Bookkeeping Courses in SA

Bookkeeping Courses South Africa

Looking for bookkeeping courses in South Africa? Here is the total list of Institute of Certified Bookkeepers courses that you can study from anywhere in South Africa:

The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers offer a series of bookkeeping courses. You can begin at a scholastic level below Matric, and work you way up to two levels greater than matric (NQF 6 level).

To understand the ICB Bookkeeping courses, you need to consider the following:

  • Why study Accounting?
  • What career path do you want to take?
  • Can I study ICB Bookkeeping courses if I do not have Matric?
  • The distinction in between Accounting and Accounting Courses
  • Different levels of study with the ICB
  • The different courses that makes up the ICB Financial Accounting Program
  • Foundation Level
  • Intermediate Level
  • Upper Intermediate Level
  • Advanced Level
  • What certifications do you get?
  • Study even more after completing your programme
  • Topics that are the very same throughout more than one ICB course
  • The function of your college and the role of the ICB – who does exactly what?
  • How does Home Study or Distance Learning work for these courses?

Why Study Bookkeeping?

In South Africa bookkeeping and accounting are scarce skills. That means that both market and government recognise that we have a lack of bookkeepers and accounting professionals. The federal government body for certifications in the financial sector, FASSET, has done a study on scarce skills in 2015. From that study they published their Scarce Skills Guide 2015.

FASSET is the SETA for Finance, Accounting, Management Consulting and other Financial Providers. In their scarce skills guide they determined the following as scarce skills:

  • Trainee Accounting professional
  • Finance Supervisor
  • General Accountant
  • Accounts Clerk
  • Payroll Clerk
  • Debt Collector

These are all positions for which an ICB accounting course will prepare you appropriately. Your bookkeeping certification will guarantee that you are constantly in demand. It is an excellent profession that can take you to the greatest level in an organisation.

The deficiency of accounting abilities also impacts government departments. All government departments have accounting and accounting departments. And they work every year to get a “clean audit”. To get a clean audit implies that they require well-trained, certified, devoted and experienced bookkeeping and accounting staff and managers.

As a certified accountant or accountant, you will always be in demand. Either in personal business, or in a federal government department, which can include both towns, along with bigger national federal government departments.

Can I study ICB Bookkeeping courses if I don’t have Matric?

The accounting courses start at NQF level 3. And they increase to NQF level 6. Matric is at NQF level 4. So these courses are available for student who do not have matric. You start at an academic level listed below matric. And if you continue studying, you will wind up with a credentials 2 levels above matric.

The ICB courses are developed to be available for trainees who need to work and study at the exact same time. With distance learning you can study an hour every night. You now have five examination chances per year, so as soon as you are all set for a test, you can go and compose that examination. In this way you can do your course action by action.

As you progress with the programme, you will get acknowledgment at the different levels. After finishing the first four subjects, you will currently get your first qualification from FASSET, and your very first ICB Program Certificate.

The difference in between Accounting and Accounting Courses

Accounting and Accounting are 2 sides of the exact same thing. At the entry level, it is called bookkeeping. In bookkeeping you are busy with the accurate recording of all the transactions of a business or department. You make sure that all income an all expenditure are effectively recorded.

When you have moved a few actions up on the ladder, you start reporting on the bookkeeping information, and you start analysing the information. At the level where your job ends up being more complicated, since you are also reporting and evaluating the business financial information, we start calling it Accounting.

So an Accounting professional is a senior Bookkeeper. And a Bookkeeper is a junior Accountant!

The different Levels of study with the ICB

The ICB bookkeeping programme is divided into different levels. Inside each level can be several courses. The programme is divided into 4 levels, as follows:

  • Foundation Level
  • Intermediate Level
  • Upper Intermediate Level
  • Advanced Level

As you complete each level, you will get acknowledgment from the ICB through an ICB Program Certificate. As you finish the various courses inside the levels, you will get recognition from FASSET in the form of your formal certification from FASSET.

I shall describe the various levels, and the courses inside each level, in information below.

The different Courses that makes up the ICB Financial Accounting Program

The ICB Accounting/ Financial Accounting Programme is gotten into 4 levels. Inside each level is one complete certification. As you advance up the ladder of qualifications, you will see the names of the certifications change from Accounting to Accounting.

The ICB Financial Accounting Programme consist from 4 various levels, each with a FASSET credentials inside it; as follows:

  • Foundation level – National Certificate: Accounting (NQF Level 3).
  • Intermediate level – FET Certificate: Accounting (NQF level 4).
  • Upper Intermediate level – National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting (NQF level 5).
  • Advanced level – National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF level 6).

Accounting Courses.

In the ICB, we describe the Foundation and Intermediate level courses, as Accounting courses. So that will be these 2 qualifications:

  • National Certificate: Bookkeeping (NQF Level 3).
  • FET Certificate: Bookkeeping (NQF Level 4).

Accounting Courses.

  • Accounting courses in the ICB are the greater level courses that we discover at Upper Intermediate level and Advanced level. So that indicates these two courses:
  • National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting (NQF Level 5).
  • National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF Level 6).

Foundation Level.

The foundation level is the starting point for many trainees. If you did not do that well at school, or you stopped working matric, or you have not studied for many years, then the foundation level helps you bridge the gap and get back into studying.

Academically the level is NQF 3. That is the level below matric, so we understand that trainees with Grade 10 (Standard 8) will have the ability to handle the academic level of the work.

You do not need any previous accounting or bookkeeping understanding if you begin at this level. And you need to be at least 16 years of age to be accepted onto the program.

To finish this level you must pass four topics. The recommended time to complete this level is 12 months. Distance learning trainees can take up to 18 months.

Intermediate Level.

The intermediate level are for students who have effectively completed the foundation level. It is your 2nd step on the ladder to ending up being a Financial Accounting professional.

To enter this level, you need to have passed the foundation level. That means you should currently have your National Certificate: Accounting to enter this level.

To complete this level you should pass 2 topics. Lots of trainees total this level in 6 months. Distance learning students can take up to nine months to finish this level.

Upper Intermediate Level.

At this level you move from Bookkeeping to Accounting. If your dream is to become an Accounting professional, then this level will get you there!

To enter this level you need to have passed the Intermediate level. That indicates you should have your FET Certificate: Accounting to gain entry to the Upper Intermediate Level.

To complete this level you should pass two topics. The suggested time of study is 6 months. Distance learning students can take up to 9 months to finish this level.

Advanced Level.

This is the top level of ICB studies. Here you will gain your National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF Level 6). To enter this level you should have passed all the previous levels. So that indicates you need to be in belongings of your National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting.

To pass this level you should effectively complete four topics. Trainees normally take around 12 months to finish this level. Distance learning trainees can take a bit longer, of course.

What certifications do you get?

At the different levels you get various qualifications. You get your certifications from FASSET. And you likewise get certificates from the ICB for every single level that you progress.

The qualifications are named as follows:.

  • Foundation Level Qualification.
  • National Certificate: Accounting (NQF Level 3).
  • Intermediate Level Credentials.
  • FET Certificate: Accounting (NQF level 4).
  • Upper Intermediate Level Credentials.
  • National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting (NQF level 5).
  • Advanced Level Qualification.
  • National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF level 6).

Study further after completing the ICB Financial Accounting Program

The ICB offers 5 different fields of study. Thus far we have actually gone over simply one of these fields of study, being: Financial Accounting, or Bookkeeping.

The other fields of study are:

  • Public Sector Accounting
  • Business Management
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Office Administration

The different programs have many subjects in common. So once you have actually finished one programme, you might find that you can attain another credentials by simply doing the subjects that does not overlap.

For example, 3 of the very first four topics in each of these programmes are the same. So if you have actually passed the four subject for your Bookkeeping program, you have likewise completed three of the four topics you need for the general public Sector Accounting program. So by including that one subject, you get approved for another total credentials.

Study further after completing your programme – Other Courses

The ICB has acknowledgment agreements in place with a variety of other professional bodies. So, depending on what certification you have completed with the ICB, you can get credits to qualifications with these bodies.

Here are a list of some of the bodies that will recognise your ICB qualifications as counting towards a few of their programmes, as well as towards membership of these professional bodies:

  • Institute of Accounting and Commerce (IAC).
  • South African Business Accountants (SAIBA).
  • South African Institute for Tax Professionals (SAIT).
  • Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

Note: You will have to apply to these professional bodies. And they each have their own set of entryway requirements and rules.

The role of your college and the role of the ICB – who does exactly what?

Your college or academy supplies you with the study products, marking, tutoring and all the assistance you have to prepare you for the examination. Your college assists you finish your Portfolio of Proof. And will continue pressing you, so that you finish the course effectively and in a reasonable quantity of time. We keep you working, studying and inspired!

Then you write the test (and hand in your Portfolio of Proof) with the ICB. The ICB manages the quality of the program. They certify the course providers, to ensure that students get excellent training and has a real opportunity of passing the examinations.

How does Home Study or Distance Learning work for these courses?

Depending upon your college, you might do your course by means of distance learning, home study, part-time study, or online study. These are all various versions of studying in the house, with the help of a college and a tutor that guides you through your program.

The very best colleges will ensure you get the best study product, bit by bit, and sent out with a courier. So that your study material gets to you quickly.

Distance Learning.

Studying ICB courses via distance learning is for people who can not attend classes. So if you remain far away from a school where they offer ICB courses, then you should think about distance learning.

Distance learning methods that your course provider sends you books and study notes. And then assists you study over the phone, or e-mail or some online system.

Home Study.

Home study is for trainees who can not go to classes. A number of our students have to work to make a wage in the daytime, so they only get to study after hours and on weekends.

The ICB courses were established so that you can study them from home. The study product gets along and will assist you through the work step by step. When you use the study products, you will “hear the voice of the lecturer”. The speaker has actually been composed into the course materials.

When you require a friendly voice to discuss your studies, you can call the college. Or you can engage with fellow trainees and your lecturers in our online study groups. This is where you can learn the most … seeing the questions of other students, and how the tutors answer those concerns.

If you need to talk with your tutor individually, you can likewise do that. The online study hall also enable you to have private conversations.

Another way that these courses take into consideration the requirements of a home study students, is that there are 5 examination sessions in 2017. So if you can not make an examination session, you understand that another chance to compose that test will happen in 3 months or less. You can also utilize the several exam sessions every year, to progress through your course much faster than the other students. As quickly as you are ready to write an examination, you will be close to the next examination session.

Part Time Study.

Part-time study is for students who can participate in some classes, however not many. So you might go to a class at night or on a Saturday. Then study from home the remainder of the time.

Online Study.

Online study implies that a great deal of your interactions happen on the internet. With our online study hall, we have developed a chat-group environment where you can gain from your tutors and from other students.

ICB Courses at Unisa.

Students frequently ask if they can study ICB Bookkeeping at Unisa. This is especially trainees who wish to go on and study a degree in the future.

Sadly Unisa does not use any of the ICB courses. If you plan to study a degree at Unisa, make certain you consult them if they will accept any of your ICB studies for scholastic credits or for entry onto their degree programs.

Each university has its own rules. So if you prepare to study further at a university, make definitely sure you comprehend how they will recognise your previous studies. A lot of universities will not give you scholastic credits for other studies. They usually simply wish to see your matric certificate. Yes, I understand this does not make good sense!

ICB Course Charges.

Your ICB Bookkeeping course will require a variety of expenses. So ensure you comprehend all the various things you will need to pay; before you register for the course. A few of these things are:.

  • College charges with your accredited training provider. Also known as course costs.
  • Textbook expenses. Keep in mind to check exactly what books you will need to purchase for your course; and if your college consist of these books with your study charges.
  • Test costs. Also, when you sign up for the examination you will need to pay your trainee registration charge to the ICB.
  • ICBA Trainee Subscription costs, if choose to join the ICBA. We advise that you join them as quickly as you can.

The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers and Accountants (ICBA).

The ICBA is a professional body that provides subscription to students studying ICB courses. At first you can just become a Trainee Member. But as soon as you have completed your first credentials, you will be eligible for Professional Membership.

This means you get to utilize a professional classification behind your name on your business card. In this way you show your colleagues and your clients that you are serious about your occupation, which you are recognised as a professional by the ICBA.

The different qualifications lead to different classifications. So make certain to discover more about the ICBA early on in your studies. This is an excellent method to enhance your CV and your professional status.

Last Updated: March 17th, 2017.

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