Meal Plans for first and second tier catering residences

Applicants offered a place in a catering residence will be allocated a standard meal plan of 21 meals per week (Plan 1) and charged accordingly.
After registration, this meal plan can be changed to accommodate class schedules or affordability. The dates for changing meal plan options are in the second week of the first semester and in May for second semester.

Applicants can choose between four plans:

  • Plan 1 – Breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Plan 2 – Lunch and dinner
  • Plan 3 – Breakfast and dinner
  • Plan 4 – Breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday to Friday only

These meal plans are differentiated by different colour meal tickets which are issued to students on signing in to their specific residence. For ease of identification students are asked to provide a passport-sized photograph which is attached to the meal ticket. UCT currently operates a self-service system for everything except cooked meals and the various cold options on offer.

At breakfast, students are able to help themselves to a variety of cereals, bread, butter, condiments, milk, tea and coffee; at lunch time a variety of salads, soup and gravy as well as bread etc. is available. Breakfast options include yoghurt and fruit juice as choices with two hot options.

At lunch and dinner there are always 2 meat options and a vegetarian option, as well as a variety of cold plate options (e.g. cheese or meat).

Given that we are in a mass catering system we unfortunately cannot cater for special religious or dietary/ medical requirements. We recommend that students with these special needs apply for accommodation in our self-catering residences.

For those students who are not able to make it back to residence for lunch we have a meal voucher system in place. A meal voucher can be taken instead of lunch and spent at the vendors that operate on the Upper, Middle and Health Sciences campuses. A lunch pack can also be arranged instead of taking a meal voucher.

Students are not permitted to heat, prepare or cook food in their rooms.