Universities in South Africa for International Students

Founded in 2005, Walter Sisulu University is one of six comprehensive universities which offer both academic and technological qualifications. WSU is a developmental university that focuses on urban renewal and rural development. It offers students a wealth of academic choices, articulation and mobility across the qualifications ranging from certificates to diplomas, degrees and postgraduate studies. 

It is  Africa's leading open distance learning institution that offers internationally accredited qualifications and have world-class resources that inspire learners to create meaningful futures on their own terms. It is the largest education system in South Africa by enrollment. 

The University of Pretoria (UP) was established in 1908 with just four professors and 32 students, in a little house called Kya Rosa. Today, it is one of the largest research universities in South Africa. UP has transformed into a dynamic university community of staff and students who come from a range of diverse backgrounds and cultures showcasing South African and global societies. The University was born from a vision to create a space for quality education and for new ideas to flourish. 

The University of Johannesburg is South Africa’s second strongest brand, and UJ offers world-class, internationally recognized academic programs based on curricula informed by cutting-edge developments in both undergraduate and postgraduate education, and that are designed to prepare students for the world of work and for global citizenship.

In 2005, three famous institutions became one and these include: Technikon Witwatersrand, Vista University and Rand Afrikaans University merged to form the University of Johannesburg, or as it is affectionately called – UJ.

The University of Johannesburg is South Africa’s second strongest brand, and UJ offers world-class, internationally recognized academic programs based on curricula informed by cutting-edge developments in both undergraduate and postgraduate education, and that are designed to prepare students for the world of work and for global citizenship.

The University of Johannesburg is South Africa’s second strongest brand, and UJ offers world-class, internationally recognized academic programs based on curricula informed by cutting-edge developments in both undergraduate and postgraduate education, and that are designed to prepare students for the world of work and for global citizenship.

The institute establishes itself as a front-runner for innovation and research with its advanced learning centers and top-tier teachers and instructors. Educators at the Pearson Institute come from around the globe having led and gained experience in many leading institutions companies and organizations across the world

Wits University is internationally distinguished for its excellent research, high academic standards and its commitment to social justice in Africa and beyond. Wits University has five faculties and 33 schools. It boasts two campuses - in Braamfontein and Parktown - that are spread over 400 acres in Johannesburg. It includes 11 libraries and 17 residences.

The university is accredited and registered by all the governing bodies of education in South Africa (HEQC, CHE, SAQA), all qualifications are well-recognized across the globe by several professional entities. 

At Pearson, education and technology are two important tenets upheld through and through even in the smallest avenues, students are taught in ultra-modern facilities and tech-framed environments.

Educators at the Pearson Institute come from around the globe having led and gained experience in many leading institutions companies and organizations across the world. The Pearson Institute is also an international center for learning with over 7,000 students from more than 35 countries globally, the university is forging on with one of the brightest prospects in the region.

Students at the university are encouraged to think outside the box and special skills and talents are nurtured and amplified through various outlets already available. At Pearson, education and technology are two important tenets upheld through and through even in the smallest avenues, students are taught in ultra-modern facilities and tech-framed environments. 

The institute establishes itself as a front-runner for innovation and research with its advanced learning centers and top-tier teachers and instructors.

The Pearson Institute is also an international center for learning with over 7,000 students from more than 35 countries globally, the university is forging on with one of the brightest prospects in the region.

At Pearson Institute, part of the world’s leading company, Pearson, leaders are prepared for our ever-evolving world and equipped with the right tools for global success. Through a personalized learning experience, encompassing smaller classes and modern flexible learning modules.

The institute delivers an industry-led curriculum that fast-tracks student employability post-graduation. This leading educational provider is committed to shaping future leaders from all over the globe.

The institute establishes itself as a front-runner for innovation and research with its advanced learning centers and top-tier teachers and instructors.

The Pearson Institute is also an international center for learning with over 7,000 students from more than 35 countries globally, the university is forging on with one of the brightest prospects in the region.

At Pearson, education and technology are two important tenets upheld through and through even in the smallest avenues, students are taught in ultra-modern facilities and tech-framed environments.

The Vaal University of Technology is a tertiary institution in South Africa. Being one of the largest residential University of Technology, it has about 25 000 students offering English taught programs that total up to 300.

Nelson Mandela University and before that - the University of Port Elizabeth, the Port Elizabeth Technikon and Vista University's Port Elizabeth campus. This South African university has its main administration in the coastal city of Port Elizabeth. Its vission is to be a dynamic African university, recognised for its leadership in generating cutting-edge knowledge for a sustainable future. The mission is to offer a diverse range of life-changing educational experiences for a better world. The values at Nelson Mandela University include respect for diversity, excellence, Ubuntu, social justice and equality, integrity and environmental stewardship. 

The University of Cape Town (UCT) is South Africa's oldest university, and is one of Africa's leading teaching and research institutions. It is an inclusive and engaged research-intensive African university that inspires creativity through outstanding achievements in learning, discovery and citizenship; enhancing the lives of its students and staff, advancing a more equitable and sustainable social order and influencing the global higher education landscape.

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) was founded in 1960 and occupies a unique space in the South African higher education landscape. It is a dynamic institution committed to excellence in learning, teaching, research and innovation in a globally competitive environment whilst remaining true to the values and ethos that have shaped its identity as a university rooted in serving the public good.

CUT is the foremost higher education institution in the heartland of South Africa. The university has two campuses – one in Bloemfontein, the judicial capital of South Africa, and one in Welkom, in the heart of the Free State goldfields. The two campuses offer education opportunities in a number of technological fields, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); management sciences; humanities; and education.

Established in 1960, The University of Zululand (UNIZULU) is a unique, comprehensive University based in the heart of Zululand, on the north coast of KwaZulu­-Natal and is traditionally known for developing communities north of Tugela. It is recognised for excellence in learning and teaching, community engagement projects and its multidisciplinary approach to local, national and international applied and collaborative research.

The Durban University of Technology is university situated in Durban, South Africa. It is a result of the merger in April 2002 of two prestigious technikons, ML Sultan and Technikon Natal. It was named the Durban Institute of Technology and later became the Durban University of Technology. DUT is a university of technology at the forefront of higher education, technological training, research, and innovation.

Sol Plaatje University (SPU) opened in 2014, the first of two new universities to be established in post-apartheid South Africa. It is also the first university to be established in the Northern Cape Province. Positioning itself as a niche university, SPU offers academic programmes of a high intellectual nature in fields that meet the needs of the South African thrust to develop a nation that is proud of its heritage and roots.

The University of Venda, situated in Thohoyandou in the scenic Vhembe district of the Limpopo Province of South Africa was established in 1982. The university has ever experienced tremendous growth and change. From its early years, staff members were drawn from various backgrounds in South Africa but by 1994 staff members were increasingly recruited from other African countries and overseas. The presence on campus of staff from diverse backgrounds created a unique atmosphere and a fertile environment for new ideas and a capacity for change.

The University of Mpumalanga (UMP) is situated in the scenic Province of the rising sun, a context for staff and students’ inspiration. UMP was established in 2013, and enrolled the first cohort of 169 students in February 2014. It is committed to offering its students a life -changing experience through high quality curricula and co-curricula programmes. These programmes promote the principles of excellence and academic integrity.

The University of Fort Hare is a public university in Alice, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is South Africa’s leading Institution in Agricultural Sciences.

The Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA) was established in 1995. It is located in Durban, South Africa. It is a private higher education institution. It offers affordable and accessible higher education including undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. 

This is a university located in the town of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape Province. Stellenbosch University is a public research university and one of the leading tertiary institutions in Africa and internationally recognized as well. Stellenbosch University is south Africas oldest university. it is one of Southern Africa’s leading institutions with regards to pass-rate, research output, and top-rated scientists. 

Founded in 2004. The North-West University is a public research university located on three campuses in Potchefstroom, Mahikeng and Vanderbijlpark in South Africa. The NWU offers more than just an education: we offer people a place in the world. Academically, students benefit from great choice and flexibility, enabling them to fulfill their potential and start preparing for their careers.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is a progressive university focused on transformation as a core strategy. Apart from being a university that excels in teaching, learning, and research, the UFS is focused on making a social impact on society. It is a multi campus public university in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State and the judicial capital of South Africa. It was first established as an institution of higher learning in 1904 as a tertiary section of Grey College

Helderberg College of Higher Education is a private higher education institution situated in Somerset West, South Africa. It is operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church and focuses on the whole person: head, heart and hand, preparing its students thoroughly for all aspects of life: intellectual, professional, practical, spiritual and social. 

Cape Peninsula University of Technology is a university located in South Africa, Cape Town. It is the largest university in the Western Cape Province. The university has six faculties: Applied Sciences, Business, Education and Social Sciences, Engineering, Informatics and Design as well as Health and Wellness Sciences. 

Rhodes University was founded in 1904, the University has a well-established reputation for academic excellence. With just over 8200 students, Rhodes is a small University, which enjoys the distinction of having among the best undergraduate pass and graduation rates in South Africa, outstanding postgraduate success rates, and the best research output per academic staff member. This is a testimony to the quality of students that Rhodes attracts and of academic provision, and to the commitment of Rhodes staff to student development and success.