Students may obtain access to a higher qualification via the RPL route if they meet the admission requirements of the prerequisite undergraduate degree. If you were granted access to or advanced placement for a higher qualification via RPL, you will not receive a certificate for the lower qualification, but you will be allowed to register for the higher qualification in question, should you wish to do so.
Start the process well in advance of your planned registration date. (We suggest three months before the registration date.) This will enable you to submit evidence of your prior learning to Unisa, giving academic staff time to assess it and provide feedback. Click here or contact your nearest Unisa office for the dates of the next registration period.
If you are not sure what to study, visit Unisa's Directorate for Counselling and Career Development.
If you do not meet the admission requirements, your application will be declined. In that case, you may follow the RPL application route.
The admission requirements for each qualification are available on the Unisa website.
3a. You do NOT meet the admission requirementsIf RPL is required, contact the RPL academic coordinator for more information. The RPL process allows for alternative access to postgraduate qualifications. Applying for direct access to a postgraduate qualification means the following:
When you decide on the appropriate postgraduate qualification, take into account your work experience, relevant prior learning, and research experience in the field.
3b. You meet the admission requirements of the qualification - RPL is not requiredIf you meet the formal admission requirements for the qualification you have chosen, follow the conventional route to apply for a student number and admission.
If you want to apply for RPL access to postgraduate qualifications, prepare for your RPL application process by conducting research on the area in which you have experience and prior learning. Before you apply, ensure that your experience falls within the scope of the chosen qualification.
Contact the RPL academic coordinator of the college at which you intend to study and send the rejection letter and your CV. After your submission has been screened, the RPL coordinator will grant you access to the RPL system by providing you with the login details and a password. Complete the application online, upload your supporting documents and your proof of payment of the application fee.
Please refer to the checklist as you complete the documentation. Ensure all required documents are submitted; no incomplete applications will be processed. Supporting evidence must be authentic, relevant, sufficient and current. Pay particular attention to your motivation, as it forms the core of your application. RPL access is granted based on your evidence of learning. Direct access to a postgraduate qualification is awarded on the basis of the relevant learning as a result of experience, and not on the basis of your experience alone.
Section 1:Please supply your personal information and ensure you complete all sections. |
|
Section 2:Enter your chosen qualification, as well as the college and the department or school that offers it. Your selection is critical. If you are granted direct access, it applies to only a specific qualification. |
|
Section 3:Include the particulars of all certificates, diplomas, and so forth you have received for attending short courses, in-service training courses and other similar activities. EvidenceDirect access to a postgraduate qualification can be considered only if the evidence of your learning is solid. Evidence of your learning must be verified, sufficient, suitable, and valid documentation. Therefore, it is essential that you ensure the authenticity and currency of the evidence you provide. |
|
Section 4:This information should provide an outline of your knowledge, skills and competencies. Attach an extended CV and a signed job description on a company letterhead to provide an overview of yourself, as well as your academic and employment history. |
|
Section 5:For direct access to a postgraduate qualification, you are required to write one comprehensive motivation not exceeding two pages in length. Your motivation must be detailed and aligned with the SAQA level descriptors. To compile the motivation, refer to the relevant SAQA level descriptors for NOF 7. SAQA provides five options under each main point. For RPL purposes, choose the bullet point under each main point that is most appropriate to your envisaged qualification. In your motivation, explain how your prior learning meets these level descriptors. Interpret the SAQA level descriptors and apply your interpretation to a practical situation. Your prior learning should be appropriate to the academic context of the specific qualification, and your learning from experience must still be current, valid and applicable. For access to a postgraduate qualification, you must, in addition, show that your current competency is at the same level as that of a student who has completed the prerequisite qualification in the conventional manner, and that you will be able to cope with the demands of postgraduate qualifications. Include relevant evidence to substantiate your motivation. This may include any relevant evidence of your research experience or work-related projects that you have been involved in. You may cluster learning outcomes if necessary. |
|
Section 6:Ensure that you sign the declaration of understanding. The following additional documentation is required:
|
|
Section 7:EssayYou are required to write an essay on any topic related to your area of study. The content must be properly researched and referenced. You need to demonstrate that you can write at the cognitive level of NQF level 7. Your ability to structure information logically, to do basic research and to reference properly must be evident in your essay. Your essay will be evidence that you are at a postgraduate level. Furthermore, your essay should include an introduction and a conclusion, and the content should be organised logically in paragraphs. Please edit your essay before including it in your RPL application. You may also include the planning of your essay as evidence of your ability to collect and analyse information. Submitting the RPL applicationSubmit the completed online RPL application and upload the supporting documentation. As you engage in the RPL process, you will receive detailed information about
You may submit your application and evidence as a portfolio. |
Once the assessment panel has considered your application, you will receive feedback.
If you receive a letter from the RPL coordinator stating that you are Competent (C) and that direct access has been granted, you may register in the next registration cycle.
Conditional access will be explained in the RPL feedback letter. These conditions must be fulfilled within two years of the despatch of the letter.
If you are found "Not Yet Competent (NYC)", the assessment panel will make a recommendation on the way forward.
7a. Conditions fulfilled: advise RPL academic coordinatorAdvise the RPL academic coordinator in writing that you have met the conditions in your RPL letter. In addition, attach a copy of the letter and evidence of your fulfilment of the conditions, such as your examination results.
7b. Conditions not fulfilledIf the conditions have not been met or if you are found Not Yet Competent (NYC), no access can be granted through the RPL process. Follow the conventional study route and complete the prerequisite undergraduate qualification.
If you receive a letter from the RPL academic coordinator stating that you are Competent (C), you must register for your approved qualification during the next registration cycle. If you do not, your RPL opportunity lapses, and you will not be awarded any of the previous qualifications. You are granted academic standing purely for access to your postgraduate qualification.
Last modified: Wed Aug 05 09:56:02 SAST 2026
