Attention future animator, 2026 applications are open!
ATTENTION CREATIVE SOUTH AFRICAN
Get A Real Pathway Into Animation & Explore Your Creativity Through The Animation School's Online Higher Certificate 2D Animation
... Without overcommitting to a 3-year programme
Click The Button Below To Apply For The Online Higher Certificate At Africa's #1 Animation School. Best Part? You Can Pre-Apply Before Your Matric Results Are Out, And If You Don't Qualify, You Get Your Full Deposit Back. No Questions Asked.
Enquiries
+27 21 461 0822
online@theanimationschool.co.za
Attention Creative South African,
Attention future animator,
2026 applications are open!
Get A Real Pathway Into Animation &
Explore Your Creativity Through The Animation School's Online Higher Certificate in 2D Animation
... Without overcommitting to a 3-year programme
Click The Button Below To Apply For The Online Higher Certificate At Africa's #1 Animation School. Best Part? You Can Pre-Apply Before Your Matric Results Are Out! If You Don't Qualify, You Get Your Full Deposit Back. No Questions Asked.
Enquiries
+27 21 461 0822
online@theanimationschool.co.za
Studios Our Alumni Are Working At...
Your Creativity Deserves A Real Future, Here's How To Make It Happen.
Imagine actually knowing where your life is going…
You wake up, open your laptop, and log into a world-class animation programme. You're learning from people who actually work in the industry, and building a portfolio you're genuinely proud of.
Maybe you have a thing for drawing and animation… Maybe you spend hours sketching characters, rewatching behind-the-scenes breakdowns, and picturing yourself working at a real studio one day.
Or maybe animation is something you’ve considered, but you don’t even know how to sketch a simple caricature…
But perhaps your matric results didn't go the way you planned, or perhaps the people around you don't really understand how animation can be a career...
Whatever it is, you're stuck right now. You’re watching people your age move forward while you're still figuring out your next step, trying to explain yourself to parents who just want to know you have a plan.
It's not that you don't have the talent or the drive… It's just that nobody's shown you the right door yet. And the longer that goes on, the wider that gap feels between where you are right now and where you actually want to be.
With The Animation School,
That Changes...
With The Animation School, That Changes...
The Higher Certificate in 2D Animation is designed to give you a clear path forward for your creative future.
It's a full-time, structured online programme that gives you real animation training, live support, and professional feedback, even if you don't meet our full diploma entry requirements.
This is not distance learning… And it’s not a bunch of videos you watch on your own…
This is a proper full-time programme with scheduled lessons, live sessions, and instructors who guide you every step of the way. You're part of a real class, get real feedback, and you build real skills.
The Higher Certificate is your chance to explore your creativity... You just need to be someone who wants a future in animation and is ready to put in the work.
This is a pathway that fits your life, not the other way around. To get started with The Animation School, all you have to do is…
Apply For The Online Higher Certificate In Animation
This is your chance to take your first real step into animation with Africa's top-ranked school behind you… Here's what you get:
A Structured Full-time
Online Programme
A structured, full-time online programme with industry-leading 2D animation training. Access live sessions, professional feedback, and a clear curriculum designed to build your skills from the ground up.
Small Class Sizes With Real Attention
This isn't a packed online lecture where you get lost in the crowd. You get direct access to your instructors with real guidance, real corrections, and real progress.
Industry-Experienced Instructors
Who Get It
Your lecturers work in animation. They understand the industry, they understand young creatives, and they tailor their teaching to help you grow from where you are right now.
A Free 3D Animation Short Course To Prepare You For What's Next
When you enrol, you also get a complimentary 3D animation short course. This lets you start developing your 3D skills alongside your 2D foundation, so that you feel confident and ready when it's time to step into the main Diploma.
10% Off Your First Year Of The Diploma When You Graduate
Complete your Higher Certificate, and you'll receive a 10 per cent discount on your first year of the Diploma in Digital Animation. This gives you a clear and supported pathway into the full qualification.
Iron-clad Guarantee: The Halfway Promise
You can pre-apply even if you haven't completed matric yet. If your final results don't qualify you for entry into the Higher Certificate, your deposit will be refunded in full. No questions asked.
Apply For The Online Higher Certificate
in 2D Animation
This is your chance to take your first real step into animation with Africa's top-ranked school behind you… Here's what you get:
A Structured Full-time Online Programme
A structured, full-time online programme with industry-leading 2D animation training. Access live sessions, professional feedback, and a clear curriculum designed to build your skills from the ground up.
Small Class Sizes With Real Attention
This isn't a packed online lecture where you get lost in the crowd. You get direct access to your instructors with real guidance, real corrections, and real progress.
Industry-Experienced Instructors Who Get It
Your lecturers work in animation. They understand the industry, they understand young creatives, and they tailor their teaching to help you grow from where you are right now.
A Free 3D Animation Short Course
To Prepare You For What's Next (Valid 'Till May)
When you enrol, you also get a complimentary 3D animation short course. This lets you start developing your 3D skills alongside your 2D foundation, so that you feel confident and ready when it's time to step into the main Diploma.
10% Off Your First Year Of The
Diploma When You Graduate
Complete your Higher Certificate, and you'll receive a 10 per cent discount on your first year of the Diploma in Digital Animation. This gives you a clear and supported pathway into the full qualification.
Iron-clad Guarantee: The Halfway Promise
You can pre-apply even if you haven't completed matric yet. If your final results don't qualify you for entry into the Higher Certificate, your deposit will be refunded in full. No questions asked.
Study At Africa's #1 Animation School From Anywhere
You've probably felt it before... that frustration when the best animation training seems locked behind where you live, like your whole future depends on being in the right city.
But what you actually need is pretty simple: the freedom to study animation properly and feel supported, no matter where you are.
That's exactly what the Online Higher Certificate gives you. Full access to Africa's number one animation school from anywhere in South Africa, with structured lessons, live sessions, and real feedback from industry professionals who know what they're talking about.
And just to be clear, this isn't distance learning. This is a full-time programme with a real class and real lecturers. You don't have to pack up and move cities... the training comes to you.
Study At Africa's #1 Animation
School From Anywhere
You've probably felt it before... that frustration when the best animation training seems locked behind where you live, like your whole future depends on being in the right city.
But what you actually need is pretty simple: the freedom to study animation properly and feel supported, no matter where you are.
That's exactly what the Online Higher Certificate gives you. Full access to Africa's number one animation school from anywhere in South Africa, with structured lessons, live sessions, and real feedback from industry professionals who know what they're talking about.
And just to be clear, this isn't distance learning. This is a full-time programme with a real class and real lecturers. You don't have to pack up and move cities... the training comes to you.
Your Marks Don't Define
Your Future
Not getting the marks you needed feels awful... and when everyone around you seems to be moving forward, it's hard not to feel like you're falling behind.
It's like you're stuck trying to explain to your parents why your path looks a little different from everyone else's.
But here's what nobody really tells you. One result doesn't decide your whole life.
The Higher Certificate was built for students with real potential who just need someone to open the right door. This programme looks at who you are and where you're headed, not a number on a report card.
And this isn't settling for less. This is starting smart, at a school ranked 11th in the world with over 200 awards in 25 years.
Your Marks Don't
Define Your Future
Not getting the marks you needed feels awful... and when everyone around you seems to be moving forward, it's hard not to feel like you're falling behind.
It's like you're stuck trying to explain to your parents why your path looks a little different from everyone else's. But here's what nobody really tells you: one result doesn't decide your whole life.
The Higher Certificate was built for students with real potential who just need someone to open the right door. This programme looks at who you are and where you're headed, not a number on a report card.
And this isn't settling for less. This is starting smart, at a school ranked 11th in the world with over 200 awards in 25 years.
Build Real Skills Without Wasting Your Time
Be honest... how many hours have you spent watching tutorials online without really getting any better?
The time keeps passing and you're not sure if you've actually improved or just kept yourself busy.
The Higher Certificate changes that. You get practical 2D animation training with structured projects, real feedback from professionals, and a curriculum built around what studios actually look for.
Every week you're making real progress, and by the time you're done, you don't just walk away with a certificate. You walk away with a portfolio that proves you can actually do this.
Build Real Skills & A Portfolio Without Wasting Your Time
Be honest... how many hours have you spent watching tutorials online without really getting any better? The time keeps passing and you're not sure if you've actually improved or just kept yourself busy.
The Higher Certificate changes that. You get practical 2D animation training with structured projects, real feedback from professionals, and a curriculum built around what studios actually look for.
Every week you're making real progress, and by the time you're done, you don't just walk away with a certificate. You walk away with a portfolio that proves you can actually do this.
The Safest Step Into A Real Animation Career
Choosing the wrong course is a scary thought... get it wrong and you've wasted a year, maybe more.
And honestly, that fear keeps a lot of talented people frozen, doing nothing because doing the wrong thing feels even worse.
The Higher Certificate takes that risk off the table. It’s a proper programme, just for one year, not three… It’s costs a fraction of the full diploma…
And includes real training at a world-class school, with a clear pathway into the Diploma if you want to keep going.
You're not gambling on some cheap course that leads nowhere. You're taking a deliberate, supported step into animation, guided by professionals at a school that has proven itself for over 25 years.
The Safest Step Into A Real Animation Career
Choosing the wrong course is a scary thought... get it wrong and you've wasted a year, maybe more. And honestly, that fear keeps a lot of talented people frozen, doing nothing because doing the wrong thing feels even worse.
The Higher Certificate takes that risk off the table. It’s a proper programme, just for one year, not three… It’s costs a fraction of the full diploma… And includes real training at a world-class school, with a clear pathway into the Diploma if you want to keep going.
You're not gambling on some cheap course that leads nowhere. You're taking a deliberate, supported step into animation, guided by professionals at a school that has proven itself for over 25 years.
Our Story
The Animation School has been training animators since 2000, and for over 25 years there's been one focus, one mission... producing world-class animation talent from South Africa.
The results speak for themselves.
Today, The Animation School is ranked number one in Africa and 11th in the world by Animation Career Review. This isn’t a self-appointed title or a marketing claim. It’s a globally recognised ranking based on the quality of education, student work, and graduate outcomes.
Graduates have gone on to work at studios across the globe, the same studios behind the animated films, series, and games you watch and play every day. From South Africa to Europe to North America, alumni from this school are making their mark in the global animation industry.
With campuses in Cape Town and Johannesburg, plus a full-time online programme, there are multiple pathways into the industry. Students have produced over 200 award-winning projects across the school's 25-year history.
The lecturers aren't just teachers either... they're working professionals who understand the industry from the inside. They know what studios look for, they know what skills actually matter, and they bring that knowledge into every single lesson.
This isn't a startup figuring things out. This isn't some random online course with no track record. This is the most established specialist animation school on the continent, with 25 years of proof that our system works. And the Higher Certificate is your doorway in.
Here’s What
Happens Next:
Step 1: Apply Online
Click the button below and begin your application for the Online Higher Certificate in Animation. First, you will complete the pre-application quiz, and if you qualify for the programme we will take you to the full application form.
Step 2: We Review Your Application
Once we receive your application, our admissions team will review it and get back to you. No stressful entry exams, no complicated process. We're looking for interest, commitment, and potential.
Step 3: Secure Your Spot
If your application is successful, you'll receive a confirmation and everything you need to secure your place in the programme. Remember, there are only 50 spots available and they fill up on a first come, first served basis.
Step 4: Start Your Animation Journey
Once you're in, you'll get access to your programme, meet your lecturers, and join your class. From day one, you'll be learning real animation skills with real support from real professionals. Your future in animation starts here.
Availability Is Limited
There are only 50 spots available in the Online Higher Certificate for 2026. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once those 50 spots are filled, applications close. No exceptions.
Every week, more students are applying. And the closer we get to the start date, the faster those spots fill up. If you wait too long, you risk losing your place. And that means waiting another full year before you can apply again.
It’s another year of feeling stuck… and another year of watching other people move forward while you stay in the same place.
You don't need to have everything figured out right now. You just need to take the first step. Apply today, lock in your spot, and start building the future you've been
Availability Is Limited
There are only 50 spots available in the Online Higher Certificate for 2026. Applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Once those 50 spots are filled, applications close. No exceptions.
Every week, more students are applying. And the closer we get to the start date, the faster those spots fill up.
If you wait too long, you risk losing your place. And that means waiting another full year before you can apply again.
It’s another year of feeling stuck… and another year of watching other people move forward while you stay in the same place.
You don't need to have everything figured out right now. You just need to take the first step. Apply today, lock in your spot, and start building the future you've been
Your Next Step...
This Is Your Moment. Don't Let It Pass.
A year from now, you could be building real animation skills at Africa's number one animation school.
You could have a portfolio you're proud of, be on a clear path toward the Diploma in Digital Animation, and finally feel like your creative future is actually in your hands.
Or you could still be in the same place... still wondering, still watching tutorials, still hoping something changes.
The difference between those two futures is one decision, and that decision is right in front of you.
You don't need perfect marks. You don't need to have it all figured out. You just need to want a future in animation and be ready to take the first step.
The Animation School has been turning creative young South Africans into professional animators for over 25 years... and this is your chance to be next.
50 spots only, first-come first-served. Pre-apply before your matric results with zero risk.
Take the step.
Your Next Step...
This Is Your Moment. Don't Let It Pass.
A year from now, you could be building real animation skills at Africa's number one animation school, with a portfolio you're proud of, on a clear path toward the Diploma in Digital Animation, finally feeling like your creative future is actually in your hands.
Or you could still be in the same place... still wondering, still watching tutorials, still hoping something changes.
The difference between those two futures is one decision, and that decision is right in front of you.
You don't need perfect marks. You don't need to have it all figured out. You just need to want a future in animation and be ready to take the first step.
The Animation School has been turning creative young South Africans into professional animators for over 25 years... and this is your chance to be next.
50 spots only, first-come first-served. Pre-apply before your matric results with zero risk. Take the step.
Frequently Asked
Questions
What is the Higher Certificate in Animation?
The Higher Certificate is a one-year, full-time online programme in 2D animation offered by The Animation School. It's designed for students who want a real pathway into animation but may not meet the usual entry requirements for the Diploma. It gives you structured training, professional feedback, and a foundation to build on.
Is this distance learning?
No. This is a full-time online programme. You'll have scheduled lessons, live sessions, and direct access to your lecturers. You're part of a real class with real support. It just happens to be online so you can study from anywhere in South Africa.
Can I apply before I get my matric results?
Yes. You can pre-apply even if you haven't completed matric yet. If your final results don't qualify you for entry, your deposit will be refunded in full. No questions asked.
What happens after I complete the Higher Certificate?
When you successfully graduate, you can apply for the Diploma in Digital Animation at The Animation School. You'll also receive a 10% discount on your first year of the Diploma. The Higher Certificate is designed to be a stepping stone into the full qualification.
How much does it cost?
The Higher Certificate is roughly half the price of the full Diploma programme. For exact fees and payment options, the admissions team will walk you through everything once you apply.
What do I need to study online?
You'll need a laptop or computer and a stable internet connection. The admissions team will give you full details on technical requirements when your application is confirmed.
How many spots are available?
There are only 50 spots available for 2026. Applications are processed on a first come, first served basis. Once the intake is full, applications close.
What if I'm not sure animation is right for me?
That's exactly what the Higher Certificate is for. It gives you one year to explore animation properly with real training and real support. It's a lower-risk way to find out if this is the right path for you before committing to a three-year diploma.
How do I apply?
Click the button on your left and complete your application online. It only takes a few minutes.
