University in South Africa
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
University profile
Netcare Education (Pty) Ltd is the education and training division of the Netcare Group, one of South Africa's largest private healthcare providers. It is a registered private higher education institution (DHET Certificate 2014/HE07/010) that educates nurses, ancillary healthcare workers and emergency medical care practitioners. It has been accredited by the South African Nursing Council (SANC) as a Nursing Education Institution since 1989, and has offered higher education programmes accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE) and SANC since 2016.
Teaching is organised in two faculties. The Faculty of Nursing and Ancillary Healthcare (FNAH) offers the Higher Certificate in Nursing (R169, NQF 5, one year), the Diploma in Nursing (R171, NQF 6, three years, leading to registration as a general nurse), the Postgraduate Diploma in Adult Critical Care Nursing Science (R635, NQF 8, one year), six-month in-service certificates and short courses in areas such as operating room skills, anaesthetic and recovery room skills, critical care, neonatal, maternity, trauma and emergency nursing, and infection prevention and control. Learning combines theory with work-integrated learning in Netcare hospitals and selected public clinical facilities.
The Faculty of Emergency and Critical Care (FECC) offers the Diploma in Emergency Medical Care (two years, qualifying graduates to register with the HPCSA as Advanced Life Support Paramedics), the one-year Higher Certificate in Emergency Medical Care (Emergency Care Assistant), and professional development courses in Basic Life Support, ACLS, PALS, ITLS, ECG and ultrasound as well as first aid for the public and businesses. Training uses purpose-built facilities with computer and simulation laboratories, and clinical practice on rostered day and night shifts at hospitals and Netcare 911 bases.
FNAH has five campuses (Auckland Park in Johannesburg, Centurion/Lyttleton in Pretoria, Umhlanga/Durban North, Gqeberha and Bellville in Cape Town), and the FECC trains in Midrand and Durban North. Intakes are limited by SANC capacity determinations, and undergraduate nursing programmes start in January each year. Students need a laptop with webcam and their own data.
FECC is also accredited by the HPCSA, Resuscitation Council of South Africa, Department of Labour, ITLS and the American Heart Association for relevant courses. International applicants must present a SAQA evaluation of their school certificate, a Home Affairs study permit and a Department of Health letter of endorsement.
The Faculty of Emergency and Critical Care states that no study bursaries are currently available and students must source their own tuition funding. For nursing, applicants are urged to have funding arranged before starting, and Health and Welfare SETA (HWSETA) bursaries and other financial support are not available to first-year students at commencement and, if made available, are awarded on merit only. Self-funding students pay full tuition or a 50% deposit on registration.
Browse the scholarships listed for Netcare Education (Pty) Ltd and check each award’s eligibility.
View scholarships for Netcare Education (Pty) Ltd →A National Senior Certificate (NSC) that grants admission to higher certificate or diploma study, or an equivalent NQF 4 qualification, with at least 40% in English, 40% in Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy and 40% in Life Sciences. Applicants then sit a pre-selection assessment and are admitted on merit and available places.
The same 40% in English, Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy and Life Sciences, plus one other 20-credit subject at 40% from the designated list, with NQF 3 computer literacy recommended. Candidates with a relevant NQF 3 or 4 health qualification such as Auxiliary Nurse or Enrolled Nurse, or applicants older than 23 who meet the minimum and institutional selection criteria, may also be considered.
Applications are made online through KR Education (kreducationsa.com), the logistics partner, with an application fee of R490, and certified copies of the NSC and ID or passport. A pre-selection assessment (English, Mathematical Literacy, Life Sciences knowledge and basic computer skills) costs R400. Direct entry to the Higher Certificate needs an average of at least 60% with at least 50% in each area; direct entry to the Diploma needs at least 70% with at least 60% in each area. Applicants scoring 50 to 59% (Higher Certificate) or 50 to 69% (Diploma) may enrol in the Netcare Education Academic Development (NEAD) programme, and those below 50% are not considered. Programmes start in January and places are limited by SANC capacity.
Registration as a professional nurse and midwife with SANC, at least two years' experience including community service, six consecutive months recently in a critical care unit, the In-Service Certificate in Elementary Critical Care Nursing for RNs and the physiology update e-learning programme.
Diploma (NQF 6, 252 credits): NSC with diploma endorsement and achievement level 4 in English and 3 in Mathematics, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and two additional subjects (excluding Life Orientation), with a total APS of at least 24; Senior Certificate options by symbol; a medical and physical fitness evaluation; and 40 hours of voluntary EMS duty is recommended. Selection includes quantitative and literacy assessment, interview and a fitness and swimming assessment. Higher Certificate: NSC with higher certificate endorsement and achievement level 3 in English, Mathematics (or level 6 in Mathematical Literacy), Life Sciences and/or Physical Science and two additional subjects, or a National Certificate (Vocational) with 60% in English, Mathematics and Life or Physical Science and at least 18 points. Physical preparedness tests (5 km run, 200 m swim, arm hang) are compulsory.
Applications are submitted online with a certified ID and matric certificate, CV, motivation letter and proof of the R900 application fee (2025 cycle). Closing dates in the 2025 cycle were 31 July for the Diploma and 31 August for the Higher Certificate; tuition was R117,900 (Diploma) and R123,713 (Higher Certificate).
A SAQA evaluation certificate of the highest school qualification (NQF 4 or above), a valid Home Affairs study permit naming Netcare Education, a Department of Health letter of endorsement to study, and a passport valid for six months beyond the programme.
Higher Certificate in Nursing R63,803 a year; Diploma in Nursing R71,766 a year; PGD Adult Critical Care R63,803. Fees include electronic study material and SANC registration; they exclude laptop, data, uniforms and textbooks (about R7,500 for the Higher Certificate and R17,000 for the Diploma in 2025).
Faculty of Nursing and Ancillary Healthcare (FNAH)
Faculty of Emergency and Critical Care (FECC)
FECC students use simulation and computer laboratories, a swimming pool for fitness assessment, and clinical placements at hospitals and Netcare 911 operational bases. FNAH students do work-integrated learning in accredited Netcare and selected public hospitals.
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