IMPORTANT: The courses listed below are just a sampling of all the courses UCT offers. Please use the course handbooks listed under the section title "Go to Host University Course Search" to make final course selections. 

• Course Credit

Per the University of Cape Town, 6 HEQF (NQF) credits = 1 U.S. semester credit (1.5 U.S. quarter credits). Credit transfer is ultimately determined by the students' home universities. Students can enroll in a total of 72-90 HEQF (NQF) credits per semester.

Credits earned vary according to the policies of the students' home institutions. According to ISA policy and possible visa requirements, students must maintain full-time enrollment status, as determined by their home institutions, for the duration of the program. 

• Course Selection

Only courses with an 'F' at the end of the course code will be available during the Spring semester. Example: HST1000F: History of South Africa. Only courses that end with an 'S' are available during the Fall semester. Example: POL1005S

Eligibility for courses may be subject to a placement and/or prerequisites.

Please consult the UCT Faculty Handbooks for a complete list of course offerings and information.

• Course Level

Students with no prior knowledge about a specific subject should select introductory courses at the 1000 level Students with prior knowledge about a subject should choose courses at the 2000 and 3000 level.

Please note that students may only select 3000 level courses if they meet all pre-requisite qualifications.Additionally, selecting 3000 level courses will prolong the issuing of the University of Cape Town Official Letter, which is required for visa application.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Keep in mind that when choosing courses, even lower level courses at the University of Cape Town can be quite challenging and academically rigorous.

• Course Recommendation

ISA offers course level recommendations for the courses offered by the University of Cape Town (UCT). Please note that the course level recommendations are based on unique course codes provided by the UCT. Courses offered at the UCT are coded according to the area of study, the level of the course contents (which is related to the year of studies), and the semester in which the course is offered. The first 3 letters of the code indicate the area of study, the first number in the following 4 digit numeral indicates the year of studies, and the final letter (F, S or W) indicates the semester in which the course is offered (F = First=Spring, S = Second=Fall, W = Whole year). Courses taken in the 1st and 2nd year of studies are recommended as lower division, while courses taken in the 3rd and 4th year of studies are recommended as upper division and may have certain prerequisite requirements. These ISA recommendations are intended to facilitate the determination of course equivalencies by advisers and credential evaluators at participants' U.S. home institutions.

• Sample Courses and Syllabi

The courses listed below are only a sampling of courses available. As such, certain courses listed below may not be available during every semester. Please click the "Complete University Course Catalog Listing" link for full Course Handbooks. Requests for syllabi can be made to the Program Manager.

• Duly Performed/Duly Performed Refusal

Duly Performed (DP) is a grade qualifier used at UCT that will determine a student's eligibility to take their final examination.  If a student has received DP for a course, it means that they have met the requirements for continuous assessment (eg. mid-terms, quizzes, assignments) to take their final exam.   In the UCT system, grades are heavily contingent on the final exam. The largest percentage of a student's grade in a course is determined by the final exam grade.  Opting to not take the final exam will likely lead to a failing grade in the course.

• Transcript Information

The transcript from the University of Cape Town will reflect HEQF credits for each course listed below. Please be in touch with your U.S. University regarding credit transfer for this program.