There are 26 public (i.e. state-funded) higher education institutions in South Africa and more than 90 (in 2015) registered private higher education institutions.
Which are the public universities in South Africa?
The public institutions are divided into three types: 14 traditional universities (which mainly offer theoretically-oriented university degrees), six comprehensive universities (which offer academic and vocational certificates, diplomas and degrees) and six universities of technology (which offer vocationally-oriented diplomas and degrees). The 20 public universities include two new ones that were established in August 2013 in the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga, and the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) that was launched in Gauteng in April 2015. (Note: Universities of technology are described in a separate section on the website.)
View the universities of technology
Note: **Indicates the six comprehensive universities that offer a combination of academic and vocational diplomas and degrees.
| Name | Location & campuses | Website | |
| Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University ** | Eastern Cape: Port Elizabeth Western Cape: George |
www.nmmu.ac.za | |
| North-West University | North West Province: Mafikeng, Mankwe, Potchefstroom Gauteng: Vanderbijlpark |
www.nwu.ac.za | |
| Rhodes University | Eastern Cape: Grahamstown | www.ru.ac.za | |
| Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University | Gauteng: Ga-Rankuwa (launched in April 2015) | www.smu.ac.za | |
| Sol Plaatje University | Northern Cape: Kimberley (established in August 2013) | www.spu.ac.za | |
| University of Cape Town | Western Cape: Cape Town | www.uct.ac.za | |
| University of Fort Hare | Eastern Cape: Alice, East London, Bisho | www.ufh.ac.za | |
| University of Johannesburg ** | Gauteng: Johannesburg, Soweto | www.uj.ac.za | |
| University of KwaZulu-Natal | KwaZulu-Natal: Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Pinetown, Westville | www.ukzn.ac.za | |
| University of Limpopo | Limpopo: Polokwane, Turfloop | www.ul.ac.za | |
| University of Mpumalanga | Mpumalanga: Mbombela, Siyabuswa (established in August 2013) | www.ump.ac.za | |
| University of Pretoria | Gauteng: Pretoria, Johannesburg | www.up.ac.za | |
| University of South Africa ** | Gauteng: Headquarters in Pretoria and campuses nationwide | www.unisa.ac.za | |
| University of Stellenbosch | Western Cape: Stellenbosch, Saldanha Bay, Bellville, Tygerberg | www.sun.ac.za | |
| University of the Free State | Free State: Bloemfontein, QwaQwa | www.ufs.ac.za | |
| University of the Western Cape | Western Cape: Bellville | www.uwc.ac.za | |
| University of the Witwatersrand | Gauteng: Johannesburg | www.wits.ac.za | |
| University of Venda ** | Limpopo: Thohoyandou | www.univen.ac.za | |
| University of Zululand ** | KwaZulu-Natal: Empangeni | www.uzulu.ac.za | |
| Walter Sisulu University ** | Eastern Cape: East London, Butterworth, Mthatha, Queenstown | www.wsu.ac.za | |
| Universities of Technology | |||
| Cape Peninsula University of Technology | Western Cape: Cape Town | www.cput.ac.za | |
| Central University of Technology | Free State: Bloemfontein, Welkom Northern Cape: Kimberley |
www.cut.ac.za | |
| Durban University of Technology | KwaZulu-Natal: Durban, Pietermaritzburg | www.dut.ac.za | |
| Mangosuthu University of Technology | KwaZulu-Natal: Umlazi | www.mut.ac.za | |
| Tshwane University of Technology | Gauteng: Pretoria, Soshanguve, Ga-Rankuwa Mpumalanga: Mbombela, eMalahleni Limpopo: Polokwane A footprint in the North-West Province |
www.tut.ac.za | |
| Vaal University of Technology | Gauteng: Vanderbijlpark, Secunda, Kempton Park, Sebokeng Northern Cape: Upington |
www.vut.ac.za | |