IES Abroad Cape Town

Name: IES Abroad Cape Town
Brand: IES Abroad
SKU: 211094
Rating: 4.88 (42 reviews)

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4.88 Rating

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Location

South Africa
- Cape Town

Term

Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer

Subject Areas

Cultural Studies Engineering Health Sciences Service Learning Sociology Sustainable Development

Financial Support

Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, BIPOC funding

Health & Safety

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

Bachelors

Housing

Apartment Dormitory

Last Updated: Nov 27, 2023

Last Reviewed: Sep 08, 2023

Wish List

5 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and was recently named the #1 place to go by The New York Times. 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. We know you’ll agree that your Cape Town study abroad experience will make you feel like you’re on top of the world and we can help you get there, whether that means interning full-time, studying health, or immersing yourself through direct enrollment at the University of Cape Town.

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Video and Photos

Male student on a kayak living his best life in Cape Town

Students enjoy a mountaintop view of Cape Town

students walking on a city sidewalk next to palm trees

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Diversity & Inclusion

LGBTQIA+ Support

Today, and every day, we celebrate who you are and who you will become. We take pride in simply getting to know you, and look forward to adventuring through this incredible world with you.

Studying abroad as part of the LGBTQIA+ community can present unique opportunities and challenges in exploring a new culture, so we have compiled resources on sexual orientation, gender identity, and allyship to help prepare you and support you along the way.

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Neurodivergent Support

Going abroad, whether this is your first time or your umpteenth, can be a trip both literally and figuratively. Seeing something new or being someplace unfamiliar has its own challenges, especially when it comes to mental health and physical accessibility. With IES Abroad, you won't handle these concerns on your own.

We have not only compiled resources on mental health, physical health, and self-care to help prepare you and support you along the way, but we also have a dedicated Student Affairs staff that are available for you to contact from the United States and once in your host country.

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Accessibility Support

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Impact

Sustainability

As part of IES Abroad's Global Good Commitment, IES Abroad employs sustainability measures in the following ways:
-Moving toward more sustainable Headquarters and Centers abroad
-Producing printed materials mindfully
-Hosting events and conferences in LEED-certified buildings
-Purchasing carbon offsets for staff air travel
-The formation of the IES Abroad Sustainability Team - a dedicated group of volunteers responsible for implementing sustainable practices across our organization. The team comprises of members across our Centers, departments, teams. It is truly a global effort, and we are better for it.

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Popular Programs

IES Abroad Cape Town – Health, Culture & Dev.

Cape Town’s idyllic setting on the South African coast makes it the perfect base from which to study the complexity and breadth of the contemporary issues facing this part of the continent. You have the opportunity to take specially designed courses with other IES Abroad students in a variety of disciplines. These English-taught IES Abroad courses were created with a comparative and interrelated curricular focus in order to help you learn more about South Africa and its neighboring countries.

group of students jumping with mountains behind them

IES Abroad Cape Town – University of Cape Town

Service learning in and around Cape Town is a core component in our program. Students taking one of the IES Abroad courses are required to complete 60 hours of volunteer work while in Cape Town. Twenty of your 60 hours of volunteer work will be at Egoli, a settlement that receives no government services like water or electricity.

IES Abroad Cape Town Summer – Health Studies

Designed for students interested in health-related careers, this program enables you to examine health care delivery in South Africa. Field visits and placements in the townships surrounding Cape Town and a week-long rural excursion in the northern part of South Africa provide firsthand experience with the many health issues that plague South Africa, and the national effort to improve public health.

student standing on top of a rooftop with city skyline behind them

IES Internships Cape Town Summer – Internship

Stand out in today’s competitive job market by participating in a summer internship in Cape Town. When you’re not working up to 32 hours per week at your internship placement, you’ll have time to take advantage of South Africa’s beautiful climate and geography by hiking Table Mountain, visiting Lion’s Head, hanging out with the penguins at Boulders Beach or walking along the scenic shores of Camps Bay. All of this is possible when you spend a summer in Cape Town.

Ashleigh M. | Sewanee, University of the South | IES Abroad Cape Town

IES Abroad Cape Town - Engineering & Science

Designed for STEM students (with particular focus on Mechanical, Chemical, and Electrical Engineering) and with the expertise of our Engineering Consortium, the curriculum of this program enables you to continue the specific course progression you need for a timely graduation. While completing your engineering coursework, you will also experience all that Cape Town has to offer by exploring the city and its surrounds, and diving into the rich South African culture and history.

Scholarships

IES Abroad Scholarships and Financial Aid

Financial limitations shouldn't prevent you from studying abroad with us. That's why IES Abroad offers more than $6 million in scholarships and aid. IES Abroad offers a number of diversity scholarships and grants to provide opportunities for traditionally underrepresented communities in study abroad.

Value

$500 - $5,000

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Program Reviews

4.88 Rating

based on 42 reviews

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Rating Spread Study

5 rating 88.1%
4 rating 11.9%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Academics 4.3
Support 4.9
Fun 4.8
Housing 4.8
Safety 4.2

Good for Students, Adventure travelers, History Buffs

Showing 41 - 42 of 42 reviews

My summer in Cape Town consisted of a 6 credit community and health development course and hospital rotations that helped us divulge into South African healthcare. We saw private and public health care systems and then got to compare primary to secondary to tertiary systems. In between these experiences, the IES staff made sure we got to see every aspect of Cape Town. Our location was safe and close to a lot of attractions. The staff planned trips for us such as seeing Robben Island, a Stormers Rugby Match, hosting a home stay experience for us, trying the best Braii place and more. Through all this we all got to see that Cape Town is a truly beautiful place.

The course was taught by a local nurse and from that I felt like I got more of a genuine experience rather than from a professor. The class was taught on University of Cape Town campus and it made us feel more of a student - just only regrettable thing was that we didn't get to see any UCT students as it was their Winter Break.

What would you improve about this program?

There was a bit of miscommunication between the program staff and the students initially. If the program specifics could be worked out from the start or at least communicated with us from the beginning that there is a set back in finding housing or set back in whatever issue - than at least we know that they hadn't forgot about us.

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Cape Town is a beautiful city and there is so much to do and see. I recommend ditching the Americans you came with and making as many local friends as you can! Everyone has a unique story and background; making local friends in Cape Town definitely made my experience more meaningful.

What would you improve about this program?

Registering for classes was a difficult and confusing process. Our program directors helped but nothing was clear all of the time. You have to adapt to the "TIA" (This Is Africa) mindset.

Questions & Answers

Is there an age limit on taking this course?

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Can a graduating senior go on this trip in the summer?

Hi Anita! According to the IES website, you have to be at least 18 years of age and have a Sophomore, Junior or Senior standing when the program begins.

By Mallory Meiser on February 22, 2016

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

I chose IES Cape Town because I received pretty good reviews from other students who studied abroad through this program. IES is very organized and supportive. There was never a dull moment during my study abroad program, and all of the staff had an open-door policy throughout the duration of my program.

I loved that my program organized preplanned trips and excursions for the entire semester as well. Lastly, I chose my program because I dreamed of traveling to Africa since I was younger. It was such a transformational experience, and I highly recommend this program to all students. Study abroad should be a requirement at all colleges and universities!

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

My university assisted me well! Ms. Montgomery and other staff at Howard University's Ralph Bunche Center organized a wide variety of workshops throughout the semester prior to our study abroad programs related to topics that addressed being abroad from every social and educational perspective you can think of.

For example, Howard University is a Historically Black College located in the heart of Washington, D.C., and one of the workshops I attended addressed the transition from an HBCU in America to a PWI abroad. The acronym "HBCU" means Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and the acronym "PWI" means Predominantly White Institutions. Additionally, Howard organized a workshop centered around cultural immersion and the difference between living abroad and being a tourist abroad.

My university did a superb job preparing me for my study abroad adventures in Cape Town. Lastly, IES Abroad was extremely helpful in providing detailed information on how to obtain a Visa and other required documents prior to departure. IES sent updates and packages regularly about program logistics or any other changes. Ultimately, while abroad, IES did a phenomenal job providing students with access to resources to enhance our experience mentally, socially, academically, and physically.

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What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

One piece of advice I'd give to someone going on my program is to take a language course! Please take some course that teaches you one of the many languages used in South Africa. Personally, I think language is a huge component and identity marker of any culture, and such an experience will enhance future students' cultural immersion processes, and aid in their adaptation to their new environment in Cape Town, South Africa.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

You will have a reasonable amount of time to explore and build meaningful relationships. I took classes at The University of Cape Town, and most classes are only 40 minutes, which is less than most classes at American colleges that may last approximately 90 minutes.

Outside of class time, you have a reasonable amount of time to dedicate to service-learning, campus clubs and organizations, and other social excursions. However, it is important to note that classes at The University of Cape Town are extremely rigorous and require a sufficient amount of studying.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

To be quite transparent, I did not have any "big fear" prior to my experience abroad. I was ready to study abroad and had been planning to since my freshman year at Howard. This was a leap of faith I was willing to make. After arriving at my program, however, I would say one of my biggest cautions was preparing myself to deal with negative stereotypes. I overcame this by educating people about my background and black culture in the United States when faced with inappropriate comments. Ultimately, I used this as an opportunity to dive further into a cultural exchange, and it was a great educational experience.

What was your biggest take-away from studying abroad and what was your favorite experience abroad?

My biggest take-away from studying abroad was prioritizing living in the moment and being present. I felt so free while studying abroad, and my soul was pure. It was at peace, and I was at peace. I was free to explore, learn, take risks, engage, and many more things. It is so important to live and soak up the beauty of life and what the world has to offer. This alone aids in overall happiness, and appreciation for the smallest things in life, which are actually a petty big deal.

Secondly, my favorite experience while abroad was my service-learning experience. It was an addition to a class I took, Community Development in Context (South Africa). This was one of my favorite experiences because it addressed so many problems related to community development, social justice, poverty, educational inequities, colonization, white supremacy, and so much more! I volunteered with three organizations; SHAWCO Education, Sozo Foundation, and WordWorks.

I truly had an amazing experience, and I pray more students choose to study abroad. It is such a life-changing experience and there is no other perfect time to study abroad than in your undergraduate years in college. Take a leap of faith and challenge yourself. The journey is one that is both empowering and uplifting!

Sarah French

2017 Alum

Adrianna Shoemaker

2015 Alum

Victoria Le

2014 Alum

Location

Location:

Cape Town

Currency:

South African Rand

Weather:

Jan-Mar

79 F / 57 F

Apr-Jun

73 F / 46 F

Jul-Sep

66 F / 45 F

Oct-Dec

77 F / 52 F

Airports:

Cape Town International

( CPT )

Cape Town is a port city, the legislative capital of South Africa, the most southern city in all of Africa, and referred to as the "Mother City". It is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, reflecting its role as a major destination for immigrants and expatriates to South Africa.

About IES Abroad

IES Abroad offers 140 programs worldwide for college students. We are a highly charged force of study abroad enthusiasts. Every day we have the privilege of witnessing how study abroad changes our students’ lives. We also believe that every student should have the opportunity to go abroad—especially in a fun, safe, and superior academic and...