5 Best Bachelor's Universities in South Africa

University of Pretoria tops our list of 5 Bachelor's universities in South Africa at #362 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Next come University of Fort Hare (#16 in South Africa) and Walter Sisulu University for Technology and Science (#23 in South Africa). Across the whole list there are 75 courses to choose from.

Subject

Level

University type

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Universities 5 Programs 75 Scholarships 1

5 universities · ranked best first

how we rank

1Best overall

QS World #362 #4 in South Africa South Africa

University of Pretoria

Public University · 18 courses in Bachelor's

All 18 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#362 QS World University Rankings 2026

#4 in South Africa

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2Top pick

#16 in South Africa South Africa

University of Fort Hare

Public University · 7 courses in Bachelor's

All 7 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

1916Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#16 in South Africa · by research impact

353,278 citations · h-index 198

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3Top pick

#23 in South Africa South Africa

Walter Sisulu University for Technology and Science

Public University · 9 courses in Bachelor's

All 9 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

2005Founded

27,500Students

—International

Admissions open

#23 in South Africa · by research impact

95,775 citations · h-index 110

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4Ranked

#24 in South Africa South Africa

Central University of Technology

Public University · 18 courses in Bachelor's

All 18 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#24 in South Africa · by research impact

80,425 citations · h-index 103

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5Ranked

#26 in South Africa South Africa

Univerisity of Mpumalanga

Public University · 23 courses in Bachelor's

All 23 courses →

—Tuition (indicative)

—Founded

—Students

—International

Admissions open

#26 in South Africa · by research impact

28,388 citations · h-index 65

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How these universities are ranked

Only one university here holds a QS World position — University of Pretoria at #362 — so it heads the list. The rest are ordered by research impact. University of Pretoria has the largest research record in this group, with 3,266,028 citations and an h-index of 428.

Public, private and where they are

The split is 5 public to 0 private institutions. The oldest is University of Fort Hare, founded in 1916. Walter Sisulu University for Technology and Science is the largest, with 27,500 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

The most common subjects are Business & Management (22), Medicine & Health Sciences (8), Languages & Linguistics (5) and Arts, Design & Architecture (5). The usual length is 4 years and 3 years. 100% are full-time. Start dates lean to Fall (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (100% of courses with a stated intake). Univerisity of Mpumalanga offers the widest choice, with 23 of these courses.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in South Africa for Bachelor's?

University of Pretoria (QS World #362), University of Fort Hare (#16 in South Africa) and Walter Sisulu University for Technology and Science (#23 in South Africa) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

How many public universities offer Bachelor's in South Africa?

5 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Bachelor's course take in South Africa?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 3 years the next most common.

When do Bachelor's courses start in South Africa?

Fall is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Which university has the most Bachelor's courses in South Africa?

Univerisity of Mpumalanga, with 23, ahead of University of Pretoria (18).

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