N4 Certificates: Main Characteristics
Tuesday, 25 July 2023
The educational system in South Africa is quite complex and difficult to understand, but if you pay attention to the details, you will be able to recognise each level and its characteristics. N4 certificates are one of the many levels in the educational system. Find out more about it.
NATED courses are programmes created by the Department of Higher Education and Training and accredited by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations. These have been created to help you get employed. NATED courses will provide you with the knowledge, skills, and work experience necessary to call employers’ attention. The courses consist of three N levels, beginning with level 4 up to level 6.
What is an N4 Qualification?
An N4 qualification is the first level or course in any NATED programme. It allows students to learn the basic skills of a particular field of their choice. Those students who have completed their National N4 certificate have the possibility to continue their studies in the next level, which would be N5, and then N6. This certificate is not a degree qualification but a National Certificate
N4 courses are not equivalent to any other qualification, since the DHET has created them with a specific purpose and learning processes. Thus, it cannot be comparable with any other qualification in the country.
In order to get this qualification, it is necessary that you have a Matric certificate, and the 6 months of work experience are not requisite. This course lasts between 6 to 12 months to be completed and it has 60 credits. Only after you have finished level N4, you will be able to study for the NATED N5 Certificate, and when you have finished it, you can study for the NATED N6 certificate. There is also another option for when you have completed all the NATED levels, the last qualification is a NATED N6 National Diploma.
You can get an N4 certificate by applying for one of the many different fields:
- Business Management: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Educare: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Financial Management: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Human Resource Management: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Legal Secretary: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Management Assistant: NATED N4 National Certificate
- Marketing Management: NATED N4 National Certificate
Entry Requirements
Most N4 qualifications have the same entry requirements:
- You should be at least 16 or older.
- You should have a Matric Certificate, National Senior Certificate or Amended Senior Certificate.
- You should understand, write, and read English.
- You must study through distance learning at Matric College.
It is important that you know that you cannot apply for this certificate without a Matric Certificate.
If you want to learn more about the different courses available, you should read the following articles:
Everything about a Bachelor Pass in South Africa
National N Diploma vs National Diploma
What is the difference between a University and a TVET College?
If you want to learn more about this and many other courses, please fill in the form on this site and one of our advisors will contact you as soon as possible to answer any questions you may have.
