Student Communities
Stellenbosch University's student population consists of residence-based and commuter student communities. Commuter student communities refers to students who live in private accommodation in and around Stellenbosch and students who travel to and from campus each day. Both residence and commuter students are allocated to a community that will help them integrate into the social and academic life at the University.
What are clusters?
Clusters are groupings of student communities and include both residence-based and commuter students. At SU, there are eight cluster student communities: amaMaties, Rubix, Senior Living Spaces (SLS), TygerMaties, VicMeyr, Validus, Victoria, and Wimbledon. Clusters are formed based on the geographic proximity of various residences and Commuter Student Communities (CSCs).
Your assigned cluster serves as your gateway to a full university experience and will help you foster connections that extend far beyond your immediate community right from the beginning of your university journey. Clusters provide an environment where friendships can blossom, support is readily available, and lasting bonds can be formed.
It promotes integration between on-campus and commuter students through shared on-campus spaces, e.g., open dining halls, cluster hubs that offer access to affordable cooked meals, study spaces, as well as networking or peer-to-peer learning opportunities.
Check out our clusters below to see which one you belong to:
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CAPRI | VENUSTIA | UBUNTU |
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RUSSEL BOTMAN HOUSE | MAJUBA | GOLDFIELDS |
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OUDE MOLEN | IRENE |
Stellenbosch-based commuter student communities (CSCs)
Our Stellenbosch-based commuter student communities (CSCs) are Aristea, Aurora, Capri, Equité, Olympus, Oude Molen, Pieke, Silene, Venustia and Vesta.
Tygerberg-based CSCs
Osler is our Tygerberg-based commuter student community.
Postgraduate and senior CSCs
AmaMaties.Net, Wimbledon.Net and Rubix.Net are our three senior commuter student communities and are based on the Stellenbosch campus.
Mentors - your go-to buddy in adapting to university life
As a newcomer, you will be allocated a mentor - a senior student who has completed the Welcoming Programme and has experience of university life. Because of their personal experience and training, they can guide and facilitate your transition from high school to university.
Your mentor will be among the first people to receive and welcome you to campus. They will engage with you through meaningful, fun activities that will promote your development and ensure that you are integrated socially and academically into campus life. So, think of your mentor as your personal toolkit to aid your journey to student success.
If you have not yet been allocated a mentor, please contact the Centre for Student Life and Learning (CSLL) at [email protected] or on +27 21 808 3064.
IMPORTANT!
Commuter student communities DO NOT provide accommodation to students; however, you will have access to certain residences where you can mingle with students living in residence by using your student card to book meals at an open residence dining hall in a particular cluster.
Cluster hubs
Some clusters have cluster hubs – a building or facility that provides a shared space for students from that cluster to meet, study, connect and relax. These hubs offer useful facilities such as study areas, social and communal spaces, places to eat, and reliable network and Wi-Fi access for both residence and commuter students. Cluster hubs help bring people together. They strengthen social cohesion, community, and support and ensure that students who live on campus and those who commute have equal access to shared spaces and opportunities. Most importantly, they help all Maties – including those not living in a residence – feel a genuine sense of belonging in their cluster community.
At present, there are three cluster hubs on the Stellenbosch campus only. They are based in the Victoria Cluster, AmaMaties Cluster and the Wimbledon Cluster. The Victoria Cluster also has a mini-hub b
Important facts about Commuter Student Communities
There are 11 undergraduate commuter student communities – 10 on the Stellenbosch campus and one on the Tygerberg campus. Both the Stellenbosch and Tygerberg campuses also have designated communities that provide support to postgraduate students.
New students are divided into a community according to the University’s Placement Policy. You will be notified via e-mail which community you have been placed in, and will also receive a Welcoming booklet from your commuter student community, which will have the Welcoming programme of your community as well. If you do not receive an e-mail and/or the booklet, please contact SU’s Client Services at 021 808 9111 or [email protected] or e-mail the Unit for Commuter Student Communities (UCSC) at [email protected].
The communities are jointly managed by the UCSC and the Centre for Student Life and Learning (CSLL) within which the Unit is based. Both the Unit and Centre fall under the Responsibility Centre: Dean of Students (RC:DS).
You are not allowed to change to another community once you’ve been allocated one. You will remain in the community you were assigned to for the duration of your university journey. The cluster in which you are based, is determined by the community you are allocated to. Please contact the University’s Client Services on 021 808 9111 or [email protected]. You can also visit the UCSC office at 9 and 11 Bosman Street during Welcoming or send an e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected].
Please also familiarise yourself with the compulsory CSC fee that each student, including residence students pay annually.
Commuter student transport
during Welcoming
We know that getting home from campus, particularly at night, is quite a challenge for our commuter students.
To help you get home safely, the Unit for Commuter Student Communities (UCSC) offers a free transport service for commuter students on the Stellenbosch Campus during the Welcoming period. This means you can still take part in after-hours Welcoming activities hosted by your community.
Transport will be available from 26–30 January and again from 2–7 February 2026, with vehicles leaving each evening at 19:00 and 21:00 from 11 Bosman Street, Stellenbosch.
You will be dropped safely at your accommodation in Stellenbosch and at specific drop-off points in surrounding areas as indicated below:
SAPS offices: Bellville, Kuilsriver, Kraaifontein, Athlone, Mitchells Plain, Paarl, Wellington, Klapmuts, Somerset West, Strand and Kayamandi
De Zalze Golf Estate (at the gate) in Stellenbosch
Paradyskloof (Engen garage) in Stellenbosch
Sonnebloem Road (Puma Garage) in Idas Valley, Stellenbosch
Welgevonden Estate (at the gate) in Stellenbosch
87 Lang Street (Engen garage) in Cloetesville, Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch Central area in Stellenbosch
