Occasional Studies
Occasional studies is a non-degree avenue for graduate students to undertake up to two NQF-accredited courses per semester.
Please note: no exception will be made with regard to the completed degree admission requirement, regardless of HoD support. Please bear in mind that we require proof of your qualification in order to grant an offer of admission.
As of 2025, students will not be permitted to enrol in courses that have previously been passed.
What are occasional studies?
Occasional studies is a non-degree avenue for graduate students to undertake up to two credit-bearing courses per semester to further their knowledge on topics of interest. Courses completed through occasional studies cannot be used towards the completion of any degree programmes, nor may they be credited towards an additional major.
For a list of available courses (subject to HoD approval), please see our Undergraduate and Postgraduate Handbooks. The level of courses available through Occasional Studies is dependant on the level of each student's prior qualification.
|
Career |
Courses Available |
Required prior qualification level |
|---|---|---|
|
Undergraduate Occasional Studies |
NQF5, NQF6, and NQF7 |
NQF7 (or equivalent) |
|
NQF8 |
NQF8 (or equivalent) |
|
|
Postgraduate Occasional Studies |
NQF7 |
NQF7 (or equivalent) |
|
NQF8 |
NQF8 (or equivalent) |
|
|
NQF9 |
NQF9 (or equivalent) |
Admission requirements
Occasional studies applicants are required to hold the following to be allowed admission:
- A completed degree*; and
- Letter(s) of HoD permission (per course).
*Applicants with qualifications earned from institutions outside of South Africa are also required to provide evidence of bachelors-endorsement or matric exemption. Details on this under 'Requirement 1'.
International applicants are reminded that courses offered by UCT are conducted in-person, so residence and visas must be arranged. For more information, please visit our International Academic Programmes Office (IAPO) website.
When submitting your application, please ensure to attach certified copies of the following documents:
1. Final Academic Transcripts(s) (to include course results for all years of study);
2. Degree certificate(s)
Applicants with qualifications earned from institutions outside of South Africa are also required to submit either:
3. (a) National Senior Certificate (with Bachelors-endorsement); or
(b) Matric Exemption certificate.
Matric Exemption certificates may be obtained through the Matricualtion Board of Universities South Africa (mb.usaf.ac.za/).
Closed
Occasional studies students must acquire a letter from the relevant Head of Department (HoD) for permission to enrol in any course. This letter is to be uploaded as a supporting document to the initial application.
While your completed degree may not be related to the field of your desired course, entry to the courses is assessed by the relevant HoD. If the HoD believes you do not have the pre-requisite knowledge required to successfully complete the course, they may refuse entry.
Please see our Departments page for contact details of our HoD's.
Closed
Application Deadlines
The application deadline applicable to you will be dependant on when you intend to being your studies -
- First semester start (including Whole Year- and Winter Term courses): 31 December (of the preceding year)
- Second semester start (including Summer Term courses): 31 May
Submitting an application
To make an application to undertake occasional studies, please visit applyonline.uct.ac.za.
After creating a profile, please ensure to select the desired year of study on the Application Start Page:
Once you reach step 8 of the application task, you will be asked to select a programme. Ensure to select either 'Undergraduate Non-Degree' or 'Postgraduate Non-Degree' for Level of Qualification and the relevant start (first- or second semester) under Academic Qualification:
Contact
For Undergraduate Occasional Studies: hum-ugrad@uct.ac.za
For Postgraduate Occasional Studies: hum-postgrad@uct.ac.za