The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) maintains a comprehensive register of private institutions authorized to offer higher education qualifications in South Africa.
This list includes institutions that have met all registration requirements as well as those with provisional status.
Students looking to enroll for the 2026/2027 academic year should verify that their chosen institution and specific program are listed on this official register to ensure the validity of their qualifications.
Fully Registered Institutions
The following institutions are granted full registration in terms of section 54(1)(c) of the Higher Education Act:
- AAA School of Advertising (Pty) Ltd
- Academy for Facility Management (Pty) Ltd (A4FM)
- Academy of Sound Engineering (Pty) Ltd
- ACT Cape Town (Pty) Ltd
- Afrikaanse Protestantse Akademie (Die) NPC
- Akademia NPC
- Akademiese Reformatoriese Opleiding en Studies (AROS) NPC
- Animation School (Pty) Ltd (The)
- Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa (The) NPC
- Belgium Campus iTversity NPC
- Berea College of Technology (Pty) Ltd
- BHC School of Design (Pty) Ltd
- Boston City Campus (Pty) Ltd
- Boston Media House (Pty) Ltd
- Business Management Training College (Pty) Ltd
- Cape Audio College (Pty) Ltd
- Cape Town Baptist Seminary NPC
- Cape Town College of Fashion Design (Pty) Ltd
- Cape Town Creative Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Centre for Creative Education/Iziko La Bantu Be Afrika NPC
- Christ Baptist Church Seminary NPC
- Christian Reformed Theological Seminary NPC
- College of Transfiguration NPC
- Cornerstone Institute (RF) NPC
- Cranefield College (Pty) Ltd
- Da Vinci Institute for Technology Management (Pty) Ltd
- Design Academy of Fashion (Pty) Ltd (The)
- Edutel Higher Education (Pty) Ltd
- Eduvos (Pty) Ltd
- Elizabeth Galloway Academy of Fashion Design (Pty) Ltd
- Empilweni Education (Pty) Ltd
- ESRI South Africa (Pty) Ltd
- Exercise Teachers Academy (Pty) Ltd
- FEDISA (Pty) Ltd
- Friends of Design – Academy of Digital Arts (Pty) Ltd
- Foundation for Professional Development (Pty) Ltd
- George Whitefield College NPC
- Health and Fitness Professionals Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Helderberg College of Higher Education NPC
- Henley Business School Limited
- IHT Hotel School (Pty) Ltd
- IMM Graduate School of Marketing (Pty) Ltd
- The Independent Institute of Education (Pty) Ltd
- Inscape Education Group (Pty) Ltd
- International Hotel School (Pty) Ltd (The)
- International Trade Institute of Southern Africa NPC
- IQ Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Isa Carstens Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Life Healthcare Group (Pty) Ltd
- Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd
- MANCOSA (Pty) Ltd
- MEDICLINIC (Pty) Ltd
- Milpark Education (Pty) Ltd
- Mukhanyo Theological College NPC
- Netcare Education (Pty) Ltd
- Newbridge Graduate Institute (Pty) Ltd
- Oakfields College (Pty) Ltd
- Open Learning Group (Pty) Ltd
- The Open Window (Pty) Ltd
- Potchefstroom Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Production Management Institute of Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd (PMI)
- Red and Yellow Creative School of Business (Pty) Ltd
- Regenesys Education (Pty) Ltd
- Regent Business School (Pty) Ltd
- Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology (Pty) Ltd
- Ruth Prowse School of Art NPC
- SAE Institute of South Africa (Pty) Ltd
- SANTS Private Higher Education Institution (Pty) Ltd
- Seth Mokitimi Methodist Seminary NPC
- The South African College of Applied Psychology (Pty) Ltd
- South African School of Motion Picture Medium & Live Performance (Pty) Ltd/AFDA
- South African Theological Seminary NPC
- Southern Africa Bible College NPC
- Southern African Wildlife College NPC
- Stadio (Pty) Ltd
- St. Augustine College of South Africa NPC
- Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography (Pty) Ltd
- Stenden South Africa BV
- St John Vianney Seminary NPC
- St Joseph’s Theological Institute NPC
- Theological Education by Extension College NPC
- The Swiss Hotel School SA (Pty) Ltd
- TSIBA Education NPC
- Union Bible Institute NPC
- Villioti Fashion Institute (Pty) Ltd
Provisionally Registered Institutions
Provisionally registered institutions have not yet fulfilled all requirements but are granted legal status as the Registrar believes they will do so within a reasonable period.
- Academic Institute of Excellence (Pty) Ltd
- Academy For Environmental Leadership SA (Pty) Ltd
- Academy for Organisational Change (Pty) Ltd
- AFM Theological College NPC
- African Academy of Cinematic Arts
- Alpvest Institute for Futuretech (Pty) Ltd
- Arwyp Training Institute (Pty) Ltd
- Auckland Park Theological Seminary
- Balderstone Sports Institute (Pty) Ltd
- The Bible Institute of South Africa NPC
- Bronberg Nurse Education and Training Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Camelot International (Pty) Ltd
- Campus of Performing Arts (Pty) Ltd
- Career Excel Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Cedar International Academy NPC
- Chatsmed Candle Light Nursing School (Pty) Ltd
- Cheeba Cannabis Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Chartall Business College (Pty) Ltd
- Cornerstone Performance Solutions (Pty) Ltd
- CTU Training Solutions (Pty) Ltd
- Duke Corporate Education RSA (Pty) Ltd
- Design Time (Pty) Ltd
- Eco Training (Pty) Ltd
- Engineering College of Science and Technology (Pty) Ltd
- Emmanuel Verpleegskool (Pty) Ltd
- Equine-Librium College (Pty) Ltd
- Esda Nursing Education Institute NPC
- The Evangelical Seminary of Southern Africa (RF) NPC
- Felix Higher Education and Training (Pty) Ltd
- Future Nurses Nursing School (Pty) Ltd
- Hugenote Kollege NPC
- Instill Education (Pty) Ltd
- Institute for Architecture and Design
- Institute of Accounting Science (Pty) Ltd
- International Peace College South Africa NPC
- Keobakile Nursing Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Khanyisa Nursing School (Pty) Ltd
- Lenmed Nursing College (Pty) Ltd
- Lillian Spengani Memorial Nursing School (Pty) Ltd
- Lutheran Theological Seminary in Tshwane NPC
- Madina Institute NPC
- Marematlou Training Institute
- Moonstone Business School of Excellence (Pty) Ltd
- Novia One Group (Pty) Ltd
- 2 Oceans Graduate Institute NPC
- Peritum Agri Institute (Pty) Ltd
- SACOB South African College of Business (Pty) Ltd
- School of Explorative Architecture (RF) NPC
- Sizanesu Nursing Training Institute
- SkillsPro (Pty) Ltd
- Striving Mind Nursing Academy (Pty) Ltd
- The Graduate Institute of Financial Sciences (GIFSPHEI)
- Thulaganyo Nursing School (Pty) Ltd
- Thutobopelo Nursing Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Trifocus Fitness Academy (Pty) Ltd
- Ukwazi School of Nursing (Pty) Ltd
Important Enrollment Warnings
Students are urged to exercise caution and avoid “bogus” or illegal colleges that are not registered with the Department. Key red flags include:
- Claims of offering degrees in a very short period (e.g., 15 days).
- Absence of a physical address or valid accreditation documentation.
- Use of names very similar to prestigious global universities.
- Questionable application forms that do not require identity documents or proof of schooling.
For any inquiries regarding registration status, students can contact the Director of Private Higher Education Institutions at the Department of Higher Education and Training at (012) 312 6184 or via email at registrarphei@dhet.gov.za.
