Feeling homesick and missing your family is a typical reaction to the significant changes that come with university life. Adjusting to a new environment without the comfort of familiar surroundings and people can be quite challenging. Students commonly need time to make new acquaintances at university, which may make them feel lonely. 

Leaving behind lifelong friends and being separated from your family for the first time may increase this sense of longing and difficulty adjusting.

Tips for combatting homesickness:

• Decorate your room with reminders of home. It will make your environment feel more familiar.
• Stay in touch with family and friends from home, but give yourself time to settle in before arranging a home visit.
• Allow yourself to be sad and homesick. It is normal.
• We would like to encourage you to join a student society.
• Also, we strongly recommend that all first-years join a mentoring group.

If you feel that homesickness is hampering you in your daily life, reach out to the Centre for Student Counselling and Development (CSCD). You can email [email protected] or complete this form to schedule a visit. 

Finding your way around campus can be daunting. From faculty buildings to study spaces, food and beverage providers and gyms, the campus has a lot to offer – and, therefore, much to navigate! Use our interactive map to find your way to class.

GETTING AROUND ON SU CAMPUSES:

• Walk 
  Embrace walking as a sustainable option, but ensure you are using the pedestrian routes on campus.
• Cycle 
  Use a Matie Bike or your own bicycle to get around. You can register for free access to SU’s bicycle sheds by sending an e-mail to [email protected].  
• Lift clubs 
  Join an existing lift club or create your own. It will save you money and you won’t have to look for parking on campus.  
• Parking 
  Parking is limited. If you have to use a car to travel to campus, you can apply for parking at Stellenbosch or Tygerberg campus.  

SHUTTLES ON STELLENBOSCH CAMPUS 
Various shuttle services are available on the Stellenbosch campus. Click here for more detailed info. 

 
Day shuttle 
The day shuttle operates from Monday to Friday between 07:00 and 17:30 with fixed times, routes, pick-up and drop-off points. 

It will transport you between general parking areas on the periphery of campus and central campus. 

Just remember, this service is not offered over weekends, on public holidays, or during recess and the second exam opportunity. 

Night shuttle 
Use the free night shuttle service daily during term, 18:00–06:00. It departs hourly from the Neelsie parking, covering a 7 km radius to safely transport students’ home. Book via the SUN student portal.

SHUTTLES ON TYGERBERG CAMPUS 
Tygerberg campus provides transport for students to two nearby shopping centres – Tyger Valley Centre (Mondays to Wednesdays) and Parow Centre (Thursdays) – and private housing within a 6 km radius at set times.  
Students are picked up and dropped off at the Tygerberg Student Centre on the Tygerberg campus, at entrance 9 at the Tyger Valley Centre, and entrance 4 at Parow Centre. 

This service starts when classes resume and ends on the last day of the December graduation.  Access the full shuttle schedule.

Be sure to attend class! 

Staying away and then trying to catch up on work will just raise your stress levels.

SUNLEARN issues/problems: Report to [email protected]

IT help    

You will find various How-To Guides on the University’s Information Technology (IT) division’s website to help you with onboarding as a new student to get access to your class timetable, load print credits, and install Office365 software; as well as how to set-up your Wi-Fi connection and e-mail.

Should you not be able to find what you need in the How-To Guides, you can

• visit the IT Service Desk online,
• or visit walk-in centre on the Stellenbosch or Tygerberg campus.  
  
  Stellenbosch 
  Office Hours:          Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:15, excluding public holidays 
  Telephone:              021 808 4367 
  E-mail:                     [email protected] 
  Location:                 Under the bridge in Admin A, Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch 
  
  Tygerberg 
  Office Hours:          Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 16:30, excluding public holidays 
  Telephone:             021 938 9287 
  E-mail:                    [email protected] 
  Location:                Tygerberg Teaching building, Room 0198 

Master the basics with our interactive survival course tailored to your world and connect better in more languages. This course is practical and interactive, and we incorporate campus-related scenarios to encourage the use of authentic language. 

We will focus specifically on speaking, listening and reading Afrikaans. You will be able to use Afrikaans to take part in basic campus-related conversations, and as part of the larger University context, you will also gain an understanding of the cultural value of multilingualism.

Sign up here for the free classes.

Master the basics with our interactive survival course tailored to your world and connect better in more languages. This course is practical and interactive, and we incorporate campus-related scenarios to encourage the use of authentic language. 

We will focus specifically on speaking, listening and reading isiXhosa. You will be able to use isiXhosa to take part in basic campus-related conversations, and as part of the larger University context, you will also gain an understanding of the cultural value of multilingualism.

Sign up here for the free classes.

CSCD offer a 24-hours crisis service. 

During office hours (08:00-16:00 on weekdays), you can email us at [email protected] call us on 021 808 4994/37 or visit us at 37 Victoria Street. 

After hours, please phone the ER24 emergency line at 010 205 3032.