Destination UCT
The University of Cape Town is home to a vibrant, cosmopolitan community of over 27 000 students and 5 000 staff members from over 100 countries of the African continent and abroad.
The University of Cape Town (UCT) is South Africa's oldest university, founded in 1829. Renowned for its unique location at the foot of Cape Town's Table Mountain, the University is home to a vibrant, cosmopolitan community of over 27 000 students and 5 000 staff members from over 100 countries of the African continent and abroad.
UCT receives many visitors from around the world each year. Delegations from universities, government agencies, research institutions and other organisations visit the University to cement existing relationships and establish new ones. The University encourages such visits and considers them as an excellent way to build meaningful and productive relationships.
As UCT's in-house event organiser and professional conference organiser, the UCT Conference Management Centre has extensive knowledge of university protocols as well as suitable on-campus and off-campus venues and facilities available to visitors.
UCT prides itself to be an open campus: whether you are in town for an admissions information session, attending a conference or workshop, or you simply want to see the campus and its historic buildings – we invite you to explore our campus and its community.
While the main campus is set along the slopes of Table Mountain, there are other satellite facilities across the city centre and the suburbs. In total, the University campus comprises a 25 m2 area. Most facilities are within easy access to the Cape Town International Airport and major roads leading to Cape Town's city centre.
Things to do
Explore Cape Town and surrounds, see our Cape Town page for suggestions.
For on-campus activities, you don't have to venture far to explore these:
- Take yourself on a tour of UCT's Upper Campus and see the historic buildings
- Attend a performance at the Baxter Theatre or the Little Theatre
- Visit the Irma Stern Museum or the gallery at Michaelis School of Fine Art
Places to stay
The University regularly hosts visitors and has a variety of accommodation available on and off campus:
- All Africa House is UCT's on-campus B&B and provides accommodation for visiting academics, researchers and visitors on UCT-related business.
- Stay&Connect manages UCT's student residences that can be made available for holiday accommodation (during university holidays), large groups and student delegations.
- Protea Hotel Cape Town Mowbray and Protea Hotel Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge and are hotels close to Main Campus and Breakwater Campus in the city centre
Useful links
- To access UCT locations and a route map of the UCT bus (called "Jammie Shuttle"), see UCT campus maps
- To view directions to UCT locations and routes, see UCT route maps
- To find out what's happening at UCT, see UCT News