interstudy: Stellenbosch University

  South Africa

Stellenbosch

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring 
Dates: Feb-June July-Nov

Description: The history of the University of Stellenbosch dates back to the opening of the Stellenbosch Gymnasium in 1866. Out of the Gymnasium grew the Arts Department, which became the Stellenbosch College in 1881. This was changed to Victoria College in 1887, the Jubilee year of Queen Victoria's reign. From a small institution with 500 students and 39 lecturers in 1918, Stellenbosch has grown into a modern university with nearly 22,000 students and 738 full-time lecturers. Being historically and officially an Afrikaans institution, the University of Stellenbosch offers classes in Afrikaans and English, reflecting the needs and interests of an increasingly diverse student body.

Stellenbosch was founded in 1679. However it is not simply a town of dignified historic buildings and tree-lined avenues. It is also a modern town, a bustling center for commerce, agriculture and education with the campus as an integral part. The town has moved with the times whilst maintaining its rural character and preserving its historic heritage. For visitors, Stellenbosch offers excellent opportunities. It is twelve miles from beautiful beaches and 34 miles from Cape Town. The active nature-lover can enjoy the hiking trails in the surrounding mountain ranges or even a walk in the nature reserve in the town. Stellenbosch also offers a wide variety of cultural activities in which the University's departments of Music, Drama and Creative Arts play an important role. Additionally, the Stellenbosch wine region, the Napa Valley of South Africa, is one of the oldest in the southern hemisphere, and certainly regarded as the most beautiful.

Highlights: There are several aspects of the interstudy Stellenbosch program that set it apart from other study abroad experiences. Among these are:
- Academic flexibility - interstudy's open academic policy allows students to take virtually any course or combination of courses in the undergraduate course catalog, without imposing interstudy course requirements.
- Beautiful campus and town nestled within a peaceful valley of rolling vineyards and stunning mountains, just 34 miles from cosmopolitan Cape Town.
- Full academic integration - courses are taught by South African professors, in classes filled with South African students.
- Convenient access to sites such as Jonkershoek Nature Preserve, Moederkerk, and Spier Amphitheatre
- Specific academic strengths in African Languages, Political Science, and South African Culture

Cost in US$: See interstudy website

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American and Canadian Participants.

Participants Travel to South Africa Independently Or in Groups

Scholarships are Available. - interstudy awards scholarships each semester based on academic merit and/or financial need. Award amounts vary. Scholarship applications may be downloaded from the interstudy website, and must be submitted no later than May 1st for Fall Semester and November 1st for Spring Semester.

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Year Founded: 1980