FGASA
Examinations

Please Note:

Due to the nature of Covid-19 (Corona virus) FGASA has postponed the April exam sitting. We have rescheduled as follows:

06 JUNE (closing date 06 MAY)
22 AUGUST (closing date 22 JULY)
24 OCTOBER (closing date 24 SEPTEMBER)

If you have already made payment, this will automatically be transferred to the next exam sitting. You will need to inform us of the date you choose from the new list of dates. The one-month cut off date still applies to new bookings.

We trust that you will understand, and thank you for your co-operation in this regard.

YOU MAY ONLY WRITE A THEORY EXAM IF YOU ARE A PAID UP MEMBER OF FGASA
YOU MUST HAVE PAID YOUR EXAM FEE BEFORE THE CUT OFF DATE
Any late entries (up to one week after the cut-off date) or any exam (other than an oral) written on a different date to the national sitting will be charged at double the exam fee.
For the entry Level Field Guide NQF2, you do not need to have any previous practical experience, however experience will assist you with the practical assessment section of the qualification.
For any other FGASA exam you need to have the necessary experience logged and signed off.
For any of the nature enthusiast certificates, you do not need any experience, as these certificates are for knowledge purposes only and DO NOT provide you with any form of guiding qualification.
All exams are written in English, so you will need to be able to read and understand English.
Spelling and grammar do not count; however you should try and write as neatly as possible.

The pass mark for every FGASA exam is 75%.
You may only write the NQF2 Field guide theory exam three (3) times.
If, after the third (3) attempt, you are still declared incompetent for your theory exam, then you will be allowed to sit one oral exam at the FGASA offices.
If you are still found not yet competent after sitting for an oral exam (4th attempt), you will not be allowed to write any further exams with FGASA.
It is FGASA policy NOT to make old examination papers available. The workbooks for each level are intended to give you an idea of what to expect in the exam.
In exceptional cases, if you have many years of experience, and are confident in your ability to pass the Advanced Field Guide (NQF4) exam without first undertaking the NQF2, then FGASA, upon reviewing your individual circumstances may consider RPL-ing you to allow you to do so.

Exam Dates 2020	Closing Date for Registration 2020	Exam Fee 2020
6 June	6 May	R600
22 August	22 July	R600
24 October	24 SEPTEMBER	R600

Download the 2020 Registration Form

About the Exams

Field Guide (NQF2)

The Field Guide (NQF2) theory exam is the first step towards obtaining your nature guiding qualification.
The exam is 2.5 hours.
Out of 150 marks.

Trails Guide

Trails Guide theory (two sections – VPDA and Rifle handling) may only be written once you have obtained your NQF2 / NQF4 or Specialist Field Guide qualification.
You need to obtain 75% for each section to pass.
If you do not achieve 75% for one section e.g. rifle handling, then you only need to write that section again.
Only one theory exam is written for trails guide but two practicals are required as well as ARH. (Please refer to the Qualifications section)
The exam is 2.5 hours.
VPDA is out of 120 marks
Rifle Handling is out of 60 marks.

SKS Birding

A written theory exam (only once you have a Specialist F/G qualification).
The exam is 3 hours.
Out of 150 marks.

Culture Guiding (NQF4)

The exam is 2.5 hours.
Out of 150 marks.

Advanced Field Guide (NQF4)

The Advanced Field Guide (NQF4) qualification requires 260 days of guiding experience, before you will be allowed to write the theory exam. Of these days, 130 days can be logged as non-guiding activities, such as mentored guiding, anti-poaching, tracking, rhino monitoring, etc.
You will have to have your logbook filled in correctly and it must be signed off by a relevant FGASA official before you will be allowed to register for the theory exam.
The exam is 2.5 hours.
Out of 150 marks.

Marine Guide (NQF2)

The Marine Guide (NQF2) theory exam is the first step towards obtaining your marine guiding qualification.
The exam is 2.5 hours.
Out of 150 marks.

SKS Wildflowers

A written theory exam (only once you have a Specialist F/G qualification).
The exam is 3 hours.
Out of 150 marks.

Specialist Field Guide

The Specialist Field Guide qualification can only be written once you have your FULL Advanced Field Guide (NQF4) qualification (both theory and practical competence)
Your logbook must be filled in correctly with 520 days of guiding experience, before you will be allowed to write the theory exam.
It needs to be signed off by a relevant FGASA official before you will be allowed to register for the theory exam.
The exam is 3 hours.
Out of 180 marks.

Birding Slide & Sound

Is a PowerPoint slide and sound assessment (exam) required for either regional/national birding or the birding section of the Specialist F/G qualification. Can be done either at the FGASA office in Johannesburg, or with FGASA approved assessors.

Specialist Astronomy Certificate

The Specialist Astronomy Certificate theory exam may only be written once you have obtained your NQF2 / NQF4 or Specialist Field Guide qualification.
The exam is 3 hours.
Out of 150 marks.

Exam Registration Procedure

Please ensure that you send in your registration and payment for the relevant examination before the closing date .

PLEASE NOTE: Entries submitted after the closing date WILL NOT BE PROCESSED

Paid-up members can register and pay online for the FGASA Field Guide (NQF2) exam. (The NQF2 exam is the only exam that can be booked on line, as all other exams require you to meet a certain criteria, once met you can download or request an application form to be sent to you).
You will need to login with your FGASA number and ID / passport number using the login button, in order to register online.
If you download the exam registration form or receive it by email:
- complete the form by filling out all the required details.
- Pay the exam fee into the FGASA account using your FGASA number as reference.
- DO NOT USE references such as FGASA exam fee, TG exam etc.
- Email the completed exam form and proof of payment to FGASA (exams@fgasa.org.za).
The exam registration form can also be obtained from the Johannesburg, Hoedspruit or Port Elizabeth offices

Venues and Confirmation

Available venues are indicated on the registration form.
The exams start promptly at 10h00. (Times may change – you will be informed by SMS of any changes)
Late arrivals will not be allowed to write the exam.
A confirmation will be sent to you by SMS approximately 10 days before the exam.
If you receive an SMS you do not need to call the office.
If we do not have your cell phone number, you will not receive any notification.

Candidates can also check the FGASA website to confirm the venue and time of the exam.

Cancellations

Written notice must be sent to the Johannesburg office, and the exam fee will be transferred to the next available exam session.
If you do not arrive and haven’t informed FGASA at least two weeks in advance, the fee will be forfeited. You will have to pay again for the next exam.
Your exam payment is valid only within the current year. So you may postpone your exam to the next sitting within the current year, but should you postpone to the following year, you will then need to pay the full exam fee again.
If you wish to change venues, you need to do so at least a month prior to the exam sitting.
If you are ill and are unable to attend the exam, you will need to provide a doctors note to this effect.
If you have a family crisis, your circumstances will be considered at FGASA’s discretion.

Oral examinations

If you have a learning disability and you are unable to read and write, you may apply to sit an oral exam.
This application must be in writing to FGASA with your relevant reasons.
Oral exams will not take place on the same day as the FGASA national examination sittings.
The date for an oral exam will depend on the availability of an examiner in your area of operation.
Oral exams are usually held at the FGASA office in Johannesburg.
A degree of literacy is essential to obtain the FGASA Specialist Field Guide Qualification, therefore oral evaluations will normally be restricted to Field Guide (NQF2) and Advanced Field Guide (NQF

Special examination sittings

If you are on a course with a FGASA endorsed training provider, you will write your FGASA exam at the end of your course on a date set by the training provider.
If you do not pass the above exam you may not write another special sitting at the training provider (unless you are on a year course).
You will have to apply and re-write the exam on the next available FGASA National exam date.

How do I get my Theory Exam Results?

Exam results for all national sittings will be available FOUR weeks from the date of the exam.
Exam results will then be published on the FGASA website under the member profile and can only be accessed if the member is currently paid up.
You can also email or phone the FGASA office/s to enquire after your result.
In principle all examination papers with percentages between 69% and 74% are remarked during the moderation process. If you get 72%, for example, you can be assured that your paper has been remarked, but the moderator simply cannot find and allocate more marks for your answers.

CATHSSETA

Please take note of the following information:

If you are going to be qualifying for FGASA Field Guide (NQF4) or your full Trails Guide you will need to complete a new CATHSSETA registration form. This is the membership form available on our website or from the membership department.

When completing the form for these qualifications, you need only complete Section 6 & 7. You will need to initial ALL 14 pages, and then send through the WHOLE application form including a certified copy of your ID. The second last page (learner signature) also needs to be signed.

Practical Assessment

The practical assessment for the FGASA guiding qualifications are carried out by a registered FGASA assessor in a guiding opeartional area of your choice. You will need to take the assessor on a guided experience in the selected area of guiding opeartion:

FGASA Field Guide (NQF2) – with or without paying clients, preferably with clients.
FGASA Advanced Field Guide (NQF4) – with clients
FGASA Specialist Field Guide – with clients

The practical Assessment will be explained to you in detail by your assessor in the pre-assessment brief. The assessor will make sure that you know what you will be assessed on in order that you can prepare yourself for this assessment. Payment for your practical assessment is done directly to the assessor and does not come via the FGASA office.

Refer to the FGASA Learner Study Guide and Workbooks for the relevant qualification for details on the practical assessment.