General FAQs
Is FA’s matric certificate recognised?
Upon successful completion of grade 12 you will receive a statement of results approved by Umalusi. This is followed by the matric certificate issued by Umalusi – the quality council for General and Further Education and Training.
Your matric certificate is issued by the exact same authority that issues the certificates for full-time public and independent school learners.
Since the certificate is issued by Umalusi, it is fully recognised by all registered Higher Education Institutions in South Africa and international universities.
Since 2015 – many of our students have gone on to study at top universities in the country after completing their National Senior Certificate. Please remember though that universities may set subject specific admission requirements.
Is Futures Academy a free school?
We are an independent school and do not receive subsidies from the government; tuition payments are required.
Our courses are charged per subject and pricing depends on whether a learner chooses live classes for all their online courses. The average pricing ranges between R16,000 – R21,000 per year for grades 7-11.
Grade 12 fees vary between R25,000 – R30,000
Will my child sit in front of a computer all day?
High school students should have more refined reading skills, so instruction and activities involve increased computer use according to educational standards. However, offline work will always be essential.
It is reasonable to assume that you may spend 40-60% of your learning engagement time in our online learning environment.
What type of students attend Online High School?
Students come from all walks of life and vary with regard to ethnicity, location, age and interests. Students that enroll at Futures Academy generally fall into these categories:
Full-time students – enroll for a full online high school experience (accredited)
Part-time students – enroll for 1 or more subjects either because their own school doesn’t offer the subject, or to obtain credits to complete their National Senior Certificate, or to improve their marks to gain acceptance into a job or university (accredited)
Students who want to take subjects as tuition or want to explore other subjects
Students who want flexibility to explore life, travel, participate in internships, catch up on more than one grade in a year, or who are working.
Do I still need books or textbooks?
Students and parents often have the misconception that since school is virtual/online that they do not need books, or even need to write.
You will still be writing and need to get used to this skill since your formal exams must be handwritten and done so in a specified time frame.
You will, however, have a considerable amount of assignments to complete using online and digital tools. With regard to textbooks – you may opt to use the digital copies (provided for most subjects) or purchase hard copy books.
What type of computer equipment do I need?
Any relatively recent PC or Mac will work. You can even use an iPad™, a tablet or a recent mobile phone. High-speed internet access is preferred (10mb or more), because a slow Internet connection may be frustrating.
The preferred service provider for Fibre Internet is Cool Ideas.
What type of computer equipment do I need?
Any relatively recent PC or Mac will work. You can even use an iPad™, a tablet or a recent mobile phone. High-speed internet access is preferred (10mb or more), because a slow Internet connection may be frustrating.
The preferred service provider for Fibre Internet is Cool Ideas.
NSC Exam Registration FAQs
Do you charge exam fees for grade 12 exams?
Futures Academy makes use of state and private assessment bodies. As such, examination fees and examination logistics fees are applicable. However, we do not charge parents separately and have built-in these costs into our pricing model.
Which exam body do learners write under?
Futures Academy is a registered independent school with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) EMIS No. 0100000636.
Youth Academy for Leadership Excellence (YaleSA) is a registered distance education provider with the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute (SACAI) and can therefore provide valid School Based Assessment marks toward the National Senior Certificate, and provide syllabus for the subjects it offers.
Both YaleSA and its affiliate Futures Academy offer recognized and registered site based assessments, tuition and registration for the National Senior Certificate. Depending on the learner’s individual background, requirements, affordability and aspirations – the learner may be registered in either of the Academies. This will be clearly marked and identified upon enrollment and consultation with the learner.
Where do learners write their final matric exams?
Learners write at examinations centres in their respective provinces. Futures Academy arranges for the placement of NSC learners for the final matric exam. We have access to over 70 examination centres across South Africa.