Cognia-accredited online school Registered with SACAI and the IEB, approved Pearson Edexcel centreOnline high school in South Africa
CambriLearn offers online high school from Grade 8, with South African and international pathways. Choose a route towards the National Senior Certificate, International GCSEs and A Levels, or an American High School Diploma, with teaching support matched to the pathway and package.
Starting Grade 8, choosing Grade 10 subjects or changing schools? Compare the pathways, entry requirements and support below, then talk to admissions about your next step.
- Grade 8 to Grade 12
- South African and international pathways
- International GCSE and A Level
- Teachers registered with SACE
ReviewsSix high school pathways compared
Compare the curriculum, qualification and assessment arrangements. The right choice depends on your teenager's starting level, support needs and plans after school. Admissions confirms eligibility and the available intake.
Starting high school? Explore the subjects, entry requirements and support available in CAPS Grade 8 or CAPS Grade 9
Choosing Grade 10 subjects? Start with the available subjects and entry requirements for CAPS Grade 10 or IEB Grade 10
| Pathway | Grades | Assessment body or provider | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
 CAPS (South African, in English) | Grade 8 to Grade 12 | SACAI | National Senior Certificate |
 KABV (CAPS in Afrikaans) | Graad 8 to Graad 11, with Graad 12 from 2027 | SACAI | National Senior Certificate |
 IEB | Grade 10 and Grade 11 enrolling; Grade 12 from 2028 | Independent Examinations Board | National Senior Certificate |
 International British Curriculum | Lower Secondary to A Level | Cambridge International Education or Pearson Edexcel, as a private candidate | International GCSE, AS and A Level |
 Pearson Edexcel | International GCSE to A Level | Pearson Edexcel | International GCSE, AS and A Level |
 US K-12 | Grade 8 to Grade 12 | Score Academy Online, a Cognia-accredited sister school | American High School Diploma |
CambriLearn's IEB pathway is enrolling Grade 10 and Grade 11 learners, with Grade 12 to follow in 2028. Entry requirements apply. International examinations are written at a registered exam centre. Check that the centre accepts the relevant subjects and private candidates. The US K-12 pathway is delivered through Score Academy Online; its NCAA-approved courses do not guarantee athletic eligibility or a scholarship.
How matric works online
The National Senior Certificate is the qualification at the end of the Grades 10 to 12 programme. CAPS, KABV and IEB learners must meet the relevant subject, assessment and examination requirements.
How exams workSeven subjects
Two official languages, one at Home Language level, plus Mathematics or Mathematical Literacy, Life Orientation and three more subjects.
How marks are made up
For most Grade 12 subjects, school-based assessment contributes 25% and external assessment 75%. Life Orientation follows a different assessment structure, and practical or oral components apply where required.
What a pass needs
At least 40% in three subjects, one of them the Home Language, and at least 30% in three more. One subject may be failed, as long as its school-based assessment is complete.
Registration and exam fees
CambriLearn registers CAPS and KABV learners with SACAI, and IEB learners with the IEB. Grade 12 examination fees are separate from course fees; admissions confirms the applicable registration and payment deadlines.
Where exams are written
Final exams are written in person at an approved exam venue, not online.
Results and certificates
SACAI releases NSC results on its official results date. Umalusi issues the certificate after results are approved, and the school confirms when it is available.
Grade 9 subject choices, and changing them later
Subjects for Grades 10 to 12 are chosen in Grade 9, and they shape which degrees stay open. SACAI allows a limited number of changes after that.
| Year | Subject changes SACAI allows |
|---|---|
| Grade 10 | Up to two changes, before 30 June |
| Grade 11 | Up to two changes, before 31 March |
| Grade 12 | Only in exceptional cases: one change by 31 January, with the approval of SACAI's chief executive |
Universities set their own subject and admission-point requirements, and many degrees require Mathematics rather than Mathematical Literacy. If your teenager needs exam accommodations, contact Academic Support early, ideally from Grade 10. Supporting documents and assessment-body approval are required. An optional subject and career choice assessment can help with the decision.
Do you need to register a high school child?
Home education registration applies while a learner is of compulsory school age. Under the Schools Act, compulsory attendance ends on the last school day of the year in which the learner turns 15 or completes Grade 9, whichever happens first.
How home education registration worksGrade 8 and 9
If your child is still of compulsory school age and will learn at home, apply for home education registration with your provincial education department. Enrolling with an online provider does not replace that application.
Grade 10 to 12
Once the compulsory-schooling period has ended, home education registration under section 51 is no longer required. NSC learners must still meet the curriculum, assessment and examination-registration requirements through a registered provider.
Before you enrol
Ask admissions to confirm the curriculum, package and intake available for your child. Your provincial education department can explain the home education registration requirements that apply to your circumstances.
Checking any online school
SACAI's website publishes the current list of registered distance education providers, and CambriLearn is on it. For international pathways, ask whether exams are sat as a private candidate and where.
How the teaching works
The school week depends on the curriculum, subjects and package. Standard and Premium include teacher support; Starter is parent-led where available. Parents can follow their teenager's progress.
How CambriLearn works
Live lessons
Where available, Standard and Premium include scheduled live lessons. Check the timetable for the relevant curriculum, grade and subjects. Lessons are recorded for revision.
Coursework and marking
Students work through course material and assignments. Standard and Premium include teacher-marked assessments with feedback. Mock examinations (package dependent) support exam preparation.
Packages
For CAPS, KABV and IEB Grades 10 to 12, families enrol on Standard or Premium. Starter is available for younger CAPS and KABV grades and selected British stages, with content and assessments but no live lessons or teacher marking. Premium adds teacher chat and live question and answer sessions.
CambriCampus and CambriCommand
CambriCampus brings course material, assessments and the lessons included in your package together. CambriCommand gives parents a view of progress and school activity; reporting depends on the programme.
CambriCommunity
Clubs, events, meetups and study groups bring students together. Participation and availability vary by age, programme and location.
How much does online high school cost?
Fees are charged per subject, per year, so the total depends on the grade, the pathway, the number of subjects and the package for each one.
Work out your teenager's feesCurrency and paying
South African pathways are priced in rand and the international pathways in US dollars. You can pay for the year upfront, which costs less, or in ten monthly instalments.
What's extra
A once-off registration fee applies to new enrolments, and textbooks are bought separately from the prescribed lists.
Exam fees
Grade 12 CAPS and KABV examination fees are paid separately from course fees. Admissions confirms the amount and payment deadline. International exam entries are paid to the exam centre; US K-12 assessments are completed online without an exam-centre fee.
Mixing packages
Each subject can sit on a different package, so your teenager can take Mathematics on Premium and the rest on Standard.
Rewriting or improving matric
SACAI has two routes for students who have written matric and need better results. The right one depends on how the first attempt went.
SACAI's rules for repeating Grade 12The May/June exam
Eligible candidates can apply to rewrite subjects in SACAI's May/June sitting. Eligibility depends on previous results, a complete school-based assessment record and the subjects offered. Check SACAI's current application process and deadline.
Repeating subjects in November
For the October/November sitting, repeat candidates register through a SACAI-registered institution. Admissions must check the subjects, previous results and school-based assessment requirements before confirming whether CambriLearn can assist.
One certificate at the end
If results from more than one sitting meet the NSC requirements, candidates can apply through SACAI to combine them into one Umalusi certificate. The application requires supporting documents and approval.
Talking it through
Talk to admissions about your previous results, the subjects you need and the next available examination sitting. The team will confirm whether CambriLearn can assist.
Questions parents ask about online high school
Talk to admissions about your teenager's grade, current curriculum and plans after school.
Talk to admissionsCan my child write matric through an online high school?
Yes. CambriLearn's CAPS and KABV pathways lead to the National Senior Certificate through SACAI. Its IEB pathway is enrolling Grades 10 and 11, with Grade 12 to follow in 2028. NSC final examinations are written in person at an approved centre in South Africa, and Umalusi issues the certificate.
Do South African universities accept an online matric?
An NSC earned through an online learning route can be used to apply to South African universities. Admission depends on the university, programme, subjects and marks. Applicants with international qualifications should check both the university's requirements and Universities South Africa's matriculation-exemption requirements.
Is online high school legal in South Africa?
Home education is recognised under the South African Schools Act. Parents educating a child at home during compulsory schooling must apply to their provincial education department for registration. Online enrolment does not replace this. NSC learners must also meet the relevant assessment and examination-body requirements.
Which pathways are available for high school?
CambriLearn offers CAPS, KABV in Afrikaans, IEB, International British, Pearson Edexcel and US K-12 through Score Academy Online. Available grades and entry requirements vary. IEB Grades 10 and 11 are enrolling, with Grade 12 to follow in 2028; KABV Grade 12 is scheduled from 2027.
How much does online high school cost?
Fees depend on the pathway, grade, subjects and package. Registration fees, prescribed textbooks and external examination fees may be additional. Review the pricing page and ask admissions to confirm the full cost and payment deadlines for your teenager's programme.
Can my child change subjects after Grade 9?
Yes, within SACAI's limits: up to two changes before 30 June in Grade 10, and up to two before 31 March in Grade 11. In Grade 12 a change is only allowed in exceptional cases, by 31 January.
Can I rewrite or improve my matric online?
Eligible candidates may rewrite through SACAI's May/June or October/November sittings, subject to the applicable registration and assessment requirements. Talk to admissions about your previous results and required subjects so the team can confirm whether CambriLearn can assist.
Can my teenager start mid-year?
It depends on the pathway, grade, previous schooling and available intake. CAPS, KABV and IEB Grades 10 to 12 follow academic and assessment-body deadlines. Talk to admissions before planning a transfer or mid-year start.
What happens if we lose power or internet during a lesson?
Live lessons are recorded, so a lesson missed during an outage can be watched later.
What is CambriOS?
CambriOS is the name for the four connected school experiences that make up a CambriLearn education: CambriCampus, CambriPathways, CambriCommunity and CambriCommand. It isn't a separate product or subscription.
Talk to admissions about your teenager
Tell us your teenager's grade, current curriculum and plans after school. Our admissions team will discuss suitable pathways, check subject choices and explain the entry requirements, support packages and next steps.
Read feedback from CambriLearn parents and students across Google, HelloPeter, Reviews.io and Facebook. Read ratings and reviews →
This guide covers CambriLearn's high-school pathways and the relevant South African assessment and home education requirements. It provides general information; confirm current intake, examination and registration requirements before enrolling. CambriLearn is Cognia-accredited, an approved Pearson Edexcel centre, and registered with SACAI as a distance education provider and with the IEB. Umalusi accredits SACAI and the IEB as assessment bodies and issues the National Senior Certificate. The US K-12 pathway is delivered through sister school Score Academy Online. CambriLearn is not a registered Cambridge school and is not affiliated with Cambridge Assessment International Education.