24 Best universities for Neuroscience in South Africa

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in South Africa ranked based on their research performance in Neuroscience. A graph of 527K citations received by 32K academic papers made by 24 universities in South Africa was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Neuroscience

#1 in Africa

#406 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Neuroscience

#3 in Africa

#525 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

3. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Neuroscience

#4 in Africa

#544 in the World

Founded: 1918

4. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Neuroscience

#5 in Africa

#659 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

5. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Neuroscience

#7 in Africa

#744 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

6. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Neuroscience

#11 in Africa

#938 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Enrollment: 26,439
Male:Female: 42:58
Founded: 2004

7. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Neuroscience

#17 in Africa

#1221 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

8. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Neuroscience

#18 in Africa

#1245 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Male:Female: 36:64
Founded: 1873

9. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Neuroscience

#26 in Africa

#1477 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 24,754
Founded: 1959

10. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Neuroscience

#27 in Africa

#1482 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 37,000
Founded: 1904

11. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Neuroscience

#29 in Africa

#1535 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

12. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Neuroscience

#43 in Africa

#1868 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

13. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Neuroscience

#48 in Africa

#2090 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

14. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Neuroscience

#50 in Africa

#2210 in the World

Founded: 1916

15. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

South Africa | Pretoria

For Neuroscience

#59 in Africa

#2326 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 2014

16. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Neuroscience

#72 in Africa

#2711 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

17. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Neuroscience

#73 in Africa

#2741 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

18. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Neuroscience

#76 in Africa

#2779 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

19. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Neuroscience

#88 in Africa

#3124 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 10,213
Founded: 2002

20. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Neuroscience

#106 in Africa

#3375 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

21. Vaal University of Technology

South Africa | Vanderbijlpark

For Neuroscience

#109 in Africa

#3388 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1966

22. Walter Sisulu University

South Africa | Mthatha

For Neuroscience

#136 in Africa

#3932 in the World

Enrollment: 27,039
Male:Female: 43:57
Founded: 2005

23. Central University of Technology

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Neuroscience

#142 in Africa

#4111 in the World

Founded: 1981

24. Mangosuthu University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Neuroscience

#228 in Africa

#5056 in the World

Founded: 1979

The best cities to study Neuroscience in South Africa based on the number of universities and their ranks are Cape Town, Johannesburg, Stellenbosch, and Pretoria.

Biology subfields in South Africa