The college application process is similar to university application process few
differences may be spotted. When universities moved away from hard copy applications colleges where left behind. Good news is, now in 2021 that is no
longer the case because a majority of colleges prefer online applications however there are still few colleges that still prefer hard copy applications so it is important to do a research on colleges you want to apply to. Listed below are the things to consider before/when applying to a college
1. Do research
Visit the websites of the colleges you are interested in. Visiting the website will
expose you to the courses the college offers, the bursaries that might be available and most importantly things required when applying in college. This is where you will discover which form of application they prefer online or hard copy (forms). To apply successfully online you need to use a smart phone with internet access. If you don’t have a smart phone you can ask your friend to borrow you one so you can complete your application. The best option in most cases is to go to the internet café to get assistance with the online application, they will gladly help at a fee. You can
again let AcaNet team do all your applications for you while you focus on your school work. If your desired college does not accept online application it is vital to go to the college campus and get the application form. What should you do when you stay far away from the campus? Don’t panic, the answer is simple. All you need to do is to send the college an email requesting the application form to be sent to you via email or post.
NCV and NATED Courses
When applying to public (TVET) colleges it is significant that you know the difference between NCV and NATED courses. Once you know the difference it is easy to get admission to study at a TVET college. NCV (National Certificate Vocational) are courses that are skilled based meaning that these courses are aimed at equipting students with skills so that they are ready for work. NCV courses can be done by learners with Grade 9-11 and the duration of NCV is 3 year. For admission to N courses you need to have passed your grade 12. The programme consist of 1 year
six months (theory) and 1 year six months of practical done through an
internship.
Short courses, higher certificates, diplomas or degrees
Few short courses are offered in Tvet colleges while on the other hand private
colleges offer many short courses, diplomas and degrees. The good thing about private colleges is that they offer various qualifications which is one thing tvet colleges fail to offer. The only visible disadvantage of private is that you have to pay for your own fees without the assistance of a bursary or financial aids such as NSFAS.
2. Discover the course you want to do
Truth is both tvet and private colleges offer few courses compared to
universities so you first need to do self-introspection and ask yourself questions such as what am I passionate at? Which career best suit my personality? Is the course that I want offered at college? Once you honestly answer these questions you will never wrong.
3. Requirements
The reality is that when learners apply at colleges they forget one thing. They forget to check minimum admission requirements of the college. Many consider colleges as the last option with the idea that since they didn’t get admission at university they will
automatically get admitted at college. Always check requirements of your desired course to see if you qualify or not. I advise learners to take college applications seriously as they would have done with the university application to avoid rejections.
4. Application dates
Beware of the opening and closing dates of your desired colleges so that you know when you can start with the application process and not miss the deadline of the application because should you submit your application after the closing date your application will not be considered. Today technology has made things easy, you can begin your application as soon as the applications open and continue your application later on before the actual closing date.
5. Supporting documents
After you are certain that you meet the requirements start gathering the required documents
Required documents
Certified copy of your ID
Certified copy of your parent/guardian ID
Certified copy of your results (Grade 9-11 Report)
Certified copy of your grade 12 certificate if you have completed matric
Copy of proof of residence
6. Application fee
Tvet colleges do not require application fee. When applying at private college find out if your desired college require application fee or not. It is vital to pay application fee so that your application can be processed.
7. Application Status
The college will send you an sms or email to inform you about the outcomes of your application. If you are accepted the college will invite you to come on a
specific date to register for your course. When you get an invitation to register bring along your certified supporting documents. Make sure you avail yourself in the specified date they have invited you on because failure to do so will lead to your space being forfeited.
8. Apply for financial aid.
Now the last step is to apply for financial aid. This is an important step to do
especially if you have applied for TVET College.
AcaNet Team ❤️