FAQ

In South Africa, registered private institutions that offer higher education may not call themselves private universities, and are referred to as private higher education institutions. In the future, once legislation allows for it, STADIO will apply for private university status.

Most private higher education institutions in South Africa have a narrow focus, usually offering a range of qualifications in a single field. LISOF specialised in fashion, Prestige Academy focused on business, IT and design studies, Southern Business School specialised in commerce and law, while Embury was a specialist teacher training institution. Also, institutions usually either offer qualifications on a campus or through distance learning. With the establishment of STADIO Higher Education, we can now offer students a wide range of qualifications through various modes of delivery (campus-based, distance learning, or online learning).

STADIO Higher Education is owned by STADIO Holdings, an investment holdings company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). STADIO Holdings started as a subsidiary of the private schooling group Curro Holdings, but STADIO Holdings unbundled from Curro in 2017. STADIO Holdings also owns 100% of AFDA, the South African School of Motion Picture Medium and Live Performance (www.afda.co.za) and 82,7% of Milpark Education (www.milpark.ac.za).

STADIO Higher Education is a new private higher education institution that was established when four institutions merged in 2020, namely LISOF, Prestige Academy, Southern Business School, and Embury. These four institutions have more than 100 years combined experienced in higher education.
 

STADIO Higher Education has the following faculties, with their specialist schools:

The Faculty of Arts & Design offers two schools namely; School of Fashion and School of Media & Design

The Faculty of Commerce, Administration & Management offers three schools namely; School of Administration & Management, School of Commerce, School of Management for Safety in Society

The Faculty of Education offers one school namely, School of Education

The Faculty of Law offers one school namely; School of Law

The Faculty of Science and Technologies offers one school namely; School of Information Technology

Yes, we plan to launch a new faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment by 2022, and a new School of Engineering under the Faculty of Science and Technologies by 2023.

STADIO Higher Education has eights campuses in South Africa, and two in Namibia. List of campuses, with their previous institution name:

Bellville (Cape Town) formerly Prestige Academy

Centurian (Pretoria) formerly Prestige Academy

Hatfield (Pretoria) formerly LISOF

Krugersdorp (Johannesburg) formerly SBS

Montana (Pretoria) formerly Embury

Musgrave (Durban) formerly Embury

Randburg (Johannesburg) formerly LISOF

Waterfall (Midrand) formerly Embury

Windhoek (Namibia) formerly SBS

Ongwediva (Namibia) formerly SBS

 

 

Yes, we plan to open a new multi-faculty campus in Centurion in Gauteng in 2022, and one in Durbanville in the Western Cape in 2023. Stay tuned to our social media for updates!

Only institutions that are registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) can offer higher education in South Africa. In March 2020, South Africa had 26 registered public universities (such as Wits, UNISA and UJ), 102 registered private higher education institutions, and 34 provisionally registered private higher education institutions.  The details of all private higher education institutions appear on a register, which you can find on the DHET website (www.dhet.gov.za), under Resources >> Registers.

All higher education institutions, whether they are public or private, go through the same process of accreditation for their qualifications at the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE). For example, a Bachelor’s degree offered at Wits and a Bachelor’s degree offered at STADIO went through the same quality assurance process and curriculum scrutiny at the HEQC.

No. Only public universities get subsidies from government. Private higher education institutions rely solely on tuition fees to offer their qualifications to students.

NSFAS funding is available only to students who want to study at public universities. Many governments around the world provide funding to students directly, who can then choose to study at a registered private or public university. However, the South African government does not fund students who want to study at a private higher education institution.

Traditional public universities in South Africa focus mainly on offering degrees to undergraduate students, rather than also offering higher certificates and diplomas. Also, post-graduate studies are a major focus area for traditional universities, whereas most private higher education institutions offer limited post-graduate opportunities.

The status of your qualification remains unchanged. You achieved a formal qualification from a registered private higher education institution, and you should be very proud of the heritage of your institution.

You will be graduating with a STADIO Higher Education qualification. However, for all students who initially registered for a qualification at LISOF, Prestige Academy, SBS or Embury, your STADIO Higher Education graduation certificate will include the reference “formerly LISOF”, “formerly Prestige Academy”, “formerly Southern Business School” or “formerly Embury”.

STADIO Higher Education is not a financial services or credit provider, so we do not offer student loans. However, to make it as easy as possible for you to study with us, we do offer monthly payment plans. We also offer discounts for upfront payments.

Yes we do. Each faculty and school at STADIO Higher Education administers its own bursary applications, with its own requirements. Please contact the relevant faculty or school where you want to study regarding their bursary application process.