As tax is an inescapable part of life, it’s critical that individuals, business owners, and finance professionals have a solid grasp of the principles of taxation and their related obligations.
The University of Cape Town (UCT) Tax Law online short course seeks to demystify the world of tax administration by improving your understanding of the latest South African tax laws and their implications for you or your company. Guided by local tax law experts, you’ll learn how to navigate personal income tax, business income tax, capital gains tax, donations tax, and the taxation of trusts. The course is designed to equip you with the practical skills you need to calculate tax payable and file your returns.
On completion of this course, you’ll walk away with:
An understanding of the various facets of South African tax law, and the rights and obligations of taxpayers
The skills to calculate tax liability for individuals and businesses, and to fill in income tax returns
Knowledge of capital gains tax and how different types of trusts are taxed
A grounding in VAT and the tools to submit a VAT return
Is this course for you?
Due to its focus on both personal and corporate tax, this course is suitable for individuals, entrepreneurs, and finance and legal professionals. Independent citizens can empower themselves with the skills to manage their own tax affairs, eliminating the need for costly external help.
Business owners and consultants can learn how to run legally compliant, tax-efficient enterprises, and accountants, bookkeepers, and lawyers can refine their understanding of current tax legislation so that they’re better positioned to offer clients advice and assistance.
Course curriculum
Explore the South African tax system as you work through the weekly modules of this online short course.
Orientation Module: Welcome to your Online Campus
Module 1 An introduction to South African tax
Module 2 Personal income tax
Module 3 Business income tax
Module 4 Capital gains tax
Module 5 Taxation of trusts
Module 6 Other taxes
Module 7 Value added tax
Module 8 Tax administration
Your Course Convenor
The design of this online short course is guided by UCT faculty and industry experts who will share their experience and in-depth knowledge with you throughout the course.
Tracy Gutuza
Associate Professor in the Department of Commercial Law, UCT
Earn a certificate from the University of Cape Town (UCT)
Advance your knowledge of South African tax law and earn an official certificate of completion from the University of Cape Town.
Your certificate will be issued in your legal name and sent to you upon successful completion of the course, as per the stipulated requirements.
You can either pay your tuition fees in full before the course starts, or you may opt for a two-part payment plan for courses nine weeks and shorter. For courses ten weeks or longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more on payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page.
GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.
At the beginning of each week you'll be presented with all the lectures, notes and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Advisor who will help you set goals and track key milestones, manage your time, and field any administrative requests you might have.
The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats, including: interactive video lectures, module notes, practice quizzes, Prezis, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.
On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and Head Tutor through the Online Campus discussion forums. If you're experiencing tech issues or need advice from your personal Success Advisor, you can use the Online Campus to get in touch.
