The ICB (Institute of Certified Bookkeepers) delivers the following bookkeeping courses by means of distance learning, in their Financial Accounting Programme:
- National Certificate: Bookkeeping (NQF Level 3)
- FET Certificate: Bookkeeping (NQF level 4)
- National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting (NQF level 5)
- National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF level 6)
With the ICB you can begin at a college level below Matric, and work your way up to two levels greater than matric (NQF 6 level).
You can study all these courses by means of ICB certified distance learning organizations:
- Skills Academy: Bookkeeping Courses List.
- TWP Academy: Accounting Programmes List.
- Learning Group: Bookkeeping Courses List.
- Home Study College: Financial Accounting Programs List.
Start your new career here – study while you work
How does distance learning work with ICB bookkeeping courses?
To understand how you can study ICB bookkeeping courses through distance learning, you should make yourself familiar with the following elements:
- How does Home Study Work?
- Can I study ICB Bookkeeping if I do not have a Matric Certificate?
- ICB Bookkeeping Courses via Distance Learning.
- National Certificate: Bookkeeping (NQF Level 3) – Foundation Level.
- FET Certificate: Bookkeeping (NQF level 4) – Intermediate Level.
- National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting (NQF level 5) – Upper Intermediate Level.
- National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF level 6) – Advanced Level.
- ICB Correspondence Colleges – Accreditation.
- ICB Learner Portal.
- ICB Bookkeeping Courses Fees.
- ICB Registration.
- ICB Exams.
- The Difference when comparing Bookkeeping and Accounting Courses.
- Why Study Bookkeeping?
- Study Further after finishing your Course.
- The Institute of Certified Bookkeepers and Accountants (ICBA)
How does Home Study Work?
Distance Learning, Correspondence Learning and Part-Time Studies are all the exact same kind of thing. They all refer to a college whose students study from home. That means the students can work during the day, and after that study nights and weekends.
Distance Learning is the best choice for working people who have to make a living, but who want to further their studies.
When you select a home study college, you have to take note of a number of things that make them unique. Home study colleges do not all work the same. So here are the essential things you need to consider, prior to choosing where to study:
- Study Materials, Study Notes and Textbooks
- Delivery and Speed
- Hidden Costs
- Study Material Appropriate for Home Study Students
- Pacing Your Learning
- Help from your Lecturers and Tutors
- Online Study Groups
- Academic Support
- Outdated Study Materials
- Enough Time To Finish Your Course
- The Right Advice
Study Materials, Study Notes and Textbooks
Your study notes and books are essential to your distance learning studies. You need to ensure that the study notes and books you will need, are included in your course charges. You must get the right books and appropriate distance learning study materials.
No, the college will not give you pens and paper. That you generally need to buy on yourself. But they ought to provide the appropriate study materials for you as a distance learner. Your study notes, textbooks and assignments should all be included in your course charges.
Excellent study material is compiled in an easy-to-understand approach. The study notes are made up of bits that are small enough, so that you can focus on one area in your everyday study time. The material starts from the basic principles, to make sure you understand the essentials. This is done so before proceeding to more complex work.
Delivery and Speed
A few of the older correspondence and distance learning colleges may still send your study material via the Post Office. This can likely delay your studies. So make sure to ask if they always courier your study materials.
You will discover that some correspondence colleges courier your first and 2nd bundle of distance learning study materials, yet later they send the rest by means of the Post Office. So you must ask really extensively about how ALL your study materials will be sent to you.
If your college holds up your study materials, it means you are still paying, but unfortunately you can not study. If you decide to enroll as a distance learner, you should get value for your money from your college.
From your side you have to understand how the courier business works. They usually require an address where they can hand over your package. It will have to be an address where there is always someone to sign for the package. This is why most students prefer to have their distance learning study materials couriered to their work.
The courier company will call you prior to sending your package. So you should make sure to provide them a telephone number that you will respond to when they call.
Hidden Costs
With part time study there many potentially concealed costs. So you need to inquire about them. Here are a few important questions you have to ask:
- Are all your study materials (including books) included in your course expenses?
- Is the courier costs included in your course expenses?
- How and when must you pay your assessment charges? Generally this is not contained in the course expense.
- What about ICB Student Membership charges? What does it cost? What is this? When must you pay it?
- Ask about bursaries that are cancelled when you miss out on a payment. Did you get a bursary? Does it get cancelled if you miss a regular month-to-month payment?
- Is there an annual registration cost? Or do you only pay the registration cost?
Study materials Appropriate for Home Study Students
Excellent distance learning material is compiled for the home study learner in mind. Considering that you do not have a speaker in front of you, the distance learning study materials should “have the tutor inside the notes”.
Your distance learning study materials ought to be filled with examples and exercises. So you study a bit at a time. And you do tasks to see if you understood the bit you discovered.
The study material we use has been written for correspondence learning students in mind. So you will find it extremely friendly and easy to utilize!
Pacing Your Learning
When you study from home, you should plan your learning. You should think of how much you will study every day and weekly. However do make sure to spend some time to unwind and recharge your batteries.
When we send you your study notes and books, we usually send one subject at a time. For students who wish to study faster, we send out two subjects. The ICB books are edited every year and if you have an old textbook, you will have to pay extra to purchase the brand-new one.
We help you speed up your distance learning studies by drawing up a study calendar for the year. The ICB offers five exam sessions for distance learning students in 2017. So as soon as you have completed a subject. You can register for the next available exam. In this way you can move through your studies as quickly as you desire.
Assistance from your Lecturers and Tutors
The college has a team of qualified speakers and tutors to help you. You can phone or email your questions. But lots of students make usage of our online study groups.
Your tutors work with us because they enjoy helping students. If you ask them, they will inform you of their own study experiences through distance learning. They have actually all required to work and study at the extremely same time. And the majority of them are presently busy with post-graduate distance learning studies.
So you will get assistance from tutors who understand what it feels like to be a home study trainee!
Online Study Groups
We supply online study groups for all our ICB trainees, through our partners at TogetherWePass. In your online study group you will find other trainees, in addition to your tutors and speakers.
The online study groups also work on the web browser on your phone, so you can check-in with your group when you take a break in your work day!
In your online study group you can ask concerns, share your experiences as well as assist other trainees. Describing the work you study to another student is one of the finest approaches to make sure your own understanding is solid. It is a great technique to learn, and to make a favorable contribution to the lives of your fellow trainees.
It is just so a lot simpler to study when you know other students are also working to get their qualifications when you get yours.
Academic Support
Our college support group includes your trainers and tutors. We likewise have college administration personnel who will help you with a few of your more administrative requirements. When you require a letter for your company, or a statement of results, or order more distance learning study materials, the scholastic support males will be assisting you.
If you require greater level intervention with a tough problem, you will be able to speak with the Academic Head of the college. She is friendly and helpful, and she gets things done!
Obsolete Study Materials
You have to prepare your studies properly, so that you do not sit with outdated distance learning study materials before you have composed the test on that distance learning study materials.
The smart thing to do, is aim for one or two topics in a test session. Ensure you get just those distance learning study materials, and work to pass the test. Remember, the distance learning study materials are updated regularly. So you have to know you will have the ability to do an exam in the next 3 or 4 month when you get the distance learning study materials and textbooks for your next subject.
If you unexpectedly discover that you have time to study, and you need an additional topic, you can quickly order the next topic from us. We continuously provide, so for a lot of trainees residing in the cities and huge towns, you will not wait more than a week. If you stay in an isolated location, it takes a bit longer … however not weeks!
Enough Time To Finish Your Course
Some students fret that they will not have sufficient time to finish their course. Do not stress!
If you need to study a bit slower, then you can get a course extension. That provides you more time to study and complete your course. We will assist you plan your distance learning studies, so you can finish it bit by bit. And if you need a course extension, we shall not charge you a re-registration charge. Usually you simply continue paying your routine month-to-month study charge for the extra time you need.
When you see that you will not have enough time, get in touch with the college and ask for an extension. We will gladly assist you with this.
The Right Advice
When you sign up for a course, you should make sure you got appropriate guidance on your studies initially.
You can not make a life choice as essential as this by searching the internet and emailing some concerns. You have to spend sufficient time talking to a qualified course specialist who can motivate you.
We always inspire potential students to call us and invest appropriate time on the phone getting excellent recommendations. Our course specialists and registrars get along people who enjoy helping students. They will ask you fantastic deals of concerns about exactly what you wish to study and exactly what you need your distance learning studies for. In this technique they ensure that you register on a course that will provide you exactly what you need.
ICB Bookkeeping Courses by means of Distance Learning
The ICB accounting programme is made up of four different levels. Inside each level can be several courses.
- Foundation Level
- Intermediate Level
- Upper Intermediate Level
- Advanced Level
As you finish each level, you will get licensed by the ICB. You will get an ICB Certificate. As you finish the various courses inside the levels, you will get acknowledgment from FASSET in the kind of your formal credentials from FASSET.
Foundation Level
National Certificate: Bookkeeping (NQF Level 3) – Foundation Level.
The foundation level is the beginning point for numerous students. If you did refrain from doing that well at school, or you stopped attempting matric, or you have actually not studied for various years, then the foundation level assists you bridge the space and return into studying.
Academically the level is NQF 3. That is the level listed below matric, so we comprehend 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 accounting understanding if you start at this level. And you need to be at least 16 years of age to be accepted onto the program.
To finish this level you need to pass four topics. The suggested time to finish this level is 12 months. Distance learning trainees can take up to 18 months.
Intermediate Level
FET Certificate: Bookkeeping (NQF level 4) – Intermediate Level.
The intermediate level are for trainees who have actually effectively finished the foundation level. It is your 2nd action on the ladder to becoming a Financial Accountant.
To enter this level, you should have passed the foundation level. That suggests you should currently have your National Certificate: Bookkeeping to enter this level.
To finish this level you need to pass two subjects. Numerous trainees finish this level in six months. Distance learning students can take up to nine months to finish this level.
Upper Intermediate Level
National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting (NQF level 5) – Upper Intermediate Level.
At this level you move from Bookkeeper to Accountant. If your dream is to end up being an Accountant, then this level will get you there!
To enter this level you need to have passed the Intermediate level. That implies you should have your FET Certificate: Bookkeeping to obtain entry to the Upper Intermediate Level.
To complete this level you have to pass two subjects. The recommended time of study is 6 months. Home Study trainees can use up to 9 months to complete this level.
Advanced Level
National Diploma: Financial Accounting (NQF level 6) – Advanced Level.
This is the highest 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 suggests you need to be in belongings of your National Diploma: Technical Financial Accounting.
To pass this level you should successfully finish four subjects. Students normally take around 12 months to finish this level. Distance learning trainees can take a bit longer, clearly.
ICB Learner Portal
The ICB has a student website for home study students. Through the ICB trainee website you can access a variety of self-service functions. You can also ask your college to access these functions in your place if you do not have internet access to, or if you have a difficult time to utilize the portal.
A few of the things you can do by means of the learner portal are:
- View and edit your individual and contact information
- Order a reprint of a certificate you achieved
- Pay your ICB charges (Credit Card)
- Register for Exams
- See your Exam Results
ICB Bookkeeping Courses Fees
There are a variety of various costs that you need to prepare for, if you are going to study an ICB course. Here are a few of the significant costs you need to comprehend and prepare for:
- Study costs with your distance learning college.
- Book fees. Some colleges will include this in your course charges.
- Express charges. Skills Academy includes this in your course charges.
- Exam charges. Typically you pay this directly to the ICB, so it is not consisted of in your course charges.
- ICBA Student Membership costs. These charges are generally not included in your course charges.
- ICB Student Registration charges. This is a yearly charge that is typically not consisted of in your course costs.
ICB Registration
When you decide to study an ICB credentials, you have to bear in mind a number of things that form part of your ICB Registration, being:
- Yearly ICB Student Registration.
- Registration with a home study college.
- ICB Exam Registration.
ICB Exams
The ICB uses five test sessions to home study students in 2017. You must make sure you comprehend the examination charges. And it is crucial important that you register for your exam, three months prior so you can prepare to write the test.
You can not get to the exam centre and expect a seat and an exam paper if you have not signed up for that test.
Why Study Bookkeeping?
In South Africa bookkeeping and accounting are scarce skills. That indicates that both market and government recognise that we have a scarcity of accountants and accounting professionals. The government body for qualifications in the financial sector, FASSET, has done a study on limited skills in 2015. From that study they released their Scarce Skills Guide 2015.
FASSET is the SETA for Finance, Accounting, Management Consulting and other Financial Services. In their scarce skills guide they determined the following as scarce skills:
- Student Accountant
- Financing Manager
- General Accountant
- Accounts Clerk
- Payroll Clerk
- Financial obligation Collector
These are all positions for which an ICB accounting course will prepare you for. Your accounting accreditation will ensure that you are continuously in need. It is a wonderful career that can take you to the highest level in an organisation.
The need of accounting skills also affects government departments. All federal government departments have accounting and bookkeeping divisions. And they work every year to get an effective audit. To obtain a clean audit implies that they require trained, licensed, dedicated and knowledgeable bookkeeping and accounting personnel and managers.
As a licensed accountant or accounting professional, you will constantly remain in demand. Either in private business, or in a federal government department, which can consist of both towns, in addition to bigger nationwide federal government departments.
Last Updated: 2 December 2023
