Arcadia provides housing to students on the University of the Western Cape program in group houses or apartments located in the neighborhoods in surrounding areas like Mowbray, Rondebosch and Observatory. These houses or apartments are shared with other Arcadia students studying at either UWC or UCT and may be co-ed or single-sex.
The neighborhoods where Arcadia housing is located were chosen for their close proximity to the UCT main campus and their great student vibe — with shops and restaurants that cater to the 20,000 students who attend UCT. The Arcadia staff ensure that the housing is in safe neighborhoods and that the building themselves are secure. Of course, it is the responsibility of students living in a given house or apartment to make sure that doors are locked, windows secured and access to strangers is restricted. In this way, everyone works together to ensure a safe living environment.
Arcadia provides daily transportation for UWC students to/from their accommodation to UWC’s campus in Bellville. This trip takes approximately 30-40 minutes. Students who do not wish to take Arcadia’s transportation can also take a public bus from UWC to the Mowbray area of Cape Town. Transportation schedules and further instructions regarding transportation to/from UWC are provided during orientation.
All Arcadia accommodation will be simply furnished to offer the basic tools and amenities required to study, eat, and relax comfortably. Bed linens are provided by Arcadia and coin-operated laundry facilities will be available either on-site or at a nearby laundromat. There is no meal plan for this program and students are able to purchase food at one of the nearby grocery stores to prepare their own meals.
All residences will have a kitchen stocked with basic pots, pans, utensils and dishes for this purpose. Students should budget approximately $20-100 to purchase supplementary items for their houses or apartments per their personal preferences, like towels, hangers, extra linens or more specialized cooking supplies.
Internet is available in all Arcadia housing on a pay-as-you-go basis via Red Dot wifi hotspots. Students connect and establish a credit card account and are billed per megabytes of usage. The price will differ depending on what time of day you use the internet and it is cheaper during the night than during daytime hours. Students who wisely monitor their internet usage will have an internet expense of ~R400 (~$50) per month more or less.
It is important to understand that beyond satisfying Arcadia University’s housing standards, amenities will vary in each building and from room to room. This is what is unique about living in private residences in Cape Town neighborhoods where local students and citizens also live.
For more information, please see the general South Africa housing page.