University of Cape Town is the top University in South Africa ranking. It is a non-profit public higher-education institution located in the suburban setting of the metropolis of Cape Town, Western Cape. It was established in 1874.
About University of Cape Town (UCT)
The University of Cape Town (UCT) is South Africa's oldest university, and is one of Africa's leading teaching and research institutions. University of Cape Town (UCT) was founded in 1829 as the South African College, a high school for boys.
The College had a small tertiary-education facility that grew substantially after 1880, when the discovery of gold and diamonds in the north – and the resulting demand for skills in mining – gave it the financial boost it needed to grow.
The College developed into a fully fledged university during the period 1880 to 1900, thanks to increased funding from private sources and the government.
During these years, the College built its first dedicated science laboratories, and started the departments of mineralogy and geology to meet the need for skilled personnel in the country's emerging diamond and gold-mining industries.
Another key development during this period was the admission of women. In 1886 the Professor of Chemistry, Paul Daniel Hahn, convinced the Council to admit 4 women into his chemistry class on a trial basis. Owing to the exceptional standard of work by the women students, the College decided to admit women students permanently in honour of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1887.
The years 1902 to 1918 saw the establishment of the Medical School, the introduction of engineering courses and a Department of Education.
University of Cape Town (UCT) was formally established as a university in 1918, on the basis of the Alfred Beit bequest and additional substantial gifts from mining magnates Julius Wernher and Otto Beit. The new university also attracted substantial support from well-wishers in the Cape Town area and, for the first time, a significant state grant.
In 1928, the university was able to move the bulk of its facilities to the magnificent site at Groote Schuur on the slopes of Devil's Peak. It was here, on land bequeathed to the nation by Cecil John Rhodes as the site for a national university, that University of Cape Town (UCT) celebrated its centenary the following year.The university has 6 faculties - Commerce, Engineering & the Built Environment, Law, Health Sciences, Humanities and Science – which are all supported by the Centre for Higher Education Development, which addresses students' teaching and learning needs.
Among its more than 100 000 alumni are the late Professor Christiaan Barnard, the world-renowned heart surgeon, and 3 Nobel laureates, Sir Aaron Klug, the late Professor Alan MacLeod Cormack and JM Coetzee.
University of Cape Town (UCT) also has more than 80
specialist research units that provide supervision for postgraduate work and is
home to more than a third of South Africa's A-rated researchers – academics who
are considered world leaders in their fields.
The early history of the university is also set out in the
following publications:
1. The History of the SA College: 1829-1918 (2 volumes), by
William Ritchie (Maskew Miller, Cape Town, 1918)
2. The SA College and the University of Cape Town: 1829-1929,
by Eric A Walker (Centenary Volume published for the Council of the University
of Cape Town by the Cape Times, 1929)
3. The History of the University of Cape Town 1928-1948: The
Formative Years, by Howard Phillips.
University of Cape Town Faculties
2 Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
5 Faculty of Law
6 Faculty of Science
7 Graduate School of Business
8 Center for Higher Education Development
University of Cape Town Faculty of Commerce
The details below are the seven (7) departments of the University of Cape Town Faculty of Commerce:
1 College of Accounting equips graduates to prepare and use financial information to make operational and strategic decisions in organisations.
2 Finance and Tax develops the skills required to source, allocate, price and value assets (investments) and evaluate the structure and financial decision-making of firms (corporate finance), including the South African and International tax implications.
3 School of Economics focuses on how consumers, firms and markets operate and on their impact on economic and social development. Microeconomics includes the economics of the firm, while macroeconomics incorporates issues like unemployment, inflation and economic growth.
4 School of Management Studies includes actuarial science, demography, marketing, organisational psychology, programme evaluation, professional communication and postgraduate diplomas in management.
5 Information Systems deals with information management and technology in organisations – from business analysis to information security and software development.
6 Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance promotes the development of strategic public leadership, with emphasis on accountability and trust in governance.
7 Education Development Unit (EDU) is the home of the Commerce Academic Development extended and augmented programmes. EDU offers additional support and works with a variety of education initiatives throughout the faculty.
University of Cape Town Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
Below details are the six (6) departments of the University of Cape Town Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment:
1 Architecture, Planning and Geomatics offers degrees that give graduates access to career opportunities in architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning. Geomatics involves the integrated measurement, analysis and management of spatial data.
2 Chemical Engineering prepares students for lifelong professional growth and a dynamic range of careers. The fundamentals of science and the principles of process engineering are integrated into multidisciplinary teaching and research programmes aimed at producing world-class graduates and internationally competitive research.
3 Civil Engineering prepares graduates for the planning, design, construction and development of building and infrastructure projects, the management and distribution of water resources, the optimisation of traffic and transport services and the creation of sustainable and energy-efficient cities and communities.
4 Construction Economics and Management aims to produce graduates with theoretical, entrepreneurial and business skills that will ensure their leadership positions within the construction, property and built environment industries.
5 Electrical Engineering offers three creative and stimulating degree programmes where students learn to solve known problems and conceive responses to challenges that have not yet been recognised. New technologies and applications, once unimaginable and achieving what once seemed impossible, are emerging every day.
6 Mechanical Engineering offers two well-recognised degrees,
excellent research facilities and collaboration with world-class departments. A
wide range of research opportunities that are addressing global challenges are
available – from bioengineering and energy efficiency to robotics,
computational fluid dynamics and many more.
University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences
Below details are the thirteen (13) departments of the University of Cape Town
Faculty of Health Sciences:
1 Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine offers excellent
clinical service, training and research through the divisions of acute pain
service, cardiothoracic anaesthesia, critical care, paediatric anaesthesia and
the chronic pain management clinic.
2 Health and Rehabilitation Sciences encompasses a range of
allied health disciplines, including disability studies, occupational therapy,
physiotherapy, nursing and midwifery, and communication sciences and disorders.
3 Health Sciences Education, established in 2015, works to
enhance the quality of education across the faculty and in all teaching
facilities used by the faculty
4 Human Biology brings together several medical scientific and
clinical academic disciplines: biomedical engineering, cell biology, clinical
anatomy and biological anthropology, exercise science and sports medicine,
human nutrition, and physiological sciences.
5 Integrative Biomedical Sciences provides teaching and
training in basic biochemical sciences and computational biology to
undergraduate students in the faculty, and is focused on building capacity in
scarce skills in South Africa, including bioinformatics and large
data analysis, as well as integrative and multidisciplinary molecular
sciences.
6 Medicine is based in Groote Schuur Hospital and consists of
18 clinical divisions and ten major research units that play a leading role in
undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and research.
7 Pathology undertakes basic and applied scientific research
aimed at understanding the mechanisms, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of
diseases.
8 Obstetrics and Gynaecology trains medical students in
obstetrics and gynaecology from the third year to the sixth year of the
curriculum, followed by postgraduate training that includes the development of
the sub-specialities in obstetrics and gynaecology.
9 Paediatrics and Child Health aims to promote, restore and maintain the health and well-being of children and adolescents by providing clinical services, research, undergraduate and postgraduate training, programme and policy support and advocacy for child health.
10 Psychiatry and Mental Health aims to integrate teaching, research and clinical services. This integrated approach takes place across the different divisions in addiction psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, liaison psychiatry, forensic mental health, intellectual disability psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, general adult psychiatry, psychopharmacology and biological psychiatry, psychotherapy and public mental health.
11 Public Health and Family Medicine is a strong
multidisciplinary department with divisions in public health medicine, family
medicine, occupational medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics, health
economics, health policy and systems, social and behavioural sciences, and
environmental health.
12 Surgery includes general surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, emergency medicine, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, paediatric surgery, orthopaedic surgery, otorhinolaryngology, plastic and reconstructive surgery, and urology.
13 Radiation Medicine includes nuclear medicine, radiation
oncology, radiology and medical physics.
University of Cape Town Faculty of Humanities
Below details are the seventeen (17) departments of the University of Cape Town
Faculty of Humanities:
1 Centre for Film and Media Studies equips graduates with the
theoretical knowledge and practical skills to embark on a career in the film
and media industry.
2 Drama is committed to producing mature, highly skilled,
independent and creative theatre practitioners.
3 English Language and Literature promotes access to
literature in English from across the world.
4 Historical Studies encourages the interrogation of texts and
the coherent communication of the results.
5 Michaelis School of Fine Art is one of South Africa’s
foremost institutions for the study of fine art and new media.
6 Philosophy teaching and research spans analytic philosophy,
with a thematic rather than historical approach.
7 Political Science offers courses in international relations,
comparative politics, South African politics, political theory, political
economy, public policy and public administration.
8 Psychology focuses on how minds – individuals, groups and
whole societies – develop and change over time.
9 Religious Studies is committed to the open, plural,
intercultural and interdisciplinary study of world religions.
10 School for African and Gender Studies, Anthropology and
Linguistics (AXL) is home to disciplinary and interdisciplinary teaching and
research programmes, offering critical perspectives with an African focus.
11 Centre for Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies offers
theatre and dance education and training in performance and performance-making.
12 School of Education is an interdisciplinary school focusing
on research into knowledge development and transfer, policy evaluation and
support, and adult education.
13 School of Languages and Literatures offers teaching and
research in languages, literatures and cultures of 11 national and
international languages.
14 Social Development offers social work education and training
at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
15 Sociology contributes to understanding South Africa in a
globalised world through studying all manifestations of society.
16 South African College of Music offers a range of degrees and
diplomas in disciplines such as African music, composition and jazz.
17 Knowledge and Information Stewardship is a postgraduate
department offering professional, academic and research programmes for
information professionals.
University of Cape Town Faculty of Law
Below details are the departments of the University of Cape Town Faculty of Law:
Commercial Law
The Department of Commercial Law covers a wide range of legal fields. Apart from the core LLB courses – corporation law and business transactions law – the department is also responsible for professional courses in business law, company law and labour law.
Private Law
The Department of Private Law is made up of active researchers
whose fields of study cohere closely with our teaching. Key areas of interest
include the doctrine and theory of the law of delict; customary law; land law
and land redistribution; unjustified enrichment; family law, including Muslim
family law; law of contract; law of succession; adjectival law, in particular
civil procedure, comparative law and the nature of legal systems; various
facets of legal history, including Roman law; the theory of legal education and
the jurisprudential context of private law.
Public Law
The Department of Public Law is responsible for
undergraduate and postgraduate courses in specialised topics within the broad
fields of constitutional law, administrative law, human rights, environmental
law, international law and criminal justice.
Within the Department of Public Law several research
projects that have significant resonance for our constitutional democracy are
currently under way. One project concerns violence against women and especially
the issue of rape; another looks at safety and security, particularly within
local communities in Cape Town.
University of Cape Town Faculty of Science
Below details are the departments of the University of Cape Town Faculty of Science:
Africa occupies a critical global position for the study of
largescale climate and environmental processes. These systems affect much on
the African continent – its changing climate, its biota and human development.
Biodiversity and the Greater Cape Floristic Region
The Greater Cape Floristic Region includes the fynbos biome
– which competes with the Amazon forest in terms of diversity – and the world’s
greatest arid hotspot, the Succulent Karoo. The region also includes high
levels of animal biodiversity and offers important perspectives on landscape
development, climate change and Earth history.
Chemistry and Biology for Health in Africa
The major global medical need of the 21st century will be in
Africa. The clinical expertise at UCT, coupled with the wide ethnic diversity
of patients, makes the Western Cape a good environment to conduct translational
science and medicinal research that is relevant to Africa.
Marine Biology and the Southern Oceans
The marine environments around South Africa are among the
most diverse in the world, and the interplay between the two major currents –
the Benguela and the Agulhas – and the three major oceans are central to
African climate variability.
Southern Skies and Evolving Universe
Easy access to the Southern African Large Telescope and the
Square Kilometre Array makes the faculty a global research leader in the study
of the southern skies and the early universe.
Human Evolution and the African Quaternary
Our location provides faculty researchers with access to
unique archaeological sites and southern-hemisphere climatic and environmental
records over the time span of the Quaternary, which allows a better
understanding of this important time period in Africa.
University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business
Below details are the departments of the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business:
The Allan Gray Centre for Values-based Leadership is
dedicated to exploring new ways of doing business, based on purpose,
sustainability and responsible practices.
The Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and
Entrepreneurship aims to support transformation and economic development by
advancing social innovation, with a focus on social entrepreneurship.
The Case Writing Centre produces excellent teaching cases
that reflect the African and emerging market context.
The Centre for Coaching seeks to promote coaching as an
effective business tool and to professionalise the coaching fraternity in South
Africa.
The Development Finance Centre (DEFIC) aims to build a solid
training and research platform to facilitate the growth of local and
international development finance expertise.
The Lean Institute Africa (LIA) aims to promote lean
management in South Africa and the rest of Africa.
The Power Futures Lab aims to enhance understanding and
build capacity in infrastructure investment, reform and regulation, in support
of sustainable development.
The Solution Space opens a space between academia and
business to advance new ideas and concepts connected to relevant and real world
challenges.
Spark Health seeks to strengthen health systems and improve
health outcomes in Africa.
The Raymond Ackerman Academy is an entrepreneurial
development initiative that aims to empower young people.
University of Cape Town Admission Requirements
The admission requirements differ depending on what you want to study. The criteria for certificate courses, diplomas and degrees is listed below:
Undergraduate Certificate Study
Read the University of Cape Town Admission Requirements for Undergraduate Diploma Study as follow:
Undergraduate Diploma Study
Read the University of Cape Town Admission Requirements for Undergraduate Diploma Study as follow:
The minimum requirement for admission to undergraduate diploma study is a National Senior Certificate (NSC) as certified by Umalusi with an achievement rating of 3 (Moderate Achievement, 40-49%) or better in 4 recognised NSC 20-credit subjects.
Bachelor's Degree Study
Here are the details of all University of Cape Town Admission Requirements for Bachelor's Degree Study.
To be eligible for admission to degree study, applicants need to meet minimum requirements for eligibility:
- Applicants holding a South African National Senior Certificate (NSC) need to pass a minimum of 4 subjects at a rating of 4 (Adequate Achievement, 50-59%) or better from a designated list of subjects. The designated list is as follows:
- Accounting
- Agricultural Sciences
- Business Studies
- Dramatic Arts
- Economics
- Engineering Graphics and Design
- Geography
- History
- Consumer Studies
- Information Technology
- Languages (one language of learning and teaching at a higher education institution and 2 other recognised language subjects)
- Life Sciences
- Mathematics
- Mathematical Literacy
- Music
- Physical Sciences
- Religious Studies
- Visual Arts
- Applicants holding a South African Senior Certificate need matriculation endorsement.
- Applicants holding non-South African school-leaving certificates must qualify for a matriculation exemption certificate. For more information please visit the website of the Matriculation Board
Minimum language proficiency
All applicants must have attained a certain level of proficiency in English and are required to submit evidence of this, as outlined below, as part of their application to study.
South African Senior Certificate undergraduate applicants
- South African Senior Certificate undergraduate applicants to UCT must have achieved a pass of 40% or more on the Higher Grade in English (First or Second Language) at Senior Certificate level.
South African NSC undergraduate applicants
- South African NSC undergraduate applicants to UCT, must have achieved a rating of 2 (Elementary Achievement, 30-40%) or better at Home Language or First Additional Language level.
Applicants holding non-South African school-leaving certificates
- Please see UCT's language requirements.
For further information on the IELTS and TOEFL exams, please contact the UCT English Language Centre.
Calculating Admissions Points Score (APS)
The percentages achieved in National Senior Certificate examinations (preliminary and final examinations) will be allocated an admission score equal to that percentage.
The sum of 6 subjects, excluding Life Orientation, but including English and any required subject(s) for the relevant programme, is considered when deciding on admission. For example, for a given programme where Maths and Physical Sciences are required, we will take scores for English, Maths, Physical Sciences and the next best 3 subjects other than Life Orientation to compute the NSC score towards the APS.
Results below 40% for any subject do not attract a score.
University of Cape Town Application Fees
The relevant application fee should accompany all applications:
Undergraduate and postgraduate applications from South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region | R100 |
Undergraduate and postgraduate applications from outside the SADC region | R300 |
Graduate School of Business (GSB) applications from South Africa and African citizens/residents | R1 750 |
GSB applications from outside of Africa | USD 300 |
Note
- Application fees will not be refunded. Paying an application fee does not mean that your application will be successful.
- The application fee may be paid by cash, credit card, direct bank deposit or electronic funds transfer (EFT). Cash payments must be made at the Cashiers Office, Kramer Building, Middle Campus, UCT.
Credit card payments must be made online. Click here.
- EFT payments for all degrees/diplomas EXCEPT GSB must be made to the following account:
Beneficiary: UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN - No.1 Sundries Account
Bank: Standard Bank SA Ltd
Branch: Rondebosch, Western Cape
Branch Code: 025009
Account: 071503854
Swift code (for international payments): SBZAZAJJ
Reference Number: 11196, applicant number (you will receive your applicant number when your application is captured).
E.g. 11196 ABCDEF001.
(This reference number must be entered on the appropriate bank form).
- *EFT payments for the GSB (Graduate School of Business) programmes must be made to the following account:
Beneficiary: UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN - No.9 GSB Account
Bank: Standard Bank SA Ltd
Branch: Rondebosch, Western Cape
Branch Code: 025009
Account: 072953004
Swift code (for international payments): SBZAZAJJ
GSB Reference Number: GSB, applicant’s first name, applicant’s last name.
E.g. GSB Betty Brown
(This reference number must be entered on the appropriate bank form).
- Application fees should be paid in South African Rands, except when applying for a GSB qualification from outside the SADC region, in which case payment should be in US dollars.
- UCT graduates are exempt from paying an application fee, except in the case of GSB qualifications.
University of Cape Town Acceptance Rate (Deposit)
If you are offered a place on one of the following programmes offered by the Graduate School of Business, you will be asked to pay an acceptance deposit as reflected below. Acceptance deposits are not payable for any other programmes at UCT. Acceptance fees are non-refundable and will be credited to your student-fee account. Remember to quote your new student number when making this payment (here).
The acceptance fees are currently:
Master of Business Administration: South African/African applicants | R15 000 |
Master of Business Administration: International applicants | R30 000 |
Associate in Management (AIM) | R5 000 |
Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (PDBA): South African/African applicants | R10 000 |
Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (PDBA): International applicants | R20 000 |
Executive Master of Business Administration: South African/African applicants | R15 000 |
Executive Master of Business Administration: International applicants | R30 000 |
University of Cape Town Tuition fees
Students at UCT pay tuition fees for every course taken.
These tuition fees vary from course to course and cover:
- registration
- all
charges for classes, tutorials and laboratories
- ordinary
university examinations
- library
access
- compulsory
personal accident insurance
- the
use of general sporting facilities
- in the
case of medical students, hospital fees for clinical instruction.
Note: Tuition fees do not cover membership to
clubs or societies.
University of Cape Town Accommodation fees
Residence fees are available in the Student Fees handbook. Please be aware that for catering residences, the meal costs should be added to the residence cost.
Miscellaneous fees and levies
Various charges such as society subscriptions, library fines, traffic fines, student health charges, residence damage costs and emergency loans may be debited to a student's fees account if they were not settled in the course of the year.
Such charges often appear on accounts late in the year, so it is important to check for these charges before the year-end to ensure acceptance to the next academic year or an invitation to graduate.
Interest
The university charges monthly interest on outstanding balances at 1%. Given that the final fee payment is due on 30 June, interest is charged on 31 July and at the end of each succeeding month.
Estimate of fees
External bursars often request an estimate of student fees before awarding the bursary. This can be obtained from:
- Student Fees handbook (refer)
Consult ‘Information for Sponsors’, Section 4, for more information.
- Fees office
Tel: +27 (0)21 650 1704
Fax: +27 (0)21 650 4768
Email: fnd-feeenq@uct.ac.za
Note: Bursars can request pro-forma fees invoices once a copy of the bursary award letter has been forwarded to the Fees Office.
How to Apply for University of Cape Town Admission
How to Apply Online
You may apply online. In order to apply online you will need a working email address and your South African identity number, or, if you are an international applicant, your passport number.
Click here to Start the Application Process
Online Application Tips:
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Offline Application
If you are unable to apply online, you may submit a paper application by printing the forms from the links below, and sending them to the Admissions Office at the address indicated on the right.
Click on the suitable link below and continue to download and apply to University of Cape Town.:
For Undergraduate Application Forms for Admission, click here
For Postgraduate Applications, click here.
Postal address
Admissions Office
University of Cape Town
c/o Bremner Building Lower Campus
Rondebosch
7701
South Africa
Physical address
Admissions Office
University of Cape Town
Level 4
Masingene Building
Middle Campus
Rondebosch
Cape Town
South
More Links from University of Cape Town, South Africa.
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About University of Cape Town Student Wellness | Department of Students affairs
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University of Cape Town Students Fees Handbook
Refer to the University of Cape Town official website for more information.