Study and find schools in Botswana

Studying in Botswana

Botswana is a stable, English-speaking country in southern Africa, and its capital, Gaborone, is the base of the country's largest university, the University of Botswana (UB). Setswana is the local language, but English is the language of study: UB requires exchange students to be proficient in English and to have an English-language transcript. For international students the main draws are full degrees taught in English and semester exchanges in a capital that UB describes as safe, with well-policed streets and low crime.

The higher education sector is regulated by the Botswana Qualifications Authority (BQA), which lists 69 registered and accredited higher education providers and 130 vocational (TVET) providers, and 1,195 registered qualifications.

The education system

Botswana has a single national framework for qualifications, the National Credit and Qualifications Framework (NCQF), maintained by the BQA under the Botswana Qualifications Authority Act, 2013. Providers must be registered and accredited by the BQA, and programmes leading to NCQF qualifications are accredited one by one. All of UB's undergraduate and graduate programmes are accredited or registered by the BQA on the NCQF, according to the university.

UB grew out of the University of Basutoland, Bechuanaland and Swaziland, which opened on 1 January 1964 as a joint university for three southern African countries. The University of Botswana became a separate national university and was formally inaugurated on 23 October 1982. Today its faculties cover medicine and health sciences, natural and applied sciences, business, economics and law, engineering and the built environment, and humanities, education and social sciences. Degrees follow the familiar bachelor's, master's, MPhil and PhD structure, and the academic year starts in August.

Admission and recognition

Undergraduate applicants apply online with a certified copy of their senior secondary school certificate or results; those applying for upper levels or transfers add their university transcripts. Admission is competitive and based on academic merit and available places, so meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee a place. For the August 2026 intake, undergraduate applications for local and international students closed on 6 August 2026, and graduate applications (third cycle) on 16 August 2026. Master's applicants submit a personal statement and MPhil and PhD applicants a research proposal, with degree certificates, transcripts and two references.

Exchange and "free mover" students can study at UB for one or two semesters. They must have completed at least two semesters at their home university, be proficient in English and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 on an English-language transcript. The deadlines are 15 July for the first semester and 10 December for the second. UB also hosts students through programmes such as CIEE and ISEP.

To have a foreign qualification recognised in Botswana, for example for work or further study, apply to the BQA for an evaluation of qualifications. The BQA first verifies the qualification with the awarding body and then compares it with the NCQF; the result is either recognition or non-recognition.

Student visa and residence

Citizens of Commonwealth countries do not need an entry visa, except those from Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and nor do nationals of countries with a visa abolition agreement, including Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay. For a study visa, UB lists a completed application, a certified passport copy, photos, an invitation letter from its International Office, the admission letter, a flight itinerary and proof of funding (at least three months of bank statements for self-sponsored students). Processing takes 7 to 14 working days.

Once enrolled, students need a residence document. Exchange students staying one semester or up to six months apply for a residence waiver; full-degree students and exchange students staying longer than five months apply for a study (residence) permit for the whole period of study, which costs P1,500. UB's International Office helps with both after academic registration. For Spanish citizens, the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs adds that stays for purposes other than tourism require a visa or permit from the Botswana embassy in London before travelling, and that passports must be valid for six months beyond departure (advice valid on 7 October 2026).

Costs

UB publishes its tuition fees and payment rules in its 2026/27 Financial Procedures and Fee Schedule, linked from the graduate admissions page, together with the 2026/2027 academic almanac. No official source gives a figure for living costs. The currency is the pula. UB's campus clinic covers enrolled students, but not major medical problems such as operations or overnight hospital stays, and the Spanish ministry notes that there is no public health care agreement with Spain, so private health insurance is needed.

Where to study

Gaborone is the centre of higher education. UB's main campus is on Notwane Road, and minibus taxis, the cheapest and most common form of public transport, run on several routes to and from the campus. The university has partnerships with universities in 18 countries and more than 180 professors, according to its international office.

Practical life

Gaborone has large temperature swings: UB warns that winter mornings can be close to 0 °C, while summer temperatures can reach 40 °C. New international students must attend orientation sessions, and the university encourages them to learn a few words of Setswana before arriving.

The Spanish ministry describes Botswana as generally safe, though conditions have worsened in recent years in the main cities, and recommends normal urban precautions in Gaborone. Good hospitals and doctors are available in Gaborone and Maun; antimalarial prophylaxis is advised mainly for trips to the north and the Okavango Delta.

Frequently asked questions

Is the University of Botswana taught in English?

Yes. Programmes are taught in English, and exchange students must be proficient in English and have an English-language transcript.

When does the academic year start in Botswana?

At the University of Botswana the main intake is in August; for 2026, undergraduate applications closed on 6 August and graduate applications on 16 August.

Do I need a visa to study in Botswana?

Many nationalities, including Spanish and several Latin American ones, do not need an entry visa, but every international student needs a residence waiver (up to six months) or a study permit (longer stays), arranged with UB's help after registration.

Can I do a semester abroad at the University of Botswana?

Yes. Exchange and free mover students need at least two completed semesters and a GPA of 2.7; apply by 15 July for the first semester or 10 December for the second.

How is a foreign degree recognised in Botswana?

The Botswana Qualifications Authority evaluates foreign qualifications by verifying them with the awarding body and comparing them with the national framework.