Study Abroad in Stellenbosch: Student Life

Study permit

Students must apply to the South African consulate for a study permit. Consulates are located in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and Chicago.

Orientation

The International Office organizes an orientation for foreign students before classes begin, complemented by special sessions and extra activities organized by AIFS.

Student life

University life is interwoven with the atmosphere of the town. The people of Stellenbosch show a friendly regard for students. Beyond what the town and area offer, this active campus has more than 40 cultural, sporting, religious and political clubs and societies. Students edit and publish newspapers and magazines and run a University radio station.

The student center, affectionately known as The Neelsie, is the hub of student life with a food court, sit-down restaurants, coffee shops, a pub, two cinemas, a dance area, a post office, banks, a fax and photocopy center, a bookshop and stores.

Bikes

AIFS provides a bike for each student. Students pay a deposit, of which 70% is refunded at the end of the semester if the bike is returned in good condition.

Cultural Activities

Varied activities organized by AIFS and the International Office have included social get-togethers at a local pub Wednesday evenings, vineyard tour and wine tasting, visit to Parliament in Cape Town, bowling, soccer and cricket, trips to Robben Island and the Cape of Good Hope, weekend hiking, a beach sports day and picnics.

Animal encounters

Many students are attracted to South Africa because of the close interaction they can have with the country’s wildlife. Although visiting a game reserve is a priority for most, there are other special encounters not to be missed.

South Africa is known for the “Big Six” (lion, cheetah, elephant, buffalo, rhino and whale). Hermanus, a coastal town about an hour away from Stellenbosch, boasts the best land-based whale watching in the world. Walker Bay has become the nursery and breeding grounds of the Southern Right Whales from July to November. A Whale Festival in September celebrates whales and Spring fynbos (an indigenous plant found only in the Western Cape).

Other African creatures that live in their own sanctuary are 17 species of monkeys. They can be seen in their 12-hectare, freerange environment in the forest on the other side of Plettenberg Bay. A guided tour takes you to see monkeys from all over Africa and neighboring islands. They are not in cages (one or two might even come and sit on your shoulder). Students also visit the Knysna Elephant Park.

Volunteering

Many students do volunteer work with children in the township of Kayamandi, a predominantly black township with a population of about 20,000. On Wednesday afternoons, students have the opportunity to tutor the children. Friday afternoons are spent doing arts, crafts and playing sports. The Kayamandi Project was started about ten years ago by the international students of Stellenbosch University under the supervision of the International Office.