At UCT, we prioritise support for talented students who lack the necessary funding to complete their studies. Our approach is that no deserving student should be left behind because of financial barriers. We have expanded our financial aid and bursary support to create pathways for different groups of students. However, our resources are limited. It appears that the number of students who are eligible for this kind of support is growing. This is why our parents, guardians and fee-payers are crucial in helping us to address this challenge by timeous payment of fees.

Some of the support measures we have in place include the VC Scholarship, which is valued at R100,000 per year for three years which students can use to offset any outstanding fees that they owe. In addition, we have partnered with the private sector to provide bursaries and scholarship. Local and international companies such as Eskom, Sasol, Nedbank, Old Mutual, Amazon, Google and many more have partnered with UCT to help fund student success.

The Swiss government excellence awards support postgraduate students in particular. We do provide and secure funding for household that are earning between R350,000 and R600,000 annually. In addition, because we understand that households are stretched, we provide a 20% discount for families with two or more undergraduate siblings at UCT. This approach to funding students is about equity and affordability. We are continually looking for new opportunities to grow our funding capability however, it is important to emphasise the significant constraints that we operate under.

Payment of fees is critical for the university to meet its operating responsibilities. Unfortunately, historical debt and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) accommodation cap is exposing to a liquidity risk and threatens our sustainability as a university. We continue to engage with NSFAS on the accommodation cap and, we encourage those of our students who are employed and have historical debt, to settle their debt.

UCT does not charge a registration fee, yet. In terms of a policy to address liquidity risk, we require that returning students reduce their debt to below R10,000 to enable enrolment.

The interest we charge on late fees by Council-approved policy. It is the responsibility of a fee-payer who is experiencing challenges with paying fees, to be proactive and engage with the university directly.

The 2026 fees schedule will be finalized by UCT Council at its meeting in December. The first payment on fees is ordinarily due in the first week of February, with the last payment being due on 31 July. This deadline used to be 30 June which was revised it to allow families the additional time in which to settle their fee accounts. If we were to stretch this deadline any further, this would have a significant impact on our cash flow and that would not work. What we do as well as a university is that we make efforts to be fair and flexible. For example, if a student is awaiting a loan, we can and do extend the payment terms deadline to 31 March for the first payment (instead of February), but we would need a confirmation from the bank. The university does have an existing MOA in place with Standard Bank that ensures no surety is required and that interest that is being charged on that loan is favorable (not at commercial rates). We encourage students to consider these opportunities alongside other financial aid offerings available at UCT. Parents and students should make contact with financial aid officers to explore available solutions.

It is very important to note is that at UCT, our fees are all inclusive. The cost of living in Cape Town is higher than compared to any parts of this country. UCT fees cover things like: tuition, exams, library access, use of UCT shuttles, insurance, sports facilities and additional resources. All of these aspects are incorporated into our fee structure to ensure that our students are not differentiated and that there are no surprises when you receive your fee statement at the end of the month. At UCT, the only thing that our fee schedule does not cover is the cost of textbooks.

UCT does not levy interest on the arranged payment terms for students who are on financial aid.

Information on funding for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies is available on our Fees and Funding web pages. This same web page contains links to the UCT Fees Handbook (you can download this); information on the various categories of scholarships as well as a link to the Bursaries noticeboard. We encourage direct contact with both the UCT Fees Office as well as the UCT Student Financial Aid Office.

UCT continues to engage NSFAS on these matters and we are working with Faculties and donors to address this risk. However, because of NSFAS constraints, this remains a serious challenge.

The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) prohibits us from disclosing any personal information about a student, including their academic performance, to any third party without the student's written consent. This includes parents, fee payers and any other person. If however, the student consents to our disclosing such information to you (a parent or guardian) or to somebody else, we will of course comply with that consent and make the information available. Our legal relationship (our contract) is directly with the student and so all of our obligations and our rights are in relation to the student.

Each faculty has an Admissions Points Score (APS) system. Applicants who fall within the high band are automatically entitled to admission. Competition for the remaining places is usually high. Faculties rate applicants from the highest scoring downwards. Places are allocated on this competitive basis. Where not all applicants take up offers, most faculties will make offers to applicants who are on a waiting list, starting with those with the best results.

Academic advice (including transfers and curriculum changes) is available to students in each of the faculty offices in the form of dedicated academic advisors. Students can make appointments to meet with the academic advisors.

The academic calendar is published on the UCT main website, a year in advance. UCT releases these documents as early as possible – noting that they require extensive planning and coordination and go through a series of approval and amendment processes before they can be finalized. We do our best to complete the process as soon as is reasonable possible. View the UCT academic calendar.

The university has an exams policies manual which is available on the UCT website. UCT Handbook 3 contains information on access to examined material, scripts and checking examination results. You can access this handbook on the UCT Handbooks web page.

Students who wish to lodge complaints can approach their class representatives who will take these matters up with the relevant Head of Department (HoD). Similarly, staff members can escalate complaints to the relevant HoD where these pertain to academic matters.

UCT adopts a multi-solutioned approach to strengthening food quality, safety, and student satisfaction in catered residences. This includes a focus on nutrition, incident management and several operational improvements.

UCT catering menus are reviewed regularly to ensure balanced, nutritious meal options for our students, including vegetarian and Halaal-certified meals. There are clear guidelines in place for standardization and the university invests in skilled (qualified) culinary staff to enhance food quality and adapt to industry trends. Our Meal Review System features semester-based surveys which are integrated into menu planning. Enhancements to our Pay & Connect (a cashless student payment solution) include a live feedback feature with daily reporting to food service controllers; a dedicated email channel for urgent student concerns and the introduction of a meal booking system commencing in 2026, to manage participation and reduce waste. Additional opportunities for student engagement include a Catering Indaba and House Committee training sessions to improve communication and transparency as well as to provide clarity on processes.

From a food safety and incident management perspective, UCT conducts independent NOSA-accredited audits (minimum quarterly) and we have increased our 2026 food safety pass rate target to 90%, from the current pass rate of 85%. An Incident Reporting System is in place with clear protocols for reporting and investigating complaints including feedback to affected students and the food representative. Concurrent health check-ins are conducted during investigations of alleged food quality challenges and the residence House Committee food representatives receive training on food safety, symptoms, and reporting. We display a Certificate of Acceptability (COA) at our dining hall entrances. We have also expanded camera coverage in key operational areas, to ensure monitoring and traceability.

UCT has static security deployment at the following residences: Liesbeeck Gardens; Herold Cressy; Forest Hills; Rochester House; OBZ Square and Clarinus.

All other residences are patrolled on a regular basis and Campus Protection Services (CPS) respond to all incidents as and when needed. All our residences across campus are fitted with access control which allows entry/access to only those students allocated to that particular residence. A process is currently underway to enhance the access control measures. This will be fully implemented at the beginning of the 2026 academic year.

Most of our residences are fitted with CCTV cameras. We are in the process of enhancing the deployment of CCTV cameras, replacing older cameras, so as to enhance student safety. CPS have a dedicated manager who is responsible for residences. This manager regularly monitors any concerns and addresses security related issues as and when required. In addition, Campus Protection Services meet with Student Housing on a regular basis to address issues of mutual concern.

The UCT Shuttle Service is a safe, free and effective means of transport for students commuting from residences to campus and should be used at all times.

When it comes to the safety and security of our student on campus, we take this very seriously. Despite the fact that we are a large, open campus spanning the suburbs of Mowbray, Rondebosch and Rosebank, we have put in place (and continue to upgrade) measures to limit access, particularly after dark and on particular parts of the campus. This includes limiting access points and entrances and enhanced security control for buildings. Other safety measures include:

• UCT residences across the campus are all access-controlled. Using what we call A1 swipe, students are required to enter and leave the premises using their access control cards.
• Campus Protection Service (CPS) officers patrol all of our residences on a 24-hour basis and are therefore able to respond to incidents.
• Six of our residences have permanent CPS presence on the on the properties.
• Our senior CPS staff meet with groups of first-year students to conduct in-person engagement sessions and safety presentations including ongoing interactions through the faculties.
• In 2024, CPS increased the vehicle patrol fleet from 10 to 19 vehicles that conduct patrols on a 24-hour basis. An increased fleet has enhanced the response times and serves to provide increased visibility on campus.
• CPS interact with the City of Cape Town's number plate record or License Plate Recognition (LPR) software. UCT have our own cameras, and we have integration with the city's LPR system.
• UCT has a dedicated CPS Risks Operation Center (ROC) and we recently appointed a new Director of Risk who replaces a long-serving director who recently retired. The new director has more than 30 years of experience and is tasked with refining and improving UCT’s safety strategy.
• UCT are a founding member and the largest partner in the Groote Schuur Community Improvement District (GSCID) project that was initiated in 2010. This allows UCT to tap into the city's capabilities enhancing security for everybody in the precinct.
• CPS run ongoing safety awareness campaigns in the residences and working with the faculties and the SRC. This includes our Blue Safe Route.
• The residence staff, the reception desk as well as the wardens are all trained and part of their training includes the interaction with CPS officers in order to report emergencies, CPS have working relationships with private residences – spaces such as Roscommon and MyDomain - to ensure that a safe handover of security between CPS and their premises.
• CPS are present at all campus-wide events such as UCT Open Day, UCT Welcome festivals and other campus events that take place anywhere on/ across our precinct.

UCT oversees a diverse and historic estate of more than 260 buildings, many of which are iconic landmarks and among the oldest university buildings in South Africa. Like many public institutions, the university has faced more than two decades of underfunding for maintenance, resulting in backlog maintenance. This situation has created challenges in keeping pace with the ongoing repair and renewal needs of aging infrastructure. Despite these constraints, UCT remains deeply committed to maintaining safe, functional, and inspiring spaces for teaching, learning, research, and residence life. The university follows a prioritised, risk-based maintenance approach, focusing first on Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) compliance, infrastructure reliability, and facilities that support high-impact academic activities.

The university has launched several strategic initiatives aimed at addressing the long-term effects of deferred maintenance. These include:

• Developing a multi-year infrastructure renewal plan to progressively reduce the maintenance backlog.
• Engaging with the UCT executive and Council to secure additional funding for critical infrastructure; and
• Exploring innovative funding partnerships and energy efficiency projects, such as solar and microgrid integration, to strengthen campus sustainability and resilience.

While the historic funding gap remains a significant challenge, UCT’s leadership is actively working to reverse the impact of deferred maintenance and to ensure the university’s physical infrastructure continues to support academic excellence well into the future.

At the University of Cape Town, we believe that Teaching and Learning is at the heart of the university experience. We are committed to ensuring that our students receive a world-class education that is inclusive, innovative and responsive to the challenges of our time. We are committed to ensuring that our students have the best opportunities for success in their studies. This means not only delivering excellent academic programmes but also it is about creating learning environments that are supportive, flexible and empowering. We have dedicated academics and support staff who work hard every day to ensure that this is what our students experience.

In addition to formal teaching, Academic Development Programme (ADP) units in UCT’s Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED) provide formal and informal support interventions through mentoring and advising structures for mostly first-year students. The mentorship programmes address a range of organisational and self-regulation skills to assist students in navigating their learning journeys. In some faculties, mentorship programmes have been extended to support academically at-risk second year students, drawing on research-led insights about the challenges posed by the transition to this year of study.

Academic advising within ADP’s faculty-embedded Educational Development Units (EDUs) also entails providing support for students with FECR / RAC academic standing through student success workshops. These include themes such as rebuilding academic confidence and managing well-being. Academic discipline-specific support for these students takes the form of repackaging and simplifying course content such as disciplinary concepts prior to students repeating a test or exam. In this regard, ADP’s Academic Support Programme for Engineers in Cape Town (ASPECT) unit in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (EBE) facilitates the Tutored Reassessment Programmes (‘Supp Camp’ / TRPs). These TRPs are designed for students who are granted an opportunity to write supplementary exams in the first-year Mathematics and Physics courses, after falling below the automatic SUPP criteria (45–49%).

Digital resources created in the EDUs expand on the holistic student support provided in CHED. These include the openly licensed eBook “Science is tough but so are you” co-authored by Science ADP staff with staff from the Centre for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CILT) DOT4D unit and senior Science students, and the “Nyukela” academic support mobile application for early-year students which was developed in the Faculty of Health Sciences EDU to enhance accessibility to academic content, foster student success and support students in navigating the complexities of university life.

An academic advising hub is currently being established in ADP. The hub will draw on resources and expertise across CHED, and faculty and UCT structures to facilitate and support academic advising initiatives that address student transitions, belonging, academic recovery, and engagement, aligning these with institutional student success projects.

The Centre for Educational Assessment (CEA), through the National Benchmark Test (NBT) Project provides critical information that is used by academic departments and the UCT Academic Development Programme to identify students early in their academic journey, that may require additional support to enhance their success in higher education. All South African students applying to UCT are required to write the NBT. The NBT provides a valuable indicator of preparedness for Higher Education.

The NBT provides diagnostic information in three critical literacy domains: Academic Literacy, Quantitative Literacy and Mathematics that may be utilised both by lecturers at both a cohort level and individual student level. This information is embedded in the Data Analytics for Student Success (DASS) programme which is a cross-departmental initiative at UCT supporting educators on campus with learning analytics. This information may be used by course convenors to guide curriculum change in response to incoming cohort needs, or to provide an early indicator of individuals at risk that would benefit from targeted academic support, or entry to extended degree programmes. NBT diagnostic information is effectively utilised by ADP in various programmes to assist students and promote their academic success.

Of course, this diagnostic assessment information is useful not only to Higher Education institutions, but prospective university students (and parents) themselves are empowered by having a better understanding of their academic preparedness, allowing them to proactively seek support early in their academic journey. In this regard, the CEA continues to urge students to be proactive by engaging with their NBT results and seeking opportunities to strengthen their skills in academic literacies assessed by NBTs before classes commence, as early self-awareness and preparation significantly enhance their readiness for university-level work

UCT and each faculty take teaching quality and student success very seriously. We have several layers of review and support to maintain high academic standards while ensuring that students are given every opportunity to succeed.

At the departmental level, teaching teams regularly review course content, assessments, and student performance to ensure that courses remain relevant and appropriately challenging. These teams continuously engage with feedback from students and colleagues to improve the learning experience. UCT also has a robust external quality assurance system. Every course is reviewed by external examiners – subject experts from other universities – who assess whether our course materials, assessments, and grading standards meet national and international expectations. These examiners submit detailed reports, which are reviewed by the Head of Department, and any concerns are followed up with corrective actions where necessary.

At the faculty level, the Deputy Dean for Teaching and Learning reviews external examiner reports and student course evaluations twice a year. This ensures ongoing monitoring and support for teaching quality within each faculty. Any concerns regarding specific courses or degrees are then brought to the Faculty Examination Committee where degrees and throughput are discussed. Beyond the faculty, the Senate of the University monitors broader trends in student success and is responsible to providing the relevant information to the Department of Higher Education as a statutory requirement. Senate also reviews data on failure rates, throughput, and academic progress across faculties, using this information to identify areas needing further attention or intervention.

Finally, UCT is deeply committed to supporting students who may be academically at risk. Each faculty runs academic development and support programmes to identify students who may be struggling and to provide tailored interventions. These can include smaller class settings, extended study programmes, or additional academic and psychosocial support – ensuring that all students have the time and resources they need to thrive. In this way, UCT maintains both the integrity of its academic standards and a compassionate approach to student success, constantly reviewing and refining our teaching and support practices to meet the evolving needs of our students.

UCT has developed a comprehensive AI in Education Framework with three key pillars: promoting AI literacies for staff and students, ensuring assessment integrity, and exploring AI-enabled innovation in teaching and curriculum design. This signals a pro-active approach to dealing with both the challenges and opportunities of AI. In relation to adapting curricula to prepare students for the digital area we are prioritising the following:

• UCT is developing critical AI literacies as a core competency for students and staff, structured around five key topics: understanding how AI works, examining ethical issues, adopting a just approach, assessing appropriate use, and engaging critically with AI tools. This prepares students and staff with some baseline capabilities to engage productively with generative AI. Students have access to AI literacies training and training on academic integrity skills through Amathuba, their digital learning system. We are considering mechanisms to make this training mandatory for all students beyond what is required at Orientation.
• We offer an AI major in our undergraduate curriculum as well as a Masters in AI through the Faculty of Science.

In relation to assessment design, we have taken a pragmatic and future-oriented approach in line with international good practices, and we benchmark with other universities. At UCT we recognise that assessment practices have and will need to further adapt so that we can continue to measure and assure learning in an environment where AI use by students is widespread. In some cases this means assessing students in secure environments where AI cannot be used, particularly in the earlier years and for foundational skills. This includes assessing students via in-person invigilated exams and tests, as well as through orals and observed practicals. For other assessments we are adapting the learning outcomes and curricula where AI may be used as part of the assessment, with assessment outcomes adjusted accordingly so that students learn how use AI tools in discipline responsive ways. In these cases, we require departments to provide clear instructions on appropriate and inappropriate AI use in assessments, with students required to declare AI usage and justify the accuracy and authenticity of their work. Overall, the university is using multiple assessment types that, when used together as part of programmatic assessment design, provide greater trustworthiness and allow students to showcase their learning in productive ways.

The university promotes innovation in teaching and curricula practice to prepare graduates for social and technological challenges as well as responding to industry shifts and needs. Curricula adaptation is a regular part of teaching practice, and we see AI as one of the latest factors which requires universities worldwide to adapt and change how and what they teach. Faculties and departments at UCT are engaged with integrating AI into core curricula modules where appropriate, with teaching staff expected to revise assessments and curricula to reflect AI-driven changes for different disciplinary contexts.

The scheduling of tests and examinations is a careful process that aims to balance academic requirements with students’ well-being. Tests are arranged by faculties and departments in line with course needs, available venues, and approved timetables. The schedules are reviewed and approved by faculty timetable committees to ensure consistency. Each faculty takes great care to coordinate assessments within designated test periods and to consider the overall workload students carry during the semester.

Examination timetables are centrally coordinated by the office of the Registrar, with principles in place to help reduce student stress, such as avoiding back-to-back exams and being mindful of religious or cultural observances. While every effort is made to prevent timetable congestion, there may occasionally be clashes for students whose course combinations span multiple faculties or differ from the usual curriculum structure. When this happens, the affected cases are reviewed and managed to support those students as best as possible.

The University is mindful of the pressures that come with assessment periods and continues to review its scheduling processes to ensure they support both academic integrity and student well-being.

Students have full access to their examination scripts after the examination process is complete. The rules that govern this access can be found on page 16 of UCT Handbook 3, General Rules and Policies, entitled, “Access to examined material, examination scripts and checking of examination results”. This access is primarily focussed on giving students the opportunity to learn from how they have engaged with answering each question, but should an error be found, there are departmental processes to resolve the error.

At an undergraduate level, the Humanities General Degrees (the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Social Science) are designed exactly for this sort of cross-disciplinary learning. Students on these degrees take a broad range of courses from across disciplines in their first year, and then narrow down into a minimum of two majors by the second and third year of the degree (such as Psychology and Sociology; or Law and Philosophy). This means that they are able to experience a range of disciplines before choosing their focus, and that even once the focus has been chosen, the degrees are still multi-disciplinary. Each course and major is distinct from others, and is run by the Department that specializes in the subject on offer, to allow students a solid grounding in disciplinary norms at the start of their careers. Students are able, however, to bring elements from the courses into conversation with one another as often the content is transferrable between different disciplines, albeit from a different lens.

At postgraduate level, following this grounding, more inter-disciplinary work becomes possible, and many of the postgraduate degrees are interdisciplinary by design. For example, the MPhil in Justice and Inequality, which is housed in the Sociology department, allows students to think across disciplines through the framing of justice and inequality; while the MPhil and PhD in Environmental Humanities are interdisciplinary research degrees that explore how we understand the relations between humans and the environment in all areas of cultural production.

In other words, Humanities undergraduate degrees are shaped towards multi-disciplinarity, and once that grounding has been achieved, more inter-disciplinary work at postgraduate level often becomes possible.

UCT offers a small student exchange programme through which UCT students can apply to spend a semester abroad at one of our international partner universities. The programme is administered by the International Office in close consultation and liaison with Faculties and academic departments who work directly with selected students to align their UCT curricula requirements with the courses offered by the partner university. The exchange programme is competitive. Successful candidates are selected on merit following a full application process.

Undergraduate students would typically undertake an exchange in the second semester of their second year. Postgraduate students taking coursework qualifications would typically go on exchange in the second semester of their first or second year. Research students can undertake an exchange for co-supervision at any point in their studies with support from their supervisor. Interested students can visit the International Office website or email exchanges@uct.ac.za to learn more.

Programme requirements have been approved by national and university structures and students who have registered on a programme will need to fulfil those requirements in order to graduate, unless they transfer to another programme. Humanities has, however, some streams that only start in second year, after an initial first year in the general BA and B Soc Sci – for example, the Law major is only started in second year, and if intending Law major students achieve a particular GPA in their first year Law may accept them to the major from Year 2. Film and Media Production also only begins in second year – all intending Film and Media Production students are advised to register for the first year of a general Bachelor of Arts degree with double majors in Film and Television Studies and Media and Writing; and they then submit a portfolio which, in addition to their academic record, is considered by a panel for admission to the Production Stream mid-way through second year. No students should be disadvantaged by an application to either the Law major or the Film and Media Production Stream, as they will either be accepted to them and then need to fulfil the requirements for those streams going forward (which will include the courses they have already taken in Year 1 while on the general degree); or, if they are not accepted, they can continue in the general degree in which they are currently registered, and graduate in terms of those requirements.

While the Commerce EDU provides extensive first-year support to assist students in transitioning to university, recognising that students require holistic, wrap-around support throughout their degree programme has led to a more sustained approach. The shift has informed the intentional extension of initiatives that continue to provide academic, psychosocial, and developmental support across all stages of study. Continuing to find responsive and appropriate ways to meet evolving student needs is key to enhancing their overall experience, academic success and to broaden impact.

AI is here to stay and provides exciting opportunities for future professionals to make meaningful contributions in industry and society. UCT’s approach is to encourage and support students to use AI competently and responsibly throughout their university careers so they are ready to thrive in a world of work where AI will be widely used. The University’s Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT) champions the ethical and innovative use of AI in academics. You can read about some of this leading work in the following UCT news article:

• UCT launches AI guides for staff and students

UCT’s academic programmes focus on developing graduates who not only have deep knowledge in their chosen fields, but also possess uniquely human skills and attributes that AI can’t easily replicate. For instance, UCT has a school dedicated to design thinking, the only one of its kind in Africa. At the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika, creative confidence is boosted and complex problem-solving is developed through immersive, human-centred learning experiences).

• Read more about the work of the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika

In addition, UCT is embedding AI knowledge and skills across both curricular and co-curricular platforms. Faculties are progressively integrating AI literacy into undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, not only within Computer Science and Engineering, but also in disciplines such as Law, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Commerce. This ensures students across all fields are equipped to understand and engage with AI technologies in contextually relevant ways.

Beyond the classroom, UCT’s entrepreneurship ecosystem plays a vital role in preparing students for both traditional and non-traditional career paths. Students are encouraged to explore entrepreneurial ventures through platforms such as:

• UCT Careers Service – which also supports student entrepreneurs through resources, events, and mentorship
• UCT Pitch and EDHE Intervarsity – the student social innovation challenge, which inspires students to become game-changing social innovators
• Solution Space – an innovation hub at the Graduate School of Business offering venture acceleration, bootcamps, and community-based programmes

UCT graduates remain sought after. 80% of them are already employed on the day they graduate. To support students’ ongoing career development, the award-winning UCT Careers Service provides free one-on-one support for students throughout their time at UCT and up to three years after graduation. Career Development Consultants help with CVs, interview preparation, job search strategies and options with degrees. The Service also offers regular opportunities for students to engage with employers and relatable career role models who provide insights and advice on navigating shifts and trends in the job market.

Together, these efforts reflect UCT’s commitment to developing graduates who are not only employable but also adaptable, innovative, and ethically grounded in a rapidly evolving world of work.

UCT has since developed a multi-pronged mitigation plan following the recent US aid freezes and other geopolitical disruptions. This includes:

• Emergency bridging funds through the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research & Internationalization and the Finance Office, prioritising continuity for affected postgraduate students and strategic research programmes.
• Re-prioritisation of internal grants toward projects previously supported by US or other external partners.
• Strengthened local partnerships with entities such as the National Treasury, DSTI, the SAMRC and private foundations to ensure continuity of programmes supporting student mobility and early-career researchers.
• Monitoring and advocacy through Universities South Africa (USAf) to coordinate national responses and negotiate alternative donor pathways.
• You can access this information in the DVC Desk issued earlier in 2025: UCT navigating US-related funding challenges (20 May 2025).

UCT is actively broadening its funding ecosystem to reduce reliance on any single geography or donor class:

• Philanthropy and alumni giving: Expansion of the UCT Trusts (in SA, UK, and US) and the “Research for Impact” campaign targeting high-net-worth alumni and foundations with thematic interests (climate, health, AI, inequality).
• Industry partnerships: Creation of strategic research chairs and co-funded labs (e.g., in quantum technologies, AI for health, sustainable materials).
• Endowment growth: Reinvestment of a portion of commercialisation revenue into research infrastructure and postdoctoral fellowships.
• Multilateral and Global South alliances: Increased engagement with the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), the EU’s Horizon Europe Africa initiative, and Japanese SATREPS for co-investment models.

Several policies and funding instruments have been reoriented to strengthen local student progression:

• Targeted bursaries and “Honours Access” initiatives to support high-performing South African undergraduates transitioning into Honours and MSc programmes.
• Ring-fenced supervisor-linked funding that prioritises local candidates while maintaining diversity and excellence.
• Curriculum renewal and research integration, ensuring undergraduates engage in research projects early, thereby enhancing readiness for postgraduate work.
• Collaborative scholarships with the Department of Science & Innovation and private donors to expand local capacity in strategic fields (energy, AI, climate science).

UCT is expanding experiential and co-supervised research pathways:

• Business and industry partnerships include work-integrated internships (e.g., with Amazon, Sasol, Johnson & Johnson, Old Mutual) and co-developed innovation challenges in engineering, AI, and sustainability.
• Global academic collaborations with institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, Tohoku, and Columbia underpin joint postgraduate supervision, exchange schemes, and research placements.
• ARUA Centres of Excellence and the National Institute of Theoretical and Computational Science (NITheCS) nodes facilitate Africa-wide mobility and industrial placements in emerging technology sectors.
• Innovation ecosystems like UCT’s d-school and Solution Space connect students directly with start-ups and venture partners.

Currently, the University of Cape Town UCT ranks as Africa's top research university and our impact extends globally. Our researchers are at the forefront of issues that matter deeply to society from developing vaccines and pandemic preparedness, to tackling climate change, energy storage, and even preparing for an AI dominated world. This research excellence is not separate from your children's education. In fact, it directly shapes the way that we teach. It exposes them to the latest discoveries and to ways of thinking. In short, our role is to ensure that the research excellence of UCT not only strengthens our global reputation, but more importantly, creates opportunities for your children. Whether through exposure to leading scholars, to access to cutting-edge labs or pathways into graduate study and innovation. So, thank you for entrusting us with their education.

The university has a Special Tribunal which deals with cases of alleged racism or discrimination regardless of whether this is experienced by staff or students and regardless of the alleged perpetrator.

The University has an inclusive approach across all our societies and sports codes. Our students are able to voice concerns if they feel our practices are discriminatory and our facilities are not as accessible as they should be. All our societies and sports codes are bound by the same UCT general policy that obligates all UCT structures to ensure diversity in terms of race, gender and disability status.

UCT Student Wellness Service (SWS) offer a student counselling service offering predominantly short-term counselling and psychotherapy. SWS aims to ensure that whatever personal, emotional, or psychological problems you experience have minimal impact on your academic studies while optimising your capacity to achieve. Instances of Cyberbullying are best dealt with by reporting such cases to the university’s Office of Inclusivity and Change (OIC).

In establishing the inaugural UCT Parent Imbizos the executive would like to bring UCT parents closer to the business of the university. These provide opportunities for us to share key developments taking place at the university as well as to listen to parents where they have concerns they wish to raise with us.

Following his first year in office, UCT Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mosa Moshabela shared Strategy 2030 for the period 2026 to 2030 and asked the UCT community for feedback. Strategy 2030 outlines the university’s strategic priorities going forward. Two key elements of Vision 2030 will remain: our vision and purpose statement ‘to unleash human potential for a fair and just society’ and our three pillars of transformation, excellence and sustainability. The four missions of the university contained in Strategy 2030 speak to UCT’s evolution over the last nearly 200 years: Teaching and Learning; Research and Internationalisation; Societal and Social Responsiveness as well as Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The fourth mission is new and builds on work done across the institution over the past 30 years.

We want to establish mechanisms to engage with parents and guardians in a more consistent manner. This year’s inaugural Parents Imbizo sessions with UCT parents and guardians, we have established a dedicated email address to which parents can send any questions, comments or concerns they have regarding the UCT student experience. We were delighted to hear a number of offers to assist UCT coming from parents during these live sessions and would welcome further suggestions you may have. We intend hosting such sessions with you on a more regular basis. In the meantime, please do email us using: parentqueries@uct.ac.za

Academic Development Programme

Admissions Points Score

Academic Support Programme for Engineers in Cape Town

Centre for Educational Assessment

Centre for Higher Education Development

Centre for Innovation in Teaching and Learning

Certificate of Acceptability

Data Analytics for Student Success

Engineering and the Built Environment (Faculty)

Educational Development Unit

An academic standing: where progression requirements are not met however the student is permitted to continue

Groote Schuur Community Improvement District

Grade Point Average

Head of Department

License Plate Recognition

National Benchmark Test

National Institute of Theoretical and Computational Science

National Student Financial Aid Scheme

Office of Inclusivity and Change

Protection of Personal Information Act

Readmission Appeal Committee

Risks Operation Center

Supplementary

Student Wellness Service

Tutored Reassessment Programme

Universities South Africa