Career guide

Hairdresser

Social

Cuts, colours and styles hair, and advises clients. A trade with a formal trade test, and a common route to self-employment.

School subjects

Grade 12 is preferred but not always required; Mathematical Literacy is accepted.

How you qualify

The Services SETA route is a three-year Hairdressing Diploma covering NQF Levels 2, 3 and 4. After the theory and practical training you must complete a period of workplace experience and then **pass a trade test** to register as a qualified artisan under the Department of Higher Education and Training. The trade test, not the course certificate, is what qualifies you. Entry requirements differ by provider - confirm directly with the institution.

Where to study

Services SETA-accredited salons and colleges; trade test through the DHET / NAMB

Before you decide. Entry requirements change every year and differ between institutions. We do not publish admission point scores here, because a number that is right for one university in one year is wrong for another. Confirm the requirements directly with the institution before your subject selection form is signed. In KwaZulu-Natal, applications go through the Central Applications Office (cao.ac.za).

Last verified: 2026-08

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