LEAD Cape Town
Accepted Student Info
June 1 - June 29, 2026
Welcome to your accepted student page! Below you can find all information on flights, your itinerary, classes and more.
Text Savannah at (678) 271-6944.
Quick Access:
1. Stay Informed
We want to best prepare you for your summer travels with your TOP 3 things you should focus on right now. Please review below. Note: Your TOP 3 is always changing! Continuously check back here to stay on track!
Review your Welcome Video✅ Welcome video coming soon! Be on the lookout for the link in September.
Apply for or renew your passport ASAP✅ The current turnaround time, as of May 1st, new passport applications and renewals is between 6-8 weeks. If you do not have a passport or if yours expires within 90 days of your program completion, start this process as soon as possible. To apply for a U.S. passport or renew an existing passport, click here.
(GO/LEAD ONLY) Submit your course preferences in your portal✅ Log In to your LeadAbroad portal by clicking the blue Log In button in the top right corner. Complete your Academic Form to submit your course preferences for this summer. GO students should complete this as soon as possible.
Click here to view the full program Welcome Packet if you'd like a printable version of this page.
Check out our storefront! LeadAbroad hoodies, t-shirts, crewnecks, and more—the perfect travel-day outfit!
2. Flights
Click here for general frequently asked questions about flights for your program.
Watch this quick video overview as an example of how to book a flight from your home city to meet up with the recommended flight. **This is an example from 2024 and does not reflect accurate dates for current programs. **
Students should book all flights under one reservation, not separate tickets, if connecting flights are needed.
Go to the airlines website, enter your hometown as the origin city and program city as your final destination.
Search for available itineraries within our dates (listed below).
Review the options and search for an itinerary with a layover in the recommended departure city.
Purchase a ticket! This way, all of your flights are booked together and you’ll be on one of our recommended itineraries.
LeadAbroad strongly encourages students to align their travel with our recommended flight itineraries. Below are important considerations everyone should take when booking their flights.
Connection time
LeadAbroad recommends at least 1.5 hours and no more than four hours. We prefer this window of time for connections to mitigate the risk of missing connections and lost luggage but not making the travel experience overly long and exhausting.
Return flight
LeadAbroad recommends that students arrive back in the US by 4PM local time. Students should estimate at least 2 hours to get through immigration and get to a connecting flight. By arriving before 4pm back to the US you will have more options for connecting flights to your home city.
Program arrival window
The arrival window is usually a one to two hour block of time when all recommended flights arrive. By aggregating all the recommended flights during one arrival window we are able to welcome students abroad, offer group transportation and give students time to rest before their program orientation begins.
Number of connections
LeadAbroad recommends direct flights or ones with no more than up to one connection. We prefer flights with less connections for ease, convenience and less risk of travel delay.
Departure hub cities
We do our best to colocate our recommended flights in cities that are proximate to our students such as Dallas and Atlanta to create the least amount of connections.
Students must arrive within the arrival window in order to be greeted and join the group transfer.
Arrival windows are based upon the recommended flight itineraries and generally 1 hour before and 15 minutes after the recommended flight’s arrival time.
If you are scheduled to arrive before the group lands, you can wait at the airport for the group transfer or pay for your own transfer to the accommodations. On DIRECT, LEAD and PRO programs LeadAbroad will assist you in arranging this transportation. On GO, we will give you guidance on taxis in your program city. Note: any transportation arranged outside of the group transfer will be an additional cost.
LeadAbroad will provide a transfer to the airport on departure day. The transfer time corresponds with the recommended flight departure. Generally, we have students to the airport 3 hours prior to takeoff.
In order to arrive abroad rested and ready to go, consider the following tips to make your flight experience as enjoyable and safe as possible:
GET TO THE AIRPORT EARLY. Do not start your trip stressed. For most international flights, we recommend that you arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to departure.
Print flight itineraries for the trip and have them easily accessible.
Weigh your bags before you leave home. Check baggage size and weight restrictions for ALL AIRLINES you might be flying during the program. Smaller budget airlines abroad usually have stricter baggage policies than the larger U.S.-based carriers.
Pack the following items in your carry-on. If your checked baggage takes an adventure of its own, having these items with you will create less stress and allow for a more comfortable plane ride:
Two days worth of clothes
Medications/contacts
Laptop, cell phone, chargers, other electronics
Water bottle
Headphones/earbuds
Eye mask and earplugs if you are sensitive to light/sound when trying to sleep on planes
Journal/books/Kindle/magazines
Program director’s phone number
Accommodations address
Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluid while in the air. It is easy to become dehydrated when flying.
Know where your passport is at all times. When checking in at the airport, you will have to get your passport in and out of your bag several times; at each stop, be sure to take a moment for a passport check.
Try to get some sleep! We have busy days upon arrival.
Make a medication plan. If you have to take medications at a certain time during the day or at the same time everyday you might need to adapt this prior to departure.
Make special meal requests if necessary. If you have any special requests, be sure to contact the airline at least 72 hours prior to departure.
Pack a pen. Make sure you have a pen for any immigration forms. Flight attendants usually distribute arrival forms shortly after take-off. On these forms, note that you are a tourist, not a student.
General Flight Information
Important dates for LEAD Cape Town:
June 1st: Students depart for Cape Town
June 2nd: Students arrive in Cape Town, first day of the program
June 29th: LEAD Cape Town ends, students depart for the U.S.
LeadAbroad recommends aligning your flights on the following itinerary. Whether you live near Atlanta or New York and can drive to the airport, or if you need to connect from your hometown airport, we strongly suggest flying on our recommended flight. For more information about how LeadAbroad selects our recommended flights, please see above.
Recommended: Atlanta (ATL) on Delta Airlines
Travel Dates | Route | Airline & Flight # | Departure Time | Arrival Time |
June 1 (Arrives June 2) | ATL - CPT | DL210 | 8:45pm | 5:50pm |
June 29 | CPT - AMS -ATL | KL598 DL75 | 11:15pm | 5:00pm |
Recommended: New York (JFK) on Delta Airlines
Travel Dates | Route | Airline & Flight # | Departure Time | Arrival Time |
June 1 (Arrives June 2) | JFK - AMS - CPT | KL642 KL597 | 5:30pm | 9:25pm |
June 29 | CPT - AMS - JFK | KL598 KL641 | 11:15pm | 3:25pm |
Your Flights
To apply for a U.S. passport, click here. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must thoroughly research passport and visa requirements for citizens of your home country.
**New passports can take between 4-5 months to process. We strongly recommend all students to apply for a passport no later than December.**
If you already have a U.S. passport, check to confirm the following:
The expiration date - countries require your passport to be valid BEYOND your planned return date. Make sure your passport is valid for this length of time BEYOND when you get back to the United States after your program.
6 months: Greece
30 days: South Africa and Costa Rica (Technically, Costa Rica only requires your passport to be valid for the length of your stay; however, in case you are delayed leaving the country due to illness or airline delays, we recommend your passport be valid for a minimum of 30 days beyond your scheduled return.)
As an example - if you are traveling to Greece and you are scheduled to return to the States on May 22 after your program is complete, your passport can not expire before November 23, of that year.
The passport has at least two blank consecutive pages
Your name is spelled correctly
Your passport is signed
If your passport does not have all requirements above, you must renew your passport before traveling abroad.
For more information on documents for travel, visit the Department of State passport website or their Students Abroad section.
You can watch this quick video to get a preview of the passport application website and process.
All students are required to submit passport information via the passport form in the LeadAbroad portal in Spring 2026. If you have an expired passport and are in the process of getting it renewed or have applied for your passport and are waiting for it to arrive, please fill out the Applied for Passport Form to let us know when the expected arrival date is.
3. Passports
Students are required to order a program workbook (which we call the Blue Book) and complete several assignments prior to departure.
Blue Books will be available to order in Spring 2026.
We recommend placing your order as soon as possible to allow yourself time for shipping and to complete all assignments. It is required that all students bring the program workbook abroad this summer for use on the program.
It is important that you select the correct item “LeadAbroad LEAD Cape Town or LeadAbroad LEAD Greece” and indicate your shipping address. If you need expedited shipping (2-3 business days or less), call BelJean directly rather than placing your order online.
All LEAD students will be enrolled in the two courses listed below for six hours of credit. You can choose cross listing options for each class to determine how the course will appear on your Oglethorpe University transcript on your Academic Form in your portal. If you do not specify how the course is listed it will be listed as ULP 401 and 402.
ULP 401 Leadership Global Theory and Practice
Choose one of the following cross listing options:
Urban Leadership Program: ULP 401
History: HIS 490
Sociology: SOC 490
Politics: POL 490
Philosophy: PHI 202 (LEAD Italy Only)
Find the syllabi linked here on the educators page
ULP 402 Global Citizenship and Civic Engagement
Choose one of the following cross listing options:
Urban Leadership Program: ULP 402
History: HIS 290
Sociology: SOC 290
Politics: POL 290
Philosophy: PHI 202 (LEAD Italy Only)
Find the syllabi linked here on the educators page
All students will have a few assignments and readings to complete before they arrive abroad. Please review your syllabi (linked above) to ensure you’re clear on deadlines and expectations.
Reference your syllabi for required pre-program readings. All readings are included in your Blue Book – make sure to order your Blue Book several weeks before departure to allow time for shipping. Blue Books will be available to order in Spring 2026.
➡️ Strengths Assessment
One of the first workshops you will participate in is examining your “Signature Strengths.” All students must complete this assessment before departure.
More details on the strengths assessment will be available in February 2026.
Students accepted into a LeadAbroad program are also simultaneously accepted into Oglethorpe University as transient students. Students are required to participate in all program and curriculum activities during the program unless they are granted an exemption by staff due to a physical or emotional reason. Oglethorpe University students follow the same process as transient students when participating in a LeadAbroad program.
Many universities across the country accept Oglethorpe University transfer credit; however, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to find out how the course credit transfers to your home institution. Every university has a unique process for accepting transient credit. Please schedule a meeting with your academic advisor and the study abroad office as soon as possible to understand your school’s requirements. These steps MUST be completed prior to departure. LeadAbroad does not guarantee credit transfer to any particular university or major.
All LeadAbroad programs are inclusive and respectful of the needs, backgrounds and experiences of all its participants. Our policies can be found here. If you have an accommodations request, please complete the Disability Accommodations Request form in your customer portal at least 90 days prior to the program starting.
4. Classes
Be honest with yourself regarding your emotional health. Students that are concerned about their emotional stability or use of alcohol/drugs should address it honestly before making plans to travel. Contrary to many people’s expectations, travel does not minimize these problems; in fact, it can often exacerbate them.
Contact us directly at info@LeadAbroad.com with any specific medical issues we should be aware of at least three months prior to departure. Our team is better equipped to support you abroad if we know your health history and emotional health. Please share this information with us prior to departure.
Review the LeadAbroad Code of Conduct. Students should be familiar with requirements and recommendations to ensure a safe travel experience.
LeadAbroad strongly encourages students to be mindful of their health prior to departure and while abroad. Living in a new environment, eating different cuisine and adjusting to a new schedule can impact one’s immune system. Before you travel overseas, students should examine the factors that contribute to their physical and emotional wellbeing so that they can stay healthy and get the most out of their trip.
Though our program locations currently do not require specific immunizations to enter the country, consistent with the requirements of the Georgia Board of Regents, the following vaccinations are required for all students enrolled in LeadAbroad.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) 2 doses
Tetanus or Diphtheria (Tdap or Td) must be up to date
Hepatitis B series
Varicella (Chicken Pox) 2 doses or date of disease
Students who have not received the vaccines above will not be allowed to stay at the LeadAbroad accommodations or participate in program activities if an outbreak of any preventable disease occurs on or near our international campus/program accommodations. No academic or financial accommodations will be made in this situation.
LeadAbroad strongly recommends all students receive the COVID-19 vaccine; however, we do not require the vaccine.
Click here to view LeadAbroad’s health insurance policy on our insurance page.
Basic medical insurance is included in all students’ program fee. Please review the policy to become knowledgeable regarding the types of medical conditions and situations that are covered while you are participating in the program. If you are injured or ill while you are abroad and need medical attention, you will likely need to pay for the treatment upfront and, if covered, the money will be reimbursed by LeadAbroad’s insurer after submitting your claims form (minus the $50 deductible). If for any reason you need to seek medical assistance while abroad, a LeadAbroad staff member will accompany you to the doctor. Please contact us first if you have any sort of emergency.
It’s important to note that this medical insurance is not ‘travel insurance’ and therefore does not cover the cancellation of the trip. Students may purchase travel insurance independently through an outside provider or one of LeadAbroad Trip Protection Plans.
Read and understand the CDC recommendations for your upcoming travel. The CDC website includes information on vaccines, medicines, packing lists as well as information to prepare students to stay healthy and safe.
Make an appointment with your university’s travel clinic, dentist and other medical professionals. Students can proactively eliminate many potential health issues by ensuring they are in good health prior to departure. Additionally, during these visits, make sure your health records and prescriptions (including eyeglasses) are up-to-date. If you are taking a prescription medication, please ensure that you have enough for the whole program and that the medication is in the original container. If you self-inject prescribed medication, please carry needles and syringes with you. It’s important to understand that LeadAbroad will not distribute any form of prescription or nonprescription medication to students. We recommend every student travel with a medical kit.
5. Health & Insurance
Available in Spring 2026.
LeadAbroad requires students to complete a general and program specific orientation prior to departure. The general orientation will help students learn more about what you need to do to be ready to travel including – forms, classes, roommates and staying healthy abroad.
Available in Spring 2026 LeadAbroad requires students to complete a general and program specific orientation prior to departure. The program specific orientation will help students learn more about what you need to do to be ready to travel including – program itinerary, packing, weather, and other general details of their location. Please note: Country-specific policies referenced in orientation may change based on changing government laws, health guidelines, current health environment or LeadAbroad rules designed to keep students safe. It is important to read all of LeadAbroad’s emails thoroughly to stay informed on the most updated policies, procedures and requirements.
6. Orientation
LeadAbroad prioritizes safety, walkability and community when selecting our accommodations. In every location, our staff will stay at the property with our students.
While in Cape Town, you will stay in beachside apartments at the Lagoon Beach Hotel. Each two-bedroom apartment will house 4 students of the same gender. The apartments are well located with plenty of amenities including restaurants, a gym and a spa at the hotel. The apartments are located in Milnerton, just outside of Cape Town. Below is the address and website for your home in Cape Town.
Accommodation set up:
4 twin beds per apartment
Kitchen
Living space
Lagoon Beach Hotel 1 Lagoon Gate Drive Milnerton, Cape Town, South Africa 7441
Roommates and program groups will be available about 2 weeks before the program begins. Roommate preferences can be listed on your housing form available in Spring 2026.
7. Housing & Roommates
LeadAbroad’s Emergency Response Protocol provides a system for coordinating the management of emergency services for all participants in our study abroad programs. In-country staff are the first point of contact for students on the program in the event of an emergency and assume leadership of the emergency situation until other resources (e.g., local police, etc) are available. However, in the event that the staff are unavailable, the following guidelines are provided here in case you, as a participant in the program, need to handle an emergency.
Ensure safety: Your first priority is to safeguard the safety and well-being of yourself and other program participants. Do whatever is reasonably necessary to ensure safety.
Seek medical care: Obtain any emergency medical care for affected participants as soon as possible.
Control emotions: Remain as calm as possible. Do your best to diffuse any growing anxieties that may be occurring among participants.
Communicate: Depending on the nature of the emergency, it may be necessary to contact medical or emergency services, police or local law enforcement or the US embassy. Be sure to always contact the program staff as soon as possible as well.
Ongoing support: Continue to monitor, aid, and communicate status updates as the situation progresses.
Debrief: Meet with LeadAbroad staff to discuss the situation, how it was handled and steps that were taken to resolve the emergency.
All students are required to be familiar with all program rules. Please click here to review on our policies page.
LeadAbroad takes many steps to reduce risk abroad. We encourage you to register with the U.S. State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. The benefits of STEP include the following:
Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest or family emergency.
Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.
You will be given all local emergency contact information upon arrival.
Please review the following resources to ensure that you are informed on how to have a safe and healthy trip abroad:
8. Safety
LeadAbroad requires students to have cell phones while abroad for risk management purposes.
Setting up your phone
Most students opt into an international plan with their local carrier. Contact your carrier to see what plans they have available that meet your needs. Though there is wifi at the dorms and on campus, having access to data while out and about in the city is important for safety.
Another option that is slightly more cost effective, but requires some additional steps, is getting your cell phone unlocked and purchasing a local sim card abroad. Most carriers require that your phone is paid off in order for it to be unlocked. Finally, E-Sims is another alternative for international cell phone usage.
LeadAbroad integrates technology into our communications and risk management strategy to keep students safe. Therefore, we require students to download the following applications on their phone prior to departure:
Trip Plans
GroupMe
Life 360
State Department Smart Traveler
If there is an emergency at home while you are abroad, our team will support you and your family in every way possible. Should any friends and/or family need to contact LeadAbroad, please have them call our U.S.-based domestic team at 404.720.5657. For emergencies, dial extension 710 when prompted. Our on-call team will assist with the situation and get in touch with your program staff as needed.
To charge your electronics abroad, you will need to pack (or purchase when you arrive) an outlet adaptor.
Costa Rica – does not require an adaptor
For some items like hair dryers and straighteners, you will also need to purchase a voltage converter since voltage is much higher abroad than the US. If you do not use a converter, you could damage your appliance.
We encourage students to be mindful of their electronics while traveling. It is wise to conceal electronic devices when walking around as iPhones and laptops can be attractive for theft.
We will have a private GroupMe for each program, that will be used for basic updates and communication leading up to departure. These will go live around Thanksgiving, if you have questions between now and then please reach out to Savannah at (678) 271-6944.
9. Communication
The program fees cover a lot of the costs of being in country, but you will need to provide additional funds for:
Meals: Most meals are the responsibility of the student
Incidentals: Such as taxis and laundry
Free time: Independent evenings and additional adventure outings
Gifts and souvenirs
Budgeting can be a challenging and personal process. On average, students spend between $40-$50 per day on food and incidentals. Please review the budget worksheet for more information about your program city specifically.
Call your bank: Before you leave, call your bank and credit card company to notify them that you will be traveling abroad. Give them the dates and countries of your itinerary, including any layovers. Debit and credit cards can be blocked after transactions abroad because your bank may assume it is a fraudulent transaction.
Have a way to access cash: Though credit cards are widely accepted abroad, it is also important to be able to access cash. The easiest way to do this is to use your debit card at a local ATM machine. Debit cards with Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus or Plus signs are the most widely accepted. There may be a transaction fee for using ATMs abroad; therefore, it’s important to understand the fees associated with using your cards overseas. Keep a record of your debit card and pin numbers with someone at home.
Have more than one credit/debit card with you abroad: In case one of your cards is lost, damaged or stolen it is important to have another way to access money. Having cards stored in Apple Pay is helpful as well, but physical cards are best. Similar to debit cards, credit card companies use the current exchange rate for your transaction. Call your credit card company to understand the fees charged per transaction. Once abroad, store one card safely in your room and carry the other card with you.
Don’t bring a lot of cash: We recommend that students do not bring large sums of US dollars with them. It is not convenient to exchange money and students typically get a poor exchange rate. Using your debit card abroad is the best option. We recommend that students do not bring traveler’s checks. Most businesses will not accept them.
Select a secure wallet: We recommend not using a phone case that also stores all ID and credit cards. This can cause added stress if your phone goes missing along with all payment methods and ID.
10. Spending Money
Click here for your LEAD Cape Town Itinerary! Official itineraries will be available 1 month prior to departure. Please note that this itinerary is subject to change at any point, before or during the program.
Click here to view your Cape Town Packing List! The most important thing to remember when packing for Cape Town is that we will be there in fall and moving into winter. The weather in Cape Town in May and June is very similar to that of weather in the southern U.S. October and November. You have some clear beautiful days and then some cold and rainy ones.
Need more information about the Garden Route add-on trip? The Garden Route is a 3 add-on experience that will take students along the coast for some of the most epic African adventures like safari, walking with elephants and cage diving with sharks.
Click here for more information about the Garden Route.
➡️ This is already included in the program fee cost for LEAD Cape Town Students.