The Why and the Who

The Wilberforce Academy is the starting point of a journey with others in the Wilberforce Collective - a growing community of Christians from different vocations and cultures - who are working together to bring the hope and truth of Jesus to every part of society.

The Academy’s purpose is to prepare you for servant-hearted, Christ-centered engagement in the areas God has placed you, including your community, church, workplace etc. Over the course of the Academy week, you will be grounded in a Biblical framework to guide your thinking, prayers and actions in interacting with the complex socio-cultural issues of our time.

The What and the How

In addition to daily worship and devotions, through the teaching sessions, elective seminars, and inspiring testimonies from believers who are living boldly for Christ, we trust you will grow in a revelation of what it means to live for God’s glory in every area of life. You will also have the opportunity to reflect with others in your vocational field on what you are learning in daily application groups (guided by our faculty members) and build one another up through prayer.

And the Academy is not the end – it is only the beginning. The journey continues through ongoing engagement and training in Wilberforce Vocational Communities and at Refocus Days.

Applying for the 2027 Wilberforce Academy

Dates

17 – 22 January 2027

Location

A conference venue near Hermanus, Western Cape. Specific details will be communicated to successful applicants during October and November 2026.
For successful applicants who choose not to make use of their own transport, shuttles will be available from Cape Town International Airport and Stellenbosch/Somerset West and back.

Cost

Wilberforce Academy is a subsidised programme. The cost of the Academy Week is R8,500 per delegate (including accommodation, meals, teaching and course materials for the week).
Student rate: R6,350 per delegate.
Payment is due before the Academy commences – by no later than 6 January 2027.
IMPORTANT: Depending on individual applicants’ circumstances, it may be advisable to start saving as soon as possible towards the attendance fee of the Academy Week in January.
Discount for delegates making use of own transport: Delegates who will make use of their own transport to and from the conference venue, and during the Academy Week, will qualify for a discount of R1,000 on the Academy attendance fee.

Scholarships

There is a total of 10 scholarships available for the 2027 Wilberforce Academy – FIVE (5) full scholarships and FIVE (5) half scholarships. Interested candidates are invited to include a motivation to be awarded either a full or half scholarship in their application forms.

Application process

To apply for the Academy, please complete the form here: Application Form
Deadline for applications: 18 October 2026
Successful applicants will be informed of their acceptance to the academy via e-mail
during October and November 2026.

PLEASE NOTE:

Wilberforce Academy is not open to the general public.
Space is limited, and available spaces will be filled by successful applicants on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. We encourage you, therefore, to apply as soon as you can.
• We may invite you to an interview (either in-person or online) to discuss your
application further.

Vocational Communities

A key feature of the Academy Week is the application group discussions for daily reflection.

Delegates become members of one of our Vocational Communities, including:

Academia, Research and Higher Education

Business, Economics and Finance

Church / Pastoral, Family and Para-Church Ministry

Education (Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary)

Farming and Agricultural Management

Law

Media, Creative Arts and Entertainment

Medicine and Healthcare Professions

Politics and Public Service

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

Alumni Testimonies

Christians from 8 African nations attend week of equipping to impact culture

Report by Jess Holing and Ryan Smit

Wilberforce Academy 2026 group photo Wilberforce Academy SA team members Jess Holing and Ryan Smit report on the recent fourth Wilberforce Academy week at Stanford, Western Cape where 120 believers focused on the call to speak the truth in love in every area of life...

Wilberforce Academy explores Cross-cultural reconciliation at March Refocus Day

Given South Africa’s history, it’s people are often faced with the need for reconciliation and restoration, yet how do we, as followers of Jesus, approach racial and cross-cultural reconciliation? We are called to be salt and light in a broken world, yet how do we practically love, serve and restore relationships with one another amidst cultural misunderstandings and tensions?