Higher Certificate in Graphic Design

1 Year Full Time/ 2 Years Part Time | NQF Level 5 | SAQA ID: 124915

At a Glance

The Higher Certificate in Graphic Design provides a practical, one-year introduction to visual communication. Students develop a strong foundation in design principles, digital tools, and creative problem-solving for branding, marketing, and print design.

Graduates finish the programme ready to work in design studios, marketing agencies, or as freelance designers, equipped with versatile skills to meet the demands of the evolving creative industry.

Campuses & Learning Format

Locations: Stellenbosch & Centurion

View the 2027 Higher Certificate subject prerequisites & modes of provisioning here:

Fees

Application Fee: R 1 750*
Registration Fee: R 12 000*
Programme Tuition Fee: R 55 250*

* The application and registration fees are applicable to all interested students, payable prior to the admission process being converted to full registration. Please contact us for more information.

Admission Requirements

The student accepted into this programme should have a recognised Matriculation Certificate obtained within South Africa or any equivalent qualification recognised by SAQA.

To apply to enrol in the Higher Certificate in Graphic Design, prospective students must provide one of the following:

A National Senior Certificate (or Senior Certificate if obtained before 2008) with at least a ‘Higher Certificate’ pass; OR
A National Certificate (Vocational) NC(V) Higher Certificate pass; OR
A Senior Certificate (SC) (without endorsement); OR
A Senior Certificate (Amended) SC(A) Higher Certificate pass.
For international qualifications: A SAQA Evaluation Certificate with NSC L4 equivalence.

Additional Resources

Colorful graffiti mural on a dark brick wall featuring bold block letters and geometric chevrons in pink, purple, green, and white; an urban street-art scene.

Minimalist peach-colored line drawing of a cat's face and upper body against a soft peach background, in coral outlines.

Collage of VOOMA promotional items: luggage, cards, app screens on phones, brochures, and a laptop displaying VOOMA visuals.

Person with pink and blue hair posing under a large airplane fuselage in a hangar.

Person wearing a patterned burgundy headscarf and beige coat stands on a sandy landscape beneath a cloudy blue sky.

Abstract colorful collage with bold white letters forming 'LANG' on blue and orange shapes; a hand making a peace sign passes through purple rings. The small text 'be a' is visible at the top left.

Four donuts arranged in a 2x2 grid on a pink striped background, each with different toppings: striped glaze, chocolate with rainbow sprinkles, pink icing with white dots, and purple sprinkles.

Collage of six colorful book covers with bright illustrations, including Wired and The Big Book of Biologists, arranged in a grid.

Career Pathways

There is a diverse range of creative roles where graduates craft compelling visual identities and communications, including:

Potential careers include:

Junior Graphic Designer
Design Studio Assistant
Social Media Content Designer
Production Artist
Layout Artist
Digital Content Creator

Student Work Showcase

Explore our exceptional undergraduate students’ work in design, film, animation, and digital arts.

Matthew Van De Merwe

Anneke Barnard

Carla-Marie Brits

Annabelle Keet

Marli Correia

Sebastian Van Den Brink

Claire Donnelly

Reandri Visser

Amor Armstrong

Anya Klopper

Vicki Venter

Mabeka Katleho

Lehakwe Nhlapo

Chinouk Domann

Sebastian Van Den Brink

Denise van Deventer

Keelan Smillie

Mia Burwise

Kayla Posthumus

Tertius Jonker

Zani van den Bosch

Solomon Jele

Marli Correia

Kyle Pharoah

Divan Labuschagne

Rudi Naude

Marnus Koekemoer

Christopher Fourie

Berno van der Lith

Zanozuko Ledwaba

Interested in the Higher Certificate in Graphic Design?

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