Courses: Frequently Asked Questions

The course aims to build the capacity of government policymakers and officials, representatives from bilateral and multilateral agencies, programme practitioners, and staff members from non-governmental organisations. The course will serve those who want to more effectively design, implement and manage social transfer programmes with the goal of reducing poverty and better achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

There are no absolute prerequisites to attend one of our courses, but we do have some general recommendations:

• Your current position and work responsibilities should tie in with social protection in some way.
• You should be comfortable speaking and working in English, as all lectures will be presented in English, and it will encourage more participatory team work.
• You should have a certain degree of computer literacy, as you will be using computers in some lectures and in preparation of your final presentation. Course facilitators do offer assistance for those less familiar with computers throughout the duration of the course.
• Certain advanced courses, such as the micro-simulation course, are designed for people with additional quantitative background.

Tuition fees vary from course to course; for specific tuition costs, please see the page of the course you would like to attend. If the cost of the course is not yet posted, please contact courses@epri.org.za for more information.

We also offer comprehensive accommodation and facilities packages  for your convenience. These typically include four-star accommodation, three meals and two teas per day, per diems, recreational activities and tours, airport transfers and use of included facilities. Again, the cost of the accommodation and facilities packages varies from course to course. Please see our courses page for more information.

We suggest that you approach organisations such as UKaid (DFID), UNICEF or HelpAge within your country for possible financial assistance. They have always been great supporters of our course in the past.

At the end of the course, the successful participant will better understand the comprehensive approach to social protection and how appropriate cash transfer instruments can reduce poverty and vulnerability and promote developmental outcomes. The course will reinforce the skills required to identify, design and implement effective social transfer programmes. A team of international experts, skilled professionals and leaders in the field will teach the course. Both social tranfer courses (Cape Town and Chiang Mai) will be jointly accredited by Maastricht Graduate School of Governance and the Economic Policy Research Institute.

International travel to and from the course venue is not included in the course fees and should be arranged and paid for by your financial contact/organisation/sponsor.

If you opt for our comprehensive accommodation package, we will provide free transport to and from the closest airport to the course venue.

Please make sure to check with your local Embassy whether you need a visa to either travel to Cape Town or Chiang Mai.

For visa information for South Africa, click HERE

For visa information for Thailand, click HERE

Also allow sufficient time to process a visa before your departure. If you require a visa support letter, please contact the Course Manager to assist with the supporting documents. Visa application and associated fees are not covered in the course fees.

If you have a laptop it is recommended that you bring it along; most venues offer wireless internet in the rooms, and this way you can keep in touch with your work and family after hours. You will also benefit from having a laptop for some lectures during the course, and to work on your final assignment.

If you do not have a laptop, that is fine. There will be a dedicated computer room at the course where you will have access to the computers and internet on a first come, first served basis.

If you do bring your laptop, please ensure that you have strong and up-to-date anti-virus software installed.

Depending on which course you attend, the Course Coordinator will send out an information letter with more details on the venue, climate and what to pack. However, generally, you may want to bring:

• Information and resources about social protection in your country. Many courses include participant country presentations.
• A computer mouse, for use during Excel micro-simulation modules. Many participants find Excel easier to use on a laptop when using a mouse.
• Your camera (and card reader or connecting cable). We offer photo competitions at our two-week courses, and encourage participants to take and submit their best photos from the course. Winning photos may even be featured on our website!
• Cultural attire. If you attend the full two week course, we will have a Cultural Evening Banquet on the first Friday where everyone will have an opportunity to share part of their culture with all the other participants.  In the past participants have brought items of music, clothing (cultural dress) etc. along to the course to enhance the experience.