Course overview
Tax professionals who stand out amongst their peers are able to advise clients on complex corporate and VAT tax affairs. This certificate will equip you with the skills to analyse tax risk, provide tax advice and develop the practical skill required for controversy management and tax compliance.
During the programme, you will acquire technical knowledge and develeop the practical skills required to apply VAT and corporate taxation in the South African context.
Through applied case studies, peer collaboration, and exposure to emerging areas such as digital tax systems, you will strengthen both your professional and soft skills.
Expand your network with The Tax Faculty as you learn alongside a cohort of like-minded individuals and gain essential skills for the future world of work.
By completing this programme, you will not only elevate your career but also position yourself as a trusted, future-ready tax professional.
Mode of delivery
Online learning with flexible weekly study plans.
Effort and duration
Duration: 6 months.
Daily effort: 1.5 to 2 hours per day.
What you will learn in this course
The syllabus for this SLP has been specifically arranged in a logical order rather than a mere numerical or random approach. It consists of:
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World of tax (related to corporate tax).
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Value-added tax (VAT).
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Tax administration.
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Income (related to corporate tax, including foreign income).
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Deductions (related to corporate tax, including foreign expenses).
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Capital allowances.
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Company restructuring.
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Capital Gains Tax.
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Special Tax Dispensations.
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Prepaid taxes.
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Dividend's tax.
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Deferred taxes.
Learning Methodology
The Tax Faculty's inductive learning approach transforms tax education — shifting from passive content absorption to active discovery. Students take the lead by assessing their pre-existing knowledge and generating a learning plan before receiving formal content. Coupled with practical guidance on applying theory in real-world contexts — such as completing SARS tax returns, drafting objections, and navigating eFiling — this method builds confidence, problem-solving skills, and long-term understanding — empowering students to excel professionally.
Central to this approach is our adaptive learning model. Each module begins with a diagnostic pre-quiz that identifies your existing knowledge, learning gaps, and priority focus areas. Based on your results, the course guides you toward the content and activities that matter most to your development — so you spend less time on what you already know and more time where growth is needed.
What to Expect:
- Diagnostic Pre-Quizzes: Each topic opens with an adaptive assessment that maps your strengths and gaps, personalising your learning path and preparing you for deeper engagement with the study materials.
- Interactive Study Notes: Each topic is supported by rich, interactive study notes — designed using modern instructional design principles — that supplement the prescribed textbook. These notes bring concepts to life through embedded activities, visual aids, and practical examples, helping you engage with the material actively rather than passively.
- Practical Guides: Each module includes a hands-on practical guide that walks you through the completion of SARS tax returns, objections, and eFiling processes. These guides bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and the day-to-day tasks you'll encounter in practice — building your confidence with the systems and procedures that matter most.
- Weekly Discussion Forums: Engage in case-based scenarios, applying tax principles to real-world challenges.
- Live Weekly Sessions: Learn from expert tax professionals who unpack complex real-world case studies and practical insights.
- Post-Quizzes: Reinforce understanding and track your progress against the gaps identified in your diagnostic assessment.
- Ongoing Support: Lecturers provide continuous guidance and feedback throughout your journey — informed by your individual learning profile.
- Structured and Engaging Weekly Commitment: This course is a structured, interactive experience designed to keep you engaged, thinking critically, and applying tax knowledge every week — with each module adapting to meet you where you are.
Join us and experience a modern, adaptive learning approach that bridges tax theory with practical expertise — preparing you to thrive in the evolving world of taxation.
This course is for you if:
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You want to gain the required practical and advanced technical skills to complete and review tax returns, to provide tax advice and to manage controversy across all tax types.
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You want an advanced tax refresher course that will enable you to prepare for professional body tax practitioner entry exams [such as SAIBA and the South African Institute of Taxation (SAIT)*].
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You want a short learning programme (SLP) certificate in taxation that will earn you the recognition that you deserve with either your employer or your client.
Outcomes
A course participant who successfully completes this programme will be able to demonstrate knowledge, understanding and skills in the following outcomes:
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Demonstrate the ability to gather and use information from a range of sources and communicate information reliably, accurately, and coherently, using conventions and computerised tools appropriate to the business context of the professional tax practitioner.
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Have an informed understanding of the tax legal framework and context applicable in South Africa and its impact on taxpayers and tax practitioners, as well as the legal and ethical requirements relevant to the tax profession.
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Demonstrate an understanding of the core areas of VAT and corporate income tax. Further understanding of the key terms, concepts, facts, general principles, rules, and theories of the tax profession.
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Able to compute, complete and review tax returns related to VAT and corporate tax within the prescribed regulations, based on relevant evidence and accounting records.
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Formulate a response to resolve a SARS dispute based on a case study scenario and draft a proper objection.
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Formulate a tax opinion for the client that also complies with the requirements of the Tax Administration Act.
Minimum admission requirements
Applicants must have:
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A national diploma or equivalent NQF 6 qualification in the field of accounting and tax.
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Alternatively, an NQF 7 BCom/LLB or legacy BTech degrees that have accounting as a core subject.
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Students must have digital literacy and access to laptops and Wi-Fi.
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English communication skills.
Accreditation
This course is presented as a short learning programme (SLP) by The Tax Faculty (TTF). TTF is accredited with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations as a skills development partner (SDP) under the Skills Development Act, 1998 (Act No 97 of 1998) and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) as ATSA training provider.
Assessment and award of certificate
Learners are assessed via a number of practical assignments and a final integrated assessment. Successful learners will receive a SLP certificate of competence issued by The Tax Faculty.
Student support and online campus
The academic and practical skills component of the qualification is delivered on The Tax Faculty's online Tax Campus.
This will be your virtual campus for the duration of the programme. The course is presented as micro-learning videos, study guides, practice quizzes, discussion forums, practical case studies, assignment briefs and guided presentations on how to master case studies and assignments. Academic lecturers are available on the Q&A portal as they would be in a classroom.
At the beginning of your course, you'll be presented with the course content plan, a study plan and important assignment dates which are set out at manageable deadlines. This will help you study at your own pace.
In addition, you will be allocated a course consultant who will help you navigate the online campus, support you with your weekly participation and deadlines, and will be able to answer any administrative queries you may have.
Course Fees
Payment option 1: Study Loan *
Monthly instalment from R293 per month.
No application fee applies. Financial Services Provider T&Cs apply.
Payment option 2: Discounted Once-off payment
Full once-off payment: R14 647.50.
Payment option 3: Monthly Debit Order
Application fee: R950 (non-refundable, immediate payment upon registration).
Six (6) instalments: R2 370.00 per month.
Total for debit order option: R15 170.00
* First debit order will be collected from the second month of semester start date. Remaining debit orders will be collected on the first working day of each month.
The following costs are excluded:
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Repeat fees.
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Supplementary exams.
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Textbooks.
Payments and Cancellations
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All required minimum payments must be made by direct EFT or by credit card before the commencement of a course. The once-off payment is required to be paid before the course start date, as well as the application fee of learners on a debit order plan (the first debit order is also required on the start date of the course).
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Kindly note that should debit order payment terms not be adhered to; legal action will be taken and access to the online learning platform suspended.
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Proof of payment may also be requested before access to the online platform will be communicated, should your payment not reflect on The Tax Faculty’s bank account.
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Only written notice of cancellation will be accepted.
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To view our full terms & conditions click here.
Conditions
For all short learning programmes (SLPs) with a sevn-month or less rollout period, the following will apply:will apply:
- If the cancellation is requested more than 10 working days prior to the course start date, no cancellation fee will be applicable.
- If the cancellation occurs less than 10 working days prior to the course start date, a 100% cancellation fee will be applicable.
- Students who register for a course and fail to attend will be held liable for the full course fee.
- The course application fee is non-refundable.
- The Tax Faculty’s liability in the case of a course being cancelled will be limited to a refund of the course fee.
- Students who have failed to successfully complete the course, and wishing to repeat will be charged the full course fee to repeat.
Why wait?
Get your application in to avoid disappointment. Click below to start your application.
