6 Best Affordable TVET College Courses in South Africa

 Affordable TVET College Courses in South Africa

Finding a college course that won’t break the bank can be tough, but it’s totally possible in South Africa if you know where to look. The good news is there are plenty of options for students who want quality training without crazy fees. We’ve done the research for you and found six affordable courses that give you real skills and a chance to start earning.

Understanding What “Affordable” Really Means

Most South Africans earn far less than the average numbers you see online. The median household income is about R95,770 per year (around R7,981 per month). That means half of households earn less than that, so we focused on courses that people with an average budget can realistically afford.

TVET colleges are usually the cheapest, offering practical, job-ready programs, but there are also a few private and online colleges that are affordable and flexible.

6 Affordable College Courses You Can Actually Take

1. NATED Civil Engineering (N1–N3)

What You Learn:

• Basics of building and construction

• Reading and creating technical drawings

• Using tools and materials for plumbing, bricklaying, and carpentry

• Safety practices on construction sites
  
  

Skills You Gain:

• Building and construction basics

• Problem-solving for real-world projects

• Hands-on technical skills
  
  

Jobs You Can Get:

• Construction assistant

• Site worker

• Junior civil engineering roles

Cost: ~R2,229 per trimester at Tshwane North TVET College

2. NCV Office Administration

What You Learn:

• How to manage office tasks efficiently

• Microsoft Office and other essential software

• Handling emails, calls, and documents

• Organizing schedules and basic bookkeeping
  
  

Skills You Gain:

• Administrative and organizational skills

• Communication skills for an office environment

• Computer literacy
  
  

Jobs You Can Get:

• Office clerk

• Secretary

• Personal assistant

• Receptionist
  
  

Cost: ~R9,699–R10,885 per year

3. NCV Marketing

What You Learn:

• Understanding customers and their needs

• Conducting market research

• Creating basic marketing plans and campaigns

• Selling products and services
  
  

Skills You Gain:

• Customer service and communication

• Marketing strategy basics

• Creative problem-solving
  
  

Jobs You Can Get:

• Marketing assistant

• Sales representative

• Brand ambassador
  
  

Cost: ~R9,731–R10,921 per year

4. NCV Transport & Logistics

What You Learn:

• Planning and managing the movement of goods

• Inventory management

• Shipping and delivery coordination

• Supply chain basics
  
  

Skills You Gain:

• Organizing and tracking products

• Time and resource management

• Problem-solving for logistics challenges
  
  

Jobs You Can Get:

• Warehouse assistant

• Fleet coordinator

• Logistics clerk
  
  

Cost: ~R10,306–R11,472 per year

You may also look: 10 TVET College Courses That Can Lead to Self-Employment 

5. NCV Finance, Economics & Accounting

What You Learn:

• Basic bookkeeping and accounting

• Reading and preparing financial reports

• Understanding business finance and economics
  
  

Skills You Gain:

• Money management for businesses

• Analytical thinking

• Attention to detail
  
  

Jobs You Can Get:

• Junior accountant

• Payroll clerk

• Finance assistant
  
  

Cost: ~R10,853–R12,176 per year

6. NATED Financial Management (N4–N6)

What You Learn:

• Planning and managing business finances

• Budgeting, reporting, and financial analysis

• Using finance software for business management
  
  

Skills You Gain:

• Business money management

• Strategic thinking

• Professional financial reporting
  
  

Jobs You Can Get:

• Accounts clerk

• Finance assistant

• Pathway to higher finance roles and National Diploma
  
  

Cost: ~R3,040 per semester at Tshwane North TVET College

You may also look: List of TVET Colleges Open for 2025 Applications