Yes, there is financial support available for registered Stellenbosch University students.

Our focus is on co-funding, not full funding.

Stellenbosch University and its partner universities are committed to limiting the financial costs incurred by students who participate in exchanges. For this reason, travel bursaries, tuition waivers and other benefits (where applicable and possible) are provided and negotiated. It is however important to note that students will also need to make a financial contribution towards their own respective study trip. In many cases it is only to cover living expenses, extra travel expenses, administrative costs and to comply with visa requirements.

It is also important that you discuss your decision with your parents, guardians or financial benefactors. Be open about your financial situation with SU International, so that we can guide you to the best of our ability.

Bridging Funding: Exchange students should be mindful that scholarships from the host universities might not pay out immediately on arrival. For that reason, it is a suggested to have bridging funding in place, which a student can fall back on in case a scholarship is not paid out on arrival.

Start-up Funds: There are initial administrative costs (for example visa costs etc.), which are not necessarily covered by the exchange bursary, or the scholarship provided by the host university.

No, funding will only be provided for approved academic excursions.

The funding options available through SU International are limited to academic related activities. You can, however, apply for funding from the Stellenbosch University Co-curricular Support Fund (SUSCF)

It can be affordable, but at the same time it can also be expensive. To a large extent it depends on the choices you make, specifically in regards to the choice of host institution or summer school programme. Some semester exchanges and summer school programmes are better funded through scholarships and waivers; so it is important to do your homework and choose the option that fits best with your financial needs and position.

You can find some links to resources on our blog; visit also the designated website for international scholarships by the Department of Education and Training.

Yes, you are. We will provide assistance and guidance, but at the end of the day it is your responsibility to make sure that you get the necessary signatures of the respective professors.

There are many factors that you should take in consideration when making a decision about a partner institution; generally, the most important ones are the following:

Academics: If you need to transfer credits back to Stellenbosch University, you need to identify an institution which offers equivalent or similar courses (content / credit weight etc. ) to those on offer at Stellenbosch University. The same principle counts for going on exchange for research purposes. You will not be able to do research at an institution which does not have the research capacity or skills to accommodate you.

Language: It is important to enquire about the language of tuition. If you can’t speak German, there is no point in applying for courses being presented in German.

Finances: If you need financial support to go abroad, it is important to look at options where additional funding is available. That could be in the form of a housing scholarship or a monthly stipend. Inform the exchange coordinator if you are depended on funding.

Yes. It is your responsibility to ensure that your registration is current and up to date. You have to be enrolled for the full duration of your exchange.

There could be various reasons for this happening. It could be that the host institution can’t accommodate exchange students for the respective semester or that we feel that other institutions are a better fit in terms of your studies. It is also important to note that the application process is competitive and you are competing against other students. There are also other institutional considerations that could affect your placement. Because of this it is important that all three institutions indicated by you are equally preferred options.

The partner university or summer school will provide assistance in terms of finding appropriate accommodation. Please follow the requirements and suggestions they provide. In most cases accommodation can only be booked after you have been accepted by the host institution or summer school.