University of Cape Town in South Africa (CIEE)
The Program
Take your arts and sciences coursework on a trip to explore the natural splendor and contemporary society of South Africa.
As part of the Arts and Sciences Program you will pursue your academic studies while at the same time gaining first-hand knowledge of life in South Africa. Choose to participate in the CIEE Living and Learning Seminar, which offers opportunities both in and out of the classroom to gain insights into South Africa’s cultural diversity as well as to interact with South Africans from different walks of life. Your studies in Cape Town will be supplemented by local excursions and field trips as well as by a cultural program incorporating local music, theater, dance, museum tours, and a homestay experience with a local family.
Program Location
South Africa
Cape Town
With the illustrious Table Mountain as a backdrop, Cape Town is Africa’s most visited destination, and the second most populous city in South Africa. With a population approaching four million, Cape Town is a thoroughly multicultural place, a buzzing crossroads of locals, expatriates, and immigrants alike. Languages spoken include Afrikaans, Xhosa, English, Sotho, Zulu, and Tswana. Cape Town visitor attractions range from the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, from which ferries leave for Robben Island, to a variety of nearby beaches. The city provides plenty of opportunities for entertainment including water sports, mountaineering, nightclubs, and restaurants. At the same time, this city illuminates issues resulting from joining the global economy while addressing inequalities left over from a history of colonialism and apartheid.
Academics
Students on the CIEE: Cape Town Arts and Sciences program will take courses at the University of Cape Town, alongside UCT undergraduates. In order to have an idea of what classes are available at UCT, you can visit the CIEE web page. Courses can also be found on the University of Cape Town website. Please note that not all courses listed on the UCT website may be available to visiting students.
Students are required to enroll in at least one course with specific African content or one that offers a distinctive African perspective in their area of interest, plus two or three elective courses. In addition to UCT courses, students also have the option of taking the CIEE Living and Learning Seminar. The Seminar on Living and Learning in Cape Town is designed to improve students’ intercultural communication and competence while studying abroad by considering how South Africans are different from and similar to themselves and others. The course offers opportunities, both in and outside the classroom, to develop insights and the skills necessary to interact effectively and appropriately, and to gain a better understanding and appreciation of the cultural richness of South Africa.
You will need to be sure that you are registered as a full time student according to CIEE and Rutgers University. That means you will need to take 16-18 credits while abroad. The credit translation system between CIEE and Rutgers University is 1:1, meaning a 3-credit course at CIEE will also be a 3-credit course on your Rutgers University transcript. It is not possible to take classes as not-for-credit or pass/fail. For information about Study Abroad credit transfer, registration, and transcripts please visit the Academics section of our website.
Housing and Meals
CIEE students have three housing options for the semester at UCT:
UCT Residence Hall — Students live in apartment-style UCT residence halls with South African or other African students. Students have small single rooms and share kitchen and other facilities with two or three other students. CIEE Resident Assistants live in the residence hall with the students. Students are responsible for their own meals which are not included in the program fee. Students can prepare their own meals or eat at establishments on or off campus. Please note that amenities are more basic in the UCT residences, but students looking for an immersion experience will enjoy interacting with South African and other African students. Shuttle buses link UCT residence halls with all UCT campuses, a five-minute ride.
Off-Campus Houses or Apartments — Students share off-campus houses or apartments near campus with fellow CIEE program participants and local students. Students have small single rooms (some houses have a small number of double rooms) and share kitchen and other facilities with five to ten other students (fewer in apartments). Students are responsible for their own meals which are not included in the program fee. Students can prepare their own meals or eat at establishments on or off campus. Local UCT students (CIEE Resident Assistants) are selected to live in off-campus houses with CIEE students.
Homestay with South African Family — This option provides an excellent opportunity for immersion into the local culture and is strongly recommended for students who wish to take full advantage of their experience in South Africa. Breakfast and dinner are provided during the week. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided on weekends. Lunches during the week are not included in the program fee and are the responsibility of the student. Since homestay families are located throughout the Cape Town area, students are required in most cases to utilize public transportation to and from UCT, a 20–30 minute commute.
Internet
Students have access to email and the Internet at the University of Cape Town. On campus, the labs can be crowded and often full, but off-campus Internet cafés are inexpensive and easily accessible. Many students have brought laptops with them and are able to register their laptops and use them in the computer labs on campus. Wireless connections are available in the off-campus houses. Ethernet connections are available in the rooms at the UCT residence halls. Internet reliability and access is not always available at the same level as in the U.S.
Financial Information
Program Costs
| NJ Resident | non-NJ Resident | |
|---|---|---|
| Program cost | $22,000 | $25,900 |
Program Cost includes:
• Tuition
• Housing
• Some meals (for homestay option)
• Program excursions
• Administrative Fees
• Emergency Medical Access Abroad
• *Access Africa scholarship
Out-of-Pocket Costs
| **Airfare | $1,500 |
| Meals | $2,000 |
| Visa (Estimate is for US Citizens) | $135 |
| CIEE Deposit | $300 |
| Books and Classroom Materials | $150 |
| Local Transportation | $550 |
| Personal Expenses | $750 |
| Total | $5,385.00 |
Out-of-Pocket Cost includes:
The above costs are estimations and represent the known out-of-pocket costs students encounter during their time abroad.
Some of these expenses will be paid for prior to going abroad, such as an airline ticket and visa costs, while some of these expenses, such as meals and local transportation, will be paid in-country as part of your daily expenses. As you plan, you will need to budget these costs and spend wisely throughout your time abroad.
** FLIGHT SCHOLARSHIP - Access Africa flight vouchers (provided by the Mad Rose Foundation) roundtrip airfare assistance up to $2,000.
Program Costs
| NJ Resident | non-NJ Resident | |
|---|---|---|
| Program cost | $22,000 | $25,900 |
Program Cost includes:
• Tuition
• Housing
• Some meals (for homestay option)
• Program excursions
• Administrative Fees
• Emergency Medical Access Abroad
• *Access Africa scholarship
Out-of-Pocket Costs
| **Airfare | $1,500 |
| Meals | $2,000 |
| Visa (Estimate is for US Citizens) | $135 |
| CIEE Deposit | $300 |
| Books and Classroom Materials | $150 |
| Local Transportation | $550 |
| Personal Expenses | $750 |
| Total | $5,385.00 |
Out-of-Pocket Cost includes:
The above costs are estimations and represent the known out-of-pocket costs students encounter during their time abroad.
Some of these expenses will be paid for prior to going abroad, such as an airline ticket and visa costs, while some of these expenses, such as meals and local transportation, will be paid in-country as part of your daily expenses. As you plan, you will need to budget these costs and spend wisely throughout your time abroad.
** FLIGHT SCHOLARSHIP - Access Africa flight vouchers (provided by the Mad Rose Foundation) roundtrip airfare assistance up to $2,000.
Scholarships
Student Spotlight
"South Africa made me realize how much I played myself as an artist and as a woman. It allowed to cope through a difficult break-up, a death of a family member, and allowed me to understand the ways in which I could and will be navigating my mental health as an independent woman. I took agency to live 8,000 miles away from home for five months. Studying abroad grants you a sense of confidence you never knew existed. During the month that I extended my study abroad, South Africa had its very first AfroPunk festival that is big in Brooklyn every summer. I attended with one of my best friends that I made in South Africa and our fashion at the festival made both Vogue and Essence Magazine! You explore another part of the world, other cultures, other language(s), and other types of people as well as exploring parts of yourself. It’s impacted my life, my career path, my resilience, my independence, and my creative endeavors. I hope you will decide to follow your dreams of studying abroad. Take the leap."