The University of Cape Town is home to a group of extraordinarily gifted students, educators, and researchers, as well as a diverse group of professionals, administrative support staff, and service employees, all of whom are dedicated to making the world a better place. We urge one another to put forth the effort necessary to become leaders in this rapidly changing world, not just to obtain degrees or gain notoriety.
About the University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town (UCT) is a public research university in Cape Town, South Africa. Its Afrikaans name is Universiteit van Kaapstad and its Xhosa name is iYunivesithi yaseKapa. The oldest university in South Africa and the oldest continuously operating university in Sub-Saharan Africa, it was founded in 1829 as the South African College and received full university status in 1918.
57 departments spread across six faculties make up UCT, which only awards degrees in the English language from bachelor’s (NQF 7) to doctoral (NQF 10) levels. It includes six campuses in the Capetonian areas of Rondebosch, Hiddingh, Observatory, Mowbray, and the Waterfront and is home to 30.000 students. Although UCT was established in 1918 by a private act of Parliament, its structure and roles are outlined in the University of Cape Town’s Statute, which was issued in 2002 following the Higher Education Act. The Chancellor, who is currently Dr. Precious Moloi Motsepe, is designated as the ceremonial figurehead, while the Vice Chancellor, who reports to the University Council, is given real leadership authority.
Around 100 organizations and groups make up the active student community, which caters to a variety of interests including sports, politics, religion, culture, and community service. UCT is well-represented in national leagues like the Varsity Cup, among others. The term “Ikeys,” initially an anti-Semitic slur for university students, originated from the longstanding intellectual, athletic, and political rivalry between UCT and Stellenbosch University.
In the Academic Ranking of World Universities, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and the QS World University Rankings, UCT continuously holds the top spot among African universities. Its faculties of law, medicine, and commerce are frequently ranked among the top 100 worldwide. It is the only African institution to be a member of the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF), a group of 26 of the best universities in the world that is part of the World Economic Forum.
Five UCT researchers, employees, or alumni have received the Nobel Prize. The National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF) has rated 35 UCT staff members as A-rated researchers as of March 2020 (almost 30% of the country overall), the highest ranking attainable in the NRF rating classification scheme. This rating recognizes researchers who are unmistakably recognized by their peers as leading international scholars in their field for the high quality and impact of their recent research outputs. The Academy of Sciences of South Africa employs 88 people.
The South African College, a high school for young men, was established at a conference in the Groote Kerk in 1829, giving rise to the University of Cape Town. A Department of Education, engineering courses, and the Medical School were all established between 1902 and 1918. On the strength of the Alfred Beit bequest and other sizable donations from mining tycoons Julius Wernher and Otto Beit, UCT was formally established as a university in 1918. Also, the new institution received a sizable amount of assistance from well-wishers in the Cape Town region and, for the first time, a sizable governmental grant.
The majority of the university’s facilities were able to be moved to Groote Schuur in 1928, which is located on land that Cecil John Rhodes left to the country as the location for a national university. Groote Schuur is located on the slopes of Devil’s Peak. The next year, UCT commemorated its 100th anniversary.
Faculty and Departments At the University of Cape Town
Faculty of Commerce
- College of Accounting
- Finance and Tax
- School of Economics
- Education Development Unit (EDU)
- Information Systems
- School of Management Studies
- The Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance
- Commerce IT (IT support)
Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment
- Architecture and Planning
- Geomatics
- Department of Chemical Engineering
- Department of Civil Engineering
- Department of Construction Economics and Management
- Department of Electrical Engineering
- Department of Mechanical Engineering
Faculty of Health Sciences
- Anaesthesia & Perioperative Medicine
- Family, Community, and Emergency Care
- Health Sciences Education
- Paediatrics & Child Health
- Health & Rehabilitation Sciences
- Human Biology
- Integrative Biomedical Sciences
- Medicine
- Obstetrics & Gynaecology
- Pathology
- Psychiatry & Mental Health
- Public Health
- Radiation Medicine
- Surgery
Faculty of Humanities
- African Studies and Linguistics (ASL)
- African Feminist Studies (AFS)
- Anthropology (ANS)
- Education, School of (EDN)
- English Literary Studies (ELL)
- Film and Media Studies, Centre for (FAM)
- Fine Art, Michaelis School of (FIN)
- Historical Studies (HST)
- Knowledge & Information Stewardship (LIS)
- Languages and Literatures, School of (SLL)
- Music, South African College of (MUZ)
- Philosophy (PHI)
- Political Studies (POL)
- Psychology (PSY)
- Social Work & Social Development (SWK)
- Sociology (SOC)
- Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies, Centre for (TDP)
- The Study of Religions, Department for (REL)
Faculty of Law
- Commercial Law
- Public Law
- Private Law
Faculty of Science
- Archaeology
- Astronomy
- Biological Sciences
- Chemistry
- Environmental & Geographical Science
- Geological Sciences
- Mathematics & Applied Mathematics
- Molecular & Cell Biology
- Oceanography
- Physics
- School of IT (incorporating Computer Science and Information Systems)
- Statistical Sciences
FAQS about the University of Cape Town
Q. How many Students Does UCT admit per year?
A. The university admitted 30,392 students in 2021.
Q. Is the University of Cape Town a Federal or State School?
A. It is a public research university.
Q. What is the cut-off point for the University of Cape Town?
A. Visit the school’s website.
Q. What is the University of Cape Town Official Website?
Q. Is UCT a good school?
A. Yes. It is one of the best places in the world to research Africa-specific problems. The university ranked #125 in Best Global Universities.
Q. Are there hostels at UCT?
A. Yes. The university provides different types of accommodation for undergraduate and postgraduate students, on and off campus.
Q. When is the admission form coming out for the University of Cape Town?
A. applications for admission in 2024 open on 3 April 2023.
Q. Who founded the University of Cape Town?
A. The university was formally founded based on the Alfred Beit bequest and additional substantial gifts from mining magnates Julius Wernher and Otto Beit.
Q. What are the requirements for UCT?
A. The National Senior Certificate (NSC), as validated by Umalusi, is the prerequisite for entrance to undergraduate diploma studies. It must have an achievement level of 3 (Moderate Achievement, 40–49%) or better in 4 recognized NSC 20-credit subjects.