{"id":5856,"date":"2020-09-21T22:05:51","date_gmt":"2020-09-21T22:05:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/collegeguide.co.za\/?p=5856"},"modified":"2020-09-21T22:05:51","modified_gmt":"2020-09-21T22:05:51","slug":"how-long-does-it-take-to-study-medicine-at-uct","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/how-long-does-it-take-to-study-medicine-at-uct\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Does It Take To Study Medicine at Uct"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"advads-atf\" style=\"margin-top: 15px;margin-bottom: 20px;\" id=\"advads-3407732385\"><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- Responsive ads atf -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"8381596201\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div><p><strong>six years<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree programme at University of Cape Town (UCT) takes&nbsp;<strong>six years<\/strong>&nbsp;to complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;<strong>Bachelor of Medicine&nbsp;<\/strong>and&nbsp;<strong>Bachelor of Surgery&nbsp;<\/strong>(<strong>MBChB<\/strong>) degree programme at&nbsp;<strong>University of Cape Town&nbsp;<\/strong>(<strong>UCT<\/strong>) takes six years to complete. Students who graduate with an&nbsp;<strong>MBChB&nbsp;<\/strong>and complete two year&#8217;s internship and a year&#8217;s community service are allowed by the Health Professions Council of&nbsp;<strong>South Africa&nbsp;<\/strong>to practise as a medical doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The curriculum for the&nbsp;<strong>MBChB&nbsp;<\/strong>at&nbsp;<strong>UCT&nbsp;<\/strong>programme produces competent doctors with the requisite attitudes, knowledge and skills to enter the health care field with confidence. The programme offers a comprehensive approach to&nbsp;<strong>health care&nbsp;<\/strong>that is balanced between preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative health care, in a Primary&nbsp;<strong>Health Care&nbsp;<\/strong>or community setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, the&nbsp;<strong>Bachelor of Medicine&nbsp;<\/strong>and&nbsp;<strong>Bachelor of Surgery&nbsp;<\/strong>(<strong>MBChB<\/strong>) degree programme at&nbsp;<strong>University of Cape Town<\/strong>&nbsp;promotes communication skills, teamwork, professional values and competent clinical practice, in the context of the Primary, Secondary and Tertiary&nbsp;<strong>Health Care&nbsp;<\/strong>systems. Students are equipped with critical thinking and lifelong learning skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The curriculum follows the structure set out below, and the details for each year will be developed during the year before implementation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All students are admitted to the same&nbsp;<strong>Bachelor of Medicine&nbsp;<\/strong>and&nbsp;<strong>Bachelor of Surgery&nbsp;<\/strong>programme. Students who by the middle of the first year have not met certain minimum requirements are transferred to an Intervention Programme, which starts in Semester 2 and continues to the end of Semester 3, i.e. the middle of the second year, after which they join Semester 2 of the standard programme. (A semester is half a year.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The courses prescribed for each semester are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Semesters 1 and 2 (first year)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Becoming a Professional<\/li><li>Introduction to Integrated Health Sciences: Part 1<\/li><li>Chemistry for Medical Students<\/li><li>Introduction to Integrated Health Sciences: Part 2<\/li><li>Physics<\/li><li>Becoming a Health Professional<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A student who fails any first or second semester course must register for the Intervention Programme before continuing with semester 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Semesters 3 to 6 (second and third years)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Integrated Health Systems Part IB<\/li><li>Becoming a Doctor Part IA<\/li><li>Becoming a Doctor Part IB<\/li><li>Integrated Health Systems Part IA<\/li><li>Becoming a Doctor Part 2A<\/li><li>Becoming a Doctor Part 2B<\/li><li>Integrated Health Systems Part 2<\/li><li>Introduction to Clinical Practice<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In semester 4, students study Special Study Modules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Semesters 9 to 10 (fifth year)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Anaesthesia<\/li><li>Primary Health Care Elective<\/li><li>Paediatrics (including Paediatric Surgery)<\/li><li>Medical and Surgical specialities (including Dermatology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Rheumatology)<\/li><li>Obstetrics and Gynaecology<\/li><li>Surgery (including General Surgery, Plastic Surgery and Urology)<\/li><li>Pharmacology and Applied Therapeutics<\/li><li>Trauma<\/li><li>Orthopaedic Surgery<\/li><li>Forensic Medicine<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Semesters 11 and 12 (sixth year)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Surgery<\/li><li>Medicine (including Dermatology)<\/li><li>Obstetrics and Gynaecology<\/li><li>Family Medicine<\/li><li>Psychiatry<\/li><li>Paediatrics (including Paediatric Surgery)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The curriculum is subject to change as a result of on-going curriculum development processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the student&#8217;s internship and community service training, the National Department of Health of South Africa will employ the student, and the student will receive a salary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once registered by the Health Professions Council of South Africa upon completion of your internship and community service, successful graduates may set up their own practice as a medical doctor, or may choose to work in a hospital, clinic, or other institution where a doctor&#8217;s services are required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Graduates may also choose to become a specialist, in which case the student will embark on postgraduate studies (and register for the Master of Medicine or &#8220;MMed&#8221; degree) in the field of their choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some graduates who have excelled academically may choose to pursue an academic career, involving teaching and research in addition to clinical practice, at a university&#8217;s&nbsp;<strong>Health Sciences&nbsp;<\/strong>Faculty such as this one.<\/p><div class=\"advads-content\" id=\"advads-2204421401\"><div style=\"width: 300px; padding: 20px; margin: 0 auto; border: 1px solid #ddd; border-radius: 8px; background-color: #f9f9f9; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;\">\r\n    <p style=\"font-size: 16px; margin: 0 0 10px;\">Need Information or Confused about Something ? <\/p>\r\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/onlineapplications.co.za\/ask\/\" style=\"display: inline-block; padding: 10px 20px; background-color: #007BFF; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; border-radius: 4px; transition: background-color 0.3s;\">Ask a Question<\/a>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div><div class=\"advads-btf\" style=\"margin-top: 15px;margin-bottom: 20px;\" id=\"advads-3789106688\"><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- Responsive ads btf -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9198760278752355\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"5513273173\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"advads-cpc\" id=\"advads-877632752\"><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Sponsored Guide<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>Complete Guide to NSFAS Online Loan Application for South African Students (2025)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you are a South African student looking to pursue higher education but are facing financial difficulties, the <strong>National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)<\/strong> is one of the most accessible funding options available. NSFAS provides financial aid in the form of <strong>bursaries and loans<\/strong> to qualifying students at public universities and TVET colleges in South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>This guide will walk you through <strong>everything you need to know about the NSFAS loan application process<\/strong>, from eligibility requirements to application steps and frequently asked questions.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udccc What is NSFAS?<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)<\/strong> is a government-funded financial aid scheme aimed at helping students from low- and middle-income households to access tertiary education without the burden of upfront fees.<\/p>\n<p>NSFAS <strong>offers both bursaries and income-contingent loans<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Bursaries<\/strong>: For eligible students who meet academic and household income criteria (especially for TVET and university students).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Loans<\/strong>: For students who do not meet all bursary criteria or who are pursuing postgraduate qualifications not funded under bursary schemes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\u2705 Who Qualifies for an NSFAS Loan?<\/h2>\n<p>To qualify for an NSFAS loan (especially for postgraduate students or programs not funded under the bursary system), you must:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Be a <strong>South African citizen<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Be <strong>financially needy<\/strong>, with a household income of <strong>less than R350,000 per year<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Have a <strong>valid South African ID<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Be <strong>enrolled or accepted<\/strong> to study at a <strong>public university or TVET college<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Not be funded through another bursary program that covers all expenses.<\/li>\n<li>Maintain satisfactory <strong>academic progress<\/strong> (returning students).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcda Courses Funded by NSFAS<\/h2>\n<p>NSFAS primarily funds <strong>undergraduate qualifications<\/strong>, but certain <strong>postgraduate programs (e.g., PGCE, postgraduate diplomas in education, and professional courses like LLB)<\/strong> may be considered under the <strong>NSFAS loan scheme<\/strong>, not bursaries.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re studying:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Undergraduate degree or diploma<\/strong>: You are likely eligible for a full NSFAS bursary.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Postgraduate study<\/strong>: You may qualify for a loan, depending on the course and funding availability.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcc4 Required Documents for NSFAS Application<\/h2>\n<p>When applying, make sure you have the following documents scanned and ready:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Certified copy of your South African ID or Smart Card<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Parent(s) or guardian(s) ID documents<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proof of income<\/strong> (latest payslips, UIF, or affidavit if unemployed).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consent Form<\/strong> signed by your parent(s)\/guardian(s) to allow NSFAS to verify income.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proof of registration or acceptance at a public institution<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Academic transcripts<\/strong> (for continuing or postgraduate students).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udda5\ufe0f How to Apply for an NSFAS Loan Online<\/h2>\n<h3>Step-by-Step NSFAS Online Application Process (2025)<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Visit the NSFAS Website<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Go to: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za\/\">https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za<\/a><\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Create an Account<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Click on <strong>\u201cMyNSFAS\u201d<\/strong> and register your profile.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll need a <strong>valid email address<\/strong> and <strong>South African cellphone number<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Choose a strong password and verify your account via email or SMS.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Login and Start the Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>After registration, log in to your <strong>MyNSFAS<\/strong> account.<\/li>\n<li>Click on <strong>\u201cApply\u201d<\/strong> to begin a new application.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Fill in Your Personal Details<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Input your <strong>ID number<\/strong>, name, surname, and other details exactly as they appear on your ID.<\/li>\n<li>Provide <strong>household income information<\/strong> and living arrangements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Upload Required Documents<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Upload all supporting documents in <strong>PDF or JPEG format<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Each document must be clear and under the size limit specified.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Submit Your Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Review your application for accuracy.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>\u201cSubmit\u201d<\/strong> and wait for a confirmation message.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><strong>Track Your Application<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Log in regularly to check your application status.<\/li>\n<li>You will be notified via SMS and email at each stage of the process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\uddd3\ufe0f Important NSFAS Dates (2025)<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Application Opening Date<\/strong>: September 1, 2025<\/li>\n<li><strong>Application Deadline<\/strong>: January 31, 2026<\/li>\n<li><strong>Appeals Period<\/strong>: February 2026 (if rejected)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Disbursement<\/strong>: After registration and approval<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Note: Dates are subject to change; always confirm on the official NSFAS website.<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcb8 What Does the NSFAS Loan Cover?<\/h2>\n<p>NSFAS funding typically includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Tuition fees<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Registration fees<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Accommodation (if living away from home)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Meals and transport<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Learning materials (e.g., textbooks)<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For <strong>loans<\/strong>, repayment is only required <strong>once you start working and earn above a threshold<\/strong> (around R30,000 annually, but subject to change).<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udd04 NSFAS Loan Repayment<\/h2>\n<p>Repayments are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Income-contingent<\/strong> \u2013 you only repay when you can afford to.<\/li>\n<li>Administered by <strong>DHET (Department of Higher Education and Training)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Interest-bearing<\/strong>, but interest rates are low and favorable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can also apply for a <strong>partial loan conversion to a bursary<\/strong> if you perform well academically.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udd01 How to Appeal a Rejected NSFAS Application<\/h2>\n<p>If your application is rejected, you may submit an appeal via your MyNSFAS portal:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Log into your MyNSFAS account.<\/li>\n<li>Click on <strong>\u201cTrack Funding Progress\u201d<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>If rejected, click on <strong>\u201cSubmit Appeal\u201d<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Upload any missing or corrected documents.<\/li>\n<li>Provide a clear explanation or motivation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcf1 NSFAS Contact Information<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Website<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za\/\">https:\/\/www.nsfas.org.za<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Email<\/strong>: <a href=\"mailto:info@nsfas.org.za\">info@nsfas.org.za<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Toll-Free Number<\/strong>: 08000 67327 (Monday\u2013Friday, 8 AM\u20135 PM)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Twitter<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/myNSFAS\">@myNSFAS<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Facebook<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/myNSFAS\">NSFAS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>\ud83d\udcdd Final Tips Before Applying<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Apply <strong>early<\/strong> to avoid system overload near the deadline.<\/li>\n<li>Use <strong>your own email and cellphone number<\/strong> (do not use someone else\u2019s).<\/li>\n<li>Double-check that all your documents are <strong>certified and legible<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Keep a <strong>copy of your submission confirmation<\/strong> for reference.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p>By following this guide, you can confidently apply for NSFAS funding and move one step closer to achieving your academic and career dreams\u2014without the burden of immediate financial pressure.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>six years The Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) degree programme at University of Cape Town (UCT) takes&nbsp;six years&nbsp;to complete. The&nbsp;Bachelor of Medicine&nbsp;and&nbsp;Bachelor of Surgery&nbsp;(MBChB) degree programme at&nbsp;University of Cape Town&nbsp;(UCT) takes six years to complete. Students who graduate with an&nbsp;MBChB&nbsp;and complete two year&#8217;s internship and a year&#8217;s community service are allowed by\u2026 <span class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/how-long-does-it-take-to-study-medicine-at-uct\/\">Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5856","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-articles"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5856","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5856"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5856\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5856"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5856"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/uni1.co.za\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5856"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}