Program
VAC Program Calendar
All VAC dates for 2027 on one page.
Gap Year, semester and summer for credit run on fixed dates, so please arrive on your program’s start date.
Flexible-date internships can start any time, but we recommend arriving on one of the orientation dates below. Everyone who arrives on the same date goes through orientation together: getting around Cape Town, settling into your housing, how your placement works, and meeting the people you’ll be living and working alongside. If those dates don’t work for you, that’s fine. You’ll still have an orientation when you arrive, just not as part of a big group.
Key dates for 2027
Flexible-date internships
Start when it suits you. These are the orientation dates for new interns. Each window runs Saturday to Monday: arrive on any of those days and join that week’s orientation.
| Term 1, January to March | 16–18 Jan · 23–25 Jan · 30 Jan–1 Feb · 13–15 Feb · 6–8 Mar · 13–15 Mar |
|---|---|
| Term 2, May to August | 8–10 May · 15–17 May · 22–24 May · 29–31 May · 5–7 Jun · 12–14 Jun · 19–21 Jun · 26–28 Jun · 3–5 Jul · 17–19 Jul · 31 Jul–2 Aug · 14–16 Aug |
| Term 3, September to November | 4–6 Sep · 25–27 Sep · 2–4 Oct · 6–8 Nov |
Gap Year Program
Fixed dates. Each cohort starts and ends in Cape Town.
| Cohort | Program dates | Optional Kruger Park trip |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 5 Jan to 5 Mar | 5 to 10 Mar |
| March to May | 14 Mar to 14 May | No trip |
| August to November | 29 Aug to 19 Nov | 29 Oct to 3 Nov (during the cohort) |
Kruger trips: return flights from Johannesburg.
University programs
Fixed dates, set with our university partners.
| Program | Dates | Partner and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Study Abroad + Internship, Semester 1 | 23 Jan to 30 Jun. Arrive Sat 23 to Mon 25 Jan for VAC orientation; UCT orientation starts 1 Feb and classes 8 Feb. The weeks after exams are for the internship or travel, and the internship can run to 31 Jul | University of Cape Town |
| Semester Study Abroad + Internship, Semester 2 | 3 Jul to 15 Dec. Arrive Sat 3 to Mon 5 Jul for VAC orientation; UCT classes start 12 Jul, exams in November. The weeks after exams are for the internship or travel | University of Cape Town |
| Summer Internship for Credit | 1 Jun to 31 Jul | Indiana University |
| Optional Kruger Park trip, after Summer Internship for Credit | 31 Jul to 5 Aug | Return flights from Johannesburg |
2027 month by month
The same dates in one list, in date order.
january
february
march
may
june
july
august
september
october
november
december