24 Best Materials Science schools 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 Materials Science. A graph of 1.61M citations received by 88.9K 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 the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Materials Science

#3 in Africa

#531 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

2. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Materials Science

#4 in Africa

#622 in the World

Founded: 1874

3. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Materials Science

#6 in Africa

#667 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

4. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Materials Science

#8 in Africa

#673 in the World

Founded: 1918

5. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Materials Science

#9 in Africa

#757 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

6. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Materials Science

#10 in Africa

#771 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

7. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Materials Science

#20 in Africa

#1165 in the World

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

8. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Materials Science

#22 in Africa

#1207 in the World

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

9. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Materials Science

#24 in Africa

#1245 in the World

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

10. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Materials Science

#28 in Africa

#1340 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

11. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Materials Science

#29 in Africa

#1369 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

12. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Materials Science

#46 in Africa

#1765 in the World

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

13. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Materials Science

#47 in Africa

#1853 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

14. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Materials Science

#65 in Africa

#2161 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

15. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Materials Science

#69 in Africa

#2187 in the World

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

16. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Materials Science

#90 in Africa

#2602 in the World

Founded: 1916

17. Vaal University of Technology

South Africa | Vanderbijlpark

For Materials Science

#97 in Africa

#2662 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1966

18. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Materials Science

#103 in Africa

#2765 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

19. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Materials Science

#105 in Africa

#2784 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

20. Central University of Technology

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Materials Science

#122 in Africa

#3116 in the World

Founded: 1981

21. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Materials Science

#123 in Africa

#3121 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

22. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

South Africa | Pretoria

For Materials Science

#184 in Africa

#4064 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 2014

23. Walter Sisulu University

South Africa | Mthatha

For Materials Science

#210 in Africa

#4443 in the World

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

24. Mangosuthu University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Materials Science

#225 in Africa

#4747 in the World

Founded: 1979

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