24 Best universities for Engineering 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 Engineering. A graph of 3.69M citations received by 217K 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 Engineering

#2 in Africa

#457 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Engineering

#3 in Africa

#505 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

3. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Engineering

#4 in Africa

#545 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

4. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Engineering

#5 in Africa

#560 in the World

Founded: 1918

5. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Engineering

#7 in Africa

#583 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

6. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Engineering

#11 in Africa

#778 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

7. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Engineering

#15 in Africa

#1046 in the World

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

8. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Engineering

#20 in Africa

#1170 in the World

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

9. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Engineering

#25 in Africa

#1215 in the World

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

10. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Engineering

#28 in Africa

#1360 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

11. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Engineering

#31 in Africa

#1425 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

12. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Engineering

#37 in Africa

#1598 in the World

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

13. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Engineering

#56 in Africa

#1902 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

14. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Engineering

#63 in Africa

#2029 in the World

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

15. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Engineering

#71 in Africa

#2119 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

16. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Engineering

#87 in Africa

#2372 in the World

Founded: 1916

17. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Engineering

#105 in Africa

#2724 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

18. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Engineering

#106 in Africa

#2774 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

19. Vaal University of Technology

South Africa | Vanderbijlpark

For Engineering

#113 in Africa

#2910 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1966

20. Central University of Technology

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Engineering

#119 in Africa

#3046 in the World

Founded: 1981

21. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Engineering

#128 in Africa

#3205 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

22. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

South Africa | Pretoria

For Engineering

#188 in Africa

#4219 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 2014

23. Walter Sisulu University

South Africa | Mthatha

For Engineering

#189 in Africa

#4247 in the World

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

24. Mangosuthu University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Engineering

#212 in Africa

#4599 in the World

Founded: 1979

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