24 Best universities for Environmental Science 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 Environmental Science. A graph of 4.9M citations received by 291K 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 Environmental Science

#1 in Africa

#168 in the World

Founded: 1874

2. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Environmental Science

#2 in Africa

#243 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

3. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Environmental Science

#3 in Africa

#281 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

4. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Environmental Science

#4 in Africa

#296 in the World

Founded: 1918

5. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Environmental Science

#5 in Africa

#297 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

6. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Environmental Science

#9 in Africa

#642 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

7. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Environmental Science

#10 in Africa

#686 in the World

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

8. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Environmental Science

#13 in Africa

#752 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

9. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Environmental Science

#14 in Africa

#769 in the World

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

10. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Environmental Science

#17 in Africa

#826 in the World

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

11. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Environmental Science

#27 in Africa

#1045 in the World

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

12. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Environmental Science

#40 in Africa

#1286 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

13. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Environmental Science

#47 in Africa

#1423 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

14. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Environmental Science

#48 in Africa

#1458 in the World

Founded: 1916

15. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Environmental Science

#66 in Africa

#1848 in the World

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

16. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Environmental Science

#67 in Africa

#1854 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

17. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Environmental Science

#70 in Africa

#1890 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

18. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Environmental Science

#95 in Africa

#2222 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

19. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Environmental Science

#100 in Africa

#2318 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

20. Central University of Technology

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Environmental Science

#143 in Africa

#3105 in the World

Founded: 1981

21. Vaal University of Technology

South Africa | Vanderbijlpark

For Environmental Science

#144 in Africa

#3118 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1966

22. Walter Sisulu University

South Africa | Mthatha

For Environmental Science

#183 in Africa

#3815 in the World

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

23. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

South Africa | Pretoria

For Environmental Science

#190 in Africa

#3929 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 2014

24. Mangosuthu University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Environmental Science

#226 in Africa

#4469 in the World

Founded: 1979

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