Cape Town Internships - FAQs

Will I need a visa for my internship in Cape Town?

You will not need a visa to enter South Africa on any of our featured programs (the exception would be someone coming on a custom, long-term program). When passing through South African customs, you will be issued a 90-day tourist visa after presenting a copy of your flight itinerary to an immigration official. This proves that you intend to leave the country at the end of your visit. If you participate in a three month program and would like to visit neighbouring countries after your program is finished, you may apply for another three month extension at the South African Office of Home Affairs, located in downtown Cape Town, Foreshore. We advise all of our participants to secure their visa extension one month prior to the expiry of their original tourist visa. Follow these guidelines and safely extend your internship in South Africa.

Does a tourist visa cost anything?

A 90-day tourist visa is free. The application for a 30-day extension to your tourist visa costs R270 ($45). The cost of a 3-month extension is R420 ($60).

 

I recently graduated from college. Do I have to be enrolled in school to participate in your program?

No. A large percentage of our participants have completed their undergraduate studies and are using this experience to gain international work experience that doubles as a travel adventure. A smaller percentage of our participants also join our program during their gap year.

 

 

No. Unlike other internship organizaitons in South Africa, our program is exclusive to Cape Town and we only offer internships in the Cape Town area. We are highly passionate about this city and have rightfully earned our reputation as the Cape Town internship specialist. As a result, we give our participants the highest levels of support and service because we know one city and we know it incredibly well—Cape Town!

What is the weather like?

Your internship in South Africa will be remembered for the temperate Cape climate which greets you daily with sunshine and calm breezes. While any true Capetonian will tell you that there are four seasons in Cape Town (sometimes daily), in reality winter and summer are the only true constants.  The summers in Cape Town are wonderful. The temperature usually falls within a consistent range of 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit (27-35 Celsius). A consistent south-easterly wind blows daily (we call it the Cape Doctor), ensuring that Cape Town is never too hot or smoggy. The sun is very intense in the daytime (usually a 10 on the UV scale) so we highly recommend that our participants remember their SPF 30 sunscreen!

The winters in Cape Town are nothing like the snowy, frozen sense of the word. Rather, “winter” in Cape Town is defined by extended spells of rain and cool evenings. Temperatures on a cold winter day are in the low 50’s (11-13 Celsius) with occasional dips into the high 40’s (8-10 Celsius). However, the average temperature in winter can reach the high 50’s to lower 60’s and on a clear winter day temperatures can easily spike into the mid 70s. You may enjoy winter during your internship in Cape Town, as there are fewer tourists, making the roads and pathways far easier to navigate.

Am I at risk of getting malaria in Cape Town?

No. However, we will strongly recommend that you take anti-malarial medication if you plan an independent trip to Kruger National Park or neighboring Africa countries like Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Botswana. It would be a good idea for you to meet with your physician before departure to make sure your vaccinations are current.

Can I drink the tap water in Cape Town?

Cape Town and most of South Africa has potable tap water and boasts one of the cleanest, natural water supplies on the planet.

 

Can I get a paid internship in Cape Town through your program?

No. According to South African law, all internships are unpaid unless you are a South African citizen. There is a high unemployment rate in RSA and the government does not want to create the impression that it is giving jobs away to foreigners. Occasionally sites will give interns under-the-table compensation, though we do not have any involvement in this.

I only speak English. Will this affect my internship experience?

English is the predominant language spoken in Cape Town. Many South Africans have a working knowledge of English, so you will get by fine without any prior knowledge of Xhosa or Afrikaans, two languages also spoken in Cape Town. Xhosa speakers are typically surprised and thrilled to meet North Americans and Europeans who make an attempt at speaking their mother tongue. Afrikaans is widely spoken throughout as well and you will encounter many dialects as you move from one area in Cape Town to another. The youngest recognised language on the planet, Afrikaans is a combination of German, Dutch, French, English and even Scottish – paying tribute to the diverse array of settlers that originally populated the Dutch East Indian Company’s Cape Outpost.

Is there an application process?

Yes. Participants are ambassadors of the VACorps and as such, we only want students who are sincerely interested in our program. The application process begins with an email-based dialogue between you, the applicant, and a VACorps staff member. After you have sent us a preliminary application form [located on our application page], we will ask you a series of questions that will help us identify the most appropriate Cape Town internship for you. If you have applied for an internship with academic prerequisites, we will also ask for a copy of your student resume so that we can forward these details to your potential place of internship.

What currency do they use in South Africa?

We use the South African Rand. For the past few years the USD to Rand exchange rate has hovered around $1=R7. Check this link for the official rate of the day.

Should I bring my cell phone to South Africa?

There is no need for you to bring your own phone. All of our program participants will be provided with a mobile phone for the duration of their internships in South Africa (we charge a R300 deposit that will be returned to you when you return the phone). If you are joining our program from the United States and can't bear to leave your personal phone at home, your phone will need to be ‘unlocked’ for a South African SIM card. This costs around $50 [R450]. All European and Asian phones are compatible with the South African cellular network, provided that you purchase a South African SIM card. Participants who choose to use our phones pay a deposit of R500 that is fully refundable, provided that the phone hasn't been seriously damaged or lost. Our phones come preloaded with the following contact numbers: VACorps staff members, EMS, police and several reliable taxi companies.

How much money should I budget for my living expenses during the duration of my internship in Cape Town?

During VACorps orientation, we often hear our new arrivals exclaim that ‘everything is so much cheaper here!’ Prices are, generally speaking, cheaper than in the U.S. and Europe. However, this is no excuse to start spending your money wildly. If you cook most of your own meals, this will go a long way towards saving yourself money. You will find that fresh produce, meat, fish and dairy products are 10 to 20 percent cheaper in South African grocery stores, while imported goods such as pastas and certain canned foods are more expensive due to import duties and value added tax (VAT). Summer internships abroad often equate to eating out, due to the excitement associated with such a trip and the need to familiarise oneself with the surrounding areas. Restaurant meal prices are also cheaper, although beware of falling into the trap of eating out too often if you are on a tight budget. Someone on a tight food budget can budget as low as $150-$250 per month, while someone who wants to eat out more and cook less should plan on doubling this figure. Other items to budget for include entertainment ($150-$400 per month), travel ($500-$1000 per trip) and local transportation ($30-$80). Budget a few hundred dollars for miscellaneous and unforeseeable expenses. You should also plan on spending a few hundred dollars for souvenirs and mementos, as Cape Town is stuffed to the brim with various craft markets and curio stores that are just waiting to be explored. 

 

If you would like to create a detailed travel budget prior to departure, please contact us to request a copy of an "Example VAC Participant Budget," a document that will help you gain a detailed understanding of the monthly costs associated with an internship in Cape Town.

What does Cape Town look like?

We are located in one of the most beautiful cities in the world! Visit our Cape Town Internship gallery to see snapshots of the city and our participants in action. Also visit our internship lifestyle page to watch a video about the lifestyle experience by our participants!
 

-Brad Langton, an intern at Africa Eagle Day Tours, stands 3,000 ft. above the city of Cape Town!