Online learning platforms now reach more South Africans than the country’s public university system. Global digital education platform Coursera alone reported 1.5 million learners in South Africa late last year. By comparison, South Africa’s 26 public universities enrolled 1,152,418 students in the 2025 academic year.
The Department of Higher Education and Training estimates that 165,000 qualification certificates are being withheld due to unpaid student debt.
A Shift in Access
Pretoria born Trudie Coetzee represents one of the growing number of learners outside the traditional campus system.
In her 40s, she was working full time while attempting to continue her studies. University education had been out of reach earlier in life due to cost. Returning later also proved difficult while balancing work and personal responsibilities.
“I finished work between 4 pm and 6 pm, depending on the workload, and then spent four hours studying every evening,” she says. “I had to be disciplined. There was no other way to achieve the goal.”
She completed an online BSc Honours in Psychology and an MSc in Psychology through an internationally accredited university and is now pursuing a PhD. She now lives in Ireland, where she works as a licensed counsellor.
“Online tertiary education gave me access to qualifications I could not otherwise pursue, along with flexibility and structured academic support,” she says.
She adds that early in her studies she also encountered scepticism about the recognition of online qualifications, particularly in fields where professional training standards vary by country.
Online Education Models
More South Africans are combining work and study through online higher education.
Bridgewater Academic Institute (BAI), a Pretoria based online tertiary education provider founded in 2023 by Professor Rudi Boshoff, operates within this environment.
BAI partners with international universities to offer accredited undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. Fees are reported to average up to 50 percent lower than conventional campus based programmes.
BAI students are assigned academic supervisors and complete studies through online delivery with structured academic support. Enrolment is open throughout the year, with flexible pacing options.
“With limited capacity in the public system and rising costs associated with campus based study, many students are exploring alternative routes,” says Professor Boshoff.
Unlike older distance education approaches, newer online systems typically partner with international universities, giving students access to foreign awarded degrees, a wider range of programmes, and more flexible enrolment structures.
Platforms and Qualifications
Although Coursera is primarily focused on shorter courses, its 1.5 million South African learners reflect strong engagement with online learning.
“It is the difference between acquiring a skill and completing a qualification with formal academic and professional recognition,” says Professor Rudi Boshoff. He adds that the growth of digital education reflects strong and growing demand for more flexible learning pathways in South Africa.