. Depending on your selected term, you may be required to provide an additional report.

Once you’ve received a conditional offer and have accepted your placement at UCT Online High School, we will ask you to submit all of the documents referenced in the application process during the pre-orientation phase. These documents are required before starting at UCT Online High School.

The entrance requirements for UCT Online High School are detailed in our admission policy.

No, we are not an open enrolment school. However, we look at every application holistically and strive to be as inclusive as possible.

Yes, your child may need to complete an English and/or Mathematics assessment during the application process.

An email with an application outcome outlining whether your child has been accepted or not will be sent to you once the process is complete.

If your child meets all of the basic requirements, you should receive feedback in a matter of hours.

If your child’s application is submitted for academic review and they need to write an assessment, you should receive feedback on the outcome of your application within 10–14 days.

We welcome high school learners from all around the world to join our global classroom. Please note that all live events, including tests and internal examinations, are fixed and are in South African Standard Time (SAST). If you live in a time zone with a 6-hour (or greater) time difference to South Africa, please speak to our Admissions Consultants for more details. Please remember to consider whether the CAPS curriculum, which ends in Grade12/matric with a South African National Senior Certificate (NSC), is best suited to your child. External examinations for the Grade 12 National Senior Certificate (NSC) have to be written in person at an approved SACAI examination centre within South Africa.

No, these costs are all included in the application fee.

We offer several payment options that guardians are able to select for their convenience. Please refer to our fees handbook for detailed information about this.

To secure your child’s place at our school and accept the conditional offer, we require a once-off placement fee to be paid in advance. This payment is non-refundable and will not be deducted from the total tuition cost.

This fee includes, but is not limited to the costs associated with record verification, high school learner onboarding and the purchase of technology licences on behalf of the high school learner.

We charge a flat tuition fee for all of our grades. This fee is inclusive of the required minimum number of subjects for the phase. Any additional elected subjects will incur an additional cost. Please see our fees page for more info.

Yes! The more the merrier – when you enroll more than one high school student, each additional sibling will receive a 5% discount.

Yes, there are standardised exam registration fees and examination fees that are subject to change as per SACAI. Applicants are advised to budget accordingly. Please refer to our fees handbook for detailed information about this.

As and when they become available, scholarships are offered. Please see more information here.

No. Please note: qualified promotional offers are only applied to tuition fees. The full application and placement fee is payable on applying to UCT Online High School. After paying the placement fee, the qualified promotional offer will be applied to tuition fees going forward.

Tuition fees are subject to an annual increase. Please refer to our Fees handbook for detailed information about this.

As a school, unless stated otherwise, we presume your child/learner will be staying with us for the next academic year, and we will automatically enrol your child/learner.

You pay a monthly fee based on how many subjects you rewrite: R479 per month for one subject, R649 per month for 2 to 3 subjects and R899 per month for 4 to 6 subjects. Every bundle includes all the online content for your subjects and a Support Advisor.

You can rewrite with us if you have written your final matric exams before, have a complete School-Based Assessment (SBA) portfolio with no 777s, are under 21 when you register, and are rewriting the same subjects you wrote. If you are 21 or older, look at Adult Matric instead.

We currently offer a CAPS-aligned curriculum that will result in the SA National Senior Certificate (NSC) qualification. You can find out more about CAPS over here.

English is the medium of instruction for UCT Online High School learners, and additional languages offered as First Additional Language (FAL) include Afrikaans and isiXhosa. UCT Online High School will be offering further additional languages in 2023, namely: isiZulu and Sesotho.

Not currently, but our team is working in the background to make this possible in the near future.

A whole range, please refer to our academics page.

A high school learner’s achievement in Grades 8–12 is reported by using the standard system in the CAPS curriculum. All final marks will be reported in percentages. A corresponding rating and level of competence are obtained using the following system:

100 - 80% - Outstanding achievement - 7

79 - 70% - Meritorious achievement - 6

69 - 60% - Substantial achievement - 5

59 - 50% - Adequate achievement - 4

49 - 40% - Moderate achievement - 3

39 - 30% - Elementary achievement - 2

29 - 0% - Not achieved - 1

Yes, there are Live Check-ins that take place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings for 15 minutes, with Support Coaches.

As such, high school learners will have multiple opportunities to engage with their Support Coaches and peers, enriching their learning experience.

Ask Me Anything sessions will be available to all high school learners. They are live-stream sessions that happen weekly with pre-curated questions.

We acknowledge that this is a different type of learning system and that it may take some time and perseverance for high school learners to adapt. If your child feels they are not managing, they can reach out to their Support Coach, who will identify their socio-emotional needs and refer these to our School Counsellors.

The size of the Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions held by Learning Facilitators every week will depend on the number of learners who join the session.

UCT Online High School uses an integrated approach to delivering science practicals for internal assessments that utilises video demonstrations, online simulations and at-home practicals within a fun, safe and controlled environment. Learners will never be required to attend a physical venue to conduct science practicals nor acquire expensive and potentially dangerous equipment to use at home. All practicals to be conducted within the home environment will use materials listed in our stationery and equipment list, and/or cheap and easy-to-source materials from a local supermarket or online store. Additionally, learners will be briefed on the practicals they will be conducting before the module where the practical is placed, allowing the learner’s primary caregiver to source the required materials well in advance. The methods used to deliver science practicals adhere to the Curriculum Assessment Policies Statements (CAPS) outlined by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). We aim to equip learners with the practical skills required to prepare them for future studies in the sciences through the use of a fun, engaging, and safe environment.

UCT Online High School utilises video demonstrations to deliver creative art practicals for internal assessments. Learners will never be required to attend a physical venue to conduct a Visual Art or Drama practical. Instead, high school learners are required to purchase the items listed in the stationery and equipment list (where possible, high school learners can substitute materials for what they have available). For Visual Art, high school learners will work in their art book using the materials from their kit and photograph their work according to our specifications using their smartphones or tablets. The photograph will be inserted by the high school learner into a document and uploaded for grading. For drama, high school learners will use their smartphone or laptop to record their performances and upload them for grading. The methods used to deliver Creative Art practicals adhere to the Curriculum Assessment Policies Statements (CAPS) outlined by the Department of Basic Education (DBE). We aim to equip high school learners with the practical skills required to prepare them for future studies in the creative arts through the use of innovative and accessible tools.

Through Valenture Institute, UCT Online High School is proud to be a member of the Educational Collaborative for International Schools (ECIS) Community. All team members who engage with learners have completed up to ECIS level two training on Child Protection. Learn more about the ECIS Community here.

We have a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of bullying. We know that learners learn best in a safe and calm environment that is free from disruption or intimidation. Key staff members that engage with learners during their learning journey complete intensive training to ensure that they are fully equipped to offer support as and if appropriate.

For more information on our safeguarding of children policy, please read here.

According to the Department of Education’s Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement, the Physical Education (PE) component of Life Orientation aims to develop high school learners’ physical well-being, knowledge of movement skills in traditional and non-traditional sports, and safety issues in physical activity.
High school learners will be encouraged to perform a range of engaging activities that aim to develop an active and healthy lifestyle. High school learners will capture their physical activities through videos and photographs, and monitor their heart rates. This evidence will then be submitted to our Learning Management System (Online Campus), enabling our trained Learning Facilitators to view these submissions on a weekly basis, provide feedback, and assign a participation mark. Activities that contribute to formal grades will be awarded marks.

Through these fun, practical lessons, we help high school learners develop communication skills, creativity, and critical thinking, as well as find an appreciation of, and enjoyment in, regular physical activity.

No. Matric Rewrites is asynchronous, so there are no live classes to attend. You work through the online modules and resources for your subjects in your own time, and your Support Advisor answers your questions when you get stuck.

We don’t just look for Learning Facilitators that are experienced in their subject area, we recruit highly passionate individuals who believe in making a lasting, positive impact on the lives of the high school learners they engage with.

We look for Learning Facilitators who have experience teaching a vast curriculum. They must have demonstrated experience working effectively with young people to promote their individual academic potential.

When joining UCT Online High School, all Learning Facilitators receive extensive training in digital pedagogy (the method and practice of teaching) and ongoing workshops. Using learning analytics and recorded sessions, we can provide direct coaching interventions with our Learning Facilitators to help them refine and continually improve their skills.

UCT Online High School takes the safeguarding of children very seriously. It’s compulsory for our Learning Facilitators to be registered with the South African Council of Educators (SACE). Learning Facilitators, Support Coaches and other team members who engage directly with children are required to have an up-to-date, valid, clear background check and complete two levels of Child Protection training.

We do! UCT Online High School will register your child through SACAI to write their Grade 12/matric examinations.

The examination for Grade 9 will at this stage, until the GEC (General Education Certificate) is available, be facilitated by us and will be conducted online under proctored conditions. The final exams for Grade 12 are set by the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI) and need to be written at a physical examination venue in South Africa organised by SACAI.

UCT Online High School will facilitate preferred venue requests from parents with SACAI for our learners, in consultation with SACAI as the examination body. All other exams will be conducted online under proctored conditions.

Typically, there are two sets of internal examinations per subject, per grade, held in the 2nd and 4th terms. These examinations will summatively test the content covered up to that point. Some subjects supplement the 2 examinations with Cycle Tests in terms 1 and 3.

In Grade 12/matric, high school learners will write external exams in term 3 and term 4.

UCT Online High School requires all learners to download The Invigilator app onto their mobile phones or learning devices. They are required to use this during all internal Cycle Tests and Examinations. The app allows examiners to choose from a variety of photo authentication and speech recording tools, matched to the level of security required for each assessment.

The app uses artificial intelligence to authenticate photos, flag recordings containing speech, and generate verification codes for integration into an LMS (Learning Management System).

Formative assessments are an important part of any learner’s learning path as it provides the learners with feedback and a clear sense of how they are progressing through the course.

Summative assessments assess learners’ overall understanding of the content taught during the term. These assessments usually assess a bulk of content and are more heavily weighted than formative assessments.

A Mastery Check is a formative or summative assessment (mainly formative) that assesses learners’ mastery of the content. These Mastery Checks are points where both Learning Facilitators and learners can see where gaps exist and where revision or remediation is needed. Learners who fail the Mastery Check will unlock an instructional video. The learner is allowed another attempt at the Mastery Check after watching the video. If they fail a subsequent time, they will be automatically booked into a Mastery Boot Camp.

Mastery Checks take place at the end of each module. Each module represents 1 week’s worth of work to be completed for each subject.

Learners who are enrolled with UCT Online High School will write the external exams for their subjects as set by the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI).

No. SACAI, the external examination body, sets Grade 12 exam fees each year and they are paid separately, by 1 March of the Grade 12 year. They cover candidate registration, registration and exam placement for each subject, and delivery of the NSC certificate. Most learners pay about R12,000, depending on their subjects.

No. You register for your exams with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) yourself, and you write them in May and June. We prepare you for them, with online modules and resources for each subject and a Support Advisor to answer your questions.

Yes. UCT Online High School is registered with the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI), accreditation number 89901. SACAI is an examination body accredited by Umalusi, the quality council for schooling. Grade 12 learners write SACAI’s final exams for the National Senior Certificate (NSC).

After you have written your exams in May and June, you apply for an updated National Senior Certificate (NSC) that includes your new results. We prepare you for the exams, but the Department of Basic Education sets and marks them.

A Matric Rewrite is for retaking only the NSC subjects you want to improve. You study online at your own pace and write DBE exams in May and June. A Matric Repeat is the full Grade 12 year again: all seven subjects, live academic sessions and SACAI final exams in October and November. Both are for learners under 21.

Yes. Learners earn the National Senior Certificate (NSC), the matric qualification recognised by universities and colleges across South Africa. It is examined by SACAI and quality-assured by Umalusi. Each institution still sets its own entry requirements, so check the pass level and subjects your child’s chosen course needs.

Support is directly offered by Support Coaches, School Counsellors and our highly responsive Technical Support Team who are available to assist and support learners throughout their entire high school career.

Our team is constantly monitoring their progress proactively, reaching out to them where required.

Guardians are provided with access to their own Guardian Portal on the day their learner begins their academic journey with us. Guardians can log in to the Guardian Portal at any time to gain insight into their child’s progress. Progress is also closely monitored by our Support Coaches and Learning Facilitators, who will support your child in reaching their academic goals.

Our Support Coaches are dedicated to nurturing and developing our high school learners holistically. While our Support Coaches are equipped to provide excellent holistic support, they are not counsellors. When a high school learner is in need of emotional or mental health support that is outside the bounds of the Support Coaches purview, they will refer them to our School Counsellor. Our School Counsellor will supply a referral where matters exceed their duty of care. UCT Online High School does not cover costs for all external support.

Fear not, there need be no kicking of printers or throwing modems out of windows; learners get all the technical support they need. This includes troubleshooting any issues with their online campus, Learner Portal, logins, shared drives or any Google-affiliated products, such as Google Meets.

Our Technical Support Officers will also be on hand via email or a live chat feature, which lets the learner chat with the Technical Support Team in real time for quick assistance and turnaround time.

Unfortunately, not. We place the highest authority on the safety and security of our learners. Our Learning Facilitators, Support Coaches and staff are thoroughly vetted and monitored in line with our Safeguarding Policy to ensure that your child is as safe as possible in all their interactions with the UCT Online High School.

Unlike a traditional school, your child will not be on our premises and therefore we cannot take responsibility for your child’s safety at your home or any other environment that your child is using to access the UCT Online High School.

We cannot take responsibility or vouch for any third parties such as:
- au-pairs,
- tutors,
- schools,
- or any other person or institution that you contract with to supplement, care for, or assist your child with the UCT Online High School programme.

UCT Online High School is completely independent of these people or institutions. We cannot take any responsibility for them. Where guardians contract with another party or school, such a contract is between the guardian and that person or company and in no way involves UCT Online High School.

Okay, let’s separate substance from legality.

In substance, UCT Online High School is very different to most ‘homeschools’. Your child will be joining a fully-fledged online high school, with a community of friends, teachers and support coaches.

This notwithstanding, we also provide tutorials and other educational support to Grade 8 and 9 learners who are registered with the Department of Basic Education as homeschoolers.

What does this mean for you?

Homeschooling regulations only apply to the compulsory schooling phase (from Grade 1 - Grade 9). At this age, parents are required to register their children as homeschoolers with their Provincial Education Department or apply for an exemption from compulsory education. Please visit the Home Education page for more info or alternatively reach out to our Admissions Team if you need help: admissions@uctohs.valentureonline.com

For Grade 10–12 learners, parents do not have to register their children with their Provincial Education Department.

Parents are integral in the educational journey of their children, whether it be in a brick-and-mortar school, online school or homeschooling context. Parental guidance, interest, support and motivation is critical to ensuring that a child develops holistically.

There is, however, a big difference between homeschooling and UCT Online High School. In the homeschooling context, the parent is expected to be the curriculum and content creator, as well as the teacher and assessor. Whereas in an online school environment, learners are provided with all the learning materials they require and a learning path to guide their progression. They have access to Learning Facilitators, and Support Coaches who will monitor their progress and help them achieve their academic goals.

All that’s left for you to do is keep encouraging them.

For learners based in South Africa who are entering Grade 8 or Grade 9 (younger than 15 years), the responsibility will lie with the parents/guardians to apply to the head of their Provincial Education Department to register their child/children for home education or to apply for an exemption from compulsory education. This is not necessary if the learner is over the age of 15.

In order to get this process going, parents may click here to gain more insight into the government homeschooling registration requirements and may visit the website of your Provincial Education Department to gain more insight into exemption applications.

While this is something parents will be required to do, we’ll be here to guide you!

Requirements for homeschooling vary from country to country. Please consult the resources from your country’s Education Ministry to gain clarity on the requirements that you will need to adhere to.

Please see our stationery and equipment list here.

A high school matric qualification is the National Senior Certificate (NSC) available only to high school learners under 21 years of age. This is the traditional way of obtaining your Grade 12/matric. An Adult Matric qualification is the Amended Senior Certificate (ASC). This is when adult learners complete their matric qualification outside of the basic schooling system and is awarded to adults, 21 years old and older.

A matric certificate allows you to:

• Apply for entry-level jobs
• Access to study opportunities
• Access to learnerships

Yes, at UCT Online High School, our Adult Matric programme is offered via distance learning which uses online tools to help you prepare for your Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) examination.

It is important to remember that your ACS examination registration can be done online (or in person at a local Provincial Education Department), but the actual ASC examinations are written in person at dedicated examination centres in your area determined by the DBE.

No, you can’t register to prepare for an Adult Matric qualification with the Department of Basic Education (DBE). This can only be done through Adult Matric service providers such as UCT Online High School. You must, however, register to write your ASC examinations with the DBE.

To pass your ASC qualification you need to pass 5 of your 6 subjects. There are 4 levels of matric certificates you can obtain with different minimum pass marks.

They are:

• Bachelor’s Degree Pass
• Diploma Pass
• Higher Certificate Pass
• Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) Pass

These passes determine how well you passed and your eligibility to study further at tertiary institutions.

Bachelor’s Degree Pass - A Bachelor’s Pass means that you must have at least achieved:

• 40% in your home language subject
• 50% in four other high credit subjects
• 30% in one other subject

Minimum APS based on these marks: 21

Diploma Pass - A Diploma Pass means you must have scored at least:

• 40% in your home language subject
• 40% in four other high credit subjects
• 30% in one other subject

Minimum APS based on these marks: 17

Higher Certificate Pass - To obtain a Higher Certificate Pass you must have at least achieved:

• 40% in your home language subject
• 40% in two other subjects
• 30% in three other subjects
• You must have English or Afrikaans as a subject to achieve this qualification

Minimum APS based on these marks: 15

Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) Pass - An ASC Pass is the lowest certificate you can achieve and will mean you have passed at least:

• 40% in your home language subject

• 40% in two other subjects

• You can fail your first additional language subject but then you must score:

• 30% in the remaining subjects

• Fail one subject by a maximum of 20%

Minimum APS based on these marks: 14

Please note that each university or higher education course has its own minimum APS score as an entry requirement when applying. Do some research on the course you are interested in studying so you are familiar with how well you need to pass your Amended Senior Certificate (ASC).

The Adult Matric Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) is on the same NQF level 4 as the National Senior Certificate (NSC) for high school learners.

Universities accept the Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) as one of their entrance requirements. You will need to pass at Bachelor’s Degree level and adhere to all other entry requirements of the course you want to apply for. The higher your marks, the more likely you are to be accepted into a university course. It is important to check all the requirements before choosing your Adult Matric subjects.

Yes! As long as you have a Grade 9 certificate, have an NSC (complete or incomplete) and are over the age of 21, you can rewrite your Adult Matric.

Enrolling for UCT Online High School’s Adult Matric is simple, you can:

• Contact one of our Admissions Consultants
• Call us on +27 21 140 1792

Fill in the online application form

There is no Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) matric level. The highest ABET level is on an NQF level 1. Matric is on an NQF level 4.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has a section on its website where matric results can be viewed once they are released after the examinations have been written. You can simply log in with your DBE learner number to view your matric results.

Adult Matric preparation for the ASC can be completed in 18 months at UCT Online High School

The Adult Matric qualification is awarded by Umalusi.

Yes, the Adult Matric qualification has the following SAQA ID number: 49647.

No, you cannot. If you want to obtain a university/tertiary qualification, you will need to have a matric certificate and meet a variety of entry requirements set by that specific university/tertiary institution.

Applicants can be as young as 16 years old when applying for Adult Matric but will need to be 21 years old when they write their ASC examination.

No. Your Amended Senior Certificate is issued by the Department of Basic Education. We are the preparation, not the examiner: you get the full subject content, a work plan dated to your sitting, assessments with feedback, and subject specialists and a support coach when you get stuck.

Not quite. The Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) is the adult equivalent of the National Senior Certificate (NSC), and both follow the CAPS curriculum. The ASC has six subjects instead of seven, because it leaves out Life Orientation, and your final mark comes entirely from your exams. See how the two certificates compare.

Adult Matric. It prepares you for the Amended Senior Certificate (ASC), whether you never finished school or want to pass subjects you did not pass before. You must be 21 or older when you write the ASC exams. Our Matric Rewrite and Matric Repeat options are for learners under 21.

It is for adults who were unable to write matric earlier in life, or who want to pass subjects they previously did not. Learners must be 21 or older at the time of writing the ASC exams and have completed Grade 9 or a recognised equivalent.

Speak to our friendly Admissions Consultants – they love answering questions. admissions@uctohs.valentureonline.com.

Please click here to request a call.

Admissions Consultants are available to assist prospective Adult Matric learners with any questions regarding our offering. They’re also there to provide you with step-by-step guidance on the admissions journey and application process.

The Admissions Team would love to hear from you and assist with any questions that you may have. Please click here to request a call.

By going to our application page. Our friendly Admissions Consultants are looking forward to hearing from you and supporting you step-by-step throughout the entire process.

You need to have the following critical documents on hand:

1. A copy of your birth certificate or South African Identity Document
2. A General Education and Training Certificate (GETC); or a Grade 9/old Standard 7 school report stating that you have passed; or
3. A recognised equivalent qualification at NQF level 1 which requires 2 official languages.

Once you’ve received a conditional offer and have accepted your placement at UCT Online High School, we will ask you to submit all of the documents referenced in the application process during the pre-orientation phase. These documents are required before starting at UCT Online High School.

No, placement is not guaranteed. However, we look at every application holistically and strive to be as inclusive as possible.

There are no formal admission assessments, as submitting any of the required documents listed above is all that is required.

Yes, there is an application deadline. To find out more details, please reach out to our Admission Team here.

An email with an application outcome outlining whether you have been accepted or not will be sent to you once the process is complete.

If you meet all of the basic requirements, you should receive feedback in a week.

We welcome Adult Matric learners from all around the world to join our global classroom. Please note that UCT Online High School operating hours are fixed and are in South African Standard Time (SAST). If you live in a time zone with a 6-hour (or greater) time difference to South Africa, please speak to our Admissions Consultants for more details.

Please note:

Adult Matric learners from outside of South Africa will need their passport, visa and a study permit when entering South Africa to write their final ASC examinations. This will need to be shown at the examination venue before writing your final matric.

No, these costs are all included in the application fee.

To secure your place at our school and accept the conditional offer, we require a once-off Placement Fee to be paid in advance. This payment is non-refundable and will not be deducted from the total tuition cost.

This fee includes, but is not limited to the costs associated with record verification, Adult Matric learner onboarding and the purchase of technology licences on behalf of the Adult Matric learner.

There are no additional costs associated with Adult Matric — this includes the purchase of textbooks or ASC Examination Fees required by the DBE.

Although there is no need to purchase any subject textbooks, adult learners will need to purchase the required set work for each of their language subjects. These currently include English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.

As and when they become available, financial scholarships are offered. Please see more information here.

Not at the moment but keep your eyes peeled, we’ll have some exciting financing options soon!

Yes. You move up or down a bundle yourself in the portal. If five subjects turn out to be too much, drop to three. You do not have to cancel to slow down.

Yes. You pause the subscription yourself in the portal. If you are taking a break after you have written, pause it and pick it up in October when registration opens again. You can also cancel whenever you want.

We collect by card on the same date each month, the date you started. There is no payment upfront. If a payment does not clear, access pauses after seven days and returns as soon as it does.

You pay for the subjects you are writing. One subject is R479 per month, 2 to 3 subjects are R649 per month (from R216 a subject) and 4 to 6 subjects are R899 per month (from R150 a subject). There is no registration or placement fee, and you pay only for the months you are studying.

Pausing keeps your place. Your progress, completed modules and assessment history are saved, so when you resume you pick up exactly where you left off rather than starting over.

We are a distance learning institution; we do not offer in-person (live) classes. You can access your future from the comfort of your own home.

This particular offering is aligned with the South African National Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) which prepares Adult Matric learners for their final Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) qualification certification. This will cover all requirements necessary for the FET Phase (Grades 11 and 12, and where applicable, Grade 10).

English (Home Language) is the medium of instruction for UCT Online High School Adult Matric learners, and additional languages are offered as First Additional Language (FAL). First Additional Languages on offer are Afrikaans or isiXhosa.

An Adult Matric learner’s achievement in Adult Matric is reported by using the standard system in the CAPS curriculum. All final marks will be reported in percentages. A corresponding rating and level of competence are obtained using the following system:

100 - 80% - Outstanding achievement - 7

79 - 70% - Meritorious achievement - 6

69 - 60% - Substantial achievement - 5

59 - 50% - Adequate achievement - 4

49 - 40% - Moderate achievement - 3

39 - 30% - Elementary achievement - 2

29 - 0% - Not achieved - 1

UCT Online High School uses an integrated approach to delivering science practicals for internal assessments that utilises video demonstrations, online simulations and at-home practicals within a fun, safe and controlled environment. Adult Matric learners will never be required to attend a physical venue to conduct science practicals nor acquire expensive and potentially dangerous equipment to use at home. All practicals to be conducted within the home environment will use materials listed in our stationery and equipment list, and/or cheap and easy-to-source materials from a local supermarket or online store. Additionally, Adult Matric learners will be briefed on the practicals they will be conducting before the module where the practical is placed, allowing them time to source the required materials well in advance. The methods used to deliver science practicals adhere to the Curriculum Assessment Policies Statements (CAPS) outlined by the Department of Basic Education. We aim to equip Adult Matric learners with the practical skills required to prepare them for future studies in the sciences.

We have a zero-tolerance policy toward any form of bullying. Key staff members that engage with Adult Matric learners during their learning journey complete intensive training to ensure that they are fully equipped to offer support as and if appropriate.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) opens registrations for ASC examinations from October/November to January. You can register online or in person, with your supporting documents to complete your registration. The Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) examinations are scheduled for the May/June examination session each year.

Online examination Registration

You can register online on the government’s e-Service website.

Education District Office

You can visit your nearest Provincial Department of Education district office to register in person.

Documents You Will Need

• Completed registration form
• A certified copy of your ID or birth certificate
• Candidates whose country of birth is outside of South Africa will need to use their passports (and provide visa copies)
• Repeat candidates must include a copy of their previous highest qualification
• Examination numbers of the previous Grade 12 or equivalent examinations

No, it cannot. You can apply for the Adult Matric programme, which can be completed online at any Adult Matric service provider, like UCT Online High School, but the final ASC examinations will have to be written in approved venues.

No, you cannot. You will have to write your ASC examinations in person at a registered venue identified by the Department of Basic Education (DBE).

The final ASC examinations for Grade 12 (Adult Matric) are set externally and need to be written at an approved physical examination venue in South Africa — these are allocated by the DBE.

The Amended Senior Certificate (ASC) is scored against the same metric and Admission Point Scores (APS) as the National Senior Certificate (NSC), which are awarded when a learner completes their matric at high school. The points are broken down into percentage groups that equal an admission point score that determines whether you will be granted access to a tertiary institution. Every subject is awarded a point based on the percentage result of their examination. Tertiary institutions use this system to determine entry requirements for their courses.

A Mastery Check is a formative or summative assessment (mainly formative – we’ll explain the difference in the next section) that assesses Adult Matric learners’ mastery of the content. These Mastery Checks are points where both Facilitators and Adult Matric learners can see where gaps exist and where additional revision may be needed.

Depending on the subjects, you may have a Mastery Check at the end of each module Between Mastery Checks, you will have regular opportunities to practice through self-graded or auto-graded assessments.

Please see our stationery and equipment list here.

No. You register for the Amended Senior Certificate exam with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) yourself, and registration is free. Registration for the May and June sitting runs from October to early February. We tell you what you need and when, and you write your papers at a DBE exam centre near you.

We offer a Structured Flexibility approach where Adult Matric learners have the flexibility to complete the necessary content freely within a week — want to study on a Tuesday night or Saturday morning? No problem, as long as you cover the week’s worth of content before the end of the week. Adult Matric Learners will also have access to pre-recorded ASC examination prep sessions to further cement their understanding of the academic content prior to writing the ASC exams. Further support will be provided by our Support Advisors who will be accountability partners and provide administrative support and motivation throughout the learning journey. Our Technical Support team is also on hand to support any technical issues on our various learning platforms and will be on hand during live tests and exams. Our Support Advisors and Tech Support team will be available Monday-Friday from 8:00 am-5:00 pm SAST during published academic terms.

Support Advisors are an Adult Matric learner’s biggest champion. These passionate individuals are deeply committed to helping our Adult Matric learners succeed and support with all things administrative.

Engagement is key and we encourage Adult Matric learners to direct any questions directly to their Support Advisor. If the matter requires escalation, the Support Advisor may refer the Adult Matric learner to contact Student Experience Leadership.

You pay one monthly fee and get instant access to the online campus, all your subject content, past papers and memos, auto-graded assessments and recommended weekly study plans. You study on your own schedule and can pause whenever time or money is tight.

Unfortunately not.