Gap Year Internships in South Africa

A Gap Year Internship offers you relevant work experience and cultural immersion in the beautiful, vibrant, and diverse city of Cape Town, South Africa. During your internship, you will get to preview a career what you want (or may not want) to study in college/university. You will experience meaningful social engagement and be exposed to cultural norms and a way of life that is profoundly different from what you know back in your home country. Be prepared to expand your comfort zones, gain independence and embark on a journey of self-discovery.

VACorps has been hosting international interns in Cape Town since 2007.  We have a highly trained and experienced staff on the ground whose purpose is to support you during your stay in Cape Town. Although you will ultimately be responsible for making the most of your internship and Gap year experience in Cape Town, our staff will be there to help you familiarise and integrate into the Cape Town way of life, and will help you feel confident and oriented in your new home.

The VACorps Gap Year Internship Program is better suited for a more mature and independent Gap Year traveler.  You will live with other VACorps program participants and have complete freedom over your schedule and time outside of your internship hours. Although we will be checking in on you regularly, this is not a chaperoned program.

If you are considering VACorps as part of your gap year, we recommend that you join our program either in September or January. Many of our gap year participants choose to arrive in Cape Town during Session 1 (Jan-April) after having previously completed a more structured program in the fall. Participants of VACorps receive a great deal of personal independence and must be self-directed and responsible with time management (e.g., your internship site will expect you to arrive on time every morning).