Study in Botswana (in English) - ISEP Direct
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Experience the awe-inspiring natural landscape of Sub-Saharan Africa. Check the “Big 5” off of your bucket list by spotting an elephant, lion, buffalo, hippo, and leopard while out on safari. Or venture outside of the country for sightings of South African penguins at Boulders Beach or diving with sharks in Durban.
• Attend a university renowned not only for its African studies, environmental science, humanities and social sciences, but also for its STEM studies, including an excellent engineering department!
• Connect with a student buddy before you arrive and throughout your stay in the country. This local student will help ensure that you are picked up at the airport upon arrival and that you are settled into life in Botswana during your program.
• Add a little adventure to your experience by attending an excursion to a local village outside of the city. You will enjoy traditional cuisine, singing, dancing, folk tales, and conclude your day with a sleepover in a traditional mud hut. Wake up to the magnificent African sunrise and make your way to the Mokolodi Nature Reserve for a Game Drive and lunch (called a bush braai).
LIFE ABROAD
In Gaborone (or Gabs city as it is known colloquially), prepare to be entertained by compelling art shows, fascinating cuisine, and thrilling nightlife. Also, learn about the nations’ historic roots by visiting the Three Chiefs Monument and viewing traditional Botswana crafts and paintings at the National Museum and Art Gallery.
LIVE
Live in the shared on-campus dorms located within walking distance of retail centers, night clubs, the national museum, and the national soccer stadium. On campus, you will have access to a student center with food courts, a post office, banks, ATMs, and more.
DINE
Indulge in the mouthwatering national dish of Botswana called Seswaa (meat stew served over pap, a dish made from cornmeal) at one of the local restaurants. If you would like to stay near your dorm, there are two dining halls on campus with plenty of options to choose from as well as several grocery stores located nearby. We recommend budgeting $300 per month for meals.
EXPERIENCE
Experience an aquatic safari by taking a ride in a mokoro, or a traditional Botswanan canoe. You will glide along quietly, and your guide will point out beautiful lilies, tiny painted reed frogs, and herons. Don’t worry about the hippos or crocodiles - a gentle tap to the side of the mokoro will warn them that humans are on the way!
EXPLORE
Africa is a thrill-seeker's paradise – from the scarlet sand dunes of Namibia to bungee jumping at Victoria Falls, there are endless opportunities for adventure.
You can access these experiences easily by plane or by affordable buses that leave from Gaborone daily to destinations around Africa.
THRIVE
The University of Botswana provides inclusive learning and living environments to help you thrive, including disability support services, a career and counseling center, health and wellness, and more.
VOLUNTEER
There are a variety of opportunities available for students to engage in volunteer experiences on this program. For example, past students have worked with NGOs focused on safety and legal rights for women and environmental organizations that focus on conservation and forestry projects. There are also opportunities in the creative arts, health (such as HIV/AIDS support), human rights, economic development (such as micro-finance projects) and children/youth NGOs.
What We Love About Botswana
We love that Botswana is a beautiful and peaceful country with a lot of natural wildlife preservations (approximately 38% of its territory is protected as national parks, sanctuaries, and reserves). It is also home to the largest population of elephants in the world – a huge benefit for those who want to catch a glimpse of this incredibly majestic creature.
See ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses
Course Description
The University of Botswana is widely known for African studies, environmental science, humanities and social sciences. It is also well respected for STEM studies, with an excellent engineering department. The University of Botswana is one of the few ISEP programs that offers nursing at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The science and engineering departments have well-equipped laboratory facilities which are comparable to those found in the developed world. To help get you started, the chart below highlights some of the more popular classes students have taken in the past.
Credits Earned
Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn 15-18 credits which ISEP recommends is the equivalent of 15-18 U.S. Credit Hours. Each class is generally worth 3 credits.
If you use financial aid, please speak with a qualified financial aid advisor to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial aid.
Sample Classes Available:
|
|
Social Sciences |
|
|
|
Migration and Globalization |
African Oral Narratives |
Cell Biology |
Environment and Population Dynamics |
|
Growth, Policy, and Poverty in Africa, Latin America, South and South-East Asia |
Conflict and Conflict Resolution in Africa |
Dynamics of Savannah Ecosystems |
Globalization, Socio-Economic and Environmental Change |
|
African Social Thought |
Social Inequality |
Genetics |
Botswana Environment |
|
Botswana Politics |
The Social Structure of Society |
Wildlife Biology of Southern Africa |
The Human Environment System |
For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below.
Academics
Other Academic Conditions
The easiest way to find courses is to download the University of Botswana Course Catalog. While some departments offer short course descriptions, many do not. Syllabi for the University of Botswana are NOT available for advanced course approval. Because of this, students should have course flexibility, as course availability is subject to change on arrival. If students cannot locate short descriptions in the course catalog, students should email the ISEP Student Student Services Officer for Botswana to see if they may be available on request.
ISEP students studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics should note that there is a higher program fee when enrolling in courses from these faculties due to labs. Students may be expected to pay additional fees if they choose to enroll in one or more STEM course options.
The minimum credit load is 15 credits. Each credit hour represents one lecture hour per week. Most classes are worth 3 credits. So students should plan to take 5-6 classes and spend 15-18 hours per week in lectures.
Semester dates typically run as follows:
Fall - Semester 1
Arrival and orientation: Last week of July
Courses start: Last week of July
Exams: Last two weeks of November
Spring - Semester 2
Arrival and orientation:
Courses start: Last week of January
Exams: Last two weeks of May
Semester & Prices (based on your filters)
Select a semester to calculate the price. Semesters are named according to host university's calendar.Semester Tuition
- Priority Admissions Deadline: {{schedule.semester.semesterTranslation.displayPriorityDeadline}}
- Chance of Placement: {{schedule.chancesOfPlacement.name}}
- Application Deadline: {{schedule.applicationDeadline}}
- Average Classes Per Week: {{schedule.semester.classesPerWeek}}
- Average Class Hours Per Week: {{schedule.semester.hoursPerWeek}}
Required Expenses
Pre-Sessions
{{child.getBenefitsRangeDisplay()}}
University Deadline: {{child.studentDeadline | date:'longDate'}}
Housing
Meals
Optional Expenses
Pre-Sessions
{{child.getBenefitsRangeDisplay()}}
University Deadline: {{child.studentDeadline | date:'longDate'}}