Information for term Arts + Sciences
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
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Follow our Travels:
Unique Experiences
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Connect
with a South African family in a homestay.
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Serve
Cape Town people in need – students say it is a pinnacle of their study abroad experience.
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Live and learn
where natural beauty and outdoor fun are part of everyday life.
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official languages
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UNESCO World Heritage Sites
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curves on the breathtaking Chapman’s Peak Drive
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Location & Culture
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Your Destination
With a glorious climate and natural icons like Table Mountain and stunning beaches, it is no wonder that Cape Town is Africa’s number-one tourist destination. Day and night, this multicultural city offers much to do: water sports, mountaineering, nightclubs, and restaurants. As a microcosm of many African countries in transition, Cape Town also illuminates the issues of joining the global economy while grappling with vast socioeconomic inequalities born from its colonial and apartheid past.
The Culture
EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES
- Explore iconic sites like the Cape Peninsula, Cape Flats, and Robben Island.
- Join local fans at Newlands Stadium to watch cricket or rugby.
- See culture come to life with theater, music, and dance productions.
- Visit rural cooperatives to experience daily life beyond the city.
- Immerse yourself in campus life at the University of Cape Town by joining a social, sport, or cultural club – select up to three activities, and we’ll cover the cost.
PROJECTS
Volunteering: Receive more than you give by participating in an Impact Project in a local community or giving your time on a weekly basis by tutoring students, working with health and medical organizations, providing services for the homeless, or using your administrative skills for the benefit of a local organization.
Peer-to-peer connections: Resident Assistants (RAs) are top UCT students, recruited and trained by CIEE to help with cultural excursions, live with CIEE students in UCT residence halls or CIEE’s off-campus apartments, and introduce CIEE students to the UCT campus community.
Program Blogs
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Daily Life
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HOUSING
Residence Halls: At the University of Cape Town, students live in apartment-style residence halls with other African students. Students have small single rooms, and share kitchen and other facilities with two or three students. Residents share basic cleaning duties. Facilities are basic, but provide great opportunities to interact with African students. Residence halls are a five-minute (free) shuttle bus ride from campus.
Homestays: A limited number of homestay opportunities are available. Living with a South African family allows students to maximize cultural immersion. Families live throughout the Cape Town area, and students take public transportation to and from the Global Institute.
Shared Apartments: Students share apartments near campus with fellow CIEE Study Abroad program participants and Resident Assistants (RAs). There is a combination of both single and double rooms within the apartments. These are allocated randomly. Students share kitchen and other facilities with five to 10 students. All residents of the apartments share basic cleaning duties.
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MEALS
Homestays: Breakfast and dinner are provided on weekdays. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided on weekends. Students are responsible for lunch on weekdays.
UCT Residence Halls and Shared Apartments: Students are responsible for all meals. They can prepare their own meals at their hall or apartment, or eat on or off campus.
Cape Town, South Africa Where You'll Study
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CIEE STUDY CENTER
UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
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Getting Around
Students take a free university shuttle to get from their housing to campus.
Academics
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Students participate in a variety of cultural activities and are strongly encouraged to participate in community service opportunities offered by UCT and CIEE.
University of Cape Town (UCT) Established as South African College in 1829, UCT is internationally recognized as one of Africa’s leading research universities, with beautiful grounds and attractive buildings. The UCT campus includes a range of commercial, medical, recreational, and sporting facilities.
GPA
3.0
Language Prerequisites
There are no specific language requirements for this program.
Additional Requirements
Minimum of sophomore standing by time of application.
Program Requirements
Students must enroll in 3-4 courses for 15-18 U.S. semester credits (or approximately 70-82 local HEQF credits)
- At least 1 course must have specific African content or offer an African perspective. Most UCT courses fulfill this requirement (applicable through spring 2020)
- Students may take all UCT courses or a combination of UCT and CIEE courses
Program Credit
Total credit: 15-18 U.S. semester/22.5-27 quarter credits
Course Credit
- CIEE courses: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 45 contact hours
- CIEE Directed Independent Research: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 15 contact hours, 100-120 research hours
- University of Cape Town (UCT) courses: typically, 2.5-6.5 U.S. semester/3.75-9.75 quarter credits; typically, 120-300 notional hours
Academic Culture
Students typically find that UCT courses require greater responsibility and initiative in a less structured environment than they are accustomed to. It is important to be motivated, self-sufficient, and deeply interested in the subject matter. Teaching methods at UCT include a mixture of lectures, tutorials, seminars, and, in the sciences, laboratory classes. CIEE courses are designed to follow U.S. academic culture and standards. The class environment typically features a combination of traditional lecture and discussion with co-curricular excursions and activities. Heavy emphasis is placed on student participation. To avoid falling behind, students should not plan personal travel out of the city when classes are in session.
Class Format
Classes are scheduled Monday-Friday and typically meet two to three times per week. Attendance is strictly enforced. Students should expect an average of two hours of preparation required for each hour in class. UCT courses include UCT undergraduates and CIEE courses are for CIEE students only. Class sizes at UCT range from 100 to 300 with larger lectures and smaller tutorials (sections) of 20 to 40 students.
Grading
UCT courses all include continuous assessment, with 50% of the final grade based on the final exam, which is moderated by external examiners. Grades are based on a South African scale of 100 and later converted to the U.S. system of A-F. For CIEE courses, the U.S. grading scale of A-F is used. Students are graded based on their attendance, class participation, homework, project work, presentations, and midterm and final examinations. The assessment of learning outcomes is continuous through these methods of evaluation as set out in course syllabi.
Language of Instruction
English
Courses
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- University of Cape Town follows the South African Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF) credit system.
- 1 HEQF credit typically equals .222 U.S. semester credits and represents approximately 10 notional hours
- Most courses are worth 12-30 HEQF credits
- Courses may be taken in all University of Cape Town Departments, except Health Sciences and the Graduate School of Business.
- Students applying for the Directed Independent Research are required to submit additional materials during the course selection process.
Fall 2021 Courses and syllabi will be available here in January 2021.
Host Institution Courses
Click to OpenUNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
Below is a list of the faculties available at University of Cape Town. For specific course listings, please refer to the UCT website. Please note that not all courses within UCT faculties or departments are suitable for program participants, and many have pre-requisites.
Faculty of Commerce
Accounting
Actuarial Science
Economics
Information Systems
Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
Architecture and Planning
Faculty of Humanities
African Languages and Literature
African Studies
Afrikaans and Netherlandic Studies
Classics
Drama
English Literature
Fine Art
Hebrew and Jewish Studies
History
History of Art
Independent Research
Linguistics
Music
Philosophy
Political Studies
Psychology
Religious Studies
Social Anthropology
Sociology
Theory of Literature
Faculty of Science
Archaeology
Astronomy
Botany
Chemistry
Computer Science
Environmental and Geographical Science
Geological Sciences
Mathematics
Oceanography
Physics
Statistical Sciences
Zoology
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
Scholarships
Click to OpenScholarships & Grants
CIEE offers more than $8 million in scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
- Stohl International Undergraduate Research Scholarships
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application. Learn more at the Scholarships & Grants section of our website.
See more scholarship infoDates & Fees
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You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance with no hidden charges.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
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| Fall 2021 19 weeks | Apr 1, 2021 | Jul 4, 2021* | Nov 16, 2021* |
$19,850
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Program FeesCIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits. Participation Confirmation = $300 * Educational Costs = $14,818 ** Housing = $4,565 *** Insurance = $167 Total Fees = $19,850Estimated CostsStudents are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration. Meals not included in program fee = $1,650 † International Airfare = $1,100 †† Local Transportation = $350 Books & Supplies = $250 Potential travel to consulate for visa = $500 Personal expenses = $2,000 Total Estimated Costs = $5,850Financial AidCIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants. This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time. Students required by their US home institution to study abroad via CIEE's School of Record will be charged a $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed. * non-refundable ** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students *** students placed in homestays will have breakfast and dinner provided during the week and three meals a day on weekends † for dormitory and off-campus houses or apartments; homestay students only need to budget for lunches during the week, estimated at $600 per semester †† round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
Looking for funding?
What's Included
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Our Staff
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Lara Dunwell
Director
Lara has a Master’s in English Language and Literature from UCT, and currently serves on the management council of the International Education Association of South Africa.
Get Started
Here's what you need to do to take the next steps:-
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START AN APPLICATION
Apply Now
You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience! -
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CONNECT WITH YOUR CAMPUS STUDY ABROAD OFFICE
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad. -
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Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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