24 Best universities for Anthropology 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 Anthropology. A graph of 442K citations received by 41.4K 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 Anthropology

#1 in Africa

#132 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

2. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Anthropology

#2 in Africa

#143 in the World

Founded: 1874

3. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Anthropology

#3 in Africa

#193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

4. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Anthropology

#4 in Africa

#209 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

5. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Anthropology

#5 in Africa

#213 in the World

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

6. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Anthropology

#6 in Africa

#242 in the World

Founded: 1918

7. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Anthropology

#7 in Africa

#312 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

8. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Anthropology

#8 in Africa

#353 in the World

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

9. University of the Western Cape

South Africa | Bellville

For Anthropology

#11 in Africa

#449 in the World

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

10. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Anthropology

#13 in Africa

#624 in the World

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

11. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Anthropology

#16 in Africa

#718 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

12. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Anthropology

#21 in Africa

#854 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

13. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Anthropology

#25 in Africa

#965 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

14. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Anthropology

#34 in Africa

#1150 in the World

Founded: 1916

15. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Anthropology

#36 in Africa

#1207 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

16. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Anthropology

#37 in Africa

#1223 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

17. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Anthropology

#38 in Africa

#1252 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

18. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Anthropology

#44 in Africa

#1376 in the World

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

19. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Anthropology

#50 in Africa

#1574 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

20. Vaal University of Technology

South Africa | Vanderbijlpark

For Anthropology

#61 in Africa

#1786 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1966

21. Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

South Africa | Pretoria

For Anthropology

#66 in Africa

#1866 in the World

Enrollment: 5,000
Founded: 2014

22. Walter Sisulu University

South Africa | Mthatha

For Anthropology

#69 in Africa

#1909 in the World

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

23. Central University of Technology

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Anthropology

#96 in Africa

#2414 in the World

Founded: 1981

24. Mangosuthu University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Anthropology

#207 in Africa

#3951 in the World

Founded: 1979

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