Application

I would recommend to start the planning of your studies abroad at least one year before - "The early bird catches the worm" :)))

First of all, you should check if your home university has an exchange agreement with the University of Stellenbosch and you have to decide if you want to complete a degree, study only for one or two semesters or do some research. Thus, the following categories of international students are available:

• full-time undergraduate student (degree )
• full-time postgraduate student (degree)
• exchange student
• international special student (one or two semesters)
• affiliated student (research)

All of the categories imply a different application process and different closing dates for application. Simply because of my student status, I will focus on the application process of an "international special student". Detailed information can also be found in the Guidelines for Prospective International Students provided by the international office.

International Office

The International Office (IO) in Stellenbosch is extremely helpful regarding all aspects of your study plans and your stay in South Africa. On average they've replied to my emails within one day and that is really fast in view of "African circumstances" :) The coordinator for international special students is Ben Nel (see staff).

fees and budget

The academic fees for international special students is R 24200 (as of 2004) per semester. That is about 3000 €. For exchange students or degree-seeking students the fees are different but cheaper.

How much money do I need a month?
That's a difficult question and depends on your lifestyle. The prices for food in supermarkets differ a lot and are sometimes as high as in Europe. Meals in restaurants and drinks are quite cheap. A Castle lager beer is only about 1€! Prices for accommodation and a sample budget can be found in the living section. 500€ to 600€ should be sufficient. 

TOEFL

Firstly, you should start with the TOEFL test preparation. Many universities have English proficiency requirements. At Stellenbosch a minimum TOEFL score of 213, preferably with at least 4.5 points on the written part of the test is required.

courses

Secondly, you should contact the academic department or faculty of your field of study and check which courses are offered. In my experience, it was quite difficult to obtain suitable information and I managed to choose my courses no more than one week before the start of the semester :) Therefore, start early and even phone the professor if you do not receive the desired information.
Regarding your application it is very important to know which courses you want to attend, at which level (undergraduate or postgraduate) and at which academic department(s)!
IPSU (International Programmes Stellenbosch University) offers special courses for international students, as well. In addition, you should consult your professor at your home university and ask for the terms and conditions of credit transfer from courses offered at the University of Stellenbosch.

application

Thirdly, prepare your application documents. You can ask the international office to mail you the form or download it here. Separate application forms are used for different types of study programmes. The application must include the following:

• curriculum vitae
• official academic transcript (including English translations)
• copy of passport
• proof of medical insurance
• course description for each course completed at the home university
  (content, literature list, course level, method of examinations, etc.)

On the application form you must also indicate your proposed field of study (specific course names and departments).

Note when you fill in your telephone and fax number: The international access code for calling from South Africa is “09” e.g. to call Germany from SA you must dial 0949!

I faxed all documents to the international office and mailed the original documents in order to accelerate the application process. Closing date for applications is March 31 (for July semester) and September 30 (for February semester).

Finally, after 4 weeks phone or email the international office to ensure that your documents have arrived. Your application form will be forwarded to the appropriate academic departments or faculties for approval. The authorities of the department decide whether you are accepted for a specific course or not. This depends on your qualifications (transcript) and how they satisfy the prerequisites for a specific course (e.g. studying at postgraduate level in industrial psychology requires some basic knowledge in industrial psychology and you should have already attended some courses in this field).

letter of admission

If your application is approved, an official letter of admission will be issued and sent to you. You need this letter to apply for a study permit.

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