ICB Bookkeeping Courses SA – Home Study

Bookkeeping Courses South Africa

  Looking for bookkeeping courses you can study? Here is the complete list of Institute of Certified Bookkeepers courses that you can study from throughout South Africa.
  • National Certificate: Accounting
  • FET Certificate: Bookkeeping
  • National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting
  • National Diploma: Financial Accounting
  • National Certificate: Small company Financial Management
  • National Certificate: Public Sector Accounting
  • Diploma: Public Sector Accounting
The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers use a series of bookkeeping courses. You can start at a scholastic level below Matric, and work you way as much as 2 levels higher than matric (NQF 6 level).   To comprehend the ICB Accounting courses, you have to consider the following:
  • Why study Accounting?
  • Can I study ICB Bookkeeping courses if I do not have Matric?
  • The difference in between Accounting and Accounting Courses
  • The various levels of study with the ICB
  • The various courses that comprises the ICB Financial Accounting Programme
  • Foundation Level
  • Intermediate Level
  • Upper Intermediate Level
  • Advanced Level
  • What certifications do you get?
  • Study even more after completing your programme
  • Subjects that are the exact same across more than one ICB course
  • The role of your college and the role of the ICB – who does exactly what?
  • How does Home Study or Distance Learning work for these courses?
 

Why Study Bookkeeping?

In South Africa bookkeeping and accounting are scarce skills. That means that both market and federal government recognise that we have a scarcity of bookkeepers and accounting professionals. The federal government body for certifications in the monetary sector, FASSET, has done a study on scarce skills in 2015. From that study they published their Scarce Skills Guide 2015. FASSET is the SETA for Financing, Accounting, Management Consulting and other Financial Providers. In their scarce skills guide they determined the following as scarce skills:
  • Trainee Accounting professional
  • Financing Manager
  • General Accountant
  • Accounts Clerk
  • Payroll Clerk
  • Debt Collector
These are all positions for which an ICB accounting course will prepare you effectively. Your accounting credentials will make sure that you are always in need. It is a fantastic career that can take you to the greatest level in an organisation. The scarcity of bookkeeping abilities likewise affects government departments. All federal government departments have accounting and bookkeeping departments. And they work every year to obtain a “tidy audit”. To obtain a tidy audit suggests that they need well-trained, certified, devoted and experienced accounting and accounting staff and managers. As a qualified accountant or accounting professional, you will always remain in need. Either in personal business, or in a government department, which can consist of both municipalities, in addition to larger national government departments.  

Can I study ICB Accounting courses if I do not have Matric?

The bookkeeping courses begin at NQF level 3. And they increase to NQF level 6. Matric is at NQF level 4. So these courses are accessible for student who do not have matric. You begin at a scholastic level listed below matric. And if you keep on studying, you will wind up with a certification 2 levels above matric. The ICB courses are established to be available for trainees who should work and study at the exact same time. With distance learning you can study an hour every evening. You now have five exam chances per year, so as quickly as you are prepared for an exam, you can go and write that test. In this way you can do your course step by action. As you progress with the program, you will get acknowledgment at the different levels. After finishing the first 4 topics, you will currently get your very first qualification from FASSET, and your first ICB Programme Certificate.  

The distinction in between Bookkeeping and Accounting Courses

Bookkeeping and Accounting are two sides of the exact same thing. At the entry level, it is called bookkeeping. In accounting you are busy with the accurate recording of all the transactions of a business or department. You make certain that all earnings an all expenditure are correctly taped. Once you have actually moved a few steps up on the ladder, you begin reporting on the bookkeeping information, and you start analysing the details. At the level where your job becomes more complicated, due to the fact that you are also reporting and analysing the business monetary details, we start calling it Accounting. So an Accountant is a senior Bookkeeper. And an Accountant is a junior Accountant!  

The different Levels of study with the ICB

The ICB bookkeeping program is divided into different levels. Inside each level can be one or more courses. The program is divided into 4 levels, as follows:
  • Foundation Level
  • Intermediate Level
  • Upper Intermediate Level
  • Advanced Level
As you total each level, you will get acknowledgment from the ICB in the form of an ICB Programme Certificate. As you complete the different courses inside the levels, you will get recognition from FASSET in the form of your formal credentials from FASSET. I will describe the different levels, and the courses inside each level, in information below.  

The different Courses that comprises the ICB Financial Accounting Program

The ICB Bookkeeping/ Financial Accounting Programme is broken into four levels. Inside each level is one complete certification. As you advance up the ladder of qualifications, you will see the names of the qualifications alter from Accounting to Accounting. The ICB Financial Accounting Program consist out of 4 various levels, each with a FASSET certification inside it; as follows:
  • Foundation level – National Certificate: Accounting (NQF Level 3).
  • Intermediate level – FET Certificate: Accounting (NQF level 4).
  • Upper Intermediate level – National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting (NQF level 5).
  • Advanced level – National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF level 6).
 

Accounting Courses.

In the ICB, we describe the Foundation and Intermediate level courses, as Bookkeeping courses. So that will be these two certifications:
  • National Certificate: Accounting (NQF Level 3).
  • FET Certificate: Bookkeeping (NQF Level 4).
 

Accounting Courses.

Accounting courses in the ICB are the greater level courses that we discover at Upper Intermediate level and Advanced level. So that implies these two courses:
  • National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting (NQF Level 5).
  • National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF Level 6).
 

Foundation Level.

The foundation level is the starting point for many students. If you did not do that well at school, or you failed matric, or you have actually not studied for many years, then the foundation level helps you bridge the gap and return into studying. Academically the level is NQF 3. That is the level below matric, so we know that students with Grade 10 (Standard 8) will have the ability to manage the scholastic level of the work. You do not need any previous accounting or bookkeeping understanding if you begin at this level. And you need to be at least 16 years of age to be accepted onto the program. To complete this level you should pass 4 subjects. The recommended time to complete this level is 12 months. Distance learning trainees can take up to 18 months.  

Intermediate Level.

The intermediate level are for trainees who have effectively completed the foundation level. It is your 2nd action on the ladder to becoming a Monetary Accounting professional. To enter this level, you need to have passed the foundation level. That suggests you must already have your National Certificate: Accounting to enter this level. To finish this level you need to pass two topics. Many trainees total this level in six months. Distance learning trainees can use up to 9 months to complete this level.  

Upper Intermediate Level.

AT this level you move from Bookkeeping to Accounting. If your dream is to become an Accounting professional, then this level will get you there! To enter this level you must have passed the Intermediate level. That implies you should have your FET Certificate: Bookkeeping to get entry to the Upper Intermediate Level. To finish this level you need to pass two subjects. The suggested time of study is 6 months. Distance learning students can use up to 9 months to complete this level.  

Advanced Level.

This is the top level of ICB studies. Here you will get your National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF Level 6). To enter this level you need to have passed all the previous levels. So that means you should remain in belongings of your National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting. To pass this level you should successfully finish four topics. Trainees typically take around 12 months to complete this level. Distance learning trainees can take a bit longer, of course.  

What qualifications do you get?

At the various levels you get various qualifications. You get your certifications from FASSET. And you likewise get certificates from the ICB for every level that you progress.   The certifications are named as follows:
  • Foundation Level Certification.
  • National Certificate: Accounting (NQF Level 3).
  • Intermediate Level Certification.
  • FET Certificate: Accounting (NQF level 4).
  • Upper Intermediate Level Credentials.
  • National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting (NQF level 5).
  • Advanced Level Certification.
  • National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF level 6).
 

Study further after finishing the ICB Financial Accounting Program

The ICB provides 5 different fields of study. So far we have actually talked about just one of these fields of study, being: Financial Accounting, or Bookkeeping. The other fields of study are:
  • Public Sector Accounting
  • Business Management
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Office Administration
The different programmes have many topics in common. So as soon as you have actually completed one program, you may find that you can attain another certification by simply doing the topics that does not overlap. For example, three of the first four topics in each of these programmes are the same. So if you have actually passed the 4 topic for your Bookkeeping programme, you have likewise completed three of the 4 topics you require for the Public Sector Accounting program. So by adding that one subject, you get approved for another total qualification.  

Study further after finishing your program – Other Courses

The ICB has acknowledgment arrangements in place with a number of other professional bodies. So, depending on exactly what credentials you have completed with the ICB, you can get credits to qualifications with these bodies. Here are a list of some of the bodies that will recognise your ICB qualifications as counting to some of their programs, along with towards subscription of these professional bodies:
  • Institute of Accounting and Commerce (IAC).
  • South African Business Accountants (SAIBA).
  • South African Institute for Tax Professionals (SAIT).
  • Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).
Note: You will need to apply to these professional bodies. And they each have their own set of entryway requirements and rules.  

The function of your college and the role of the ICB – who does what?

Your college or academy provides you with the study products, marking, tutoring and all the aid you need to prepare you for the examination. Your college assists you complete your Portfolio of Evidence. And will keep on pushing you, so that you finish the course successfully and in a sensible amount of time. We keep you working, studying and encouraged! Then you compose the test (and hand in your Portfolio of Proof) with the ICB. The ICB oversees the quality of the programme. They certify the course providers, to ensure that students get excellent training and has a genuine chance of passing the tests.  

How does Home Study or Distance Learning work for these courses?

Depending upon your college, you may do your course via distance learning, home study, part-time study, or online study. These are all different variations of studying in the house, with the help of a college and a tutor that guides you through your program. The best colleges will ensure you get the ideal study material, bit by bit, and sent out with a carrier. So that your study material gets to you rapidly.  

Distance Learning.

Studying ICB courses by means of distance learning is for individuals who can not participate in classes. So if you remain far away from a school where they provide ICB courses, then you ought to think about distance learning. Distance learning means that your course provider sends you books and study notes. And after that helps you study over the phone, or e-mail or some online system.  

Home Study.

Home study is for students who can not go to classes. Many of our trainees have to work to make a wage in the daytime, so they only get to study after hours and on weekends. The ICB courses were established so that you can study them from home. The study product is friendly and will assist you through the work step by step. When you utilize the study products, you will “hear the voice of the lecturer”. The speaker has actually been composed into the course materials. When you require a friendly voice to discuss your studies, you can call the college. Or you can engage with fellow students and your lecturers in our online study hall. This is where you can find out the most … seeing the concerns of other students, and how the tutors respond to those concerns. If you need to consult with your tutor individually, you can likewise do that. The online study groups likewise permit you to have private conversations. Another manner in which these courses take into consideration the requirements of a home study trainees, is that there are 5 exam sessions in 2017. So if you can not make an exam session, you know that another opportunity to write that examination will occur in 3 months or less. You can also utilize the numerous examination sessions every year, to advance through your course quicker than the other students. As quickly as you are ready to write a test, you will be close to the next exam session.  

Part Time Study.

Part-time study is for students who can go to some classes, however not many. So you might go to a class in the evening or on a Saturday. Then study from home the remainder of the time.  

Online Study.

Online study implies that a lot of your interactions take place on the internet. With our online study groups, we have actually developed a chat-group environment where you can gain from your tutors and from other students.  

ICB Courses at Unisa.

Trainees frequently ask if they can study ICB Bookkeeping at Unisa. This is particularly students who want to go on and study a degree later on. Sadly Unisa does not provide any of the ICB courses. If you prepare to study a degree at Unisa, make certain you consult them if they will accept any of your ICB studies for academic credits or for entry onto their degree programmes. Each university has its own rules. So if you plan to study further at a university, make definitely sure you comprehend how they will recognise your previous studies. Many universities will not give you academic credits for other studies. They normally just want to see your matric certificate. Yes, I know this does not make sense!  

ICB Course Fees.

Your ICB Accounting course will involve a variety of costs. So make sure you understand all the different things you will have to pay; before you sign up for the course. A few of these things are:
  • College fees with your recognized training provider. Also known as course fees.
  • Textbook costs. Remember to check exactly what books you will need to purchase for your course; and if your college consist of these books with your study fees.
  • Exam fees. Likewise, when you register for the examination you will need to pay your trainee registration cost to the ICB.
  • ICBA Trainee Subscription costs, if choose to join the ICBA. We recommend that you join them as soon as you can.
 

The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers and Accountants (ICBA).

The ICBA is a professional body that offers subscription to students studying ICB courses. At first you can just end up being a Student Member. But as soon as you have completed your very first credentials, you will be qualified for Professional Membership. This implies you get to utilize a professional classification behind your name on your business card. In this way you show your colleagues and your clients that you are serious about your profession, which you are acknowledged as a professional by the ICBA. The different qualifications lead to various designations. So be sure to learn more about the ICBA early on in your studies. This is a great way to boost your CV and your professional status.   Last Updated: March 17th, 2017.