Top 10 Universities in South Africa – Times Higher Education Rankings
The top 10 universities in South Africa have been ranked by the international ranking organization, Times Higher Education. Check out our list below to see if these institutions are a good fit for you!, Post a Comment
- Provider
- Various
- Host country
- South Africa
- Region
- Africa
About this scholarship
[starportillo](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/author/beyondstellar/)
[October 20, 2021October 20, 2021](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/2021/10/20/)
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The top 10 universities in South Africa have been ranked by the international ranking organization, Times Higher Education. Check out our list below to see if these institutions are a good fit for you!
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Students from all over the world are flocking to South Africa to further their education. Every year, 45,000 overseas students attend South African universities— and the numbers are continually on the rise.
**\| ALSO READ:** [South Africa aiming to take back title as Africa’s leading destination](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/south-africa-aiming-to-take-back-title-as-africas-leading-destination/)
### Table of contents
- [Why Study in South Africa?](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-why-study-in-south-africa)
- [The Best Universities in South Africa According to THE Rankings](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-the-best-universities-in-south-africa-according-to-the-rankings)
- [10\. Rhodes University](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-10-rhodes-university)
- [9\. University of South Africa (UNISA)](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-9-university-of-south-africa-unisa)
- [8\. University of the Western Cape (UWC)](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-8-university-of-the-western-cape-uwc)
- [7\. University of Pretoria](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-7-university-of-pretoria)
- [6\. University of Johannesburg](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-6-university-of-johannesburg)
- [5\. Northwest University (NWU)](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-5-northwest-university-nwu)
- [4\. University of Kwazulu Natal](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-4-university-of-kwazulu-natal)
- [3\. Stellenbosch University](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-3-stellenbosch-university)
- [2\. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-2-university-of-the-witwatersrand-johannesburg)
- [1\. University of Cape Town](https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/top-10-universities-in-south-africa-times-higher-education-rankings/#h-1-university-of-cape-town)
## Why Study in South Africa?
International students have discovered that studying in South Africa is less expensive than in other countries. Despite this, the quality of education being offered is at par, and sometimes even exceeds, international standards. Case in point, South Africa is home to universities that rank within the top 500 global rankings.
In this article, Scholarships for Africans names the top 10 universities in South Africa that you might want to look into.
## The Best Universities in South Africa According to THE Rankings
### 10\. Rhodes University
To start off the list of the top 10 universities in South Africa, we have Rhodes University. It is located in Grahamstown, South Africa’s Eastern Cape region, and is known as a modest university with one of the best undergraduate pass and graduation rates in the country, great postgraduate success rates, and the top research output per academic staff member. This is a testament to the kind of students Rhodes attracts, the academic offerings, and the Rhodes staff’s dedication to student development and success. Rhodes is a dynamic and multicultural knowledge institution with over 7,000 students, 26 percent of whom are postgraduates and 20% of whom are international students from 40 countries throughout the world.
In the faculties of Humanities, Science, Commerce, Pharmacy, Law, and Education, students can pursue a wide range of undergraduate and doctoral degrees. Rhodes students benefit from the best academic staff-to-student ratio among South African universities, ensuring easy access to professors and tight supervision. Where Leaders Learn is the university’s motto, and it takes pride in producing graduates who are well-versed intellectuals, skilled professionals, and critical, caring, and compassionate citizens who can contribute to economic and social development as well as an equitable, just, and democratic society.
### 9\. University of South Africa (UNISA)
The University of South Africa (UNISA) is Africa’s foremost distance learning university, cultivating tomorrow’s outstanding leaders. The institution is a reputable, comprehensive, flexible, and accessible open distance learning institution that inspires a new generation of learners. They have internationally recognized credentials and world-class resources.
UNISA’s mission, “towards the African university in service of mankind,” inspires us to find solutions to Africa’s educational and developmental challenges. The university aims to assist the people of Africa in realizing their aspirations by building partnerships in Africa and around the world. Teaching, research, and community participation are UNISA’s three main business sectors.
### 8\. University of the Western Cape (UWC)
The University of the Western Cape is a public university in Cape Town, South Africa, located in the Bellville neighborhood. Western Cape has a long history of innovative resistance to injustice, discrimination, and disadvantage. It has been at the forefront of South Africa’s historic shift, playing a unique academic role in assisting in the development of an equitable and dynamic nation. UWC’s main concerns about higher education access, equity, and quality stem from considerable practical participation in assisting the historically marginalized to fully participate in the nation’s life.
### 7\. University of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria (UP) is a multi-faculty, research-intensive university that ranks among the top universities in South Africa for research output and impact, as well as producing the biggest number of graduates each year. With campuses in Pretoria and its environs, as well as Johannesburg, the country’s commercial center, UP is conveniently located near government institutions, diplomatic missions, and significant research institutes.
Economic and Management Sciences, Education, Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Theology and Religion, Veterinary Science (currently the only faculty in this discipline in South Africa), and the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) are the nine faculties and business school at the university. Furthermore, there are 140 academic departments and 85 research centers, institutes, and divisions that offer academic programs.
### 6\. University of Johannesburg
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is a vibrant, multicultural, and energetic institution that reflects the pace and intensity of cosmopolitan Johannesburg, the city whose name it bears. The University is proudly South African, and it is well-prepared to play a part in realizing the potential that higher education holds for the continent’s growth.
### 5\. Northwest University (NWU)
Northwest University is dedicated to operating as a unitary, integrated, multi-campus university that promotes equity, redress, and globally competitive teaching and research on all three of its campuses. In NWU’s eight faculties, community engagement and innovation are linked. They serve both distance and contact students, our primary activities, teaching-learning, and research.
### 4\. University of Kwazulu Natal
Among the top 10 universities in South Africa is the Institution of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), a teaching and research-led university, is one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest, oldest, and most changed universities.
UKZN has gained a reputation as a prominent higher education institution on the African continent thanks to innovative curricula, dynamic teaching and learning, state-of-the-art laboratories, and validated professional degrees. In terms of research production, the University is the top-ranked state-funded university in South Africa. Natural, biological, humanities, and social sciences are all represented in research.
The university supports educational and employment opportunities for those from historically disadvantaged backgrounds. It also promotes transformation and redress and aspires to provide an enabling atmosphere for all of its students in order to enable individual intellectual growth, social responsibility awareness, and sound ethical practice in our varied society.
In addition, UKZN’s worldwide relationships in 46 countries allow for direct interaction and global intellectual exchange, which benefits scholarly work and the student experience.
### 3\. Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University (SU) is a South African institution with a global reach. It has evolved into a South African higher education institution with the mission of being the continent’s top research-intensive university, to be worldwide recognized as excellent, inclusive, and innovative, and to promote knowledge in the service of society.
SU is a research-intensive university that attracts exceptional students, employs talented staff, and provides a world-class environment; it is a place connected to the globe, enriching and reshaping local, continental, and worldwide communities, as stated in its purpose.
### 2\. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
The University of the Witwatersrand, also known as “Wits,” sprang out of the South African School of Mines, which was founded in Kimberley in 1896. In 1904, the college relocated to Johannesburg, and in 1922, it was granted full university status. It was founded on a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of race, which led to a considerable dispute with the government during the apartheid era, including police raids and the arrest of both staff and students.
The most famous alumnus of the university is Nelson Mandela, who studied law there and went on to become President of South Africa and the 1993 Nobel laureate for peace. The novelist Nadine Gordimer (Nobel Prize for Literature, 1991) also attended for a year, while Aaron Klug (Nobel Prize for Chemistry, 1982) and Sydney Brenner (Nobel Prize for Medicine, 2002) both took their first degrees at Wits.
### 1\. University of Cape Town
Topping our list of the top 10 universities in South Africa is The University of Cape Town (UCT) is a multicultural, multinational community of around 5 000 academic and professional, administrative support and service staff, and some 29 000 students who come from over 100 countries across the globe. Offering degrees in six faculties – Commerce, Engineering & the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law and Science – UCT sees around 7,200 students graduate year on year.
UCT’s vision is to be an inclusive, research-intensive African university that addresses the challenges of the times with cutting-edge teaching, research, and facilities. As a university, UCT is committed to promoting transformation, to working tirelessly to guarantee the sustainability of our institution, and to ensuring excellence in all they do.
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Eligibility criteria
Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.
- Citizen or permanent resident of an eligible African country
- Willing to study in South Africa
- Strong academic record — typically a minimum GPA equivalent to a UK 2:1 / US 3.3
- English-language proficiency demonstrated by IELTS, TOEFL or an MOI letter
- Two academic or professional references able to speak to your potential
Required documents
A planning baseline drawn from how 90%+ of African scholarship sponsors structure their checklist. The sponsor's portal is the source of truth for any single application.
- Valid international passport (bio page scan)
- Most recent academic transcripts (sealed or e-verified copies)
- Curriculum vitae / résumé (1–2 pages, reverse-chronological)
- Personal statement or motivation letter (500–1,000 words, tailored to the sponsor)
- Two to three reference letters (academic for students, professional for working applicants)
- Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo) — Medium-of-Instruction letter may substitute for Anglophone-Africa graduates
- Passport-sized photograph meeting ICAO biometric standards
- Country-of-origin proof (national ID or birth certificate) — required by many Africa-focused funders
Deadline timeline
The sponsor has not published a fixed deadline yet. Use the milestones below as a generic 12-month plan; substitute dates once the intake window opens.
- 12 months out
Register for tests (IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GRE), shortlist 3–5 universities, identify referees.
- 6 months out
Sit your tests, draft a personal statement, request transcripts and confirm reference letters.
- 3 months out
Finalise essays, upload supporting documents, complete the online application portal.
- 1 month out
Final review, double-check uploaded files, submit a week before the deadline to avoid portal issues.
- Application deadline
Submit by 23:59 in the sponsor's stated time zone — usually local to the sponsor, not your country.
Frequently asked questions
Who can apply for the Top 10 Universities in South Africa – Times Higher Education Rankings?+
Applicants must be eligible African nationals applying at the the stated level level, meet the academic and English-language requirements set by Various, and be able to relocate to South Africa for the duration of the programme.
Is the Top 10 Universities in South Africa – Times Higher Education Rankings fully funded?+
Funding model: Funding type varies — check the official site. Where listed as fully funded, the award typically covers tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance and round-trip airfare. Always confirm the latest funding breakdown on the sponsor's official page.
When is the application deadline?+
The application deadline is varies by intake — see the official site. Submit at least one week early — sponsor portals frequently slow or fail in the final 24 hours, and late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.
What documents do I need to apply?+
At minimum: passport bio page, academic transcripts, CV, personal statement, two to three references, and an English-language test score (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo). Research-led Masters and PhD applications also require a research proposal and a writing sample.
How can I improve my chance of winning?+
Apply early, tailor every essay to the specific sponsor (do not recycle a generic statement), secure at least one reference who knows your work in detail, and apply to two or three additional scholarships in parallel — never rely on a single application.