{"id":204,"date":"2024-06-14T00:03:02","date_gmt":"2024-06-14T00:03:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/?page_id=204"},"modified":"2026-09-16T19:52:32","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T19:52:32","slug":"can-i-become-a-paramedic-without-a-matric","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/can-i-become-a-paramedic-without-a-matric\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Become A Paramedic Without A Matric?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You need matric, or an equivalent NQF Level 4 qualification, to enrol in any emergency medical care programme that leads to registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). If you don’t have matric yet, the practical question is how to get there, and what you can do in the meantime. Our paramedic qualifications guide<\/a> explains the qualifications themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A realistic plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step<\/th>What to do<\/th>Time<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1. Get an NQF Level 4 qualification<\/td>Rewrite matric subjects, write the Amended Senior Certificate if you are 21 or older, or complete NC(V) Level 4<\/td>From one exam sitting to three years<\/td><\/tr>
2. Build relevant subjects<\/td>Aim for strong marks in English, mathematics and life sciences or physical science<\/td>While completing step 1<\/td><\/tr>
3. Gain first aid experience<\/td>Complete accredited first aid training and volunteer at community events<\/td>Alongside your studies<\/td><\/tr>
4. Apply for a higher certificate<\/td>Higher Certificate in Emergency Medical Care<\/td>1 year<\/td><\/tr>
5. Keep studying<\/td>Diploma (Paramedic) or degree (Emergency Care Practitioner)<\/td>2 to 4 more years<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What you can do before you qualify<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Complete first aid training with an accredited provider, which is useful for many jobs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Volunteer with organisations such as St John or the South African Red Cross Society, where available.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Work in related roles, such as hospital porter or patient transport, if an employer will hire you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \n

    You cannot treat patients as an ambulance practitioner without HPCSA registration, and short courses such as BAA no longer lead to registration.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Funding your studies later<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    NSFAS funds eligible students in emergency medical care programmes at public universities and universities of technology. Private emergency care colleges are not NSFAS-funded, but provincial health departments and some private ambulance services have offered bursaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n
    \n
    \n
    \n

    Is NC(V) Level 4 enough to study emergency medical care?<\/h3>\n
    \n\n

    It is an NQF Level 4 qualification, but each institution decides whether it accepts NC(V) Level 4 and which subjects it needs. Ask the college before applying.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n

    Can I work on an ambulance with only first aid?<\/h3>\n
    \n\n

    Not as a registered emergency care provider. Clinical ambulance work requires HPCSA registration.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    You need matric, or an equivalent NQF Level 4 qualification, to enrol in any emergency medical care programme that leads […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_ba_keyfacts":"","_ba_provider_contact":"","_ba_provider_name":"","_ba_provider_type":"","_ba_provider_cat":"","_ba_writer":"thabo-mokoena","_ba_reviewer":"naledi-khumalo","iawp_total_views":43,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-204","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=204"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1429,"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/204\/revisions\/1429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bursariesafrica.co.za\/tvet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}