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All universities in Sri Lanka Public universities27
Bachelor's universities8 Bachelor's programs120 Diploma programs57 Master's programs32
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8 Best Public Bachelor's Universities in Sri Lanka

University of Sri Jayawardenapura tops our list of 8 Public Bachelor's universities in Sri Lanka on research impact (231,593 citations). University of Jaffna (#7 in Sri Lanka) and Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIT) (#9 in Sri Lanka) complete the top three. Across the whole list there are 120 courses to choose from.

8 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
2Top pick
UJ University of Jaffna logo
#7 in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

University of Jaffna

Public University · 7 courses in Bachelor's

All 7 courses →
—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#7 in Sri Lanka · by research impact
87,265 citations · h-index 104
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3Top pick
SL Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIT) logo
#9 in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIT)

Public University · 15 courses in Bachelor's

All 15 courses →
—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#9 in Sri Lanka · by research impact
71,093 citations · h-index 75
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5Ranked
OU Open University of Sri Lanka logo
#13 in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

Open University of Sri Lanka

Public University · 44 courses in Bachelor's

All 44 courses →
—Tuition (indicative)
1990Founded
40,000Students
—International
Admissions open
#13 in Sri Lanka · by research impact
26,446 citations · h-index 67
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7Ranked
UV University of the Visual & Performing Arts logo
#18 in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

University of the Visual & Performing Arts

Public University · 3 courses in Bachelor's

—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#18 in Sri Lanka · by research impact
3,492 citations · h-index 28
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8Ranked
BP Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka logo
#20 in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka

Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka

Public University · 46 courses in Bachelor's

All 46 courses →
—Tuition (indicative)
1981Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#20 in Sri Lanka · by research impact
271 citations · h-index 6
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Public Universities Bachelor's Universities

How these universities are ranked

The rest are ordered by research impact. University of Sri Jayawardenapura has the largest research record in this group, with 231,593 citations and an h-index of 164.

Public, private and where they are

The split is 8 public to 0 private institutions. The oldest is Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, founded in 1981. Open University of Sri Lanka is the largest, with 40,000 students.

What the courses look like

The most common subjects are Engineering (16), Business & Management (16), Arts, Design & Architecture (7) and Social Sciences & Psychology (7). The usual length is 3 Years and Minimum 5 Years. 100% are full-time. Start dates lean to Fall (68% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (64% of courses with a stated intake). Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka offers the widest choice, with 46 of these courses.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in Sri Lanka for Public Bachelor's?

University of Sri Jayawardenapura (#3 in Sri Lanka), University of Jaffna (#7 in Sri Lanka) and Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIT) (#9 in Sri Lanka) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

How many public universities offer Public Bachelor's in Sri Lanka?

8 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public Bachelor's course take in Sri Lanka?

Most listed courses run 3 Years, with Minimum 5 Years the next most common.

When do Public Bachelor's courses start in Sri Lanka?

Fall is the main intake — 68% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Which university has the most Public Bachelor's courses in Sri Lanka?

Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, with 46, ahead of Open University of Sri Lanka (44).

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