Building our New Legacy

The first official law lecture of the South African College (as the University of Cape Town was first known) was delivered on 16 April 1859.

A programme that began 160 years ago with a part-time professor and a few students in a fortnightly Saturday class, has become the top Law school on the African continent, conferring hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate law degrees every year.  

In 2019 Quacquarelli Symonds ranked our Faculty the top Law school in South Africa, and Number One on the continent - and we are ranked in the top 150 law schools in the world.

By the time our students graduate 61% have received offers of employment and 18% are seeking employment. Surveys have shown that, on graduation, of our postgraduate students only 9% are seeking employment.

Our research record is strong and we are known for an outstanding research output each year. We continue to attract staff, researchers, visiting academics and adjunct professors who are amongst the best legal minds in the world. 

At the start of the next 160 years, we pledge our commitment to building a society that redresses inequality and strives for justice and equity for all South Africans.

The Faculty has three core projects for which we are raising funds. 

They are:

1. The Scholarship Fund
2. The Law Technology Fund
3. The Student Crisis Fund

The Faculty is very proud to have a strong core of long-term supporters, donors and friends - without whose support we would not be able to hold our current international status, nor continue producing the quality of research and graduates for which the UCT Faculty of Law is renowned. 

To join this group and become one of UCT Law's donors, you can donate to the Excellence in Law fund by 

• using the online donation site
• making a donation by credit card, either once-off or regular monthly contributions
• donating by direct deposit/ EFT, either once-off or regular monthly contributions
• using snapscan or zapper
• completing a pledge form (we can mail one to you).

For more information, please contact Gaby Ritchie at the Faculty of Law. 

Our international alumni can easily contribute through one of our international UCT Alumni offices, using the details below, and let them know you want to support Excellence in Law.

We invite you to join us as we build a new legacy.