University of Cape Town - UCT
speciality: Psychology

UCT has many positives: dedicated lecturers and staff, extensive resources available, diverse student body, etc. BUT its biggest problem is the large price tag on everything. From the expensive textbooks, residency, tuition, even the damn food

UCT is a rollercoaster, and it might be uncomfortable if you are not used to the motion, the pace of the ride, and the wind that could deter the forces from moving you forward. I studied Psychology, Mathematics and Anthropology. I believe every department at UCT heavily values the (South) African approaches across all disciplines and faculties. This is particularly interesting when given a field that is largely Eurocentric and based off Western thought and ideals. Psychology studies at this university were fascinating, oftentimes creating room for many engaging and sometimes uncomfortable conversations. Towards the end, many professors began to value what new knowledge and fresh perspectives we brought to the table. Beyond the classroom, campus life was excellent. UCT is in the perfect spot of the beautiful mountain range that spans throughout Southern Suburbs and the Coastal front. Of course, it being on a mountain meant endless steps to a building with seven floors on a cold Monday morning! At least you are greeted with ample choice of hot cups of tea and coffee, along with some tasty and affordable treats. When lunchtime rolls around, it is like a scramble for the yummiest food joints and the queues could cross corners of buildings! However, when the weather is just right for the beach after a satisfying lunch, it was not far away at all. As much as the academic environment is incredibly demanding, being in such a beautiful space with the advantage UCT has of being the top university in Africa, this is still the place you want to be.

My general experience in the humanities faculty was pretty good. Most lecturers and tutors are really helpful when it comes to academics and the university has quite a lot of social clubs to join. However, if your main goal after graduation is financial independence I’d suggest studying another course. This area of study is pretty niche meaning there isn’t many readily available funding or employment opportunities after undergrad as you’d find with more mainstream degrees. I do wish they told us more about that during first year. Besides that being a UCT student comes with a lot of perks that most Universities in SA don’t come with.

The psychological resources available to student and career services was the most amazing thing offered, many helpful resources available when you are struggling.
Psychological resources were provided as well, the only problem was finding a suitable and affordable appointment as soon as possible.