Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Health
You may be able to combine any of the Service-Learning Experiences below with an ISA Academic Program.
School for Special Needs
English (Advanced)
Offering a mainstream curriculum for learners with physical disabilities, this school was founded in 1974 as a school for “differently abled” children in Xkosa-speaking communities of the Cape townships. Participants may assist in the following areas: administrative duties, coaching sports or leading other activities, supervising students during lunch and recreation times, classroom assistance and more depending on interests and skills. *This partner organization is only available for full-time, 8-week service learning students and is not available during the semester.
About the Location
South Africa is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa after Angola. It is one-eighth the size of the United States with approximately one-seventh the population. South Africa boasts a coastline of more than 2,000 miles of beaches as well as a range of biodiversity that is virtually unparalleled. Kruger National Park is one of the largest national parks in the world and covers over 7,500 square miles. Nature lovers from around the world visit the park to see a diverse collection of wild animals, including lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalos. South Africa’s biodiversity is matched only by its diverse people, with scores of various ethnic groups living and working there for hundreds of years. While its nature is worth writing home about, so is South Africa’s commitment to bettering the lives of its inhabitants. A participant in this country has the chance to advocate for civil rights, work with families who have been victims of abuse, and tutor youth in Math and English.
Cape Town
Affectionately known as the Mother City, Cape Town was founded in 1652 and is South Africa's oldest city. It's easy to see why Cape Town is rated as one of the most beautiful cities in the world with a backdrop of flat-topped Table Mountain juxtaposed by the sweep of the Atlantic Ocean in the foreground. You can hike or take a cable-car ride up Table Mountain to enjoy the breathtaking view of the city and peninsula, take a ferry to the historic Robben Island, or visit the Cape of Good Hope. There are plenty of ways you can help support this dynamic South African community. Whether it’s using your teaching skills to tutor local schoolchildren or using your knowledge of social media to help market local advocacy campaigns, you can help your host organization make a real impact on this South African community.
What's Included
- Comprehensive advising and support
- Pre-departure orientation materials
- Visa support
- The Professional Development Toolbox
- Guaranteed placement with local host organization
- Airport reception
- On-site orientation through the Bridging Cultures Orientation
- Full-time resident staff with a maximum 20:1 student to staff ratio
- On-site ISA office, computer and WiFi internet access
- Housing
- Meals and laundry service (varies according to housing option chosen)
- Placement supervision
- Academic supervision
- Academic credit options (additional fee may apply)
- Cultural activities
- Insurance
- 24-hour emergency assistance
- 24-hour on-site support
- Optional excursions (additional fee may apply)
- On-site transportation stipend
- Project materials stipend
- Donation to host organization
- ISA Service-Learning Portfolio
Academic Credit
Participants looking to earn academic credit for their ISA Service-Learning experience can explore the following options.
Credit From Your Home Institution
Participants may work with their home university to receive academic credit for their program. Each academic institution has a unique policy for granting internship, service-learning and experiential learning credit, thus students should inquire about receiving academic credit with their home university advisors, professors, and/or academic department heads. Many ISA Service-Learning participants have successfully received “Independent Study,” “Internship,” “Directed Studies,” or “Special Topics” credit for their program by presenting their Portfolio.
Transfer Credit from Carroll College
ISA Service-Learning has partnered with Carroll College in Helena, Montana, to offer a U.S. transcript and award lower division service-learning academic credits for ISA Service-Learning programs. Credit awarded will be based on the successful completion of the ISA Service-Learning Portfolio and the number of contact hours accrued at the host organization.
Participants will be able to earn 3 credits for the following programs: 4 and 6-week full-time programs, ISA Semester/Summer + Service-Learning, ISA Intensive Month + Service-Learning.
Participants will be able to earn 6 credits for the following programs: 8 week (or more) full-time programs.
The additional cost of academic credit is $300, and includes a transcript with either a pass/fail or a letter grade from Carroll College.
ISA Service-Learning strongly recommends that students receive confirmation from their home institution that credit transfer will be accepted.
Prices & Dates
Housing Details
ISA Housing in South Africa provides the opportunity for participants to experience aspects of the local lifestyle that are inaccessible to the average visitor. The experience of living in another culture will be both educational and rewarding so long as you stay open-minded and reasonable at all times. There are differences in culture and lifestyle between life in South Africa and the U.S. Remember: the key to a positive experience is flexibility. With this in mind, you can become a true South African!
Students Residence
In the student residence, students may be housed in single or double rooms with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. Coin-operated laundry facilities are located on the bottom floor. Meals and laundry service are not included.
A $500 refundable security deposit will be charged to students living in ISA arranged housing. ISA may retain some, or all, of this deposit in the case of damage to property.
Hostel
Students living in a hostel will be located in a central location near public transportation. ISA participants may share a room and bathroom with another ISA participant. Hostels have common recreation areas and laundry facilities available on site. Although meals are not included, there will be a cooking/kitchen area for student use. Free, unlimited Wi-Fi is available in common areas.
Independent Housing
You may opt to secure housing independently. If you select this option, you will receive a discount equal to the housing portion of the program price. By choosing to opt out of ISA housing, you are solely responsible for researching and reserving housing, and paying all fees, deposits, and rent directly to the housing facility that you choose.
Visa Info
Participants must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months AFTER their expected departure date from South Africa.
U.S. Citizens
Depending on the type of program in which you enroll and the duration, you may need to obtain a visa prior to going abroad or upon arrival in South Africa. If you are required to obtain a visa prior to going abroad fo your program, the ISA Service-Learning team will advise you through the visa application process.
Non-U.S. Citizens
Please note that non-U.S. citizens should contact their Consulate to verify specific entry requirements. As these requirements vary based on citizenship, non-U.S. citizens may not be permitted to travel to South Africa without a visa or outside of their visa dates. Also, visa fees for non-U.S. citizens may differ so please be sure to check specific Consulate's website for the most up to date information.
Note: Embassy and Consulate contact information is subject to change without notice. Please refer to the website of the Embassy or Consulate to verify information.