FAQ's

Are your courses internationally-accredited?

Yes, all of our courses are recognised by the Register of Exercise Professionals South Africa (REPSSA). REPSSA is currently in operation in 10 different regions: Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Poland, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States of America. With a REPSSA-recognised qualification you can transfer your qualification to any REPSSA region using the ICREPS global portability matrix (http://www.icreps.org/icreps-global-portability-matrix).

Our partnership with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) in the USA provides our students the exclusive option to complete a globally-recognised certification. On completion, your qualification will hold enough weight to operate as a fitness professional in anycountry in the world.

Physical IQ is the only college in South Africa to offer such certifications.

All of our courses are SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority) aligned and accredited with the DHET (Department of Higher Education and Training) and the QCTO (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations). We register all of our courses with CATHSSETA (Culture, Art, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport Sector Education and Training Authority).

All of our courses hold a credit value which is aligned to SAQA (South African Qualifications Authority). Any course with 120 credits or more is recognised as a qualification or certificate, and will enable you to progress to a diploma in your preferred field of study.

No, the industry also recognises certificates and diplomas. Since these fields are skills-orientated, the courses we offer are ideally suited to equip our students for careers in these fields.

Yes, there are no classroom lecture requirements in our blended-learning courses.

Please click here for more information on available blended learning course options.

We have a fantastic online learning centre with world-class video content. We also have a national network of tutors and Master Trainers who will be able to assist you with your studies in a one-on-one context. We further endeavor to create practical experiences for our students by connecting each student with an industry-leader in their field of study.

Yes, you can study while based overseas, as the course content is entirely available online. We prefer our students to take their examinations in South Africa; however, video-based examinations are available for students who are unable to come back to South Africa for their examinations.

Examinations are held quarterly at all major cities in South Africa (Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town). We also have video-based examinations for students who are unable to travel into these major cities.

Only with certain courses. Our primary assessment tool is a practical examination due to the nature of the courses we offer. Some courses do have theoretical examinations; however, these usually take the form of online multiple-choice examinations.

No, you can begin your course at any age or shape. However, we encourage all our students to live what they learn, allowing them to gain valuable experience in becoming a fitness professional.

Yes, most of our courses are set at NQF (National Qualifications Framework) level 5, according to SAQA criteria. A matric certificate is set at NQF level 4, therefore enabling you study an NQF level 5 qualification. If you don’t have a matric, we do have NQF level 4 courses available which will enable you to bridge to our NQF level 5 qualifications without having a matric certificate.

The majority of our qualifications will take a year to complete. Our diploma qualifications will take 2 years. Our shorter courses will take between 3 to 6 months to complete. However, you can complete your course in a shorter timeframe if you are able to complete all the course requirements to the prescribed level. The recommended timeframes are based on spending 1 hour per day studying.

No, you can begin studying towards becoming a personal trainer or sports coach having never stepped inside a gym or on a sports field, although you will be expected to spend a large amount of your time in the gym or on the sports field while you are studying. We will assist you with this process through our Master Trainer programme.

Yes, our courses are based online, and will require access to a PC, laptop or mobile device, as well as internet access. You will be required to submit many of your assessment online.

You will receive a course pack with textbooks and a portfolio of evidence file, so you will be able to do a large portion of your studies online before submitting your quizzes and tasks online for marking. We find that having access to the full course material in print and digital format strikes the optimal learning balance for our students.