No doubt South Africa is blessed with the best universities as some are recognized internationally and listed as top-ranked universities, placed right there with some of the largest university names. in this article, we highlight the top universities in South Africa.
Top Universities in South Africa
1. University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town (UCT) was founded in 1829 as the first university in South Africa. It has since grown to be one of the largest universities in Southern Africa.
The University of Cape Town is consistently ranked among the top universities in the entire world. In 2015, UCT was ranked number 1 in the world by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), an international higher education rankings company.
There are many famous alumni of the University of Cape Town. These include Nelson Mandela, who received his degree in law at the university; Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology; and Nobel Prize winner Jody Williams, who studied medicine at the university.
UCT offers a wide range of courses and degrees. They offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs in various fields, including business administration, education, engineering, environmental science, humanities, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work, and veterinary sciences.
2. University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is also known as UP and was established in 1908. It is located in Pretoria, Gauteng Province, South Africa.
The University of Pretoria has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the world by Times Higher Education (THE). It was also named the best university in South Africa for 2016 by Business Day.
The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in many fields such as business administration, law, medicine, dentistry, engineering, education, science, social work, and agriculture.
3. Rhodes University
Rhodes University was founded in 1877 and is situated in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Its main campus is in the town of Grahamstown.
The university offers undergraduate programs in arts, science, business, law, education, engineering, medicine, dentistry, veterinary sciences, pharmacy, and nursing. In addition, there are postgraduate programs in business administration, economics, law, medical technology, public health, and social work.
4. Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch is a university located in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa. It was established in 1818 and is currently ranked as the second largest university in South Africa.
The university has a total student population of approximately 40,000 students. The university offers undergraduate degrees in various fields such as Business Management, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Science, Social Sciences, Arts, Education, and Agriculture.
The university also offers postgraduate courses in various subjects such as Accounting, Economics, Finance, Human Resource Management, Marketing, Mathematics, Psychology, Public Administration, Statistics, Sociology, and Tourism.
5. Witwatersrand University
The University of the Witwatersrand, also known as Wits, was established in 1922 – it marks 100 years of existence and excellence in the academic field.
It is renowned internationally for its research, strong academic standards, and dedication to promoting social justice in Africa and beyond.
Wits offer about 3 400 courses to 41 000 students across its 33 schools and five faculties (Commerce, Law and Management; Engineering and the Built Environment; Health Sciences; Humanities; and Science). Postgraduate students make up more than one-third of the student body.
6. University of Kwa-Zulu Natal
The University of Durban-Westville and the University of Natal merged on January 1, 2004, resulting in the creation of the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. The lengthy histories of the two old universities are combined in the new institution.
The University of Kwa-Zulu Natal (UKZN) is a research-intensive institution with campuses in Durban, Pietermaritzburg, and Uthukela. Its main campus is situated in the city of Durban.
It is one of the largest universities in South Africa with more than 30 000 students enrolled at its main campus in Durban.
7. University of Johannesburg
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is home to over 50 0000 students. It has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the world by QS World Rankings.
The University has seven faculties and a college, including the College of Business and Economics, which is home to the recently founded Johannesburg Business School, as well as the faculties of Education, Law, Humanities, Art, Design and Architecture, Health Sciences, Science, Engineering and the Built Environment.
The University’s four campuses are located in Auckland Park Bunting Road, Auckland Park Kingsway, Doornfontein, and Soweto.
UJ offers undergraduate degrees in more than 30 subjects, postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees in more than 40 disciplines. It also offers research degrees in more than 50 areas.
If you are looking for an affordable university with excellent facilities, then UJ is definitely one of the options you should consider. It offers a wide range of courses at different levels.
As part of the list, some of the top universities in South Africa include the University of the Western Cape and North-West University (NWU).
Great news, all qualifying candidates can apply for any course of their choice at any of the above institutions and also apply for NSFAS funding if they cannot afford to pay for their studies.
