Study Abroad Programs in Cape Town, South Africa

Affectionately known as the Mother City, Cape Town was founded in 1652 and is South Africa's oldest city. Cape Town is rated as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with a backdrop of flat-topped Table Mountain juxtaposed by the sweep of the Atlantic Ocean in the foreground. Students can hike or take a cable car ride up Table Mountain to enjoy the breathtaking view of the city and peninsula, take a ferry to the historic Robben Island, or visit the Cape of Good Hope. The main teaching campus, known as Upper Campus, is centered on UCT's iconic Jameson Hall. This breathtaking location looks out onto the city and up at Devil's Peak. Upper Campus is home to the majority of academic buildings and our Cape Town office. UCT students get to enjoy over 30 different social clubs and sports throughout the semester.

Unlike traditional study abroad or tourism experiences, Semester at Sea offers a unique opportunity for deep, authentic engagement with countries and cultures around the globe. It's more than just the adventure of a lifetime. It's a transformative experience that will give you a global perspective to take on the challenges of tomorrow. Fall 2026: European, African, South American, and Asian Adventure Embark: September 9, IJmuiden, The Netherlands Disembark: Dec 22, Bangkok, Thailand Itinerary: Portugal, Morocco, Brazil, St. Helena, South Africa, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Hong Kong Spring 2027: Asia, Africa, and Europe Embark: Jan 5, Bangkok, Thailand Disembark: Apr 20, Bremerhaven, Germany Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, India, Kenya, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco, Scotland

Situated on the southernmost tip of Africa, Cape Town is a magical destination you can call home for one block – or up to three blocks – of your study abroad adventure through CIEE's Open Campus Block program. Spend six weeks - or up to 18 - studying history, politics, literature, film, gender studies, communication, community health, international relations, STEM, and more in English at CIEE Cape Town. Between classes, you're encouraged to explore Cape Town's 72 khaki-colored beaches, eat your fill of braai (BBQ), participate in excursions organized by CIEE, and form connections in the University of Cape Town's vibrant student community, conveniently located in the quaint residential Rondebosch district, near shops, cafés, and restaurants galore. Build your study abroad adventure! Designed for students requiring a flexible study abroad experience, CIEE's Open Campus Block program was thoughtfully structured to be completely customizable. Select one, two, or three six-week blocks per term at any CIEE Open Campus Block location. Choose from Berlin, Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Dublin, Kyoto, London, Madrid, Monteverde, Paris, Rome, Santiago, Shanghai, and more.

Seamester is the educational adventure of a lifetime! For more than 40 years, we have offered unparalleled educational voyages where students spend a semester at sea sailing between islands, countries, and even continents. We design our programs to provide engaging learning experiences with real outcomes in ways that are impossible to replicate in the traditional classroom. Living as part of a close-knit team on an ocean-going vessel, our students learn fundamental lessons beyond academics: teamwork, leadership, and personal responsibility. They receive academic credit from the University of South Florida, along with PADI scuba certifications and IYT sailing certifications. Our programs are designed to inspire students to realize that it’s the journey, not the destination, that matters the most.

You have the opportunity to take specially designed courses with other IES Abroad students in a variety of disciplines. These English-taught courses were created with a comparative and interrelated curricular focus in order to help you learn more about South Africa and its neighboring countries. Choose from several Health Science courses and learn how globalization, development, and disease affect different communities. Don't miss the once-in-a-lifetime chance to study abroad in one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. You'll love the crystal clear blue waters, the breathtaking mountains, and everything in between. But there's more to Cape Town than its beauty--its dynamic society is ever-changing and growing, and you can witness it first-hand. Immerse yourself in the African culture and explore one of the most diverse environments in the world. We know you'll agree that studying in Cape Town will make you feel like you're on top of the world.

On South Africa: Multiculturalism and Human Rights examines historical and contemporary multiculturalism, ethnicity, and identity in South Africa. South Africa has made legislative strides in righting the wrongs of apartheid, but significant challenges remain. Historically, colonial and apartheid racial discrimination policies categorized people according to race, including Bantu (Black), Colored (those who are not categorized as Bantu or white), and the minority White. Law created a racial hierarchy with white people at the top of the pyramid, diminishing rights, access, and “human-ness” moving down the hierarchy and placing colored people as a buffer between those categorized as white and black. The cleavages of this legacy remain evident in the lived realities of South Africans. Starting from your base in Cape Town, learn how race relations continue to be shaped by a range of contested histories, politics, resistance, activism, and the deployment of rights-based rhetoric. Journey to key sites such as the Steve Biko Centre, where you will study the Black Consciousness Movement, and Robben Island, the prison that held the late South African President Nelson Mandela.

Whether it is in historic Rome or in romantic Paris, you will enjoy a truly enriching and exciting study experience abroad! Don’t miss this chance to broaden your knowledge while ticking off some items on your bucket list. Aligning a study abroad program with an engineering major can pose a challenge, especially if you want to stay on track for graduation. CEA recognizes this challenge; hence, we have carefully chosen international partner institutions that offer the courses you need to meet study goals on time. Spend a summer or semester studying engineering abroad with one of our partner institutions. Choose courses from a wide selection of subject areas, such as Aerospace, Civil, Petroleum, Biomedical, STEM programs, engineering-focused internships, as well as core engineering courses at CEA study centers. Or search for a program based on individual requirements and available in locations like Alicante, Buenos Aires, or Paris. While studying engineering abroad with CEA, increase your employability by building an international network, becoming acquainted with the global engineering environment, and beefing up your résumé with valuable skills and experiences.

Travel to South Africa for the unique opportunity to explore iconic Cape Town and work in surrounding township areas. Groups work on construction projects at education centers to improve the infrastructure and general learning environment for local disadvantaged children. Groups get to participate in this inter-disciplinary course, accredited by universities and colleges around the world. We introduce students to international service-learning and sustainable development, both in theory and practice. Two weeks prior to departure and two weeks after returning home, students engage in lectures, discussion, research, service, and reflection at home and abroad. Emphasis will be placed on relating long term goals with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and engaging in daily reflection surrounding the experience, which will be lead by qualified group facilitators, furthering individual educational development. This course curriculum will be tailored to your students academic level or curriculum. The aim of our Service Learning course is to empower students to gain confidence in their knowledge and practical experience of their subject area.

Learn to integrate policy, scholarship, ethics, and participatory practice to achieve sustainable development goals. Starting in Quito, Ecuador, explore the challenges of one of the most biodiverse countries in the world while learning from faculty, guest lecturers, and experts in the field. Study ecological impacts, forest regeneration, sustainable land practices, and conservation on an excursion to northern Ecuador’s patchwork of cloud forests. The second semester unfolds in Africa, with time split between Cape Town, South Africa, and Lilongwe, Malawi. Over 15 weeks, you will engage in comparative analyses of design thinking, monitoring and evaluation, economics, resource management, health policy, and trade. In the final semester of this one-year program, you will spend 10 to 12 weeks in a full-time practicum in a role and location of your choice.

Pursuing a career in English teaching? Need help finding an English teaching job in any of the above fields? ITTT can help! Choose from our recognized online TEFL and TESOL courses: Level 5, 60 hours, 120 hours, and 180 hours. Prepare to teach in a classroom setup or online from the comfort of your own home. Use the coupon code GoAbroad15 upon checkout to receive 15% off any course. Take advantage of our Super Sale! Choose from a selection of accredited online TEFL courses, with prices starting from R930. Every module features text, videos, quizzes, and a personal tutor to guide you through the course, providing positive feedback. Throughout the course, you will get the opportunity to submit lesson plans to experienced TESOL teachers, gaining valuable feedback from experts who have been teaching abroad for years! We have contacts all over the world, so we can help set you on your way to the destination of your choice. You can get your 120-hour TEFL certificate online through ITT, at your own pace, in the comfort of your own home. Start your accredited TEFL/TESOL certification online now – your first step to being an English teacher. Where will you go from there? You decide!

Are you a student or young professional looking to enhance your career prospects through international work experience and hands-on learning? At Intern Abroad HQ, we help students and young professionals turn career aspirations into reality. We organize affordable internships in 20 destinations across 24 career fields that are tailored to meet each individual’s academic, professional, or personal requirements. With over 200 internship programs across Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and South America to choose from, and options to intern from 2 weeks to 6 months either full-time or part-time, in-country or virtually, we facilitate career-enhancing experiences that work for you, not just the host organization. Intern Abroad HQ is proudly brought to you by the team behind International Volunteer HQ. We have collectively supported over 120,000 program participants since 2007 and are the only B Corp certified provider in our field.

Spend six unforgettable weeks with iXperience, a global leader in immersive, future-focused learning. iX Summer combines expert-led courses with a hands-on internship, giving you the tools, experience, and network to thrive in today’s fast-moving world. What iX Summer offers: Career-Ready Skills – Build industry-relevant skills with bootcamp-style courses taught by professionals in high-paying, in-demand fields. Integrated Internship – Apply your knowledge in a matched internship, built into the program for practical, real-world experience. Enriching Experiences – Create lifelong memories, form global friendships, and explore Cape Town like a local—with all logistics handled. Learn, work, and grow in one of the most exciting cities in the world. iX Summer is more than a program—it’s a launchpad for your future.

Unlock your career. Based in Cape Town, our 7-week course offers the chance to learn crucial, often-neglected skills that will help you unlock the next stage of your career. With internships hard to come by and the graduate job market at an all-time low, TSIBA Elevate will help you get ahead, whatever your chosen profession. With communication, project management, and data analysis training, you will learn and apply the necessary skills to your start-up business. You will gain the tools and experience to stand out. Travel South Africa. We have integrated tourist activities and immersive travel experiences throughout Cape Town to supplement your learning. You will experience the diversity of the Rainbow Nation by connecting, working, and living with its people. Create real social impact. At TSIBA, we make a real difference. Joining our course allows you to directly fund scholarships for underserved South Africans, providing them access to business school and lifelong careers. For every 10 participants on Elevate, we fund four full-time scholarships. Your travel and education will contribute to long-lasting social impact.