Marketing Internships in Cape Town

South Africa Internship Abroad Sales & Marketing

A Marketing internship in South Africa is customized to suit you, and can include development of sales strategies, brand management, online content, social media marketing, market analytics, research and more. Come ready to be dedicated, proactive, and creative!

Internship Highlights:

Develop marketing and communications skills in an area of interest to you
Contribute to real life campaigns for local companies
Enjoy spare time exploring the unique and eclectic city of Cape Town, and wider South Africa

Type of host organizations:

Marketing agencies
Private companies
NGOs

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Gain academic or course credit

Fully hosted experience from US$1,545

Includes shared lodging accommodation

Typical schedule: Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm

Minimum duration 2 weeks, up to 24 Weeks maximum

Go on safari & discover wildlife

Get job-ready with our Experiential Learning Curriculum

Internships align with UN Sustainable Development Goals

Eligibility requirement

At least one year of relevant college/university study in marketing, communications, business management or a related field. Knowledge of social media marketing and digital communications is also required, along with a working knowledge of Microsoft Office.Suitable for recent graduates (within 24 months of course completion).

Language requirements

This internship is conducted in English.

Associated career paths

Account Supervisor, Brand Manager, Business Development Manager, Marketing Manager, Product Manager, Director of Online Marketing Strategy & Performance, SEO Specialist, Search Marketing Specialist, Ecommerce Marketing Manager; Internet Marketing Specialist, Client Service & Consulting Manager, Communications Specialist, Demographic Analyst, Market Research Analyst.

Internship details

Are you looking for a marketing internship in a specific field, or hoping to build a broad range of communications and business skills? A Marketing internship in South Africa is customized to suit you, and can include sales, brand management, online content, social media marketing, market analytics, research and more. Come ready to be dedicated, proactive, and creative!

This is an in-country internship, with accommodation provided. Click here to view remote Marketing & Communications internships, which you can undertake from home.

As a Marketing intern in Cape Town, you’re able to build your skills in a wide range of areas. With a large number of placements available in marketing agencies, NGOs and private companies, your internship role is customized to suit your skills and interests, as well as your study background and the length of your internship.

Many internships within this field focus on media monitoring, research and editorial work. Due to the broad scope of this internship field, a customized approach is taken toward matching each intern to their best placement opportunity. Responsibilities will vary depending on the specific business placement, but a typical list of general activities may include:

Collaborating on sales strategies and brand management
Reviewing business analytics to gain enhanced insight into marketing challenges and opportunities
Providing customer support to clients
Editing and proofreading activities, for website and/or print copy
Conducting research duties for market analysis
Monitoring news outlets and preparing daily updates for staff
Drafting press releases and other communications documents
Maintaining internal marketing databases
Assisting with multimedia production, including video tapings and photo shoots
Contributing to digital marketing media planning and advertisements

Interns on this Marketing internship in South Africa are encouraged to come with a solid familiarity of social media such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Previous experience or education in business, marketing or social sciences is desirable but not a requirement for this dynamic internship. More important is a high attention to detail and accuracy, along with the ability to collaborate both independently and within a team. Interns must be prepared to abide by time-sensitive schedules in order to meet marketing project deadlines.

In your spare time in South Africa, there is so much to see and do, which will get your creative juices flowing! The “to do” list includes the beautiful gardens of Kirstenbosch, the trendy Biscuit Mill food market, the excellent shopping at Long Street, and more. You won’t want to miss checking out the largest collection of contemporary African art (on the continent!) at the Zeitz Museum. When you need to stretch your legs even further, the hiking trails around Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, and Signal Hill will allow you to appreciate wonderful views and sunsets. Further afield from the city, you can explore beaches, wineries, or even plan an unforgettable African safari experience.

Career Benefits

Marketing interns learn from a qualified and experienced supervisor, and can be involved in:

Contributing to marketing and communications campaigns
Conducting market research to support new strategies
Writing, editing and proofreading content
Media monitoring
Helping to develop and implement marketing and communications strategies

Professional development opportunities:

Hone your research and media monitoring and reporting skills
Contribute to marketing and media strategy development and implementation
Build writing and editing skills
Gain understanding in producing engaging content for a range of social media platforms
Develop business analytical skills
Understand PR requirements, how to build media relationships and pitch stories
Gain practical skills and boost your employability, with guidance from Intern Abroad HQ’s Experiential Learning Curriculum to support your learning and cultural intelligence.

South Africa photo gallery

Read reviews from our South Africa Interns

”When I arrived, I expected my placement to be exciting, but also challenging. However, everyone was very supportive and encouraging at my host organization and they made me feel like a part of the team from Day One.”

Read reviews from our South Africa Interns

Academic credit available for all internships

Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing an internship abroad or remote internship program with Intern Abroad HQ.

Learn about course credit

Program fees

It’s free to apply for this internship. Once we have reviewed your suitability and accepted you onto this program, you’ll need to pay a deposit of US$449 to confirm your place. The remaining balance of your Program Fee (less your initial US$449 deposit payment) will be due no less than 60 days before your internship start date.

Duration	Program Fee (USD)
2 weeks	$1,545Equivalent to $110/day
3 weeks	$1,697Equivalent to $80/day
4 weeks	$1,899Equivalent to $67/day
5 weeks	$2,051Equivalent to $58/day
6 weeks	$2,228Equivalent to $53/day
8 weeks	$2,531Equivalent to $45/day
10 weeks	$3,117Equivalent to $44/day
12 weeks	$3,421Equivalent to $40/day
16 weeks	$4,138Equivalent to $36/day
20 weeks	$4,745Equivalent to $33/day
24 weeks	$5,353Equivalent to $31/day

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Accommodation
24/7 in-country support
Airport pick-up
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

Meals
Visa (if required), flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check
Transfer back to the airport at the end of your internship program
Optional extras, such as language lessons
Souvenirs and leisure activities during your free time
Personal spending money to cover basic expenses such as drinks, snacks, laundry, public transportation, and any meals not included in your Program Fee

A deposit of $449 USD is required to secure your internship
Balance of your Program Fee is due 60 days before your internship start date.
All payments attract a 5% transaction fee to cover international banking fees and currency charges.
Terms and Conditions apply.

Arrival and Orientation

Internships in Cape Town begin every Monday and interns may choose to spend a minimum of 2 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.

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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, you can expect accommodation to be situated in either the upmarket residential area of Fresnaye, situated between Signal Hill and Sea Point’s Main Road and popular promenade, or within the Observatory district (best known as a student neighbourhood, near to the University of Cape Town).

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. For participants seeking a private bedroom, accommodation upgrades can be requested (for an additional cost) and are subject to availability.

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$6-9 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.

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%.

Activities and tourism

On the weekend, interns have spare time to relax and explore. There’s something for everyone, with nightlife, café culture, music, festivals, food markets, wine tours, hiking, and some of the most beautiful landscapes in the continent! Here are some of our top picks for activities around Cape Town:

Hiking around Table Mountain National Park, just ten minutes from central Cape Town, is a great option to keep fit and healthy and there are lots of trails to explore for any level of adventurer. Reach the top of Table mountain by foot, or take a return cable-car. Don’t forget to challenge yourself to summit Devil’s Peak and Lion’s Head!
Shark cage diving is an exhilarating experience - if you’re feeling brave enough! Get eye-to-eye with a great white from the safety of a cage or observe from the comfort of the boat. Most dives cost around $130USD, but shop around and speak to others to ensure you get a fair price (based on the season).
The Neighbourgoods Market, located at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock (close to the Observatory district) features over 100 specialty traders every Saturday, creating a weekly platform for local farmers, fine-food purveyors, organic merchants, bakers and distributors, grocers, mongers, butchers, artisan producers, celebrated local chefs, and micro enterprises. Don’t miss it!
Kick back and relax over the weekend, with a slow-paced wine tour through some of Cape Town’s loveliest estates. Learn about the history of how wine was introduced to the area and sample a delicious selection.
General tours to Robben Island usually depart every day. With a rich 500 year, multi-layered history, the island is visited every year by thousands of people, who learn about important aspects of South Africa’s history.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (Zeitz MOCAA), is located in a converted grain silo, overlooking the Atlantic on the Victoria and Alfred waterfront. The institution has 100 galleries spread over nine floors and the exhibitions focus exclusively on 21st-century work from Africa and the diaspora.
For history-buffs, take a wander through South Africa’s oldest building, the Castle of Good Hope. The magnificent building contains displays of historical and military paraphernalia, an art collection, a restaurant as well as a history of the castle itself.

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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.