Requirements To Study Electrical Engineering In South Africa

What Is Electrical Engineering

Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design and application of equipment, devices and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism.

Entry Requirements To Study Electrical Engineering In South Africa

Minimum Admission Requirements (three year diploma)

     NQF Level:                      6

     SAQA Credits:                 360

     Duration:                          3 years

I.        National Senior Certificate with rating codes:

English Home Language                          (4)

English First Additional Language (4)

Mathematics                                             (4)

Physical Science                                     (4)

II.        Senior Certificate or equivalent with a minimum subject-related symbol as follows:

Physical Science                                      C (SG) / D (HG)

Mathematics                                             C (SG) / D (HG)

English                                                      C (SG) / D (HG)

  1. III.N4 Engineering Sciences and Maths, plus a Matric Certificate or equivalent with English, with a minimum of 50% passes in English, Engineering Science and Maths.
  2. IV.NCV Entrance Requirements

NCV Level 4 with a minimum of a 50% pass in the following subjects:

Three fundamental subjects: English, Mathematics and Home Language and

A minimum of 60% in three compulsory subjects: Physical Science and any two Electrical-related subjects, preferably Electrical Principles & Practice and Electronic Control & Digital Electronics.

  1. V.An appropriate GCE, GCSE, IGCSE or Cambridge School Certificate with at least five subjects at GCE ‘O’ level including Mathematics, Science and English that has been passed with an A, B or C symbol. Three of the five subjects must have been passed at the same examination sitting. This applies to students from SADC countries.
  2. VI.N5 and N6 – Not considered for registration purposes but only for credit/exemption purposes. 

Please take note of the following:

Selection may be based on candidates passing a department entrance test, on merit and on the availability of spaces. Meeting the minimum requirements does not, in any way, guarantee admission. 

Students with technical college qualifications can apply to be considered for the granting of exemptions according to the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as listed below, provided that they have passed with a minimum of 50% in every subject. 

LIST OF SUBJECT EQUIVALENCES

Technical/FET College Subjects                    University Exempted Subjects

Communication N4 and N5                            Communication Skills I

Mathematics N4 and N5                                 Mathematics I

Industrial Electronics N4 and N5                    Electronics I

Digital Electronics N4 and N5                         Digital Systems I

Electrotechnics N4 and N5                             Electrical Engineering I

Industrial Instruments N4 and N5                   Process Instrumentation I 

DURATION OF STUDY

The course takes place over three years and consists of four semesters (S1, S2, S3 and S4) of formal time (full-time study at the University) over two years, and two semesters (P1 and P2) of experiential time (in-service training) undertaken at an accredited training provider/employer over one year, in accordance with a prescribed syllabus, and subject to the University’s evaluation and approval. 

Electrical Engineering Practice I (P1) may be done after successful completion of S1 and S2 subjects. 

Electrical Engineering Practice II or Electronic Engineering Practice II (P2) may be done after successful completion of S3 subjects. 

CURRICULUM COMPILATION

The Diploma will be issued on completion of 2.0 credits of formal time taken from the offerings below, and 1.0 credits of experiential time (i.e. in-service training), for a total of 3.0 credits.

During experiential time (i.e. in-service training) the student registers for Electrical Engineering Practice I for P1, and Electrical Engineering Practice II for P2. Completion of 24 weeks of experiential time in accordance with the guidelines laid down in the student’s log book will generate a credit of 1.0.

There are five specialisation fields, i.e. Electronic Communication (EC), Power Engineering (PE), Clinical Engineering (CE), Renewable Energy (RE), and Process Instrumentation (PI).

CURRICULUM SUBJECTS:

National Diplama: Engineering: Electrical (3208105)
CodeSubjects*C/O/ESemester/YearAssessment MethodCreditPre-requisitesCo-requisites
COMS311Communication SkillsCS1CA0.05  
C0SEL01Computer Skills ICS1CA0.05  
MATEL01Mathematics ICS1EX0.1  
ELEN311Electrical Engineering ICS1CA0.1  
ELET111Electronics ICS1EX0.1  
DIGS211Digital Systems ICS1EX0.1  
MATEL02Mathematics IICS2EX0.1Mathematics I 
ELEN021Electrical Engineering IICS2EX0.1Electrical Engineering I 
DIGS221Digital Systems IICS2EX0.1Digital Systems I 
PROJ011Project ICS2EX0.1Electrical Engineering IElectronics IDigital Systems I 
PRIN011Process Instrumentation IES2EX0.1  
ECOM221Electronic Communication II S2EX0.1Electronics IDigital Systems I 
RENE021Solar Cells and PhotovoltaicES2EX0.1Electrical Engineering I 
BOSY021Bio System IES2EX0.1Digital Systems I 
ELEM421Electrical Machines II (PE)ES2EX0.1Electrical Engineering I 
PROG011Programming I0S2EX0.1Digital Systems I 
MATEL03Mathematics III S2EX0.1Mathematics II 
DIGS231Digital Systems III S2EX0.1Digital Systems I 
ELET121Electronics II S3EX0.1Electronics I 
PROJ021Project II S3EX0.1Project IElectronics IIDigital Systems II 
PRIN221Process Instrumentation IIES3EX0.1Process Instrumentation I 
RADE131Radio Engineering III (EC)ES3EX0.1Electronic Communication II 
WINE031Wind Energy Technology IIES3EX0.1Electrical Engineering II 
MEDE031Medical Equipment IIES3EX0.1Bio System I 
ELEM431Electrical Machines III (PE)0S3EX0.1Electrical Machines II 
COSY021Control Systems IICS3EX0.1Mathematics II 
DEPR031Design Project IIIES4EX0.1Project II 
PRIN131Process Instrumentation IIIES4EX0.1Process Instrumentation II 
SIPR031Signal Processing III (EC)ES4EX0.1Mathematics II 
RENE031Renewable Energy Systems:Analysis, Design and Application IIIES4EX0.1Wind Energy Technology II 
PROE031Project Management in Renewable Energy IIIES4EX0.1Project II 
 Medical Equipment IIIES4EX0.1Medical Equipment II 
ELPR231Electrical Protection III (PE)ES4EX0.1Electrical Engineering II 
ELDI331Electrical Distribution IIIES4EX0.1Electrical Engineering II 
ELEN031Electrical Engineering IIIES4EX0.1Electrical Engineering II 
ELET1331Electronics III0S4EX0.1Electronics II 
POEL031Power Electronics III0S4EX0.1Electrical Engineering IIElectronics IIMathematics II 
COSY231Control Systems III0S4EX0.1Control Systems IIMathematics II 
DIC0021Digital Communication II0S4EX0.1Mathematics IIElectronic Communication II

Schools Offering Electrical Engineering In South Africa

Stellenbosch University.

Cape Peninsula University Of Technology.

UNISA.

College SA.

College of Cape Town.

False Bay College TVET.

Northlink College.

South African Business & Technology Institute.

What subjects are needed to become a electrical engineer in South Africa?

Most tertiary institutions will require you to have taken the following subjects in high school: English (matric level) Pure Maths (matric level) Physical Science (matric level)

Recommended subjects:

Electrical Technology.

Computer Applications Technology (CAT)

Information Technology (IT)

What qualifications do you need to study electrical engineering in South Africa ?

You’ll need:

knowledge of engineering science and technology.

maths knowledge.

knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software.

design skills and knowledge.

to be thorough and pay attention to detail.

analytical thinking skills.

persistence and determination.

excellent verbal communication skills.

What subjects do electrical engineers need to study in South Africa ?

This fully accredited program features a common first year, which consists of 10 courses in mathematics, sciences, computing, engineering principles, communications and design. These courses will provide you with a solid foundation for your engineering training and introduce you to a variety of engineering disciplines.

How many years does it take to study electrical engineering in South Africa?

Minimum 4 years, full time study, for students gaining entry into the mainstream programme.

What are the minimum requirements for electrical engineering in South Africa ?

A National Senior Certificate or an equivalent qualification, with a bachelor’s degree or a diploma endorsement, or an equivalent qualification, with an achievement level of at least 4 for English (home language or first additional language), 5 for Mathematics or Technical Mathematics, and 5 for Physical Sciences

How many subjects are in electrical engineering in South Africa ?

Electrical engineering is divided into many subfield that include electronics, digital computers, power engineering, telecommunications, control systems, radio-frequency engineering, signal processing, instrumentation and microelectronics.

How long does it take to become a electrical engineer in South Africa ?

Students can earn a BSEE (bachelor of science in electrical engineering) and the closely related BSCpE (bachelor of science in computer engineering) at many qualified universities. The completed bachelor of engineering degree usually takes 4 or 5 years, depending on the university and any specialty studies chosen.

How much does it cost to study electrical engineering in South Africa?

The costs of the degree at the Universities of KwaZulu-Natal, Pretoria, Johannesburg and North West range between R37 000 and R51 000 a year. South Africa’s universities also offer different residence options, both on and off campus.

Are electrical engineers in demand in South Africa?

Electrical engineering skills are in high demand in South Africa. This means that electrical engineers and engineering technicians can perform a wide variety of tasks, and that they could work on anything ranging from generators and power plants to electrical circuits and communication systems.