Cape Town-Oxford FAQs

• Students will apply in the BOSP Application Portal and initially select the application for Cape Town in Autumn 2026.
• Within that application there will be a question for applicants to indicate their intent to apply for this specific program.
• From there, please follow all prompts for the Joint Cape Town/Oxford program-specific questions.
• Applications will be reviewed by both the Cape Town and Oxford review teams.
• Students must successfully complete Autumn Quarter 2026 in order to participate in Oxford in Winter 2027.

The first-round application opens on or around January 26 and is due by noon (12pm) Pacific time on Tuesday, February 17, 2026.  A second round will only open if space permits.

This special opportunity has an enrollment limit of five spaces.

No. BOSP does not allow for deferral. The dates of participation are Cape Town in Autumn Quarter 2026 and Oxford in Winter Quarter 2027. Students must be able to participate in both quarters and must successfully complete Autumn Quarter 2026 in Cape Town in order to continue on to Oxford in Winter Quarter 2027.

No. The dates of participation are Cape Town in Autumn Quarter 2026 and Oxford in Winter Quarter 2027.  Students must be able to participate in both quarters.

During the Cape Town Quarter, students must enroll in a minimum of 12 BOSP units. For this program, students must enroll in:

1. OSPCTWN30 Introducing Cape Town - 2 Units
2. Cape Town Public Memory Seminar course - 5 Units
3. Cape Town Public Memory Tutorial - 7 Units 

During the Oxford Quarter, students must enroll in a minimum of 12 BOSP units. For this program, students must enroll in:

1. Public Memory Research Program Oxford Seminar - 5 Units
2. Public Memory Research Program Oxford Tutorial - 7 Units

As with all Oxford participants, students must have either taken English 66 before participation in Oxford (online), or will take it in person while in Oxford. 

Yes. Both programs will be running their traditional quarter programs at the same time this program operates so there will be other students studying in these locations at the same time.

• In Cape Town, students will reside in a self-catering residence in the neighbourhood of Rondebosch. Participants are required to share apartments as single accommodation is not available. They are housed in two-bedroomed apartments with shared kitchens and bathrooms. Each apartment houses two participants in their own private room. Shops, restaurants and a laundromat are easily accessed from the residence.
• In Oxford, students are housed in double rooms in Stanford House. All students are also assigned to one of three Oxford University colleges, where students take a portion of their meals. Students can utilize the kitchen facilities within Stanford House to cook the remainder of their meals, and a stipend is provided to cover the costs of groceries. 

No. Students must depart Cape Town on the specified departure date and arrive at Oxford on the specified arrival date.  BOSP cannot house students between quarters and you will be responsible for your travel to/from each program, and housing for the interim period between quarters.

Students will pay BOSP fees as outlined in our Financial Considerations page in both Autumn and Winter Quarters. 

The standard BOSP withdrawal policy applies to each quarter of participation.