19 Best universities for Public Policy / Administration 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 Public Policy / Administration. A graph of 61.5K citations received by 7.89K academic papers made by 19 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 Public Policy / Administration

#1 in Africa

#122 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

2. University of Cape Town

South Africa | Cape Town

For Public Policy / Administration

#2 in Africa

#135 in the World

Founded: 1874

3. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa | Durban

For Public Policy / Administration

#3 in Africa

#226 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

4. University of Johannesburg

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Public Policy / Administration

#4 in Africa

#258 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

5. University of Pretoria

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Policy / Administration

#5 in Africa

#271 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

6. University of South Africa

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Policy / Administration

#6 in Africa

#272 in the World

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

7. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Public Policy / Administration

#7 in Africa

#297 in the World

Founded: 1918

8. North-West University

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Public Policy / Administration

#9 in Africa

#340 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 Public Policy / Administration

#12 in Africa

#386 in the World

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

10. University of the Free State

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Public Policy / Administration

#15 in Africa

#464 in the World

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

11. Rhodes University

South Africa | Makhanda

For Public Policy / Administration

#20 in Africa

#595 in the World

Enrollment: 8,200
Founded: 1904

12. University of Limpopo

South Africa | Mankweng

For Public Policy / Administration

#26 in Africa

#741 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

13. University of Fort Hare

South Africa | Alice

For Public Policy / Administration

#36 in Africa

#890 in the World

Founded: 1916

14. Nelson Mandela University

South Africa | Port Elizabeth

For Public Policy / Administration

#38 in Africa

#922 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Founded: 2005

15. Durban University of Technology

South Africa | Durban

For Public Policy / Administration

#46 in Africa

#1047 in the World

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

16. University of Zululand

South Africa | Kwadlangezwa

For Public Policy / Administration

#56 in Africa

#1187 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1960

17. Tshwane University of Technology

South Africa | Pretoria

For Public Policy / Administration

#58 in Africa

#1204 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Founded: 2003

18. Cape Peninsula University of Technology

South Africa | Cape Town

For Public Policy / Administration

#72 in Africa

#1451 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2005

19. University of Venda

South Africa | Thohoyandou

For Public Policy / Administration

#79 in Africa

#1510 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1982

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