Travel & Living
Program Dates: June 9 – July 19, 2024
Students arrange and pay for their own round-trip transatlantic transportation to Cape Town. Students must arrive in Cape Town by June 9, which means departing the United States on June 7 or 8. Some students opt to travel to South Africa early and explore the country. This is encouraged, but you should spend time in other parts of the country, as you will see much of Cape Town during the six weeks of the program. The program ends on July 19 and students will return to the US on July 20 unless they have extended travel plans. Housing becomes available on June 7 and ends on June 20. All students and faculty will stay in the residence halls on the campus of the University of the Western Cape, and local transport will be provided once students have arrived in South Africa. This includes transport to and from the Cape Town International Airport on arrival and departure.
While the program is fairly intense and involves much hard work, outings will also be arranged to Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned), Cape Point, Table Mountain, and a tour of the wine country. Students also frequently organize additional outings in groups.
Useful websites for traveling in South Africa:
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populated city in South Africa after Johannesburg, and is the provincial capital and largest city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country.
Cape Town, considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, enchants visitors with its charming harbor and awe-inspiring Table Mountain. This flat-topped peak that presides over the city can be summited either by foot or by cableway, which offers revolving views on your ride to the top. A trip to Cape Peninsula offers splendid swimming and wildlife viewing, and a tour of the lush Cape Winelands allows you to sample some of the world’s finest wines, rivaling French and Italian vintages.
University Of The Western Cape
The EESA program takes place at the University of the Western Cape campus, located in the Bellville suburb of Cape Town, South Africa.
The University of the Western Cape is a national university, alert to its African and international context as it strives to be a place of quality, a place to grow. It is committed to excellence in teaching, learning and research, to nurturing the cultural diversity of South Africa, and to responding in critical and creative ways to the needs of a society in transition.