University of Cape Town (UCT) Postgraduate Prospectus 2027

This prospectus covers postgraduate study only (Honours, Postgraduate Diplomas, Master's, and PhD).

Application Fee:

• UCT graduates applying to non-GSB programmes: Free

• South African & SADC applicants: R100

• Outside SADC: R300

• GSB (African citizens/permanent residents): R1,000

• GSB (outside Africa): US$100

Closing Date

Standard 2027 Closing Date: 30 September 2026 (most coursework programmes)

Earliest Deadline (Health Sciences Honours & some MPhils): 31 July 2026

Research Master's & PhDs: Open year-round

Apply at: http://applyonline.uct.ac.za

Faculty Breakdown

Faculty of Commerce

• Entry requirement: A relevant undergraduate degree (honours-level entry typically requires strong academic standing in your discipline)

• Most programmes close 30 September 2026

• Actuarial Science applicants must also submit their ASSA Exemption Record letter

• Exception: Economic Analysis of Financial Markets (June intake) closes 30 April 2027

• Most dissertation-track Master's require: CV, 500-word research outline, referees, and a motivation letter.

Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment

• Entry requirement: Relevant undergraduate degree in engineering or built environment discipline

• Most programmes close 30 September 2026

• International applicants for BAS Honours and MArch (Professional) must apply by 31 August 2026

• Important: For MSc in Engineering (research tracks), you must secure a supervisor before applying — especially for Electrical Engineering

• Power Plant Engineering PGDip has two intake windows: Semester 1 (Sept 2026) and Semester 2 (April 2027)

Faculty of Health Sciences

• Entry requirement: Relevant health/medical degree; MMed applicants must first secure a hospital training post through the relevant academic department

• This is the faculty with the most deadline variation — several programmes close as early as 31 July 2026

• MMed candidates additionally need: certified degree copies, hospital offer letter, and valid HPCSA membership card

• The faculty explicitly asks prospective applicants to contact the relevant department before applying

• Contact: fhs-pg@uct.ac.za

Faculty of Humanities

• Entry requirement: Relevant undergraduate degree; some programmes (Clinical Psychology, Neuropsychology) are highly competitive with limited cohort sizes

• Master's in Clinical Psychology closes 31 May 2026 — the earliest deadline in the entire document

• Master's in Neuropsychology closes 31 August 2026

• Fine Art, Dance, Theatre, Music, and Film programmes may require a portfolio, audition, or creative research outline in addition to standard documents

• Some Philosophy programmes require two writing samples submitted as a single document

Faculty of Law

• Entry requirement: LLB holders may apply for LLM; applicants without an LLB must apply for MPhil instead

• All programmes close 30 September 2026

• Dissertation-track applicants should complete the Statement of Interest form (available at the Law Faculty website)

• Contact: law-studies@uct.ac.za

Faculty of Science

• Entry requirement: Relevant BSc or equivalent; research Master's and PhD applicants must discuss their proposed research with the relevant department before applying

• Several programmes (Conservation Biology, Astrophysics, Climate Change & Development, Applied Ocean Sciences, Environmental & Geographical Science) close 31 August 2026

• PhD applicants need a supervisor confirmed, a summary of their MSc research, and a stated start date

• Contact: sci-postgrad@uct.ac.za

Graduate School of Business (GSB)

• Separate application process with different fee structure and deadlines

• All GSB programmes require: CV, three motivations, and evaluators' names

• Check GSB-specific deadlines directly at the GSB website — they are not listed in this document

• Acceptance fee on admission: R15,000 (PGDip level) or R25,000 (Master's level) — this is credited to your student account, not lost

The VarsityToolkit Insider Tip

The "English Proficiency Trap" most applicants miss: If English is not your first language and you did not pass English at NSC Grade 12 (or equivalent), you must submit a valid language test score — and the validity windows differ per test. Your TOEFL or IELTS result must be no more than 2 years old, but your NBT Academic Literacy result has a 3-year validity window. More critically, if you are writing TOEFL or IELTS, your score must physically arrive at the UCT Admissions Office by 12 January 2027 — not just be submitted by that date. Build significant lead time into your test booking. For graduate-specific NBT requirements, you need 68% or above on the Graduate Academic Literacy test and 70% or above on the Graduate Quantitative test — thresholds that are higher than standard undergraduate NBT benchmarks and which many applicants are unaware of.