Semester Study Abroad is a UCT programme for students registered for degree studies at a non-South African university to spend one or two semesters taking UCT courses for credit transfer towards the requirements of their home degree.
Students can apply to exchange places with a UCT student or for direct enrolment in the study abroad programme. Your application route will determine what fees you are charged.
Apply through your
home university
UCT has signed student exchange and mobility agreements with a number of universities worldwide. Contact your home university’s international office to find out if we have a partner university agreement and then follow their instructions for participation in the study abroad programme.
Apply directly
as a free-mover
Interested students are welcome to apply directly to the programme. Liaise with your university’s international office for details around your institution’s requirements and to ensure you meet all your home degree curriculum and credit transfer requirements.
Apply through our study abroad
partner provider organisations
UCT partners with organisations which facilitate semester study abroad, and other experiences, for international students. Click through to individual partner websites to find out more about them.
Application Dates
The UCT academic year runs concurrently with the calendar year. The Semester Study Abroad programme runs twice a year for one semester each.
|
Academic terms/ semesters |
Applications are open |
| 1st Semester (February – June) |
First week in August to 31 October |
| 2nd Semester (July – November) |
Second week in January to 30 April |
Admission Requirements
For admission to the UCT Semester Study Abroad programme, you need to:
be registered for Bachelors studies or higher at a non-South African university;
have completed two semesters’ worth of courses at the point of application;
have achieved a cumulative average of 65% in your current studies. This is equivalent to a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a scale of 0.0 to 4.0 in the USA system or an upper range ‘B’ on the ECTS grading scale;
be able to demonstrate proficiency in English at the level required for admission to UCT. See here
We assess each application individually using your academic transcript to establish equivalency with the academic level and course entry requirements at UCT.
English proficiency is a requirement for admission to UCT. Applicants must submit a certificate from a standardised test of English as a foreign language for academic purposes.
We recognise that many applicants can demonstrate English proficiency by other means and therefore also consider evidence of equivalence with standardised test outcomes.
Documents submitted in evidence of English language proficiency should be a certificate or transcript from a formal or accredited testing or assessing body (e.g. an IELTS test certificate from the British Council or a transcript of secondary school grades).
Letters from your home university are not sufficient as they cannot be externally verified by a testing body. However, a letter may be provided in support of any transcript or certificate demonstrating equivalence.
Contact ssa@uct.ac.za for advice on what we can accept as evidence of equivalency with the English proficiency requirements.
