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POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMMES IN
SOUTH AFRICAN TAX LAW

The foremost qualification for tax practitioners to gain an in-depth and practical understanding of South African Tax Law.

Assist clients in navigating through the complexities and complying with the South African Revenue Services and the National Treasury.

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Start Date

March 2026

Apply By

01 March 2026

Duration

11-36 months, part-time:
Cert: 11 Months
Dip: 22 Months
MSc: +36 Months

Effort

6–10 hrs/week average*
*Student dependent

Format

Online – Recorded lectures, Prescribed Reading, Live Q&A Tutorials

Award

Programme Overview

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South African Tax Law is the study and practice that centres on the application of taxes and tax law in South Africa to individuals, businesses and government agencies. The purpose of this qualification is to enable qualifying learners to identify and analyse contemporary developments in the various fields of taxation and to become tax experts as required by the South African Revenue Services, the National Treasury or trade and industry at large.

This course, developed by leading South African taxation specialists with their finger on the pulse of current market needs, at both advisory and in-house level, will provide a firm grounding on all must-know South African Tax areas. Upon completion, students will be fully equipped to confidently pursue a career in South African taxation.

Choose Your Award/ Exit Point

View Stage 1 (PG-Certificate)
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Stage 1: PG-Certificate

The Postgraduate Certificate in South African Tax Law is specifically designed for candidates who require an overview of South African Tax Law, all the while obtaining a postgraduate University qualification for their efforts.

The course is delivered over 40 weeks by a select faculty of international tax experts.

The course is delivered over 23 weeks by a select faculty of international tax experts.

The PG-Certificate requires the completion of just stage 1 of this programme.

  • Credits: 60 credits (over 2 Modules)
  • Duration: 7 Months

The PG-Certificate flows seamlessly into the PG-Diploma.

View Stage 2 (PG-Diploma)
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Stage 1+2: PG-Diploma

The Postgraduate Diploma in South African Tax Law is the pre-requisite qualification for candidates wanting to develop a tax career in South Africa. It thoroughly extends the knowledge gained through the PG-C.

It deals with all the major areas of South African Tax Law in detail.

Upon completion, the candidate will be fully equipped to pursue a career in the South African tax industry, confidently.

The Postgraduate Diploma requires the completion of the first 2 stages of the programme.

  • Credits: 120 credits (over 4 Modules)
  • Duration: 11 months
View Stage 3 (MSc)
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Stage 1+2+3: MSc

The Masters (MSc) in South African Tax Law is designed to apply the candidate’s knowledge of South African Tax Law through research, to explore the unknown and unlock new possibilities within the practice area of South African Tax Law.

The MSc is conducted over +12 months and is supervised by international tax expert Dr Daniel N. Erasmus.

To enrol for the MSc, students must hold a PG-Diploma in Transfer Pricing (or an equivalent award).

  • Full Programme:
    • Credits: 180 credits (Over 3 Stages)
    • Duration: 24 months
  • PG-Diploma Holders:
    • Credits: 60 credits
    • Duration: 12 months

How You Will Learn

This is a distance learning course and all notes and lecture material will be made available via the internet through the Informa Connect virtual learning platform.

Pre-recorded academic lectures will be released each week, accompanied with the prescribed reading, additional reading and/or research, as required. Directed reading will relate to provided case law, and will also include reading from legislation, books, articles, academic and professional journals.

The learning from the lectures will be emphasised with an array of case studies, practice examples and resources, to challenge thinking in a practical context. Engaging activities on the discussion forum, the use of quizzes, polls and other forum built-in activity, will further validate the learning objectives.

Each main topic will end with a live-online tutorial, conducted by the lecturers. The tutorials are designed to be interactive, providing students with the opportunity to ask questions and to consider issues from different perspectives.

The Dissertation module will impart introductory lectures that cover the essentials of topic selection and the guidance to a well-written proposal and structured dissertation. Each student will be appointed a supervisor and will be required to book at least three sessions of live online interaction with their supervisor for guidance during the writing of their dissertation.

Students rate AoTL 96.6%

“I felt supported with the live lectures and the pre-recorded material allowed me to complete the course on my schedule, which was perfect. The texts and resources given were excellent.”
L CoddingtonClyde & Co
“How do I rate if there are no improvements needed :)”
E BankovaNew York Times
“My most sincere thanks to you for supporting me throughout.  This was an excellent course!”
J BalasubramanianDanfoss
“This is an excellent course - I have learnt so much!”
M YidanaGhana Revenue Authority
“It’s a demanding course with a substantial workload, but it’s well structured and supported by excellent resources. An outstanding programme overall.”
R McClean-EllisFirst Sentier Investors
I’ve studied with many institutions and, frankly, lost the enjoyment. Studying with ATL changed that. The administrators are on top of everything, and the academic material is excellent. It is structured in a way that works for people with demanding jobs. This has been the best study experience I’ve had.
N CelliersNLC Admin

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PG-Cert | PG-Dip | MSc

Course Brochure PG-SATL

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Compare Programmes

Choose the track that fits your practice focus. All programmes are practitioner-taught, cohort-based, and validated by Middlesex University.

Dimension Transfer Pricing International Taxation South African Tax Law
Jurisdictional audience Global audience, covers all jurisdictions Global audience, covers all jurisdictions South Africa specific, relevant to SADC region
Ideal for TP managers, advisors, in-house tax teams, analysts moving into TP Advisors and managers dealing with cross-border rules, treaties, planning Practitioners working with the SA Income Tax Act, cases, compliance
Core focus Methods, comparables, DEMPE, documentation, audits, dispute defence Treaties, source vs residence, anti-avoidance, PE, relief from double tax Statutory interpretation, case law, assessments, objections, local practice
Primary tools OECD TP Guidelines, UN Manual, BEPS Actions 8–10, 13, case law OECD and UN Models, MLI, BEPS 1.0 and 2.0, domestic rules, cases Income Tax Act, SARS practice notes, Tax Administration Act, SA cases
Assessment style Case-based assignments, file reviews, short written defences Problem questions, treaty interpretation, position papers Problem questions, statutory analysis, case commentary
Typical outcomes Build defensible TP files and strategies, improve audit readiness Design cross-border structures within rules, mitigate double tax Apply SA tax law accurately, manage reviews and disputes
Entry point Start with PG Certificate, progress to PG Diploma, then MSc, or enter later with suitable experience or credits.

Awards Ladder

Award Best for What you achieve Assessment highlights
PG Certificate Foundation to intermediate upskilling Core concepts, frameworks, and applied techniques Short case write ups, timed responses, applied tasks
PG Diploma Expanding technical depth and application Advanced analysis, risk management, documentation quality Integrated case assignments, policy memos, oral defence
MSc Leaders and specialists building authority Capstone project and research backed practice outcomes Research project, viva or presentation, publishable summary

IFF Certificate Courses

Practical, practitioner-led certificates designed for immediate on-the-job application. Each course can stand alone or act as a pathway into our postgraduate tracks.

Dimension Conducting a Transfer Pricing Trial Effectively Managing Tax Teams Indirect Taxation Tax Risk Management
Jurisdictional audience Global audience Global audience Global audience, with local adaptation Global audience
Ideal for In-house tax, TP managers, litigators, advisors preparing for audits, ADR, trial Heads of tax, managers, team leads, controllers, emerging leaders VAT, GST, customs, finance managers, AP, AR, compliance specialists Tax managers, risk officers, controllers, advisors building governance
Core focus Case theory, evidence files, expert reports, witness prep, courtroom strategy Operating models, KPIs, workflows, stakeholder management, coaching VAT design, place of supply, input credits, exemptions, WHT interactions Risk identification, controls, documentation, audit readiness, dispute playbooks
Delivery mode Online, live sessions plus guided self-study Online, live sessions plus guided self-study Online, live sessions plus guided self-study Online, live sessions plus guided self-study
Duration 16 weeks, part-time 16 weeks, part-time 16 weeks, part-time 16 weeks, part-time
Outcomes Confident litigation preparation and defence for TP disputes Stronger execution, clear roles, measurable team performance Reduced VAT errors, better cash flow, fewer surprises at audit Structured governance, fewer findings, faster dispute resolution
Prerequisites TP fundamentals recommended Supervisory experience helpful Basic VAT knowledge helpful General tax experience helpful
Pathway Progress to PG Certificate in Transfer Pricing Progress to Mechanics of Leading Tax Teams, PG Certificate (leadership) Progress to PG programmes, International Tax or SA Tax Law Progress to PG Certificate in International Taxation or Transfer Pricing
Assessment End of module progress assessment

5000-word assignment if PG-Cert option elected		 End of module progress assessment

5000-word assignment if PG-Cert option elected		 End of module progress assessment

5000-word assignment if PG-Cert option elected		 End of module progress assessment

5000-word assignment if PG-Cert option elected