• Population: 56.72 million
• Capitals: Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), Cape Town (legislative)
• Type of government: Parliamentary representative democratic republic, wherein the President of South Africa, elected by parliament, is the head of government, and of a multi-party system.
• Currency: South African Rand
• Common foods: biltong and droewors, boerewors (Sausage), cape malay curry, malva pudding, chakalaka and pap, braai/shisa nyama, bunny chow

South Africa has 11 official languages (22.7% IsiZulu, 16% IsiXhosa, 13.5% Afrikaans, 9.6% English, 9.1% Sepedi, 8% Setswana, 7.6% Sesotho, 4.5% Xitsonga, 2.5% siSwati, 2.4% Tshivenda, 2.1% is iNdebele). Many local people, especially in Cape Town, speak English.

As a University of Illinois student, you have access to library resources (such as Rosetta Stone and Libguides). You may also want to consider free sources to learn basic phrases, or to refresh your language skills prior to departure.

It is each students responsibility to independently verify the visa information below and ensure they apply and secure the appropriate documentation to travel and stay in their host country for the duration of their program.

Students traveling to South Africa for more than 90 days will need a visa, and you must have two blank pages on your passport for this.

Either the host provider or your study abroad advisor will provide further instructions to obtaining this visa. You can also visit the South Africa Consulate's page for more information.

To read more on passport and visa terminology see the Passports & Visas page of this website.

Phones

• For cell phones, it may be best to buy a SIM card from telephone companies such as Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and Telkom.
• You should check with your home country phone provider to make sure your phone is unlocked beforehand.
• You can buy a cell phone data plan according to how long you will be there (You can buy 1GB of data for ZAR149, which is usually $11.30). Otherwise, try to connect to the internet with WiFi when possible.
• Make sure you have the Duo Mobile app set up on your phone. If you get a new SIM card, use the passcode options instead of PUSH, or go to UI Verify website to enter your new phone information.

Electricity

• South Africa uses plug types C (two round pins), D (three round pins in a triangular pattern), and plug types M and N (three round pins). You'll need to get an university adapter.
• South Africa operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
• While an adapter makes your device fit into the local outlet, a converter converts the voltage. The voltage will not be the same as in the U.S. For that reason, it is recommended that you do NOT bring appliances such as hair dryers or hair straighteners with you unless you also purchase a voltage converter.

Banking Tips

• It may be helpful to exchange some dollars to South African Rand before leaving and to always carry cash with you.
• It is probably best to bring a credit/debit card that you can use at ATMs (though it is important to now that ATMs can charge you withdrawal fees ).
• Main banks are Standard Bank Group, ABSA Group Bank, Nedbank Group, Investec Bank, Capitec Banking Group.

Climate

• Most of the country has warm, sunny days and cool nights.
• There is a warm season (December-March) that has a daily temperature of about 74°F, and a cool season (May-September) that has a daily temperature below 65°F.
• Winter is the sunniest time of the year, with cool days and cold nights.

Packing

• Bring a swimsuit and hiking gear if you like the outdoors!
• Bring an umbrella and sunscreen for unpredictable weather.
• Bring lots of layers for changes in temperature.
• For more packing considerations, view the Packing List (PDF).

Traveling within South Africa

• "Baz Bus" is a bus that runs a route from Johannesburg to Cape Town (or vice versa) with several stops along the way.
• Flights are not too expensive.
• Trains, though there are not a lot of train tracks that are in use.
• Read more about travel within South Africa.

Flights

• Main airports: OR Tambo for Johannesburg and Pretoria, Lanseria International Airport for Johannesburg and Pretoria, Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport in Durban, and the Nelspruit International Airport which is very useful for those flying directly to the game parks in Mpumalanga.
• Common airlines: South African Airways, Kulula, SA Express, Mango Airlines, SA Airlink, FlySafair, British Airways

Each student faces different barriers and unique challenges based on their identity. For example, how you identify in the United States may not be how you choose to identify abroad because of the local social culture. We encourage all students to reflect on the different aspects of their identity and consider how they may play a role in their study abroad experience. To help with this thought process: visit the State Department website and look into the Identity & Inclusion resources available on this website.

International Safety and Security provides important wellness tips, along with using your insurance and the emergency phone number. Be sure to become familiar with this website and the resources available to you. Review the U.S. Embassy page and the Department of State website for additional safety resources.

Enroll yourself in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) with the U.S. Department of State. Registration in STEP will allow you to get alerts on the latest safety and security information. In addition, the information you provide enables the U.S. embassy or consulate to contact you in an emergency.