Final Up to date on September 1, 2022 by AIFS Overseas
Eager about an adventure-packed research overseas expertise? Spend a semester in Stellenbosch, South Africa! Positioned within the Western Cape, this college city is surrounded by vineyards and plush mountains. You may discover historical past, tradition, and nature right here in abundance, from swimming with penguins at Boulders Seaside to reflecting on the nation’s previous on Robben Island.
Right here’s extra about what it’s like to check overseas in South Africa with AIFS in the course of the fall or spring semester:
Teachers in Stellenbosch
College students learning overseas in Stellenbosch can select from three dynamic program choices: the Full Curriculum Program, the Normal Training Program, and the World Service Studying Program (keep tuned to study extra about these unbelievable packages!).
These packages provide programs that span all kinds of topics, together with:
- Enterprise: economics, entrepreneurship, data programs, logistics, and extra.
- Humanities and Liberal Arts: philosophy, sociology, political science, historical past, visible arts, Afrikaans, IsiXhosa, HIV, psychology, anthropology, theology and extra.
- Agricultural Sciences: forestry, ecology, biodiversity, genetics, soil science, animal diet, and extra.
- Sciences: chemistry, biology, physics, biometry, and extra.
Program Possibility 1: Full Curriculum Program
Earn as much as 15 semester credit learning alongside South African and different worldwide college students. You may select to take any course provided by Stellenbosch College, so long as you meet the conditions. Stellenbosch College additionally provides programs with a give attention to South African historical past and tradition to assist worldwide college students acquire a deeper understanding of their host nation.
Program Possibility 2: Normal Training Program
The programs on this program have been particularly designed by Stellenbosch College to assist introduce worldwide college students to South African historical past, tradition and politics. Select as much as 5 programs for a complete of 15 semester credit. Typical course choices embody: “An Overview of South African Historical past”, “Politics and Cultural Change in Up to date South Africa”, “Gender and Identification in Africa”, “Understanding HIV in South Africa” and “Afrikaans for Learners”.
📣 “[The highlight of my academic program was] my newbie’s Afrikaans course. The entire college students have been from completely different international locations, however every of us left our native tongue on the door and stumbled by means of studying a brand new language. I discovered excess of I anticipated, and I additionally met a few of my closest pals. All of us have been out of our consolation zone, however it turned an area the place we discovered collectively and inspired each other.”
– Sarah V., AIFS in Stellenbosch alum
Program Possibility 3: World Service Studying Program
College students take a World Service Studying course comprised of 90 hours classroom and 45 hours on-site group engagement in an area main faculty. This course challenges college students to self-reflect and have interaction in fashionable international points in an area context, and reveals how group engagement can drive social impression. College students additionally select two or three programs from the Full Curriculum Program or the Normal Training Program to earn as much as 15 semester credit.
📣 “I feel that this volunteer expertise was the spotlight of my time overseas as a result of it made me understand the simplicity of what it means to provide time to others.”
– Anna S., AIFS in Stellenbosch alum
Life in Stellenbosch: On Campus
We want to speak in regards to the housing in Stellenbosch. In case you’re somebody that actually likes having their very own house, right here’s some wonderful information: Your program price contains your personal room and en-suite lavatory.
The housing campus at Stellenbosch College options state-of-the-art safety and is situated only a quick stroll from the primary campus. AIFS Overseas college students keep in Concordia, which homes each South African college students and fellow worldwide college students from all around the world.
The Stellenbosch College campus really has all the pieces you want – together with gyms, swimming pools, a botanical backyard and a sprawling underground library. The Scholar Middle (affectionately referred to as The Neelsie) is a one-stop store and is residence to a submit workplace, financial institution, cafeterias, movie show and extra.
Excursions and Cultural Actions
One of many highlights of learning overseas in Stellenbosch is that your program features a 6-day journey alongside South Africa’s Backyard Route. This tour occurs throughout a faculty break, so you’ll be able to actually give attention to being current and having fun with your self. You’ll go to locations just like the Cango Caves, an ostrich farm, a township in Knysna, Monkeyland and Knysna Elephant Sanctuary.
Those that are further adventurous have the choice to take part in actions like river ravine kloofing, horseback using, treetop ziplining and sea kayaking for an additional price.
You’ll additionally take take a day journey to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve and Boulders Seaside (famously residence to over 3,000 African Penguins).
Your program price additionally contains quite a lot of cultural and social actions. Typical actions embody:
- Welcome and farewell group dinners
- Winery tour
- Go to to Desk Mountain
- Climbing
- Attend a sporting occasion and an area competition (music or meals)
Plus, Stellenbosch College organizes further actions for worldwide college students all through the semester.
Volunteer Alternatives
Stellenbosch College provides a 20-hour, non-credit bearing Volunteerism and Group Engagement (VCE) Program to develop your engagement with Stellenbosch throughout your semester overseas. Spend 10 weeks volunteering at an area faculty throughout the wine farms, designing an after-school actions program alongside VCE employees, academics and college students.
Those that research overseas in Stellenbosch throughout their spring semester have the distinctive alternative to volunteer with the Cape City Carnival. College students can volunteer with a non-profit group to assist younger individuals put together for and participate on this celebration of African creativity and variety.
What’s it like learning overseas in South Africa? Hear from our alumni:
📣 “I had no thought what to anticipate from Stellenbosch and AIFS, however this system went far above something I may think about.” – Allison Pomeroy, AIFS in Stellenbosch alum
📣 “I share photos and anecdotes with household and pals, realizing that they’ll’t presumably know the way it felt to see a township for the primary time, get up to the fantastic thing about the Stellenbosch Mountains each morning, or really feel at residence half means world wide.” – Katherine S., AIFS in Stellenbosch alum
Spend your semester exploring Stellenbosch
Click on beneath and study extra about AIFS Overseas in Stellenbosch program choices, programs, housing and extra!
