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Study abroad in
South Africa

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Overview Cities Programs Points of Interest

Reach for a Higher Education

Study abroad in South Africa to forge a new, internationally sensitive consciousness. If you’re passionate about nature and the great outdoors, South Africa will delight you with its unusual landscape, wildlife, and opportunities for adventure. Go on a star-gazing safari with Astronomy Africa or opt for a traditional safari trip in Kruger National Park to see lions, buffalo, leopards, elephants, and rhinos. Hang out with African penguins at Boulders Beach while you swim and sunbathe. Go whale watching near the town of Hermanus, not far from Cape Town, or go cage diving with Great White sharks in Gansbaai. In the springtime, see fields of wildflowers in bloom at Namaqua National Park. Visit the Cradle of Humankind, the richest human fossil site in Africa where our species possibly originated. Ride a cable car up Table Mountain for incredible views of Cape Town. Hike the gorgeous, green slopes of Drakensburg and see the tallest waterfall in Africa, called Tugela, up close. When you’re in South Africa, you’ll reconnect with the beauty and wonder of the natural world.

Cities of South Africa

Cities of South Africa

Cape Town

This coastal city is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa, with an ethnically, racially, and religiously diverse population. Cape Town's vibrant culture and beautiful surrounding landscape make it an international crowd-pleaser.
Population
4.62 Million
Summer Temp
55 °F (12 °C)
Winter Temp
72 °F (22 °C)
Geography
Coastal
Sample Programs
  • Business
  • Cultural Studies
  • Engineering
  • Sciences
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South Africa offers so many different attractions to enjoy, you’ll find the right one for you no matter what you’re interested in. Take time to relax at the Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo KwaZulu Natal, where you can enjoy the zen garden, meditation hall, and views of the surrounding valleys and forests. Spend an afternoon at the Butterfly World Zoo in Stellenbosch, where hundreds of butterflies share the tropical gardens with small mammals, birds, and reptiles. Visit the Nelson Mandela Capture Site in KwaZulu-Natal to pay your respects to the country’s most famous figure. Ride a train through the South African countryside, from Cape Town to another big city or smaller town. Spend a day in the Winelands for beautiful vineyard scenery, delicious food, and award-winning wine. Visit the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg to learn more about South Africa’s history of institutionalized racism. Wander through Montecasino Aviary to see over sixty different species of birds. Experience a variety of African cultures in Lesedi Cultural Village, where the traditions of different African peoples are displayed through dance, traditional houses, cuisine, and demonstrations.

Explore South Africa’s unique and interesting food with an open mind and an empty stomach. Start with the country’s national dish, called bobotie, for a flavorful dinner of baked, custard-covered minced meat. Seafood lovers will find delicious fish, mussels, crayfish, and more all along Cape Town’s coast. Do your grocery shopping at a local farmer’s market to experience the community while picking up some tasty ingredients. Try out wild game meat you won’t find back home or sample Cape Malay cuisine in the Bo-Kaap quarter of Cape Town. Head to Durban for some of the most authentic Indian food outside the motherland or to have a meal surrounded by floor-to-ceiling shark tanks in The Cargo Hold restaurant. Go on a comprehensive food tour of Africa in Johannesburg that includes a Congolese village, West African market, and Cameroonian eatery. Take your friends to a South African braai to join locals in their communal meal of barbecued meats. For dessert, order some malva pudding, a delicacy of Dutch origin.

Popular Programs

Popular Programs

Sciences & the Environment

Sciences & the Environment

University of Cape Town

With strong international and regional links, the 12 departments in the Faculty of Science at the University of Cape Town are renowned for excellence in research. Join around 1,500 other undergraduates to focus on the southern hemisphere’s oceans, skies, climate, and general environment. You’ll have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and a perspective on the challenges and opportunities throughout the African continent. Learn new and innovative ways to contribute to tackling today’s biggest questions in this Sciences & the Environment program in Cape Town.

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  • ST
  • SU
  • SE
  • YR
  • Starting at $20,895
Business & Economics

Business & Economics

University of Cape Town

Globalization has made the world of business smaller, more competitive, and more innovative. Understanding the changing international environment and developing the management skills needed to succeed are key for any new graduate today. Taking courses at UCT will engage you not only in learning those skills, but in honing your adaptability, creativity, and critical thinking. Whether you’re interested in investment, marketing, or leadership, the Business & Economics program in Cape Town will give you the edge you need to make a big next step.

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  • ST
  • SU
  • SE
  • YR
  • Starting at $20,895
Humanities, Social Sciences & Psychology

Humanities, Social Sciences & Psychology

University of Cape Town

Step into the Faculty of Humanities at UCT to explore one or more of the 17 departments and 30 academic majors. Join local and international students in learning how to think outside the box, ask questions to solve real-world problems, and delve into a uniquely South African perspective. Debate, talk, and learn with students from 44 countries to study everything from philosophy to history, religion to education, and development to political science. Take a seat in a Cape Town classroom to flip your perspective while also earning credit towards your major back in the U.S.

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  • ST
  • SU
  • SE
  • YR
  • Starting at $20,895
Engineering & Computer Science

Engineering & Computer Science

University of Cape Town

Step into a university where your courses will directly address concerns like water scarcity, urbanization, sustainability, and alternative energy. As the Dean of the UCT Engineering & the Built Environment Professor Alison Lewis says, “The Fourth Industrial Revolution will bring unique opportunities for engineering and built environment professionals to address environmental issues and redesign how we manage.” With access to faculty and more than 20 active research groups, students in the Engineering & Computer Science program will learn in state-of-the-art facilities alongside other motivated international and South African students.

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  • ST
  • SU
  • SE
  • YR
  • Starting at $20,895
VIEW ALL South Africa PROGRAMS

If you’re a creative person or drawn to the arts, South Africa’s rich culture of creativity will fascinate you and give you valuable insight into the country’s people and history. View some of the planet’s oldest human drawings in the caves of Drakensburg. Pose for a photo in front of the vibrant street art in Johannesburg and Cape Town. View the largest collection of contemporary African art on the continent at the Zeitz Museum. Discover South African jazz music at a jazz lounge and contemporary South African performers at one of the country’s many music festivals. Get into Cape Town’s underground music scene and listen to the anti-Apartheid songs that were inspirational to the political movement. Book lovers can check out the annual Franschhoek Literary Festival, which focuses on South African literature written in English, along with the Knysna Literary Festival and Cape Town’s Open Book Festival. The National English Literature Museum in Grahamstown gives you an alternative way to learn more about South African writers and their work. Independent bookstores abound in the country’s major cities, so if you’re looking for something to read in print, you won’t have any trouble finding it.

When you study abroad in South Africa, you’ll get the chance to share classroom space and community with black and white African students from all over the country and the continent and interact with other international students too. Develop the kind of intercultural awareness and intelligence you need in the globalized workforce, encounter one of South Africa’s many languages, and make advances toward your degree with engaging coursework in this complex setting.

South Africa Points of Interest

South Africa Points of Interest

  • SURFING AT MUIZENBERG BEACH Whether you’ve never surfed before or are a seasoned pro, test the waters with your board at Muizenberg Beach, where a gorgeous landscape of white sand and rolling waves awaits. Located just a 25 minute drive from campus, this is the perfect little getaway for nature lovers.
  • HIKE UP TABLE MOUNTAIN OR SIGNAL HILL With fantastic outdoor vistas right in your new backyard, a hike up Table Mountain or Signal Hill will allow you to see the beauty and splendor that makes Cape Town a number one tourist destination. Table Mountain was even voted one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2011. The mountain is home to more than 1400 floral species, as well as animals like mongooses, porcupines, peregrine falcons, and the rare Table Mountain Ghost Frog.
  • GROOTE AND KLEIN CONSTANTIA WINE ROUTE REGION The South African wine-making tradition goes back to the 1600s. Located in the Contantia Valley twenty minutes outside Cape Town, The Groot Constantia Estate is the oldest wine-producing farm in the region and claims to be the root of the South African wine industry. It’s up to you to decide how to enjoy the Cape Dutch architecture, lush countryside, and the local food and wine on your visit to the estate.
  • ROOT 66 MARKET This bustling famer’s market is hosted under the canopy of “marquees” tents surrounded by vineyards and trees. A funky fixture of Cape Town, you can find everything from antiques to gourmet hamburgers, organic fresh produce and jewelry here. Make this a place on your ‘to-visit’ list, rain or shine.