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