We have ranked the best 100 universities in South Africa based on the quality of education and the number of publications by students. We have also considered the quality of teaching staff in each university.
Here is a full list of top 100 best universities in South Africa:
Ranking | World Rank | University | Det. | Presence Rank* | Impact Rank* | Openness Rank* | Excellence Rank* |
1 | 276 | University of Cape Town | 458 | 418 | 229 | 251 | |
2 | 425 | Stellenbosch University | 614 | 627 | 379 | 447 | |
3 | 433 | University of the Witwatersrand | 1135 | 778 | 444 | 357 | |
4 | 448 | University of Pretoria | 401 | 624 | 514 | 492 | |
5 | 621 | University of Kwazulu Natal | 930 | 1485 | 563 | 462 | |
6 | 822 | University of Johannesburg | 2086 | 2330 | 757 | 563 | |
7 | 937 | University of South Africa | 1669 | 1243 | 1050 | 1118 | |
8 | 944 | University of the Western Cape | 1996 | 1427 | 932 | 1054 | |
9 | 1099 | North West University | 1622 | 3051 | 839 | 889 | |
10 | 1129 | Rhodes University | 3663 | 1545 | 1015 | 1343 | |
11 | 1406 | University of the Free State | 1829 | 3780 | 1137 | 1172 | |
12 | 2018 | Tshwane University of Technology | 8198 | 5597 | 1717 | 1497 | |
13 | 2073 | Nelson Mandela University | 4390 | 5284 | 2268 | 1635 | |
14 | 2136 | Durban University of Technology | 3515 | 4677 | 1787 | 2069 | |
15 | 2319 | Cape Peninsula University of Technology | 3794 | 4209 | 1795 | 2609 | |
16 | 2495 | University of Fort Hare | 7274 | 4653 | 1932 | 2637 | |
17 | 2832 | University of Limpopo | 4439 | 7264 | 2407 | 2512 | |
18 | 3120 | University of Venda | 7916 | 7870 | 2282 | 2819 | |
19 | 3623 | Central University of Technology | 8961 | 8351 | 3274 | 3471 | |
20 | 3665 | Vaal University of Technology | 5761 | 6392 | 3868 | 3926 | |
21 | 3805 | Walter Sisulu University | 16009 | 8924 | 4062 | 3358 | |
22 | 3919 | University of Zululand | 8402 | 10879 | 3324 | 3358 | |
23 | 9355 | Mangosuthu University of Technology (Technikon) | 13019 | 12056 | 4618 | 6084 | |
24 | 12016 | South African College of Applied Psychology | 17176 | 9981 | 7356 | 6084 | |
25 | 12057 | IMM Graduate School | 14027 | 10313 | 7356 | 6084 | |
26 | 12647 | South African Theological Seminary | 12117 | 11248 | 7356 | 6084 | |
27 | 12676 | Boston City Campus and Business College | 15044 | 11036 | 7356 | 6084 | |
28 | 12758 | Sol Plaatje University | 22565 | 15174 | 5212 | 6084 | |
29 | 13182 | International Hotel School | 19210 | 11321 | 7356 | 6084 | |
30 | 13323 | Vega School | 19270 | 11517 | 7356 | 6084 | |
31 | 13447 | South African School of Motion Picture Medium & Live Performance AFDA | 17973 | 11780 | 7356 | 6084 | |
32 | 13763 | Milpark Business School | 12066 | 12643 | 7356 | 6084 | |
33 | 14199 | MANCOSA Management College of Southern Africa | 20707 | 12406 | 7356 | 6084 | |
34 | 14324 | Damelin | 22202 | 12424 | 7356 | 6084 | |
35 | 14493 | Pearson Institute of Higher Education (Midrand Graduate Institute) | 22856 | 12548 | 7356 | 6084 | |
36 | 14828 | Regenesys Business School | 14045 | 13826 | 7356 | 6084 | |
37 | 14910 | College of Cape Town | 20362 | 13322 | 7356 | 6084 | |
38 | 15001 | Northlink College | 19821 | 13487 | 7356 | 6084 | |
39 | 15192 | IIE MSA (Monash University South Africa) | 18749 | 13867 | 7356 | 6084 | |
40 | 15300 | Regent Business School | 19594 | 13925 | 7356 | 6084 | |
41 | 15332 | Exercise Teachers Academy ETA | 17747 | 14146 | 7356 | 6084 | |
42 | 15407 | Foundation for Professional Development | 17690 | 14256 | 7356 | 6084 | |
43 | 15431 | Independent Institute of Education (Rosebank College College Campus Varsity College Vega, The School of Brand Communications) | 14938 | 14506 | 7356 | 6084 | |
44 | 15486 | Henley Management College | 19857 | 14132 | 7356 | 6084 | |
45 | 15507 | (4) Lyceum College | 26209 | 13413 | 7356 | 6084 | |
46 | 15533 | Business Optimization Training Institute | 13536 | 14787 | 7356 | 6084 | |
47 | 15556 | Open Window Institute of Design Film & Interactive Arts | 21595 | 14055 | 7356 | 6084 | |
48 | 16035 | False Bay College | 17716 | 15014 | 7356 | 6084 | |
49 | 16138 | City Varsity School of Media and Creative Arts | 22113 | 14647 | 7356 | 6084 | |
50 | 16328 | South West Gauteng College | 17973 | 15381 | 7356 | 6084 | |
51 | 16537 | Prestige Academy (Prestige College) | 18873 | 15530 | 7356 | 6084 | |
52 | 16592 | Boland College | 17650 | 15717 | 7356 | 6084 | |
53 | 16725 | Cornerstone Christian College | 14057 | 16226 | 7356 | 6084 | |
54 | 16786 | StAugustine College of South Africa | 20312 | 15666 | 7356 | 6084 | |
55 | 17212 | Greenside Design Centre College of Design | 22983 | 15905 | 7356 | 6084 | |
56 | 17314 | Richfield Graduate Institute of Technology (PC Training and Business College) | 21352 | 16223 | 7356 | 6084 | |
57 | 17428 | Helderberg College | 26358 | 15707 | 7356 | 6084 | |
58 | 17533 | Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography | 15976 | 17038 | 7356 | 6084 | |
59 | 17566 | Health and Fitness Professionals Academy HFPA | 12725 | 17368 | 7356 | 6084 | |
60 | 17791 | LISOF Fashion Design School | 21496 | 16797 | 7356 | 6084 | |
61 | 17900 | Stenden South Africa | 24879 | 16516 | 7356 | 6084 | |
62 | 17908 | Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa | 24099 | 16624 | 7356 | 6084 | |
63 | 17972 | Gert Sibande College | 19452 | 17226 | 7356 | 6084 | |
64 | 18028 | Central Johannesburg College | 12700 | 17961 | 7356 | 6084 | |
65 | 18152 | Ekurhuleni East College | 23857 | 16963 | 7356 | 6084 | |
66 | 18186 | Belgium Campus Itversity | 21490 | 17265 | 7356 | 6084 | |
67 | 18186 | Orbit College | 20866 | 17336 | 7356 | 6084 | |
68 | 18588 | Majuba College | 23830 | 17473 | 7356 | 6084 | |
69 | 18653 | Isa Carstens Health and Skincare Academy | 17210 | 18247 | 7356 | 6084 | |
70 | 18752 | Ekurhuleni West College | 23669 | 17691 | 7356 | 6084 | |
71 | 18955 | Buffalo City College | 22164 | 18109 | 7356 | 6084 | |
72 | 19151 | West Coast College | 22213 | 18312 | 7356 | 6084 | |
73 | 19172 | Port Elizabeth College | 20071 | 18577 | 7356 | 6084 | |
74 | 19209 | Eastcape Midlands College | 23054 | 18290 | 7356 | 6084 | |
75 | 19344 | Flavius Mareka College | 24070 | 18324 | 7356 | 6084 | |
76 | 19401 | Centurion Akademie | 22773 | 18555 | 7356 | 6084 | |
77 | 19432 | Hebron Theological College | 11734 | 19644 | 7356 | 6084 | |
78 | 19556 | Camelot International | 15531 | 19451 | 7356 | 6084 | |
79 | 19626 | Tshwane South College | 23729 | 18716 | 7356 | 6084 | |
80 | 19695 | Academy of Sound Engineering | 16566 | 19540 | 7356 | 6084 | |
81 | 19720 | Sedibeng College | 26555 | 18448 | 7356 | 6084 | |
82 | 19731 | Southern Business School | 27586 | 18230 | 7356 | 6084 | |
83 | 19863 | Vuselela College | 23554 | 19038 | 7356 | 6084 | |
84 | 19863 | Cranefield College of Project and Programme Management | 23201 | 19093 | 7356 | 6084 | |
85 | 19913 | Umfolozi College | 22717 | 19206 | 7356 | 6084 | |
86 | 20075 | Coastal KZN College | 25454 | 19029 | 7356 | 6084 | |
87 | 20104 | Lovedale College | 25941 | 18991 | 7356 | 6084 | |
88 | 20664 | Esayidi College | 28183 | 19170 | 7356 | 6084 | |
89 | 20701 | St Joseph`s Theological Institute | 19350 | 20468 | 7356 | 6084 | |
90 | 21091 | Ehlanzeni College | 22917 | 20525 | 7356 | 6084 | |
91 | 21166 | ICESA City Campus | 21964 | 20691 | 7356 | 6084 | |
92 | 21315 | Western College | 29109 | 19105 | 7356 | 6084 | |
93 | 21576 | Ingwe College | 25237 | 20852 | 7356 | 6084 | |
94 | 21654 | Mopani South East College | 23705 | 21073 | 7356 | 6084 | |
95 | 21754 | AAA School of Advertising | 26620 | 20797 | 7356 | 6084 | |
96 | 21996 | Afrikaanse Protestantse Akademie | 20386 | 21827 | 7356 | 6084 | |
97 | 22017 | Thekwini College | 28295 | 20627 | 7356 | 6084 | |
98 | 22354 | Cape Town Baptist Seminary (Baptist Theological College Cape Town) | 25562 | 21621 | 7356 | 6084 | |
99 | 22434 | Madge Wallace International College of Skin Care and Body Therapy | 25667 | 21704 | 7356 | 6084 | |
100 | 22479 | Northern Cape TVET Urban College | 27497 | 21421 | 7356 | 6084 |