Best Universities for Optometry in Africa

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Africa ranked based on their research performance in Optometry. A graph of 117K citations received by 8.5K academic papers made by 55 universities in 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 KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Durban

For Optometry

#1 in South Africa

#58 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

2. Cairo University

For Optometry

#1 in Egypt

#180 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Enrollment: 207,853
Founded: 1908

3. University of Cape Town

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Cape Town

For Optometry

#2 in South Africa

#206 in the World

Founded: 1874

4. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Optometry

#3 in South Africa

#234 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

5. University of Gondar

Ethiopia | Gondar

For Optometry

#258 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 49,103
Male:Female: 58:42
Founded: 1954

6. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Optometry

#2 in Egypt

#273 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 197,278
Founded: 1942

7. University of Ibadan

Nigeria | Ibadan

For Optometry

#278 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 41,269
Founded: 1948

8. Ain Shams University

For Optometry

#3 in Egypt

#283 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

9. University of Limpopo

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Mankweng

For Optometry

#4 in South Africa

#380 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1959

10. University of Nairobi

Kenya | Nairobi

For Optometry

#1 in Kenya

#387 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1970

11. University of Johannesburg

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Optometry

#5 in South Africa

#388 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

12. University of Cape Coast

Ghana | Cape Coast

For Optometry

#1 in Ghana

#396 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1962

13. Jimma University

Ethiopia | Jimma

For Optometry

#398 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1983

14. Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For Optometry

#2 in Ghana

#412 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Enrollment: 85,000
Founded: 1951

15. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Optometry

#4 in Egypt

#436 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

16. University of Benin

Nigeria | Benin

For Optometry

#438 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1970

17. Obafemi Awolowo University

For Optometry

#463 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Enrollment: 32,480
Founded: 1962

18. Addis Ababa University

Ethiopia | Addis Ababa

For Optometry

#469 in the World

Founded: 1950

19. University of Stellenbosch

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Optometry

#6 in South Africa

#484 in the World

Founded: 1918

20. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Optometry

#5 in Egypt

#545 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

21. University of Calabar

Nigeria | Calabar

For Optometry

#546 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 40,645
Founded: 1975

22. University of Pretoria

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Optometry

#7 in South Africa

#553 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

23. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Optometry

#554 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

24. Sohag university

Egypt | Nasser City

For Optometry

#6 in Egypt

#563 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 2006

25. Al-Azhar University

For Optometry

#7 in Egypt

#586 in the World

Founded: 1961

26. University of the Free State

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Optometry

#8 in South Africa

#598 in the World

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

27. Benha University

For Optometry

#8 in Egypt

#599 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Enrollment: 88,016
Founded: 1976

28. Suez Canal University

Egypt | Ismailia

For Optometry

#9 in Egypt

#602 in the World

Enrollment: 40,317
Founded: 1976

29. Assiut University

For Optometry

#10 in Egypt

#637 in the World

Founded: 1957

30. Bayero University Kano

For Optometry

#651 in the World

Enrollment: 45,810
Founded: 1975

31. University of Malawi

For Optometry

#1 in Malawi

#665 in the World

Enrollment: 10,500
Founded: 1964

32. Tanta University

For Optometry

#11 in Egypt

#667 in the World

Founded: 1972

33. University of Ghana

For Optometry

#3 in Ghana

#676 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1948

34. Minia University

For Optometry

#12 in Egypt

#681 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

35. University of Lagos

Nigeria | Lagos

For Optometry

#695 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 48,680
Founded: 1962

36. Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti

Nigeria | Ado Ekiti

For Optometry

#702 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1982

37. Makerere University

Uganda | Kampala

For Optometry

#1 in Uganda

#709 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1922

38. University of Abuja

Nigeria | Abuja

For Optometry

#714 in the World

Enrollment: 35,372
Founded: 1988

39. University of Ilorin

Nigeria | Ilorin

For Optometry

#10 in Nigeria

#744 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 76,000
Founded: 1975

40. Neelain University

Sudan | Khartoum

For Optometry

#1 in Sudan

#751 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Founded: 1993

41. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

For Optometry

#771 in the World

42. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Optometry

#13 in Egypt

#785 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

43. Ahmadu Bello University

Nigeria | Zaria

For Optometry

#11 in Nigeria

#804 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 49,436
Founded: 1962

44. University of Kinshasa

DR Congo | Kinshasa

For Optometry

#1 in the DR Congo

#832 in the World

Founded: 1954

45. Bahir Dar University

Ethiopia | Bahir Dar

For Optometry

#849 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 2001

46. University of Jos

For Optometry

#12 in Nigeria

#850 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 52,000
Founded: 1975

47. Enugu State University of Science and Technology

Nigeria | Enugu

For Optometry

#13 in Nigeria

#856 in the World

Founded: 1981

48. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Optometry

#1 in Morocco

#861 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

49. University of South Africa

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Optometry

#9 in South Africa

#864 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Founded: 1873

50. University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria | Port Harcourt

For Optometry

#14 in Nigeria

#890 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Founded: 1975

51. Hawassa University

Ethiopia | Awasa

For Optometry

#893 in the World

Enrollment: 30,414
Male:Female: 75:25
Founded: 1976

52. Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences

Tanzania | Dar es Salaam

For Optometry

#919 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 2007

53. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Optometry

#2 in Sudan

#937 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 41,030
Founded: 1956

54. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Optometry

#950 in the World

55. Nnamdi Azikiwe University

For Optometry

#15 in Nigeria

#953 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1991

Medicine subfields in Africa

Anatomy and Physiology227

Anesthesiology148

Bioethics/Medical Ethics51

Biomedical Engineering36

Clinical Psychology156

Critical Care Nursing139

Epidemiology126

Family medicine231

Forensic Science55

Gastroenterology and Hepatology163

Health Science235

Healthcare Management (MHA)208

Medical Physics28

Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN)191

Occupational Therapy32

Oncology and Cancer research193

Ophthalmology75

Paramedicine and Emergency medicine151

Pharmacology222

Physical Therapy161

Plastic Surgery33

Public Health334

Radiation Therapy61

Radiology and Nuclear medicine235

Respiratory Therapy33

Sonography and Ultrasound33

Sports / Exercise science31

Sports Medicine74