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. 

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 

Program Website

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: 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Area Studies 

 
 
 
 

  

Social Sciences 

 
 
 
 

 
Biology 

 
 
 
 

 
Environmental Science 

 
 
 
 

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.

Website for Course Availability

ISEP STUDENT SERVICES OFFICER Quiamony Gaskins 703-504-9963 | QGaskins@isep.org Thank you for your interest in ISEP Study Abroad! I’m your Student Services Officer and main point of contact here at ISEP. As you search for programs, I’ll be available to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to contact me at any point in your search process for help, tips or advice.

University of Botswana

The University of Botswana was founded in 1982. It has grown rapidly to an institution with about 18,000 students. The university is a comprehensive institution offering courses in both the liberal...

Academics

Undergraduate
(in English)

*This program is OK for Sophomores

Fields of Study

  • Agriculture

  • Architecture

  • Area Studies Recommended!

  • Biology: Recommended!

    Anatomy Animal Physiology Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology Biometry/Biometrics Biophysics Botany/Plant Biology Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Genetics

  • Business:

    Accounting Auditing Business Management Economics Entrepreneurship Finance Human Resources Management International Business/Trade/Commerce Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management Marketing

  • Communication

    Mass Communication/Media Studies

  • Computer and Information Sciences:

    Artificial Intelligence Computer Applications Programming Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications Informatics

  • Education:

    Adult and Continuing Education Curriculum and Instruction Educational Leadership and Administration Elementary Education Physical Education Teaching and Coaching Secondary Education Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education Special Education Teaching Individuals with Hearing Impairments Including Deafness Teaching Individuals with Mental Retardation

  • Engineering:

    Civil Engineering Electrical and Electronics Engineering Industrial Engineering Mechanical Engineering

  • English Language and Literature:

    English Literature (British and Commonwealth) Professional/Technical Writing

  • Foreign Languages and Literatures:

    African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Chinese Language and Literature French Language and Literature

  • Health Sciences:

    Nursing Science Pharmacy Public Health

  • History:

    American History (United States) Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies and Archaeology Ancient Studies/Civilizations Asian History History, Other Medieval and Renaissance Studies

  • Hospitality and Tourism:

    Hospitality Management Hotel and Restaurant Management Tourism Management

  • Human Services:

    Public Administration Social Work

  • International/Global Studies

    International Relations and Affairs

  • Liberal Arts and Sciences

  • Library and Information Science

  • Mathematics

    Statistics

  • Natural Resources/Conservation

    Environmental Science

  • Philosophy and Religious Studies:

    Biblical Studies Buddhist Studies Ethics Philosophy Religious Studies Theological Studies

  • Physical Sciences:

    Chemistry Geology/Earth Science Physics

  • Psychology:

    Cognitive Psychology and Psycholinguistics Developmental and Child Psychology

  • Social Sciences: Recommended!

    Anthropology Political Science and Government Sociology

  • Sports Studies

  • Visual and Performing Arts:

    Drama and Theatre Arts Technical Theatre Design and Technology

Academic Requirements

  • U.S. GPA: 2.75 or higher
    *accepts lower GPA with explanation
  • LPR Required
  • LPR accepted as alternate to TOEFL or IELTS
  • LPR Writing Score: B1 - Intermediate High
  • LPR Reading Score: B1 - Intermediate High
  • LPR Listening Score: B1 - Intermediate High
  • LPR Speaking Score: B1 - Intermediate High
LPR = ISEP Language Proficiency Report

Special Application Instructions

All applicants must also complete a Botswana Visiting International Student Application in addition to their ISEP application. The original UB application form and one additional copy of the form should be included with the ISEP application and included in the "additional documents" section. ISEP applicants need not submit any further evidence beyond what is already included in the ISEP application.

An English Language Proficiency Report (LPR) is required for all students from non-native English-speaking countries. 

PASSPORT: All students must have a valid passport to participate in this program. If you do not have a valid passport, we suggest you start the application process as soon as possible. 

VISA/RESIDENCE PERMIT: Most students attending this program will be required to obtain a visa/residence permit. For more information on the process and estimated cost, please review the ISEP Country Handbook here.

Special Needs Support

  • Mental Health
  • Mobility
  • Hearing
  • Visual
  • Speech
  • Learning

Graduate
(in English)

Fields of Study

  • Biology Recommended!

  • Business

  • Computer and Information Sciences Recommended!

  • Engineering Recommended!

  • English Language and Literature Recommended!

  • Foreign Languages and Literatures Recommended!

  • Health Sciences Recommended!

  • International/Global Studies Recommended!

  • Liberal Arts and Sciences Recommended!

  • Mathematics

  • Natural Resources/Conservation

  • Physical Sciences Recommended!

  • Social Sciences Recommended!

  • Sports Studies

Academic Requirements

  • U.S. GPA: 2.75 or higher
    *accepts lower GPA with explanation
  • LPR Writing Score: B1 - Intermediate High
  • LPR Reading Score: B1 - Intermediate High
  • LPR Listening Score: B1 - Intermediate High
  • LPR Speaking Score: B1 - Intermediate High

Special Application Instructions

All applicants must also complete a Botswana Visiting International Student Application in addition to their ISEP application. The original UB application form and one additional copy of the form should be included with the ISEP application and included in the "additional documents" section. ISEP applicants need not submit any further evidence beyond what is already included in the ISEP application.

An English Language Proficiency Report (LPR) is required for all students from non-native English-speaking countries. 

PASSPORT: All students must have a valid passport to participate in this program. If you do not have a valid passport, we suggest you start the application process as soon as possible. 

VISA/RESIDENCE PERMIT: Most students attending this program will be required to obtain a visa/residence permit. For more information on the process and estimated cost, please review the ISEP Country Handbook here.

Special Needs Support

  • Mental Health
  • Mobility
  • Hearing
  • Visual
  • Speech
  • Learning

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

Select a semester to calculate the price. Semesters are named according to host university's calendar.


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University of Botswana

Gaborone, Botswana

(17)

Tuition

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Total: US$0

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ISEP Application Fee US$100

ISEP Acceptance Fee US$450




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