Journalism & Media Internships in Cape Town

I chose Cape Town as my location to intern abroad because it offered the perfect balance of vibrant city life and beautiful nature, all within a diverse community where I could learn from many different perspectives. What I loved most about interning here was the opportunity to explore the city—whether through Friday activities or adventures with friends I met along the way.

During my time here, I learned that I’m much more open to trying new things than I ever expected. My advice: arrive with an open mind and say yes to opportunities—whether that’s joining activities or meeting new people.

The highlights at my internship site were the jokes, camaraderie, and relationships I built with the Tintoy team. I achieved my goal of making the most out of my time here, and I also gained a broader understanding of the media industry and the many career paths available within it.

What I loved most about living in Cape Town was how affordable it was to try new things and explore, especially compared to many other cities. I’ll miss the free salsa nights and Mojo Market the most!

I stayed for three months, and I believe that’s the perfect amount of time to get a well-rounded experience of Cape Town. To prepare, I recommend following event-related Instagram accounts early on and asking for recommendations from others. Creating a budget spreadsheet also helped tremendously. I started budgeting a year in advance and factored in cost of living, must-do activities like the Garden Route, and expenses for souvenirs.

The VACorps staff were very friendly, and the weekly activities were fun, interactive, and a great way to meet people. I’m most grateful for my housing roommates and the group of VAC participants I connected with as soon as I arrived.

I chose Cape Town because I absolutely love it here. I visited last year, fell in love with the city, and knew I wanted to come back and work. Especially in film, the city offers so much opportunity. What I loved most was the projects I got to work on. Filming a documentary about the U20 Rugby World Cup winners was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Being part of creating a documentary that’s now been seen by thousands of people has been an absolute pleasure. The connections I’ve made through this experience will last a lifetime.

I learned that no matter where I am, I love working in film and collaborating with like-minded creatives from around the world. What I'll miss most are the people, especially at my internship, where I was surrounded by amazing friends. I stayed for three months, which was on the longer side, but I enjoyed it because I had friends here already, even after the other VAC friends returned to the USA.

The VAC weekly activities were an awesome way to explore the surrounding areas and learn more about Cape Town. It was also a nice break from work. Everyone at VAC is so welcoming and friendly, and it was truly amazing to be a part of that.

Choosing to spend six weeks of my life in Cape Town was the best decision I could’ve possibly made! I love traveling and I was yearning to scratch that itch.

My internship with the micro-publisher gave me a lot of insight into the literary scene in South Africa, especially poetry. During my time here, I also went bungee jumping, did a safari (and saw 4 out of the big 5), walked with elephants, hiked amazing trails with amazing views, drove an ATV across beautiful sand dunes, ate some of the most delicious food I’ve ever tasted and made friends with some really cool people! Throughout the whole process, VACorps was super friendly and helpful and it was fun to participate in the Monday night cultural series and the Friday activities. I will miss the daily adventures of exploring Cape Town with my friends, and I hope to return someday in the future. I definitely recommend this experience, 10/10!

During my gap year with VACorps in Cape Town, I've explored the unknown and stepped outside of my comfort zone. I've accomplished things that have scared me and have checked off some items on my bucket list. Cape Town's beauty is indescribable and the proximity to the mountains, beaches, and city and melting pot of cultures is like no other. While interning at a local radio station in Cape Town, I got to co-host a show with segments on health and wellness, human rights, gender, labour, and arts & culture.  I got to meet so many locals through interviews and opportunities here and as a result, I have a better understanding of South African culture. I've gained more insights into what career path I'd like to pursue, become more confident trying new things, and fostered familial relationships with my co-workers.  Most importantly, I've learned how to create a healthy work-life balance.

I came to Cape Town to join the VACorps program in order to experience the culture of South Africa and to see what working in another country would be like. I did my apprenticeship at a local TV station and was very happy with the warm welcome I received, and the work that I got to do. My goal was to give journalism a good shot and see if it was something for me. I feel like I have achieved that goal, and I have learned so much. I really enjoyed the freedom I had on my stories and loved going out to meet people. I have traveled all over the city with the news team and had so many unique experiences. Cape Town is a unique and beautiful city, and I really enjoyed exploring it with the amazing people I met at VACorps. I learned to test my limits and to adapt to many different situations. I will never forget my time here! Thank you VACorps!

VACorps was an incredible experience that made me fall in love with the city of Cape Town and its people. I did an internship at a local Cape Town radio station, and I was given the chance to do so many things. From reporting to producing to hosting my own show. Everyone there was very supportive and kind. I took initiative and did things with my time at the station, and as a result, was given the opportunity to grow as a reporter. It is hard to imagine my time here without the people of VACorps and the memories of the Friday activities. My experience was defined by a beautiful city and even more beautiful people and that is largely thanks to the openness and welcoming spirit of the VACorps community.

Being able to not only travel abroad but also gain work experience is amazing. South Africa is a beautiful country and is filled with so much life and color. I decided to intern in Cape Town because it offered options that I never would have had back home. I interned at a local Radio Station in Cape Town, and my job entailed a wide variety of reporting and informing the public, either through Voxing, editing sound, interviews, and even reporting live from events like SONA. I was able to get the work experience that I needed for university, and I was able to do my own networking through both my internship and fellow VACorps interns. I learned how to be more independent, and I loved the sense of family and community among everyone at VACorps. I stayed for 8 weeks in Cape Town but I do wish I had stayed a little longer, Cape Town has stolen a little piece of my heart.

I chose to do a film and media internship in Cape Town as I was curious to explore Africa and thought it would be a good place to start. I’m interested when it comes to South African media content, and I’ve enjoyed getting to know a different side of the city - the one that foreigners seldom get to see, especially when we filmed outside in locations like Khayelitsha. I’ve learned I can work in a different environment and adapt pretty quickly. Friday’s activities were always different and enjoyable. I’ve stayed for 3 months exactly and I would advise people to stay a minimum of 2 months so they can explore the city and its surrounding areas.

VAC staff were very present and involved in the weekly activities (Mondays and Fridays), and I’ve enjoyed my time with them. I’m definitely grateful for the number of people, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with while I was in the Vacorps program.