Pretoria, South Africa Program Handbook(PDF)

The South Africa Program at Loras College offers a semester or academic year of direct enrollment at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Students may enroll in a wide range of courses at the university. All instruction is in English.

The Location 

The University of Pretoria (UP) is located in the beautiful residential city of Pretoria, the administrative capital of the Republic of South Africa. Established in 1904, UP has expanded to become one of the largest universities in the country, with 25,000 students. UP, or “tukkies” as it is often referred to, has had since 1992 a non-racial admissions policy and has admitted a growing number of African students. Instruction in all courses is offered in English or Afrikaans sections.
Pretoria has the feel of a large rural town, with trees, shrubs, and flowers. Located at 4,000 feet above sea level and just below the Tropic of Capricorn, Pretoria’s climate is temperate with warm, sunny days common throughout the year. Like other cities in the southern Hemisphere, the coolest part of the year runs from May through August, when temperatures may drop to freezing at night but commonly reach the seventies during the day. Winter days (May through August) are characteristically warm, dry and sunny. The summer months, from November to February, is also the time when rain is most likely to fall, and temperatures reach the upper 80s on some days.

Pretoria has all the modern facilities, from medical care to shopping, and is located within easy reach of some of South Africa’s major tourist attractions, including the famed Kruger National Game Park. It is linked by road, rail, bus, and air to all other cities in the region, and is 45 minutes drive by superhighway from the Johannesburg international airport.

 Academic Program 

Loras students from all majors are encouraged to apply for study at the University of Pretoria. This program is offered in the spring or fall semester or for a full academic year. Instruction is in English, and classes are offered in Arts, Humanities, Sciences, Social Sciences, Economics, Computer Science, Education and Business.