Study in Botswana

You are encouraged to study in Botswana one of Africa’s jewels with a rich historical and cultural vibrancy. With a booming economy and a healthy socio-political system, the country is an inviting environment for a student to carry out their studies in.

The country offers international standard programs at modern-day internationally recognized universities. The universities in Botswana employ the best staff with internationally recognized degrees from internationally affiliated institutions to provide the best quality education at the tertiary level that can compete throughout the whole of Africa.

Students from all over the world come to study and experience campus life at universities in Botswana.

The friendly, safe, and welcoming environments make it much easier for international students to learn, network, and socialize in a globalized world. This prepares them to pursue new challenges outside their own societal norm and in the process expand their social horizon in a world that is fast growing multi-ethnic.

With English as the language of communication and instruction at the tertiary institution level, Botswana provides a convenient environment for international students from across the globe to come and study in the country.

English is a requirement to study in any of the universities in Botswana. Prospective students should ensure that they are from an English Speaking country or they have done an English speaking course.

The ecological environment also allows those interested in learning about wildlife and geography, a conducive platform with endless possibilities. Botswana is a very diverse country with an extreme of both; from wetlands to deserts.

With a wide range of wildlife only a drive away, students that enroll in Botswana tertiary institutions are bound to fall in love with the country’s unending biodiversity. There is something new to learn from the surroundings every single day.

The 2 semesters a year calendar syncs well with many universities around Southern Africa making it easy for students to plan visits, network, and engage in exchange programs to other universities.

Studying in Botswana also enables SADC and Commonwealth students much more freedom in terms of visa applications and traveling across Commonwealth and SADC states.

Study in Botswana with RocApply and apply for Bachelor, Master’s, and Doctorate programs available and taught at very high-quality educational institutions around the country.

The reputable business schools available offer MBA programs. Leading in so many other activities, the life of a student in Botswana is exciting, multifaceted, educative, and globally-centered, students are not disappointed at all.

Botswana has made great advances in educational development since its independence in 1966. With the finding of diamonds and the increase in government revenue that this brought, there was a huge increase in educational provision in the country.

In the 21st Century, the country has digitalized and modernized its education system to suit that of the international world. You might enjoy studying in Botswana for many reasons.

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About Botswana

Affectionately termed the Gem of Africa, Botswana is one of the most beautiful and ecologically diverse countries in Africa.

It has become home to many ex-pats in search of the “African Experience” in its fullest. The warmth it exudes from weather, wildlife, people and rich cultural identity, leaves one without a doubt it is the place to be.

The Republic of Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa and is widely known for its uninterrupted democracy in Africa. The country neighbors Zambia to the north, Zimbabwe to the northeast, Namibia to the west, and the north, South Africa to the south and southeast.

Botswana formerly a British Protectorate, gained its independence on the 30th of September 1966. With a population of just over 2.3 million citizens with a current life expectancy of an estimated 54.06 years, the country is one of the least populated countries in Africa and is the world's 48th-largest country.

Botswana country is comprised of 10 state capitals and 82 cities and towns, with the country’s capital city being Gaborone located near the South African border with Botswana.

Although an international country with state of the art buildings and modern technology, a huge part of the country is occupied by the famous Kalahari Desert which expands into Namibia as well.

The Okavango Delta, the world’s largest inland delta which can be seen from space, is found in Botswana and is a breath-taking wonder to view. It is one of Botswana’s jewels and draws in tourists from across the world throughout the year.

The highest concentration of elephant and the endangered African wild dog population is found in Botswana. This makes the country rich in wildlife diversity and a thriving tourism industry.

Botswana means the land of the Tswana, the dominant ethnic group of the country, in the Setswana language, although it is generally used to refer to citizens of the country as a whole. The official language of instruction in Botswana is English with Setswana, the local language being widely spoken throughout the country.

There are other languages from languages spoken that include Kalanga, Sarwa, Kgalagadi, Tswapong, Yeyi,!Xóõ, and Afrikaans amongst other languages. The Tswana people are the majority ethnic group in Botswana, consisting of 79% of the population.

The minority ethnic groups are the BaKalanga (10%), and San or AbaThwa, also known as Basarwa (2.9%) and other tribal groups such as the Bayei, Bambukushu, Basubia, Baherero, and Bakgalagadi (4%). The country also consists of Indian and the white community (3.1%).

While it promotes freedom of religious practice, Botswana is identified as a Christian country with a community of Muslims, Hindus, and folk religion as well. There are a good number of citizens without religion in the country.

Researchers have recently reported that Botswana is the origin of all modern humans about 200 000 years ago, with much historical evidence being cave paintings that date as far back as 73 000 years ago. However, more evidence indicates that the Khoisan are the original residents of the area.

Botswana is a member of the Commonwealth, the African Union, and the Southern African Development Community, meaning it enjoys the benefits brought about by these organs such as free travel without a visa to other member states.

About Botswana Economy

Once one of the poorest countries in the world; Botswana has since transformed itself into an upper middle income country, with one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

The country ranks 40th in the world’s free economies, and ranks 3rd in Sub-Saharan Africa after Mauritius and Rwanda, in that particular order; thereby presenting it as a good environment for foreign investment.

Botswana has set itself apart from other African countries by a high level of economic freedom which makes it easy international investors to conduct business within the borders of the country. An increased foreign investment has played a major part in the privatisation of state-owned enterprises.

While its economy open to overseas involvement, Botswana reserves some sectors solely for its citizens to invest in. It also ranks as one of the least corrupt places to do business in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Botswana’s high gross national income indicates that the country has a relatively high standard of living and the highest Human Development Index of continental Sub-Saharan Africa. The country's currency is the Botswana pula and equates to 11.82 pula to 1 United States Dollar.

Botswana’s economy is dominated by mining, cattle, and tourism. Botswana is one of the largest producers of meat in Africa and the 9th largest beef exporter to its main markets the United Kingdom and Europe.

With about 2.5 million heads of cattle across the country, over 50% of households in Botswana are pastoral farmers, and rely on cattle breeding as the main source of income. In 2018 beef exports brought in $US80 million to the economy of Botswana.

Cattle are a prized possession and weigh as a significant symbol of wealth amongst the people in Botswana. Cattle are both an economic and social status for the Tswana nationals.

The mineral industry provides about 40% of all government revenues. Debswana, the largest diamond mining company operating in Botswana, is 50% owned by the government and 50% privatised.

Botswana's Orapa mine is the biggest diamond mine worldwide in terms of value and quantity of carats produced per year. Diamonds have eased the way of life in Botswana allowing the government enough to issue out social grants for those in need.

Tourism has to be one of Botswana’s main attractions, racking in as much as US$2.7 billion in 2018 and growing by 3.4 % from the previous year. The sector creates close to 9% of the country’s total employment and remains the country’s second economic heavyweight after diamonds.

The president of Botswana described tourism in Botswana as the ‘next big thing’, an indication that this sector is yet to grow from where it currently stands. Places such as the Okavango Delta and the Chobe National Park are an economic buzz for the tourism industry.

Although Botswana has abundant resources, it is a good institutional framework that has allowed the country to reinvest profits in order to generate stable future income. This has also waded off corrupt elements from exploiting government funds, creating a thriving economy.

Why Study in Botswana

Affordable Tuition Fees in Botswana
Quality Education
Private education providers are quite competitive such that a large number of the best students in the country apply to them. This has made the government improve significantly in the quality of education provision.
Affordable Accomodation in Botswana
Leading Study Destination
The education system is digitalized therefore most institutions promote e-learning (this is good at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has hit hard world-wide). Students can be full-time or part-time students, with the same level of dedication from lecturers and tutors.
International Environment in Botswana
Incentivizes Education
The Botswana government incentivizes education, therefore this means that tuition fees are much cheaper, compared to other countries in the continent. The universities in Botswana offer a vast array of courses from certificate to Doctorate level, making easy for students to enroll from any program and level that they desire to pursue their studies at (depending on the requirements of course).
Great Weather in Botswana
Medium of Instruction
English is a medium of instruction in classrooms, therefore, making it easier for students to communicate and understand lectures effectively. The country has a total of 17 institutions that comprise of universities, colleges, polytechnics and Business schools

Scholarships

To study at a tertiary institution in Botswana you need to have a stable financial sponsor for the duration of your study. Most international students have the option of applying for scholarships to study in the institutions they desire.

RocApply Tip: it is important to research whether the scholarship you apply for covers the region/institution you want to study at. Some scholarships are specific to the student’s home country, field/program, region, and level of study.

Here are some scholarships that students need to consider;

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships: This scholarship is for American citizens and administered by the U.S Department of State. It targets financially underprivileged students across the diverse American society.

It is advisable for students in this area to apply for the scholarship. Through its Pell Grant, the students qualify for funds to study abroad. Gilman Scholars to Botswana earn up to $7,000 for their programs abroad.

Botswana Student Visa

Once you have been admitted into one of the Botswana institutions, one of the first things students need to do is apply for a students’ visa.

A Student visa a requirement for a non-Botswana national for them to study in any of Botswana’s tertiary institutions. However, there are citizens that are exempted from seeking a visa to study in the country.

Students from Commonwealth countries and Southern African Development Community countries are excluded from applying for visas due to Botswana being a member of these organs.

Applications for a student not in need of a visa Commonwealth and SADC international students will only be processed after the student has been admitted into a university.

The university in question will provide the student with documentation proving the latter’s admission and that will be presented at immigration officer’s request when entering the country.