New, first-year students may find themselves slightly alarmed by the huge, confusing space of the institution. This is why the first academic year begins with Orientation. This is a four-day programme run in the week or two before registration at the start of the year, and includes an introduction to the campus, to academic and course structures, and to university systems and services. The orientation programme should be attended by all first year students in all programmes offered by the Faculty of Humanities, but for students in some of the Performing/Creative Arts degrees, there may be additional days of more specific departmental orientation offered on the Music or Fine Art or Theatre/Performance satellite campuses.

Orientation 2025 is run twice, we have to repeat the entire programme to try and accommodate our over a 1000 first year students; the first programme runs in the week before UCT residences open, the second programme in the week after residences open, and after the first year reception process. Which programme you attend depends on your personal living arrangements for 2025. Since Programme 1 is not quite large enough to accommodate all the locally resident students, once final offers have been made in mid-January you will be asked to sign up for a programme, so that we don't overload the first programme; overflow of local students will go into Programme 2.

Programme 1: Monday 27th January to Thursday 30th January 2025: aimed at students who are not in university residence, and who live in Cape Town or whose accommodation in Cape Town is not a UCT residence, and is available that early in the year.

Programme 2: Monday 03rd February to Friday 07th February 2025: aimed at students in UCT residences, and for any local students who for whatever reason cannot attend the first programme.

The orientation programme is supplemented by a detailed website with important information for your first year at UCT; the site is delivered via Amathuba, the university's online course content delivery system. Orientation is compulsory; if you are absolutely not able to attend one of the in-person programmes, you will need to spend time going carefully through the information you need via the site, on your own time.

What happens in orientation?

Orientation is the lifeline that will introduce you as a new student to the campus and the life of the university, and will start to guide you through your first year and your course of study as a whole. The programme covers various aspects of your studies and life at UCT:

• university structures and systems;
• computer skills, Amathuba and other UCT computer systems:
• choosing courses and structuring a degree;
• the registration process;
• student support services;
• other aspects of university and student life.

You will be guided through the four days of the programme by orientation leaders - senior undergraduate students - will be available on the site to answer your questions, and just before registration you will have the opportunity to check your planned curriculum with an advisor, who will help you to prepare to submit your course choices for formal registration.

When does Orientation take place?

Please note that registration for first year students in the general BA and BSocSci degrees takes place in two sessions; if you attend Programme 1 of orientation, you will need to be in Cape Town for registration in the few days immediately after the programme. If you attend Programme 2, your registration session is later. Students in other degree programmes for the most part register after Programme 2.

Programme 1: Monday 27th January to Thursday 30th January 2025: aimed at students who are not in university residence, and who live in Cape Town or whose accommodation in Cape Town is not a UCT residence, and is available that early in the year. We will open signup for this programme shortly after Matric results are released in January; any local students who do not secure a place in this early programme can attend the second programme.

Programme 2: Monday 03rd February to Friday 07th February 2025: aimed at students in UCT residences, and for any local students who for whatever reason cannot attend the first programme. If you wish to attend Programme 2 you do not need to sign up, simply arrive on Tuesday 30th.

Please look out for email communications asking you to sign up for a programme. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to Humanities and to UCT!