Physical Therapy Internships in Cape Town
Physical Therapy internships offer the chance to learn by shadowing local therapists in day-to-day consultations with patients in Cape Town. Interns are placed in centers for disabled children, fitness or rehabilitation centers, offering real life experience and unique learning opportunities.
What to expect from your Physical Therapy internship:
- Build your practical understanding by observing real life therapy sessions
- Gain a practical understanding into the exact day-to-day duties of therapists
- Enjoy spare time exploring the unique and eclectic city of Cape Town, and wider South Africa
Your internship abroad host organization:
- Disability centers
- Fitness centers
- Rehabilitation clinics
Internship details
Physical Therapy internships offer the chance to learn by shadowing local therapists in day-to-day consultations with patients in Cape Town. Interns are placed in centers for disabled children, fitness or rehabilitation centers, offering real life experience and unique learning opportunities.
This is an in-country internship, with accommodation provided.
As a physical therapy student, the best learning experiences come from observing real therapy sessions in action. This is exactly what you’ll get as a Physical Therapy intern in South Africa. You’ll intern alongside an experienced local physiotherapist and shadow in clinics to learn a wide range of therapy techniques and approaches for patients with different needs.
Your Physical Therapy internship will be customized to suit your experience and skills, ensuring you are sufficiently challenged and that your learning is relevant. Your exact placement will be made based on your skills, experience, educational background, and duration of your stay, though interns are not likely to be conducting hands-on therapy sessions. Interns are encouraged to submit full details of your study and experience in your application in order to match you with the best placement possible.
In all cases, interns should expect that the first week of your experience will focus on settling in and gaining some introductory knowledge, as you will not “hit the ground running”. Rather, you should start with learning about the placement to gain an understanding of what you can build upon, develop, learn, and contribute. Ensure that you ask questions and provide feedback during the introductory period, so that your supervisor understands how you’re progressing. This will help them to better understand important details, such as how quickly you learn, what you find challenging, what you find interesting, etc.
Understand and expect that individual internship experiences vary, as the specific placement that you’re assigned will depend on review of your resume and your current level of studies and experience. Therefore, if you’re at a more introductory level, you should reasonably expect a more introductory internship. Likewise, if you’re interning for a shorter duration, you will have a different experience from someone who is interning for a longer duration. Placement preferences are considered but always subject to availability.
Typical Schedule
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Monday to Friday, approximately from 9am - 3pm (your specific schedule will be confirmed when your placement is assigned).
What are the career benefits of interning abroad as a Physical Therapy Intern?
Physical Therapy interns learn from a qualified and experienced supervisor, and can be involved in:
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Observing therapy sessions
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Assisting with exercises and treatments
Professional development opportunities:
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Learn from an experienced physical therapist
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Develop understanding of symptoms and treatments for a wide range of patient conditions
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Learn how to build and manage patient relationships
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Build communication skills in a professional environment
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Gain practical skills and boost your employability, with guidance from RISEWAY’s Experiential Learning Curriculum to support your learning and cultural intelligence.
Are you eligible for this internship?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
Not sure which program to join?
South Africa photo gallery
What recent Physical Therapy interns said about their experience
The Physical Therapy internship in Cape Town helped me gain experience for my career field which will help set me apart in applications. I got to build my resume while traveling. I met so many amazing people from all over the world. I not only improved my resume but I learned so much about myself individually on this internship.
The Physical Therapy internship was very beneficial for my professional experience because it gave me exposure to real-world applied job experience, improved my communication skills, enhanced my cultural diversity and increased my social network.
To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.
Academic credit available for all internships
Get course credit from your college or university while completing your internship abroad or a remote internship program. It's a great way to meet your academic requirements and gain valuable experience at the same time.
Learn about course creditProgram fees
Applying for our Physical Therapy Internship is completely free! The support package covers the assistance we provide in finding your internship and arranging your living accommodations in your host country, ensuring you thrive during your program.
Please note that a deposit of US$499 is required to confirm your place. The remaining balance (minus your initial US$499 deposit) is due at least 60 days before your internship start date.
Duration |
Program Fee (USD) |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks | $2,292 Equivalent to $81 /day |
| 5 weeks | $2,477 Equivalent to $70 /day |
| 6 weeks | $2,687 Equivalent to $63 /day |
| 8 weeks | $3,057 Equivalent to $54 /day |
| 10 weeks | $3,760 Equivalent to $53 /day |
| 12 weeks | $4,131 Equivalent to $49 /day |
| 16 weeks | $4,982 Equivalent to $44 /day |
| 20 weeks | $5,723 Equivalent to $40 /day |
| 24 weeks | $6,465 Equivalent to $38 /day |
- Airport pick-up
- Accommodation
- 24/7 in-country support
- Program orientation
- Dedicated support before, during, and after your internship
- In-country guidance for social and tourist activities
- Sourcing and securing your internship placement
- Personalization of your internship plan
- Coaching from your supervisor
- Documented portfolio of your experiential learnings
- Academic credit facilitation
- International reference letter
- Certificate of Internship Completion
- All meals
- All in-country transportation
- Visa (if required), flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check
- Transfer back to the airport at the end of your internship program
- Personal spending money for snacks, drinks, public transport, laundry, and leisure activities during your free time.
- A deposit of $499 (approximately 499) is required to secure your internship
- Balance of your Program Fee is due 70 days before your internship start date. The Program Fee payment can also be completed in installments through our Zero-Fee Payment Plan. Learn more.
- All payments attract a 5% transaction fee to cover international banking fees and currency charges.
- Terms and Conditions apply.
Free-time experiences & tours in Cape Town
Take your internship to the next level with RISEWAY's affordable activity and tour add-ons in Cape Town! Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto an internship program.
Stand at the southernmost tip of the African continent and experience Chapman’s Peak, cute African Penguins at Boulders Beach and Muizenberg’s golden shores with our Cape Point Tour.
Embark on the Garden Route Tour for an adventure of emerald forests, turquoise coastlines and a rich tapestry of wildlife and culture.
Embark on an unforgettable journey with our Safari & Wine Tasting Adventure in South Africa! Experience wildlife encounters and wine tastings against stunning landscapes.
Arrival and Orientation
Internships in Cape Town begin every Monday and interns may choose to spend a minimum of 4 weeks, up to a maximum of 24 weeks. (Exceptions to start date availability may occur when start dates are closed due to public holiday disruptions or if the program has already reached capacity). Fewer internship positions are available during late December and early January, due to the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Airport pick up and accommodation are included in the Program Fee. The accommodation is covered from the Saturday night before the Monday start date. Interns are asked to arrive on the Saturday before their Monday start date, to allow sufficient time over the weekend to rest and become oriented before beginning on the Monday. The last night of accommodation that is covered by the Program Fee is the Friday night of the final week, leaving interns to depart on the Saturday morning. Extra nights of accommodation can be pre-arranged upon request and paid for separately.
All participants fly into the Cape Town International Airport (CPT), in order to receive their airport pick up and be transported to the accommodation by a pre-arranged driver. Upon arrival to the accommodation, interns are met by a local team member, who will greet them and assist with settling in. Note that all participants are advised not to book flights until they have first registered to confirm their internship placement.
Orientation typically takes place on the Sunday before the Monday start date. It covers important details for the internship, including introductions, information about culture, customs, rules, expectations, safety, language lessons, cultural excursions, and more. Interns join their placement on the following day.
If you are planning to spend time in Cape Town prior to your internship and will not require an airport pick up, we can arrange an alternative pick up from another location within the central city.
Check what's required to visit South Africa
Check out the widget below to learn about the visa requirements for the Physical Therapy internship in South Africa, based on your country of residence.
Accommodation and WiFi
Internship placements are spread throughout Cape Town’s main city center and surrounding suburbs. Accommodation arrangements will be confirmed, once your internship placement has also been assigned. In most cases, accommodation will be situated in the suburbs of Observatory and Mowbray, enjoyed for proximity to the CBD and other attractions. Alternatively, accommodations may also be situated within the Newlands district.
Interns are accommodated within shared lodging, making it easy to connect with fellow program participants. Interns can expect to share a room with another intern (of the same gender). Bathrooms are also shared with a hot water shower and western toilets. WiFi is available and is also accessible at nearby cafes and restaurants. All accommodation provides cooking facilities.
It is important to note that an accommodation bond is requested at check-in. The cost of the bond is US$200, so you must budget for this. This bond is refundable, less a US$30 cleaning fee, upon your departure, provided that an inspection has been completed to confirm that you have not caused damage to the property or a need for extensive deep cleaning.
Transportation is not provided for in-country commutes between the accommodation and internship placements, so all interns must budget for this independently. The maximum travel time is typically no more than 60 minutes each way (depending on traffic congestion in the city). In all cases, internship placements will be assigned in consideration of commute logistics and opportunities to ride-share with other interns, where possible.
For convenience and safety, local coordinators can arrange a dedicated shuttle service for ongoing placement commutes (Monday through Friday). The cost for this service ranges from approx. US$150 - US$250 a month, per person, depending on the location of your placement. (On a daily basis, this could be equated to approx. US$6-12 per day). If you want to organize this service, please communicate with coordinators when your placement details are being arranged in advance.
Alternatively, for the use of Uber, it is possible to spend US$10-US$20 per day on rides, depending on where you’re going. Please budget for this, especially if you intend to use this transportation method a lot during weekends and free time.
Please note that the accommodation pictured in the photo gallery of this webpage is provided as an example. Since - depending on capacity - we can work with more than one accommodation address, the exact accommodation location or room that you’re assigned may differ from the photos. Rooms sizes, along with storage space, varies. However, you may expect similar arrangements to those that are demonstrated here. If you have particular requests/questions in advance, please communicate with us in advance.
Meals
It is important to note that internships in Cape Town do not include meals. The accommodation is located within short walking distance to an affordable supermarket, as well as great cafes and restaurants. All accommodation also provides cooking facilities.
You can readily drink the tap water throughout the city. However, it is advised to bring your own water supply when traveling to and interning in the townships.
You should aim to budget approximately US$100 per week for food. If you like to go out frequently (rather than going to the grocery store to prepare some of your own meals) then you need to budget up to US$150 per week, at least (this budget can vary depending on personal spending habits). Note that, when you go to a restaurants, there is a cultural expectation to tip at least 10%.
Essential country information
| Capital | Pretoria (Executive), Bloemfontein (Judicial), Cape Town (Legislative) |
| Population | 55.91 million |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Swati, Tswana |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 |
Weather and climate:
South Africa is generally temperate, however due to varied topography and oceanic influence, a great variety of climatic zones exist. This ranges from the extreme desert of the Namib (northwest South Africa), to the subtropical climate along the Mozambique border and the Indian Ocean (eastern South Africa). Winters in South Africa occur between June and August.
In Cape Town, the summers are warm, dry, and mostly clear; the winters are long, cool, wet, and partly cloudy. It is windy year round and common to see windsurfers enjoying the surf. Over the course of the year, the temperature in Cape Town typically varies from 48°F (9°C) to 76°F (24°C). The warm season in Cape Town usually ranges from December through March and the coldest months are June through September.
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