Spring Study Abroad Programs in South Africa

Live and study in one of the most beautiful parts of South Africa, featuring historic architecture, rich cultural heritage, and easy access to outdoor and sporting activities. Found in the heart of the wine country, Stellenbosch provides the region's cuisine, culture, and stunning scenery. It is surrounded by mountains in the Jonkershoek Valley and offers the best of both worlds: a small, historic university town with convenient access to the amenities of Cape Town's bigger metropolitan area. Stellenbosch University focuses on inclusivity and diversity, using academic excellence and research activities to find sustainable solutions to some of South Africa's and Africa's greatest challenges. Specifically, the university promotes a science-for-society approach aimed at improving people's lives by eradicating poverty and promoting human dignity and health, democracy and human rights, safety and security, and a sustainable environment and competitive industry. Have the opportunity to create an educational program that meets your personal and academic goals, choosing from courses in a variety of topics—many with a South African or African theme.

Traveling and seeing the world doesn’t necessarily mean taking a break from your studies. Study abroad with AIFS and broaden your academic knowledge while learning about foreign cultures! Serving more than 1.5 million students since 1964, AIFS is a recognized provider of study abroad programs. We offer a broad range of unique programs in the Americas, South Africa, Europe, Australia, and Asia. And you don’t even have to be proficient in a foreign language to join because most AIFS campuses conduct courses in English or other foreign languages across all levels. AIFS offers all-inclusive program fees, making it simple for students to experience everything the world has to offer while living and studying abroad! Most of all, we guarantee their safety and welfare anywhere they are.

Stellenbosch University offers a transformative study abroad experience in one of the most beautiful regions of the world. Renowned for academic excellence, the university provides diverse courses in business, arts, environmental science, and more, making it a top choice for students seeking a global education. Small class sizes and dedicated faculty ensure personalized learning in a supportive environment. This program is perfect for students eager to experience South Africa’s rich culture, history, and stunning landscapes. Participants earn transferable credits while building valuable skills and global connections. Nestled in the picturesque Cape Winelands, Stellenbosch combines vibrant town life with breathtaking natural beauty. From exploring historic vineyards to hiking mountain trails and visiting nearby Cape Town, every day offers new opportunities for discovery. Join Stellenbosch University and make your study abroad experience truly unforgettable!

Affectionately known as the Mother City, Cape Town was founded in 1652 and is South Africa's oldest city. Cape Town is rated as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with a backdrop of flat-topped Table Mountain juxtaposed by the sweep of the Atlantic Ocean in the foreground. Students can hike or take a cable car ride up Table Mountain to enjoy the breathtaking view of the city and peninsula, take a ferry to the historic Robben Island, or visit the Cape of Good Hope. The main teaching campus, known as Upper Campus, is centered on UCT's iconic Jameson Hall. This breathtaking location looks out onto the city and up at Devil's Peak. Upper Campus is home to the majority of academic buildings and our Cape Town office. UCT students get to enjoy over 30 different social clubs and sports throughout the semester.

Unlike traditional study abroad or tourism experiences, Semester at Sea offers a unique opportunity for deep, authentic engagement with countries and cultures around the globe. It's more than just the adventure of a lifetime. It's a transformative experience that will give you a global perspective to take on the challenges of tomorrow. Fall 2026: European, African, South American, and Asian Adventure Embark: September 9, IJmuiden, The Netherlands Disembark: Dec 22, Bangkok, Thailand Itinerary: Portugal, Morocco, Brazil, St. Helena, South Africa, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Hong Kong Spring 2027: Asia, Africa, and Europe Embark: Jan 5, Bangkok, Thailand Disembark: Apr 20, Bremerhaven, Germany Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, India, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco, Scotland

Situated on the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Town is a magical destination you can call home for one block – or up to three blocks – of your study abroad adventure through CIEE's Open Campus Block program. Spend six weeks - or up to 18 - studying history, politics, literature, film, gender studies, communication, community health, international relations, STEM, and more in English at CIEE Cape Town. Between classes, you're encouraged to explore Cape Town's 72 khaki-colored beaches, eat your fill of braai (BBQ), participate in excursions organized by CIEE, and form connections in the University of Cape Town's vibrant student community, conveniently located in the quaint residential Rondebosch district, near shops, cafés, and restaurants galore. Build your study abroad adventure! Designed for students requiring a flexible study abroad experience, CIEE's Open Campus Block program was thoughtfully structured to be completely customizable. Select one, two, or three six-week blocks per term at any CIEE Open Campus Block location. Choose from Berlin, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dublin, Kyoto, London, Madrid, Monteverde, Paris, Rome, Santiago, Shanghai, and more.

Seamester is the educational adventure of a lifetime! For more than 40 years, we have offered unparalleled educational voyages where students spend a semester at sea sailing between islands, countries, and even continents. We design our programs to provide engaging learning experiences with real outcomes in ways that are impossible to replicate in the traditional classroom. Living as part of a close-knit team on an ocean-going vessel, our students learn fundamental lessons beyond academics: teamwork, leadership, and personal responsibility. They receive academic credit from the University of South Florida, along with PADI scuba certifications and IYT sailing certifications. Our programs are designed to inspire students to realize that it’s the journey, not the destination, that matters the most.

IES Abroad offers 140+ programs in more than 35 locations worldwide for undergraduate students. We're a little obsessed with study abroad, and not at all ashamed to admit it. We are a highly-charged force of study abroad enthusiasts. Every day we have the privilege of witnessing how study abroad changes our students' lives. That's the reason we do what we do: to provide once-in-a-lifetime educational adventures. Everything we do is about the IES Abroad student. Our goal is to provide personal support and guidance throughout your application and enrollment process. Whether it's housing or cultural events or field trips, our job is to make sure you have the most authentic study abroad experience possible. Study with us for a summer, semester, or year. No matter the term, our world-class faculty and courses will engage you as you discover new ways of learning both inside and outside the classroom. How will study abroad redefine you? We can't wait to find out.

On South Africa: Multiculturalism and Human Rights examines historical and contemporary multiculturalism, ethnicity, and identity in South Africa. South Africa has made legislative strides in righting the wrongs of apartheid, but significant challenges remain. Historically, colonial and apartheid racial discrimination policies categorized people according to race, including Bantu (Black), Colored (those who are not categorized as Bantu or white), and the minority White. Law created a racial hierarchy with white people at the top of the pyramid, diminishing rights, access, and “human-ness” moving down the hierarchy and placing colored people as a buffer between those categorized as white and black. The cleavages of this legacy remain evident in the lived realities of South Africans. Starting from your base in Cape Town, learn how race relations continue to be shaped by a range of contested histories, politics, resistance, activism, and the deployment of rights-based rhetoric. Journey to key sites such as the Steve Biko Centre, where you will study the Black Consciousness Movement, and Robben Island, the prison that held the late South African President Nelson Mandela.

Whether it is in historic Rome or in romantic Paris, you will enjoy a truly enriching and exciting study experience abroad! Don’t miss this chance to broaden your knowledge while ticking off some items on your bucket list. Aligning a study abroad program with an engineering major can pose a challenge, especially if you want to stay on track for graduation. CEA recognizes this challenge; hence, we have carefully chosen international partner institutions that offer the courses you need to meet study goals on time. Spend a summer or semester studying engineering abroad with one of our partner institutions. Choose courses from a wide selection of subject areas, such as Aerospace, Civil, Petroleum, Biomedical, STEM programs, engineering-focused internships, as well as core engineering courses at CEA study centers. Or search for a program based on individual requirements and available in locations like Alicante, Buenos Aires, or Paris. While studying engineering abroad with CEA, increase your employability by building an international network, becoming acquainted with the global engineering environment, and beefing up your résumé with valuable skills and experiences.

Learn to integrate policy, scholarship, ethics, and participatory practice to achieve sustainable development goals. Starting in Quito, Ecuador, explore the challenges of one of the most biodiverse countries in the world while learning from faculty, guest lecturers, and experts in the field. Study ecological impacts, forest regeneration, sustainable land practices, and conservation on an excursion to northern Ecuador’s patchwork of cloud forests. The second semester unfolds in Africa, with time split between Cape Town, South Africa, and Lilongwe, Malawi. Over 15 weeks, you will engage in comparative analyses of design thinking, monitoring and evaluation, economics, resource management, health policy, and trade. In the final semester of this one-year program, you will spend 10 to 12 weeks in a full-time practicum in a role and location of your choice.

Are you a student or young professional looking to enhance your career prospects through international work experience and hands-on learning? At Intern Abroad HQ, we help students and young professionals turn career aspirations into reality. We organize affordable internships in 20 destinations across 24 career fields that are tailored to meet each individual’s academic, professional, or personal requirements. With over 200 internship programs across Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and South America to choose from, and options to intern from 2 weeks to 6 months either full-time or part-time, in-country or virtually, we facilitate career-enhancing experiences that work for you, not just the host organization. Intern Abroad HQ is proudly brought to you by the team behind International Volunteer HQ. We have collectively supported over 120,000 program participants since 2007 and are the only B Corp certified provider in our field.

Join us in Cape Town, South Africa, to study the complex issues that lead to gender inequality in the local townships. Students will be involved in assisting in breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. The majority of people living below the poverty line are women. Many girls are still denied basic education and women continue to dominate the world's illiterate population. While in South Africa you can apply your theoretical knowledge to help increase the opportunity for women in townships and rural communities to access quality education, health care and income initiatives.

Visit South Africa and Namibia, two countries with unique and multifaceted histories not often explored in depth in U.S. curricula. Each of these nations has struggled against the lasting impacts of colonialization, apartheid, the fight for liberation, and ethnic and racial tensions. This program examines how people can organize themselves toward positive social change and the triumph of the human spirit. Students gain hands-on work experience with an (optional) internship with a local organization. Earn credit in Political Science, Religion, Interdisciplinary Studies, or History. Students meet with members of the African National Congress and opposition parties, church leaders, feminists, human rights activists, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) representatives, and students and professors from the University of Namibia. Built-in excursions around both South Africa and Namibia help round out your holistic education in the region.

Deconstruct environmental and racial injustices felt today by examining the legacies of apartheid and colonization. Spend a semester in Namibia and South Africa, two countries with unique and multifaceted histories not often explored in depth in U.S. curricula. Each of these nations has struggled against the lasting impacts of colonialization, apartheid, the fight for liberation, and ethnic and racial tensions. "Decolonizing the Mind: Racial and Environmental Justice" program examines how people can organize themselves towards positive social change and the triumph of the human spirit. In addition to your academic courses, gain hands-on work experience in a development agency through an academic internship for credit. Courses are available across multiple subjects, including political science & government, religion, international studies, and history. This program, run by Augsburg University’s Center for Global Education and Experience, is open to undergraduate students from any U.S. or Canadian institution.

The Marine Biology Internship is an intensive skills-development program designed for students and early-career ocean enthusiasts who want structured, professional training in marine fieldwork. Based at Sharklife’s established field station in Sodwana Bay, the internship combines full scuba-diver development with guided field exercises that build real competence in marine environments. Participants learn reef and species identification, snorkel and scuba-based survey fundamentals, ocean-safety skills, ecological interpretation, and practical methods used in modern marine field training. All activities are taught by experienced instructors and follow a clear progression from foundational skills to more advanced field confidence. The program is entirely training-focused and does not involve participation in permitted research. It is ideal for students preparing for marine-science degrees, gap-year learners seeking strong field exposure, or anyone wanting structured, hands-on experience in a world-class marine environment. No prior diving experience is required.

The Wildlife Field Research & Ecology Program at Baobab Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) is an immersive two-week experience designed for anyone looking to build real-world research skills and ecological insight in Africa’s bushveld. Whether you're preparing for an independent research project, considering a career in conservation, or simply eager to move beyond the classroom, this intensive program will train you in core field techniques, from ethical data collection and species tracking to interpreting ecological patterns in wild environments. Based on a 1,200-hectare private reserve in Limpopo, South Africa, the program blends guided fieldwork with practical workshops and daily mentorship. Participants leave with the confidence, skills, and context needed to pursue more advanced research or further study. We don’t just teach you about wildlife. We show you how to read the bush.

Over three months, students have endless opportunities to gain hands-on experience learning clinical skills and providing care to South African animals in need. Plus, they can explore the rich cultural history and ecological diversity of South Africa during an immersive semester abroad. Gain valuable experience learning and implementing the important work conservation and zoo vets do while also enjoying free time visiting some of South Africa’s most popular sites and going on safari! This semester abroad is ideal for students interested in pre-veterinary medicine, animal science, wildlife conservation, zoology, or similar fields.

Become qualified to teach yoga online and anywhere in the world with our 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Course! Join us virtually, on Zoom, or in person at our studio in Somerset West, South Africa. The YTTC is suitable for people of all ages and at all stages of their yoga training. Our sessions in 2025 are as follows: May 10 & 11, 24 & 25, 31 June 01, 8 & 9, 21 & 22, 28 & 29 July 12 & 13 We hold daily classes from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. If you’re interested in studying with us in person, we can arrange housing accommodation, meals, transportation, and other aspects of your travel for an additional cost. Just let us know what you need. Feel free to inquire today, and we’ll gladly answer your questions.