Marine Conservation Volunteer Program in South Africa
Program Overview
Experience what it’s like to work as a marine scientist and professional diver whilst helping with vital ocean conservation projects. During this program you’ll live and work in the greater Cape Town region and conduct underwater research in a global hotspot for marine biodiversity.
You’ll join a marine field station dedicated to furthering knowledge of our oceans so as to develop effective methods of protecting marine life and ecosystems. Based in an area of unique significance for marine science, False Bay, they conduct a range of research projects to better understand marine life and identify its greatest threats. A large part of their work relies on citizen science which they use as a means of mass data collection and broadening the reach of their community engagement and awareness drives. This is where you come in.
Working as part of a team of passionate, experienced marine scientists you’ll go on research dives, survey populations of marine species, monitor habitats, and help their citizen science activities & eco-tourism expeditions. Aside from helping with important research ocean conservation work, you’ll get to experience training divers and leading them on dives.
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Program Highlights
What's Included
Quick Details
- 2-4 Weeks
- 5-8 Weeks
- 1-2 Weeks
- Marine Conservation
- Albanian
- American
- Andorran
- Antarctica
- Antiguan & Barbudan
- Argentinian
- Armenian
- Aruban
- Asian
- Australian
- Austrian
- Azerbaijani
- Bahamian
- Bahraini
- Barbadian
- Belarusian
- Belgian
- Belizean
- Bermudian
- Bhutanese
- Bissau-Guinean
- Bolivian
- Bonaire
- Bosnian
- Brazilian
- British
- British Virgin Islander
- Bruneian
- Bulgarian
- Cambodian
- Canadian
- Cape Verdean
- Caymanian
- Channel Islander
- Chilean
- Chinese
- Colombian
- Comoran
- Cook Islander
- Costa Rican
- Creole
- Croatian
- Cuban
- Curacao
- Cypriot
- Czech
- Danish
- Dominican
- Dutch
- Ecuadorian
- Egyptian
- Emirati
- English
- Estonian
- European
- Fijian
- Finnish
- French
- Georgian
- German
- Gibraltarian
- Greek
- Greenlandic
- Grenadian
- Guadeloupian
- Guatemalan
- Guinean
- Guyanese
- Haitian
- Hawaiian
- Honduran
- Hungarian
- I-Kiribati
- Icelandic
- Indonesian
- Iranian
- Iraqi
- Irish
- Israeli
- Italian
- Jamaican
- Japanese
- Jordanian
- Kazakhstani
- Kittitian, Nevisian
- Kiwi
- Korean
- Kuwaiti
- Kyrgyzstani
- Lao or Laotian
- Latvian
- Lebanese
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuanian
- Luxembourg
- Macedonian
- Malagasy
- Malaysian
- Maldivian
- Malian
- Maltese
- Manx
- Marshallese
- Martiniquais
- Mauritanian
- Mauritian
- Mexican
- Micronesian
- Moldovan
- Monegasque
- Mongolian
- Montenegrin
- Montserratian
- Moroccan
- multi
- Myanmar
- Nauruan
- Nepalese
- New Caledonian
- Ni-Vanuatu
- Nicaraguan
- Niuean
- Norwegian
- Omani
- Palauan
- Palestinian
- Panamanian
- Papua New Guinean
- Paraguayan
- Peruvian
- Polish
- Polynesian
- Portuguese
- Puerto Rican
- Qatari
- Reunionese
- Romanian
- Russian
- Saban
- Sahrawian, Sahraouian
- Saint Helenian
- Saint Lucian
- Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
- Salvadoran
- Sammarinese
- Samoan
- Sao Tomean
- Saudi Arabian
- Scottish
- Serbian
- Serbian; Montenegrin
- Seychelles
- Singaporean
- Slovak
- Slovenian
- Solomon Islander
- Spanish
- St. Barts
- Statian
- Swedish
- Swiss
- Syrian
- Tahiti
- Taiwanese
- Tajikistani
- Thai
- The Vatican
- Tibet
- Timorese
- Tongan
- Trinidadian, Tobagonian
- Turkish
- Turkmen
- Turks and Caicos
- Tuvaluan
- Ukrainian
- Uruguayan
- Uzbekistani
- Venezuelan
- Vietnamese
- Virgin Islander
- Welsh
- Yemeni
- Surinamese
Updated Jan 15, 2026
Program Details
Learn all the nitty gritty details you need to know
Locations
- Cape Town, South Africa
Eligible Nationalities
- Albanian
- American
- Andorran
- Antarctica
- Antiguan & Barbudan
- Argentinian
- Armenian
- Aruban
- Asian
- Australian
- Austrian
- Azerbaijani
- Bahamian
- Bahraini
- Barbadian
- Belarusian
- Belgian
- Belizean
- Bermudian
- Bhutanese
- Bissau-Guinean
- Bolivian
- Bonaire
- Bosnian
- Brazilian
- British
- British Virgin Islander
- Bruneian
- Bulgarian
- Cambodian
- Canadian
- Cape Verdean
- Caymanian
- Channel Islander
- Chilean
- Chinese
- Colombian
- Comoran
- Cook Islander
- Costa Rican
- Creole
- Croatian
- Cuban
- Curacao
- Cypriot
- Czech
- Danish
- Dominican
- Dutch
- Ecuadorian
- Egyptian
- Emirati
- English
- Estonian
- European
- Fijian
- Finnish
- French
- Georgian
- German
- Gibraltarian
- Greek
- Greenlandic
- Grenadian
- Guadeloupian
- Guatemalan
- Guinean
- Guyanese
- Haitian
- Hawaiian
- Honduran
- Hungarian
- I-Kiribati
- Icelandic
- Indonesian
- Iranian
- Iraqi
- Irish
- Israeli
- Italian
- Jamaican
- Japanese
- Jordanian
- Kazakhstani
- Kittitian, Nevisian
- Kiwi
- Korean
- Kuwaiti
- Kyrgyzstani
- Lao or Laotian
- Latvian
- Lebanese
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuanian
- Luxembourg
- Macedonian
- Malagasy
- Malaysian
- Maldivian
- Malian
- Maltese
- Manx
- Marshallese
- Martiniquais
- Mauritanian
- Mauritian
- Mexican
- Micronesian
- Moldovan
- Monegasque
- Mongolian
- Montenegrin
- Montserratian
- Moroccan
- multi
- Myanmar
- Nauruan
- Nepalese
- New Caledonian
- Ni-Vanuatu
- Nicaraguan
- Niuean
- Norwegian
- Omani
- Palauan
- Palestinian
- Panamanian
- Papua New Guinean
- Paraguayan
- Peruvian
- Polish
- Polynesian
- Portuguese
- Puerto Rican
- Qatari
- Reunionese
- Romanian
- Russian
- Saban
- Sahrawian, Sahraouian
- Saint Helenian
- Saint Lucian
- Saint Vincentian or Vincentian
- Salvadoran
- Sammarinese
- Samoan
- Sao Tomean
- Saudi Arabian
- Scottish
- Serbian
- Serbian; Montenegrin
- Seychelles
- Singaporean
- Slovak
- Slovenian
- Solomon Islander
- Spanish
- St. Barts
- Statian
- Swedish
- Swiss
- Syrian
- Tahiti
- Taiwanese
- Tajikistani
- Thai
- The Vatican
- Tibet
- Timorese
- Tongan
- Trinidadian, Tobagonian
- Turkish
- Turkmen
- Turks and Caicos
- Tuvaluan
- Ukrainian
- Uruguayan
- Uzbekistani
- Venezuelan
- Vietnamese
- Virgin Islander
- Welsh
- Yemeni
- Surinamese
- This Program is also open to Solo
Education Levels & Language
- Education
- Any/All Education Levels Accepted
Accommodation Options
- Dormitory
- Group living
Application Procedures
- Resume
- Online Application
Age Requirement
18-35
Duration
- 2-4 Weeks
- 5-8 Weeks
- 1-2 Weeks
Starts At
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FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to all the most common questions about Roots Interns.
Do I need to be a qualified diver to apply?
No, you will be able to receive training whilst at the marine field station, however prior experience is beneficial.
What is there to do during time off?
Simon’s Town has a selection of restaurant and bars, there are remarkable hikes in the region, and you will also be a short drive from Cape Town for weekend visits.
Where will my accommodation be?
Volunteer’s accommodation is organized on a case-by-case basis. You stay in a rental property within walking distance of the marine field station in Simon’s Town.
Recognitions & Awards
Awards and accreditations earned by this provider
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