Clubs and societies

Joining one of UCT’s many clubs or societies is one way of taking a breather from the books. Here’s a caregorised list for you to choose from – there’s something for everyone.

Academic

• AIESEC (the world’s largest student organisation)
• Black Law Students’ Forum
• Education Development Unit Student Organisation
• Organisational Psychology Students’ Society

Faith

• Anglican Students’ Society
• Christian Medical Fellowship
• Hindu Students’ Society
• Muslim Youth Movement
• South African Union of Jewish Students

Special interest

• Ballroom and Latin Dancing Society
• Debating Union
• Engineers Without Borders
• Habitat for Humanity
• RainbowUCT

Politics

• ActionSA Student Chapter
• Democratic Alliance Students’ Organisation
• Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command
• Palestine Solidarity Forum
• South African Students’ Congress
• United Nations’ Association of SA

Students have a say in electing student leaders, your vote matters in shaping campus democracy.

National and cultural

• Abantu Zambian Society
• Congolese Society
• East African Students’ Association
• Ghana Society
• Lesotho Students’ Society
• UCT Asian Students Association
• Zimbabwe Society

Check out the full list of available clubs and societies.

Why we think you should sign up:

1. Socialise – you get to meet people outside of your faculty. Yes, we understand that it’s daunting to mix with strangers, especially when you’re still settling in, but joining a club or society will help you with the settling-in process, and make new friends who share the same interest and get to know campus a bit better.

2. Pay it forward – everyone needs to give back, and if you’re looking for tangible ways to do so, there are plenty of societies that tick this box.

3. Upweight your CV – in time you will need an internship, and depending on your course, many clubs and societies will look good on your CV.

4. Learn something new – if you’re looking to learn a new skill then look no further – you’d be surprised at just how much you will learn about yourself along the way.

If you’re keen to join, here’s how:

You can join clubs and societies during the student orientation week, where student organisations showcase themselves – either on the Plaza or on the Green Mile. If you miss orientation, visit the Societies Helpdesk on Level 5, Steve Biko Students’ Union, or contact Societies to sign up or get more information. You can either have the subscription fees charged to your student account or pay cash.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) does not fund extramural activities, but sponsored students who would like to participate in societies or development agencies can contact societies@uct.ac.za.