South Africa is home to over 20 public universities, with tuition fees varying according to each university’s policies, the program type, and the course duration.
According to the latest ranking from Times Higher Education for 2026, 13 of these universities are recognised among the world’s top tertiary institutions.
This ranking evaluates the global performance of research-intensive universities and includes 2,100 institutions across 108 countries and regions.
The ranking is based on 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators that assess various aspects of an institution, including teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and international outlook.
The ranking showed the University of Oxford as the best university in the world, ranking in first place for the ninth consecutive year since 2017.
The University of Cape Town remained the best university in South Africa, ranking 164th in 2026, a significant improvement from 180th in 2025.
Universities that are not in the top 300 are not ranked individually; instead, they are categorised into ranges.
For local universities that stay within the same range, it can be challenging to determine whether they have improved or declined in their overall ranking.
Stellenbosch University is ranked in the 301-350th place again for 2026, where it has been placed since 2024.
The University of the Witwatersrand slipped from the 201-300th group in 2025 to the 301-350th group in 2026.
The University of Pretoria improved its ranking from the 601-800 range in 2025 to the 501-600 group in 2026.
Universities such as Nelson Mandela University and Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University are ranked in the 1201-1500 range, while Durban University of Technology is ranked in the 1501+ range.
Attending local universities is the most cost-effective choice for South Africans seeking quality education.
University fees 2026
BusinessTech examined the costs associated with a year’s study at universities across the country for 2026.
The fees mentioned apply to first-year studies for 2026 and serve as approximations; they exclude other costs such as textbooks, travel, and accommodation.
The analysis includes fees for the following undergraduate degrees:
- Bachelor of Commerce (BCom)
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Bachelor of Science (BSc)
- Bachelor of Law (LLB, undergraduate)
- Bachelor of Science/Engineering (BEng)
Tuition fees are typically charged per module needed to accumulate the credits required for a given degree.
Therefore, the fees outlined provide a general idea of the cost of a single year of study rather than a comprehensive overview.
A Bachelor of Science in Engineering is included for institutions that do not offer a Bachelor of Engineering program.
| University | BA | BCom | BSc | LLB | BEng |
| University of Cape Town | R 79 000 | R62 340 to R 110 580 | R 87 000 | R 80 410 | R 82 820 to R 89 780 |
| University of the Witwatersrand | R61 480 to R77 250 | R62 830 to R85 260 | R52 050 to R80 750 | R47 930 to R83 760 | R 76 320 |
| Stellenbosch University | R57 767 | R 59 856 | R 72 647 | R 61 121 | R 81 563 |
| University of KwaZulu Natal | R54 065 | R57 836 | R47 848 to R68 224 | R54 911 | R64 167 |
| University of Pretoria | R60 000 to R70 000 | R60 000 to R72 000 | R64 000 to R95 000 | R65 000 to R75 000 | R62 000 to R80 000 |
| Rhodes University | R63 519 | R69 494 | R66 082 | R 71 254 | N/A |
| University of Johannesburg | R49 800 to R61 520 | R53 730 to R81 550 | R52 140 to R87 000 | R50 370 to R57 850 | R58 870 to R72 780 |
| University of Free State | R59 980 | R60 380 | R53 600 to R80 760 | R49 130 | N/A |
Note: These are 2026 fee estimates available on the respective websites at the time of publication.
Some universities calculate their fees per module, require student registration, or do not provide an estimated degree value by the time of publication.
