Academic calendar
3rd Quarter 2026 runs Jul 27, 2026 – Sep 4, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Winter Term 2026
- 3rd Quarter 2026Relevant now
- 4th Quarter 2026
- Summer Term 2026
- 1st Quarter 2027
- 2nd Quarter 2027
- Winter Term 2027
- 3rd Quarter 2027
- 4th Quarter 2027
- Summer Term 2027
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 29 of 29 terms
A
- Amathuba
- The university's official online learning management system (replacing the older Vula).
D
- DH
- Short for Dining Hall, the communal eating space in residences.
- DP
- Duly Performed; the status required to be eligible to write a final exam.
F
- Food Court
- The commercial food hub located in the Steve Biko Students' Union.
- Fuller
- Fuller Hall, a female residence located on Upper Campus.
G
- Graca
- Graça Machel Hall, a female residence on lower campus.
- Graça
- Graça Machel Hall, a female residence on Showground Hill.
I
- Ikey
- A nickname for a UCT student or the university itself.
- Ikey Tiger
- The mascot and nickname for UCT's rugby team.
- Ikey Tigers
- The nickname for UCT's sports teams, particularly the rugby club.
- Ikeys
- The collective nickname for UCT sports teams and students.
J
- Jammie
- The Jammie Shuttle, UCT's free student bus service.
K
- Kopano
- Kopano Residence, formerly known as Driekoppen.
L
- Leo Marquard
- A male residence often referred to simply as Leo or Marquard.
R
- RAG
- Remember and Give, the fundraising branch of the SRC.
- Res Food
- Informal term for meals provided by the university residence catering services.
- Rochester
- Rochester House, a large residence located in Observatory.
- Rochy
- Rochester House, a large residence located in Observatory.
S
- SHAWCO
- Students' Health and Welfare Centres Organisation, a major student-run NGO.
- Smuts
- Smuts Hall, a male residence located on Upper Campus.
- SRC
- Students' Representative Council, the highest student governance body.
T
- The Steps
- The iconic steps of Sarah Baartman Hall, used for socializing and protests.
- The Terrace
- The outdoor seating and food area near the Steve Biko Students' Union.
- Tiered Meals
- The system of meal allocations (Tier 1, 2, or 3) for residence students.
- Tugwell
- Tugwell Hall, a high-rise female residence.
U
- UCT Radio
- The campus radio station, run by students.
- Upper
- Refers to Upper Campus, the main academic area on the slopes of Devil's Peak.
V
- Vac
- Short for vacation; the university holidays between semesters.
- Vula
- The university's online learning management system (meaning 'open' in Nguni languages).
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- Jammie
- Sarah Baartman Hall (formerly Jameson Hall), the central hall on Upper Campus.
- Jammie Shuttle
- The university's free bus service connecting different campuses and residences.
- kaplan_centre_cafeteria_jean_s_kitchen
- Kaplan Centre cafeteria (Jean's Kitchen)
- Kramer
- The Kramer Law Building located on Middle Campus.
- kramer_building_caf
- Kramer Building café
- Laptop Land
- Specific zones in the Chancellor Oppenheimer Library for laptop users.
- Leslie
- The Leslie Social Sciences Building, a major lecture hub.
- Lower
- Lower Campus, home to many residences, the Baxter Theatre, and the School of Music.
- Medical
- The Health Sciences campus located next to Groote Schuur Hospital.
- Menzies
- The Menzies Building, home to the Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment.
- Meridian
- The universal lunch break (13:00–14:00) where no lectures are scheduled.
- Middle
- Middle Campus, situated between Upper and Lower, housing Law, Economics, and administrative buildings.
- PD Hahn
- The P.D. Hahn Building, primarily housing Science and Chemistry departments.
- PeopleSoft
- The administrative web portal for course registration and financial accounts.
- Sarah Baartman
- Sarah Baartman Hall, the iconic central graduation and assembly hall.
- Steve Biko
- The Steve Biko Students' Union building, housing student services and the SRC.
- steve_biko_students_union_building_caf
- Steve Biko Students' Union building (Caf)
- Student Card
- The essential ID card used for campus access, library services, and the shuttle.
- Upper
- Upper Campus, the main academic site on the slopes of Devil's Peak.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- 3rd Quarter 2026 runs Jul 27, 2026 – Sep 4, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 29 approved campus terms and 19 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.