2025/2026 AFDA Online Application For Admission

AFDA Application Process

Step 1: Enquire – If you would like more information about the course, contact your nearest AFDA campus to book for a Career Consultation to meet with a staff member who will advise about the course and can assist with your application process. If you do not require information, then proceed with Step 2.
Step 2: Apply – Complete the application, attach your report/academic documents and submit an online application form. International applicants should kindly ensure that all transcripts and supporting documentation are submitted with the online application to avoid delays.
Step 3: Provisional Acceptance – The AFDA campus you applied to will contact you at the email address you supplied on your online application form regarding acceptance into the course.
Step 4: Register – Once you have been accepted, you need to register online. A registration fee must be paid in order for you to secure your position for enrollment.
Step 5: Enrol – You must present yourself at your chosen campus and follow the enrollment procedure during the enrollment window.

AFDA Requirements

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS & RPL (Recognised Prior Learning).

HIGHER CERTIFICATE

ENTRY INTO FIRST YEAR

• National Senior Certificate (South African Grade 12 / Matric) with entry into a Diploma or Higher Certificate
• Should you not have the above, you may be able to qualify to complete and pass the AFDA Entrance Exam – scroll down to ENTRANCE EXAM to read more or contact your nearest AFDA campus to find out more

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: Please scroll down to INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS for more options.

 

UNDERGRADUATE BACHELORS DEGREE (BA/ BCOM/ BCT)

ENTRY INTO FIRST YEAR

• National Senior Certificate (South African Grade 12 / Matric) with entry into a Bachelor’s degree
• You may enter the AFDA BA degree if you have successfully completed the AFDA Higher Certificate course
• The National Skills Certificate / National Certificate (Vocational) (NCV) on NQF level 4 with 3 fundamental subjects (incl English) above 60% and 4 vocational subjects above 70%
• A technical N5 certificate with 4 subjects passed on N5 level incl Maths and English
• The ACE School of Tomorrow (Accelerated Christian Education) on an achievement level similar to matric exemption
• If you don’t have matric exemption but have passed the first year of an accredited programme on NQF 6 or 7 (first year of a diploma or degree)
• Should you not have any of the above, you may be able to qualify to complete and pass the AFDA Entrance Exam – scroll down to ENTRANCE EXAM to read more or contact your nearest AFDA campus to find out more
• If you do not have matric exemption, but are 23 years or older, you can apply for exemption to study a degree at AFDA with HESA. See their website > Alternatively you can do the Entrance Exam – scroll down to ENTRANCE EXAM to read more
• Please contact your nearest AFDA campus to find out more

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: Please scroll down to INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS for more options.

ENTRY INTO SECOND YEAR

• Read below under RECOGNISED PRIOR LEARNING

POSTGRADUATE HONOURS DEGREE (BA HONS) or POSTGRADUATE MASTER OF FINE ART (MFA)

ENTRY INTO HONOURS or MFA

• Read below under RECOGNISED PRIOR LEARNING

 

RECOGNISED PRIOR LEARNING

INTERESTED IN CONTINUING YOUR STUDIES AT AFDA? YOU CAN RPL INTO 1ST, 2ND, HONOURS YEAR OR MFA

RPL stands for Recognition of Prior Learning. It arises from an international tendency in this century to increase students’ access to education, by articulating various types and levels of education with each other, so that there can be lifelong learning and no-one is barred from higher education. In South Africa, it was a core principle of the White Paper on Higher Education in the late nineties, and again in the January 2012 Green Paper for post-school education and training issued by The Department of Higher Education and Training.

For South Africans, RPL means the doors of learning shall be opened.

All higher education institutions in South African must have a policy and procedure to assess prospective students’ RPL to see if they can enter the courses with a reasonable chance of success.

Students with matric exemption to study a Bachelors degree may enter into the first year of degree studies. AFDA’s alternative routes to access degree studies are:

1. You can enter the Higher Certificate on NQF5; which will then articulate to give you the right to enter the BA degree the next year, on successful completion of the Higher Certificate.
2. The AFDA Entrance Exam, adopted by the AFDA Senate, for those candidates who have passed matric; and
3. RPL from other relevant and equal qualifications.

Please view some ways to access AFDA degree studies through RPL below. We do however offer alternative RPL access routes into the AFDA degrees. To enquire if you qualify please REQUEST AN INTERVIEW or SEND AN EMAIL WITH YOUR ENQUIRY.

AFDA Botswana provides extended bridging options for RPL students who enter the programme. RPL will mostly be used on second year and on Honours level in the respective AFDA BOTSWANA degree programmes. The AFDA Botswana fourth year programmes are two top-up Honours degrees (in Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance) which stand alone from the AFDA BA degrees, and can top up the prior learning of a diverse cohort, to meet the needs of the Botswana NHRDS and EDD. For more information, contact the Botswana campus.

RPL INTO SECOND YEAR OF A BACHELORS DEGREE
The minimum requirements to bridge into 2nd year are that you’ve completed 1st year at a registered university in a relevant field and have no outstanding credits.
OR
You have 5 years relevant experience in the industry with key responsibilities and roles;
AND
That you pass a formal assessment of the discipline you want to enter.
To find Discipline specific RPL processes, please refer to the Academic Yearbook found under Downloads.

RPL INTO HONOURS
The minimum requirements to bridge into Honours are that you’ve completed a BA at AFDA or a registered university in a relevant field and have no outstanding credits.
OR
You have 5 years relevant experience in the industry with key responsibilities and roles;
AND
That you pass a formal assessment of the discipline you want to enter.
To find out more about the RPL processes, please refer to the Academic Yearbook downloadable under Key documents: http://www.afda.co.za/support/key-documents/

You can enter the AFDA Honours degrees if you have an equivalent Bachelors degree, and pass the RPL assessment e.g. A BCom and production experience can give you access to study BA (Honours) in Motion Picture Medium with Producing as a major elective discipline;  or an architecture qualification and design experience can be assessed to give you access to the Production Design discipline;  or if you have a degree in which you learned about language, texts and writing and/or if you applied it in your work experience (e.g. as a journalist)  you may be successfully assessed to enter into the Scriptwriting elective discipline in Honours;  or if you have a degree with fashion modules you may be successfully assessed to enter into theCostume Make-up and Styling  elective discipline in Honours; 

RPL INTO MASTER OF FINE ARTS (MFA)
The minimum requirements to bridge into Master of Arts in Fine Arts is that you’ve completed a Honours at a registered university in a relevant field and have no outstanding credits.
OR
You have 10 years relevant experience in the industry with key responsibilities and roles;
AND
That you pass a formal assessment of the discipline you want to enter.
To find Discipline specific RPL processes, please refer to the Academic Yearbook found under Downloads.

ENTRANCE EXAM

ENTRY INTO FIRST YEAR OF THE UNDERGRADUATE BACHELORS DEGREE
If you are South African and have passed matric, but did not get matric with entry into a Bachelors degree, or are an international student that does not have a matric equivalent you can take the AFDA Entrance Exam. This is recognised by SAQA and the final results are approved at the discretion of the AFDA Senate. Please note: the exam can be completed on an AFDA campus or online.

The AFDA entrance exam/ assessment has been designed to offer prospective students who are not in possession of a South African Bachelor’s Pass / Matric Exemption for Degree Studies, the opportunity to be conditionally accepted into the undergraduate 3-year AFDA Bachelor of Motion Picture or Live Performance. It is facilitated by external psychometric consulting company called NOME. Important points to note with the

• The assessment is a registered psychometric assessment that has been normed for South African standards.
• Candidates must be in possession of a school leaving transcript/ certificate.
• The exam assesses your current and potential learning capability for degree program readiness and you will not need to study for this exam.
• Contact AFDA in order to find out how to set up a time to do the entrance exam.
• The exam fee is *R950 (South African Rand / ZAR) and payable by electronic transfer.
  • This is the *2025/2026 fee and is subject to an annual increase in October of every year.
  • Submit supporting documentation and motivational letters to strengthen your application for entrance into our degree program to the relevant career advisor.
  • For example:
    • Motivational letter
    • Any certificates received for outstanding achievements – certified copies
    • CV of achievements
    • Reference letter e.g. from work, community work, or leadership positions you have fulfilled.

Refer to the AFDA EE Application Form available under KEY DOCUMENTS (http://www.afda.co.za/support/key-documents/) or contact your nearest campus for more information. The assessment itself will only take about 45 minutes, after which your supporting documentation (motivation letter, CV and a list of awards and or prizes) will be combined in an overall report. The report is presented to the AFDA Senate, for final approval. In the event of you not being successful in our Entrance Exam, you may contact AFDA for feedback on your overall assessment results. The processing and notification of the result can take up to 10 working days.

 

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

A Certified copy of SAQA Certificate of Evaluation of the applicant’s International qualifications is required for acceptance into AFDA programmes. This certificate is obtained from the South African Qualifications Authority – SAQA (www.saqa.org.za). The NQF Act, 67 of 2008, gives SAQA the mandate to, “with respect to International qualifications, provide an evaluation and advisory service consistent with this Act”.

SAQA fulfils this mandate through the Directorate of International Qualifications Evaluations and Advisory Services (DFQEAS). The work of DFQEAS helps to clarify the meaning of International qualifications for local use and links those qualifications to NQF levels so that the holders of

International qualifications can take up work and study opportunities in South Africa.

Further information on how to apply for the certification of evaluation can be found on the website: http://www.saqa.org.za/show.php?id=5741

Feel free to contact Ms Nadia Chalkley (NadiaC@afda.co.za) / Tel: +27 21 448 7600 for more information or advice on foreign credentials evaluation.

The following link provides useful information for country specific requirements: http://he-enrol.ac.za/foreign-qualifications

International applicants may be required to do the AFDA Entrance Exam in order to be assessed for entry into AFDA’s programmes – refer to the procedure noted above under ENTRANCE EXAM. International Candidates please contact: Nadia Chalkley (NadiaC@afda.co.za) Tel: +27 21 448 7600

 

Fees & Admin

AFDA FAQ

Johannesburg: Pamela Sehunoe
pamela@afda.co.za
+27 11 482 8345

Cape Town: Bonita Brink
bonita@afda.co.za
+27 21 448 7600

Durban: Milena Gevers
milenag@afda.co.za
+27 31 569 2252

Higher Certificate Application Form

Undergraduate Application Forms

Postgraduate Application Forms