General English

Flexible group courses for everyday communication and fluency.

Academic English

Prepare for university study with advanced academic language skills.

Business English

English for professional communication in corporate and workplace settings.

Private Lessons

One-to-one lessons tailored to your goals, schedule and interests.

Language Excursions

Learn English while exploring Cape Town with your teacher as your guide.

IELTS Preparation

Get the score you need with targeted strategies and expert support.

Cambridge Exams

Prepare for the FCE or CAE with structured, high-quality training.

TOEFL Preparation

Build confidence and test skills to succeed in the TOEFL exam.

Private Lessons

Personalised one-to-one English lessons delivered online, on your schedule.

Corporate Groups

Live online training for teams, customised to your organisation’s needs.

English for Tech Professionals

Self-paced English course designed for developers, engineers, and IT teams.

Hiddingh Campus

Learn in a historic university campus right in the city centre.

Tours and Activities

Explore Cape Town and make friends through weekly excursions.

Social Programme

Join our schedule of fun events, outings and conversations.

Getting Around

Tips and tools for navigating the city like a local.

Social and Digital

Stay connected online and through our vibrant student community.

The Yellow House

A friendly, sociable student house just a short walk from school.

Adderley Studios

Modern, secure apartments in the heart of Cape Town.

Homestay

Live with a local family and experience South African culture.

Hotels & Aparthotels

Independent options for comfort, privacy and flexibility.

Price List

All tuition and accommodation fees in one clear table.

Booking Information

What to expect before, during and after you book.

Instalment Plans

Flexible payment options for long-term bookings.

User Login

View your bookings, make payments, and manage your details.

Visa Information

Visa options and support for international students coming to South Africa.

Insurance & Travel

What you need to know about travel, insurance and staying safe.

MyELC App

Access your timetable, progress and more on the student app.

Arrival and Orientation

How we help you settle in on your first day in Cape Town.

Certificates and Transcripts

How to request certificates, transcripts, or proof of enrolment.

Terms & Conditions

The small print — bookings, cancellations, and more.

Contact Us

Get in touch with the ELC team by email, phone or WhatsApp.

Privacy Policy

How we protect your data and respect your privacy.

Why Choose Us?

What makes ELC and UCT a great place to learn English.

About the University of Cape Town

South Africa’s leading university and home to the ELC.

About the English Language Centre

Who we are, what we offer, and how we teach.

Our Team

Meet the teachers, support staff and leadership team behind ELC.

Accreditations

Our international quality standards and endorsements.

Media & Press

News coverage, interviews and media mentions of ELC.

Testimonials

What our students, partners and teachers say about us.

Blog

Updates, stories and insights from the ELC community.


Get a Course Quote

View prices and options for your course and accommodation

Get a Quote

Book Your Course

Ready to study with us? Start your booking in just a few steps

Book Now

General English

Flexible group courses for everyday communication and fluency.

Academic English

Prepare for university study with advanced academic language skills.

Business English

English for professional communication in corporate and workplace settings.

Private Lessons

One-to-one lessons tailored to your goals, schedule and interests.

Language Excursions

Learn English while exploring Cape Town with your teacher as your guide.

IELTS Preparation

Get the score you need with targeted strategies and expert support.

Cambridge Exams

Prepare for the FCE or CAE with structured, high-quality training.

TOEFL Preparation

Build confidence and test skills to succeed in the TOEFL exam.

Private Lessons

Personalised one-to-one English lessons delivered online, on your schedule.

Corporate Groups

Live online training for teams, customised to your organisation’s needs.

English for Tech Professionals

Self-paced English course designed for developers, engineers, and IT teams.

Hiddingh Campus

Learn in a historic university campus right in the city centre.

Tours and Activities

Explore Cape Town and make friends through weekly excursions.

Social Programme

Join our schedule of fun events, outings and conversations.

Getting Around

Tips and tools for navigating the city like a local.

Social and Digital

Stay connected online and through our vibrant student community.

The Yellow House

A friendly, sociable student house just a short walk from school.

Adderley Studios

Modern, secure apartments in the heart of Cape Town.

Homestay

Live with a local family and experience South African culture.

Hotels and Aparthotels

Independent options for comfort, privacy and flexibility.

Find the Right Course

Use our Course Wizard to match your goals and level to the best option

Course Wizard

Take the Level Test

Not sure what level you are? Take the test and find out

Level Test

Price List

All tuition and accommodation fees in one clear table.

Booking Information

What to expect before, during and after you book.

Instalment Plans

Flexible payment options for long-term bookings.

User Login

View your bookings, make payments, and manage your details.

Visa Information

Visa options and support for international students coming to South Africa.

Insurance & Travel

What you need to know about travel, insurance and staying safe.

MyELC App

Access your timetable, progress and more on the student app.

Arrival and Orientation

How we help you settle in on your first day in Cape Town.

Certificates and Transcripts

How to request certificates, transcripts, or proof of enrolment.

Terms & Conditions

The small print — bookings, cancellations, and more.

Contact Us

Get in touch with the ELC team by email, phone or WhatsApp.

Privacy Policy

How we protect your data and respect your privacy.

Why Choose Us?

What makes ELC and UCT a great place to learn English.

About the University of Cape Town

South Africa’s leading university and home to the ELC.

About the English Language Centre

Who we are, what we offer, and how we teach.

Our Team

Meet the teachers, support staff and leadership team behind ELC.

Accreditations

Our international quality standards and endorsements.

Media & Press

News coverage, interviews and media mentions of ELC.

Testimonials

What our students, partners and teachers say about us.

Blog

Updates, stories and insights from the ELC community.

ELC Blog

Articles and insights on learning English and academic life in Cape Town

Filter by topic to get the most relevant content for you

Insights into Language Education



Our blog features articles on English language learning, study tips, and academic skills, as well as reflections on teaching, communication, and the wider role of English in today’s world.

Whether you're a student, a teacher, or simply interested in language, you'll find useful perspectives grounded in our day-to-day work at the UCT English Language Centre.

Improve your Speaking

1 min read

How to Pronounce Regular Past Simple Verbs

How to Pronounce Regular Past Simple Verbs Past simple regular verbs are so … simple… the verb is the same for everyone, just add –ed (I walked, He...

3 min read

Paraphrase like a Pro

Paraphrase like a Pro Did you hear? Hip-song singer Nicki Minaj was fined a whopping $450,000 after being found guilty of plagiarising a song by...

3 min read

IELTS Speaking: Friends and Family

IELTS Speaking: Family and Friends

3 min read

4 Key Tips for an Excellent Presentation

Four Tips for an Excellent Presentations In order to prepare to deliver an excellent presentation, remember CLAP. C stands for Content, L stands for...

1 min read

10 Common English Words Borrowed from Other Languages

English Words Borrowed from other Languages Modern English words, as we know them, have an interesting background. So where do so many of the foreign...

3 min read

Strategies for the IELTS Speaking Test

Strategies for the IELTS Speaking Test The speaking test is an opportunity to shine. This article looks at Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of the IELTS...

4 min read

How to Express Degrees of Probability

How to Express Degrees of Probability They say nothing in life is certain except death and taxes. For everything else on the spectrum of probability,...

2 min read

English Idioms about Happiness

English Idioms about Happiness Smile! The 20th of March is the International Day of Happiness. In honour of this cheerful occasion, we’ll be looking...

5 min read

Learning English with ChatGPT

Learning English with ChatGPT Love it or hate it, AI is here to stay. A lot of folks are talking about ChatGPT and if you haven’t been living under a...

3 min read

How to Talk about Love in English

How to Talk about Love in English Love is in the air! And no, that doesn’t mean it’s a bug you can catch (although it is contagious, so beware)....

2 min read

Great Songs with Terrible Mistakes

Great Songs with Terrible Mistakes It has been said that music is a brilliant way to learn how to speak English correctly, which is absolutely true,...

3 min read

Intro to the IELTS Speaking Paper

Intro to the IELTS Speaking Paper The speaking paper of the IELTS exam is a face-to-face, interactive test of your ability to engage in a...

Contact Us

Our team is here to help you choose the right course, plan your stay, or answer any questions along the way.

Connect on WhatsApp

We'll get back to you in a few hours



WhatsApp

Send us an email

We'll reply within one working day



Email

Speak to our Team

We've available during working hours



Phone

Book a Consultation

Speak to a trained advisor



Book Advisor