Studying abroad in South Africa is a great way to get a fresh perspective on a different culture. You’ll learn about the people, their history, and their current way of life. But in this article, we will discuss why you should study in South Africa.
The South African Educational System
The educational system in South Africa has a holistic system that is quite similar to the western education system. Higher education in South Africa is by the Department of Higher Education and Training. They are in charge of both higher or tertiary education and vocational training.
Undergraduate degrees usually last for about three or four years depending on the course or program while post-graduate degrees such as master’s degrees last for about one to two years. Popular courses that you’ll find are in social sciences and applied sciences, health, business, and many more.
As a result, you’ll be left with numerous options and also decide to complete an internship as part of your program which can earn you credits. The South African educational system also allows you to gain practical knowledge by working with some of their partner institutions which are often businesses or organizations.
You need to have completed 480 credits to complete a four-year bachelor’s program in South Africa and 320 credits to complete a 3-year bachelor’s degree. The South African educational system is measured in usually NQF levels so A 3-year bachelor’s degree is at NQF level 7 while a 4-year bachelor’s degree is at NQF level 8. This requires at least 480 credits.
Many international students have studied abroad in South Africa and were able to work with the educational system so you too can.
Since we have taken a look at the South African educational system, we can then proceed to take a look at the schools and programs you can enroll in as an international student. You will also get to know about the opportunities that you can get by studying abroad in South Africa.
Schools You Can Study Abroad in South Africa
Now that you know how the educational system in South Africa works, you may also want to know the specific schools you can apply to study there. Here are some notable schools that you want to check out and include in your plans of studying abroad in South Africa.
- University of Cape Town: this is one of the most notable schools in South Africa that are open to international students. More than 5,000 of the students in the school are from about 100 different countries so you will have lots of people to connect with. Luckily, you may find people from your home country with whom you can build meaningful relationships.
There are over 60 departments in about 6 faculties at the University of Cape Town. There are also over 60 other programs that you can check out and apply for. The university is the oldest in South Africa and in Sub-Saharan Africa. It has been constantly ranked as one of the top 26 world-best universities.
Programs are taught solely in the English language. You can take up courses in general English if you need to gain more proficiency in the language.
- University of Pretoria: this is another top university that you can enroll in as an international student looking to enroll in South African schools. It is a public research university located in one of the three capital cities of South Africa, Pretoria. If you are looking for research programs through which you can further your studies, this is one of the schools you want to check out. There are about 4,000 international students at the university so you can be sure that you will meet other people who are foreigners like yourself in the school.
There are over 400 international master’s programs at the University of Pretoria. From medicine, humanities, social sciences, applied sciences, computer science & IT, engineering, law, communications, education, media, and technology. You need to show proficiency in the English language or you can be exempted if you had your previous studies in English. You can take also take up English Language courses to brush up on your proficiency.
- University of Johannesburg: this is a public university in South Africa where you can enroll as a foreign student. The University of Johannesburg has four campuses which are at Auckland Park Kingsway, Auckland Park Bunting Road, Doornfontein, and Soweto. They are all located in the metropolitan area of the City of Johannesburg.
There are about 3,000 international students from over 70 countries of the world at the University of Pretoria. You can enroll in the school and get the chance of meeting people of diverse cultures and nationalities.
There are over 130 bachelor’s degrees and 100 master’s degrees available at the University of Johannesburg. There are also other programs that you can check out and apply for on the school website. The university has been constantly ranked as one of the top universities in the world by global rankings.
You need to show proficiency in the English language by taking English proficiency exams such as IELTS or TOEFL. You can also be exempted from submitting an English proficiency test if you had your previous studies in English. Taking up English Language courses can also help brush up on your proficiency.
- University of Western Cape: this is a public research university in Bellville, Cape Town. It has had over 20,000 enrollments with 7% of the number as international students from different countries of the world. The notable alumni in the school are Danny Jordaan and Stanley MathaBatha.
There are over 200 programs that you can choose from if you are looking to enroll at the University of Cape Town. You need to show proficiency in the English language by taking English proficiency exams such as IELTS or TOEFL. You can also be exempted from submitting an English proficiency test if you had your previous studies in English. Taking up English Language courses can also help brush up on your proficiency.
You can choose from over 100 programs at the university so you cannot run out of options. There are also over 80 master’s programs so you have many options to choose from as a postgraduate applicant.
- University of South Africa: this is one of the most populous universities in South Africa with over 350,000 enrollments with 0ver 10% of the number as international students. The school has over 90 bachelor’s programs that you can choose from. Over 90% of 78 available master’s programs at the university are taught in English. This means that you will find more master’s programs taught in English than you would find bachelor’s programs.
You need to show proficiency in the English language by taking English proficiency exams such as IELTS or TOEFL. You can also be exempted from submitting an English proficiency test if you had your previous studies in English. Taking up English Language courses can also help brush up on your proficiency.
There are about 35,000 international students at the university so you may get to meet lots of like-minded people to relate with. Luckily, you may find people from your home country with whom you can build meaningful relationships.
Opportunities Available for International Students in the Netherlands
While some people have been able to benefit from opportunities available for international students in the Netherlands, others are yet to find amazing opportunities for students in the Netherlands. Here are some of the opportunities;
- You can work for up to 20 hours per week as an international student in South Africa while you can work full-time during summer or holiday periods if you don’t have classwork scheduled.
- There are technological and vocational courses that you can enroll in to give you an opportunity to get technical training while studying. You can get internship opportunities that can go towards your credits accumulation and also build relevant connections that can help you in the future. You can do an internship as long as it is relevant to your program. Your school or program will have connections or partnerships with renowned institutions or organizations where you can have a credible internship.
- You can get jobs off-campus and on-campus jobs as an international student. Off-campus jobs that are available to you as an international student include caring, housekeeping, store attendants, substitute teaching, PR and communications, tech jobs, marketing, and many others. You can also work as a research assistant or substitute teacher on campus. This type of job can be limited and so hard to get. However, it can be really rewarding.
- You can stay back and work in South Africa after your studies by getting a work visa. If you apply and get a job, you have a high chance of getting a work visa and staying back in South Africa as a foreign student.
- There are numerous scholarship opportunities available for international students to study in South Africa. A good number of scholarship programs, especially African scholarship programs have South Africa as one of the study destinations. You can benefit from this as an international student.
