Accommodation and Housing
The International Office is here to support and assist with accommodation and housing queries. It is recommended that you make arrangements for housing before travelling to Cape Town.
Please complete the accommodation webform. Your response will assist in recommending the best suited options for you to consider both on and off-campus.
Options for housing include:
UCT on-campus accommodation
If you are applying for accommodation in a student residence, your application must be submitted by the same time as your application to study at UCT and by no later than 31 July of the year in which you submit your application for study in the next calendar year. No late applications will be considered. Should your application be successful, you will be allocated to a particular residence by the SHAAS office.
Semester Study Abroad students arriving in the second semester will also be provided with information on the housing application process for on and off-campus housing.
UCT provides different on-campus accommodation for undergraduate and postgraduate students and housing is allocated through a tiered system and consists of three tiers.
Please familiarise yourself with the General Housing Handbook 2023 as well as the Fees Information and deadlines. Please reach out to iapo-housing@uct.ac.za f you require support with unpacking some details of the handbook.
Once you receive a letter of offer for housing it is important that you confirm your acceptance of the offer as soon as possible to secure your place. Should you receive an offer for a housing in a UCT residence, you ought to secure your residence offer within the specified period and online as outlined in offer letter. Failure to secure your offer will result in your offer being cancelled.
The University of Cape Town has over 29 000 students, but unfortunately can only offer accommodation in a university residence to 6 000 students. Therefore, the demand is high and by far exceeds availability.
Off-campus private accommodation
For those not staying in university residences, there is a range of private accommodation in the area surrounding campus.
If you are keen to host international students, please complete the private landlord accommodation webform.
The accommodation webform shared with you above, will provide insight to your preferences and budget to make suitable recommendations. You are also welcome to check the UCT off-campus accommodation noticeboard or you could also email iapo-housing@uct.ac.za for additional recommendations.
Please note that any contract entered into is between the Landlord and yourself, and that UCT is not part of the contract. However, together with the OCSAS office, advocacy services will be provided, as and when requested.
Please ensure that you are familiar with all private accommodation cancelation policies, and you are encouraged to familiarise yourself with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 (CPA) and the Rental Housing Act No. 50 of 1999.
Both off-campus accommodation options, through the UCT OCSAS and IAPO are vetted by a UCT staff member to ensure that the property meets the minimum norms and standards for student housing.
Once housing is identified, students need to liaise directly with the landlord when interested.
If you have any further queries about UCT Accommodation, please email iapo-housing@uct.ac.za