- Home
- Providers
- Back
- IES Abroad
- IES Abroad Cape Town – University of Cape Town




IES Abroad Cape Town – University of Cape Town
by: IES Abroad
Field experience in and around Cape Town is a core component in our Cape Town Direct Enrollment - University of Cape Town program. Enroll in an IES Abroad field experience course focusing on environmental studies, health studies, or management, and take the rest of your classes at the renowned University of Cape Town. Through these opportunities, you will get a first-hand look at the city's so...
Field experience in and around Cape Town is a core component in our Cape Town Direct Enrollment - University of Cape Town program. Enroll in an IES Abroad field experience course focusing on environmental studies, health studies, or management, and take the rest of your classes at the renowned University of Cape Town. Through these opportunities, you will get a first-hand look at the city's society and landscape which are constantly changing. You also travel to Kruger National Park for a three-hour game drive with one of Kruger's experienced game rangers on an IES Abroad field trip. Enjoy living in a furnished house or apartment with other IES Abroad students.
Program Highlights
Enroll in an IES Abroad-taught field experience course that includes a field placement at a local organization
Take the rest of your courses at South Africa's leading research university, the University of Cape Town (UCT) nestled into the beautiful slopes of Devil's Peak
Live with other IES Abroad students and a residential advisor in a fully-furnished house or apartment
Travel to Kruger National Park and Soweto, Johannesburg's historic township, on an IES Abroad field trip
Immerse yourself in the local culture with a weekend homestay visit in an indigenous African or Coloured (mixed race) township in the Cape Town region
Media Gallery









Quick Details
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Academic Year
- Spring
- Fall
- African Studies
- Business
- Development Studies
- Engineering
- Environmental Studies
- See more
- All Nationalities
Awards














Program Reviews
Hear what past participants have to say about the programs
Overall Rating
Total Reviews
Six weeks of bliss!
by: Mary Kaitlin Enright - United StatesProgram: IES Abroad Cape Town – University of Cape TownThis program, city, and everything about it are incredible, and definitely worth your while. Together, they created a memorable study abroad experience that I will never forget! Even though I was only participate in the first six weeks of my program due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I wouldn't take back my decision to go for anything. Why? 1. The people! Everybody in Cape Town, especially the IES Centre staff, are supportive, welcoming, and lovely human beings who not only want you to acclimate comfortably and succeed, but more so to have the best experience possible -- and work to make sure you do! 2. The place! South Africa as a whole and Cape Town specifically is an incredible place to spend a semester abroad. Not only is there a rich and exciting culture to explore, the beautiful landscape of the location is a jungle gym for explorers, adventurers, and city walkers alike. Even the campus itself is beautiful-- you'll gaze in astonishment every day you're there! 3. The opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone: Cape Town is a ways away, and may seem like a culture much unlike our own. But, it is nothing to be afraid of! This program will challenge you for the better and expand your horizons to experience something new and unlike what you have before. I highly recommend this program!
My study abroad experience was the most transformational experience I have had in life.
by: Ameer Dunston - United StatesProgram: IES Abroad Cape Town – University of Cape TownThere will always be something I can say about my study abroad experience! My favorite part was the service-learning component. I volunteered with three organizations. The organizations were SoZo Fou ndation, SHAWCO Education, and WordWorks. Additionally, the most beneficial class I took abroad was Community Development in Context. (South Africa)

My experience exceeded my expectations
by: Victoria Blackham - United StatesProgram: IES Abroad Cape Town – University of Cape TownI studied in Cape Town, South Africa for six months with IES. The program was supportive in terms of responding to students' needs, arranging an orientation with lots of culturally immersive activities, and educating us about local culture. I would say there was less support once the semester got underway. We had lots of freedom but also had the security of knowing there was a fully staffed office just down the road from our accommodation to answer any questions we had. The field trips throughout the semester were well-planned and lots of fun. I only took courses at the University of Cape Town, but the program also offered classes at the IES Center. I was fairly disappointed with the quality of the academics at the University. The different grading system, lack of clear grading criteria, and general unorganized nature of the classes was frustrating at times. However, learning more about the culture through the classes was a huge part of my experience. The classes changed my perspective on different ideologies I held which I now realize were the result of only taking classes from a western perspective before attending UCT. Obviously, IES has no control over the academics at the University, but they did act as a liason if any issues arose between students and professors/admin. The academics were challenging and classes required a lot of dedication to receive high marks. The local culture was easy to adapt to because everyone spoke English and people were generally very friendly and willing to talk to you. There were lots of clubs to get involved in at the University and endless activities in the area to participate in. Honestly, the people who had the best experiences tended to be open to the opportunities available. I rarely said no to doing anything while I was there and ended up having an incredible semester. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking for a study abroad experience with opportunities beyond what a typical European program would offer, since Cape Town not only had an amazing nightlife but also hiking, service learning opportunities, and the chance to be immersed in a non-westernized culture.

Program Details
Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know
Locations
- Cape Town, South Africa
Types and Subjects
- Subjects & Courses
- African Studies
- Business
- Development Studies
Availability
Years Offered: 2020,Year Round
Age Requirement
Age Requirement Varies
Guidelines
- All Nationalities
Cost per week
Accommodation Options
- Apartment/Flat
- Dormitory
Qualifications & Experience
- High school graduate, diploma or the equivalent (for example: GED)
Application Procedures
- Transcript
- Online Application
Interviews
Read interviews from alumni or staff

Jordan Corp
Participated in 2012
Before study abroad, Jordan was a college student commuting from home, who had lived in the same zip code for all his life and never ventured outside ...

Jordan Corp
Participated in 2012
I had never been outside the country before and originally paid no attention to the study abroad opportunities in front of me. I assumed that studying abroad was not financially feasible for me as a student putting himself through school. As I looked in to the programs a bit more, I gradually discovered that several of my initial impressions were wrong and that it was in fact a possibility. It was an honest life goal of mine to get to Cape Town, South Africa and IES Abroad made this goal a reality.

Ted Ling Hu
Participated in 2015
Ted was born in Taiwan, but grew up in South Africa and didn’t go back to Taiwan until he was 12 years old. He is currently living in the U.S., where ...

Anna Metcalf
Participated in 2016
Originally from Seattle, Anna attends school in Rochester, New York, where she is majoring in anthropology. She went to Malawi in the summer of 2015 f...

Anna Metcalf
Participated in 2016
I think I was inspired to go abroad because of my sister. When I was ten or eleven, she went to Greece for two weeks and brought back a multitude of stories and pictures. As I was looking through her photos, I found myself thinking, "I want to travel someday." And then the summer after my sophomore year in college, I went to Malawi on a fieldwork class offered by my university and lived in a rural village for three weeks. That's how it all started, and the travel bug hasn't left me alone since.
Related Programs
Browse programs you might like