Internship Program Fees

The Volunteer Adventure Corps international internship program fee is $1,550. We are not an internship placement agency but rather, a professional internship program. If you have studied abroad in South Africa or have lived in the country for an extended period of time, please contact us about exclusive internship opportunities we offer to those who are returning to South Africa. The following is an overview of the services included in our program fee:

 

* We guarantee internship placement according to our placement philosophy. Before your internship in Cape Town, South Africa is confirmed, a VACorps staff member will communicate with the identified site to ensure a match between your skill-set and the organization’s needs. While our application process is thorough, we are unyielding in our commitment to creating a Cape Town international internship opportunity that will serve your interests. What we offer, above all else, is the guarantee that after flying across the world to Cape Town, you will have an internship position ready and waiting for you.

 

* A VACorps staff member will greet you at the airport and take you to your place of accommodation in Cape Town. When the time comes for you to leave South Africa, we will arrange for a staff member to give you a ride to the airport.

 

* Our staff will help you locate furnished housing in Cape Town for the duration of your stay. This service is included in your Cape Town internship costs. Visit the internship housing and lifestyle page for more information about this service. (Please note that participants are more that welcome to obtain their own lodging independent of VACorps assistance.) Regardless of the size of your budget, we will locate accommodation that suits your needs. Click this participant housing link to view photos of accommodation we have arranged for past participants. Please note that monthly rent is not included in the cost of your South Africa internship fee and you will be responsible for this cost.

 

* Upon your arrival, you will participate in an orientation conducted by a staff member. Orientation lasts two days and serves the purpose of helping you have a successful living and working experience in Cape Town. The main focus of our orientation program is personal safety.

 

* We will give you a phone to use for the duration of your stay in South Africa. Our VACorps phones come pre-loaded with the following contact numbers: VACorps staff members, EMS, police, and several reliable taxi companies.

 

* Our team is on call 24-hours a day to assist you, whether you require advice, counsel, emergency assistance or even friendship. While we allow our participants a great deal of independence, we also provide you with a reliable support network whenever you require assistance. While participating in an internship in South Africa is an exciting experience, it is equally important that you have someone to turn to when you need assistance in a foreign country. We are always there for you, 24 hours a day.

 

* During the course of a 10-week internship (most common length of internships in Cape Town, South Africa), we schedule regular Friday afternoon group excursions to different locations in Cape Town. See photos from some of our past internship excursions in our gallery. Excursions are an optional, yet highly recommended, way to see a new part of the city every week.

 

* We offer a weekly Xhosa class so participants can become familiar with this unique African language. After English, Xhosa is the most commonly spoken laguage in the Western Cape province.

 

* All participants will have the opportunity to engage in one of our community development programs on evenings and weekends. VACorps community development projects for 2009 include the creation of a community garden in the Nyanga township and the sponsorship of VAC FC, a community soccer club.

 

* All particiants are given access to a participant-only online discussion forum moderated by VACorps staff members and VACorps alumni. Discussions cover a wide range of subjects that will help future VACorps participants arrive in Cape Town with a basic understanding of South African culture and history.

 

* You will receive a weekly participant-only newsletter by email. Please email our program director, if you would like to request a copy of a past newsletter. Newsletters typically make you aware of events happening in Cape Town and preview the Friday afternoon activity and departure time.

 

* We offer an optional resume/CV consulation service to all of our participants.

 

* You will receive a copy of our official program guidebook, “The Insider’s Guide to Cape Town” prior to your departure from your home country. Our 30-page guide comes complete with useful information that will help you prepare for your internship in South Africa.

 

* Our program fee is $1550, regardless of your length of stay. You are welcome to participate in our program for up to six months.

 

 

* Airfare

* Rent

* Personal expenses (food, activities)

* Traveler''s insurance