The level of qualifications related to the level of designations are as follows (for more details on the qualification requirements for the specialised Council for Pastoral and Spiritual Counsellors, visit their website .
| Designation | SAQA recognised qualification required for direct awarding of the designation |
|---|---|
| Religious Practitioner | Matric plus one year of ministry experience (proven through RPL). |
| Advanced Religious Practitioner |
Ministry Qualifications on NQF Level 2 or 4. Qualifications in these categories include:
|
| Religious Professional |
Ministry or theology qualifications on NQF Levels 5, 6, 7 or 8. Qualifications in these categories include:
|
| Religious Specialist |
Ministry or theological qualification on NQF Level 9 or 10. Qualifications in these categories include:
|
IMPORTANT TO NOTE:
- A Foreign Qualification can be defined as a qualification awarded by a nationally recognised education or training institution outside the Republic of South Africa and forming part of the formal national education and training system of that country. For purposes of professional designation applications, foreign qualifications may be accepted only where the qualification has been evaluated by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) and a valid SAQA Certificate of Evaluation has been issued indicating its comparability within the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
Read more about the Evaluation of Foreign Qualifications by SAQA. - Pastors and ministry leaders who do not have the relevant qualifications for the direct awarding of designations, may also apply for a designation, based on their years of ministry experience, through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). Read more about RPL.
- More details on the Designation Levels, Underlying qualifications and Competencies can be found in the ACRP Competency Framework.
