24 Best universities for Machine Learning 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 Machine Learning. A graph of 616K citations received by 40.8K 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 Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Machine Learning

#2 in Africa

#384 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

2. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Machine Learning

#3 in Africa

#523 in the World

Founded: 1874

3. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Machine Learning

#4 in Africa

#542 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

4. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Machine Learning

#5 in Africa

#563 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

5. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Machine Learning

#7 in Africa

#600 in the World

Founded: 1918

6. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Machine Learning

#10 in Africa

#727 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

7. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Machine Learning

#11 in Africa

#769 in the World

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

8. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Machine Learning

#18 in Africa

#954 in the World

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

9. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Machine Learning

#26 in Africa

#1200 in the World

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

10. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Machine Learning

#60 in Africa

#1853 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

11. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Machine Learning

#63 in Africa

#1957 in the World

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

12. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Machine Learning

#77 in Africa

#2171 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

13. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Machine Learning

#81 in Africa

#2269 in the World

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

14. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Machine Learning

#86 in Africa

#2356 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

15. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Machine Learning

#88 in Africa

#2376 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

16. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Machine Learning

#117 in Africa

#2801 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

17. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Machine Learning

#125 in Africa

#2909 in the World

Founded: 1916

18. Vaal University of Technology

South Africa | Vanderbijlpark

For Machine Learning

#131 in Africa

#3098 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1966

19. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Machine Learning

#132 in Africa

#3114 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

20. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Machine Learning

#154 in Africa

#3427 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

21. Central University of Technology

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Machine Learning

#157 in Africa

#3444 in the World

Founded: 1981

22. Walter Sisulu University

South Africa | Mthatha

For Machine Learning

#166 in Africa

#3535 in the World

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

23. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

South Africa | Pretoria

For Machine Learning

#197 in Africa

#4068 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 2014

24. Mangosuthu University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Machine Learning

#245 in Africa

#4748 in the World

Founded: 1979

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