Best Universities for Applied/Engineering Physics 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 Applied/Engineering Physics. A graph of 127K citations received by 7.31K academic papers made by 43 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 Stellenbosch

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Stellenbosch

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1 in South Africa

#527 in the World

Founded: 1918

2. Cadi Ayyad University

Morocco | Marrakesh

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#542 in the World

3. Tanta University

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1 in Egypt

#564 in the World

Founded: 1972

4. University of the Witwatersrand

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#2 in South Africa

#592 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1922

5. University of Monastir

Tunisia | Monastir

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#691 in the World

6. Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology

Egypt | New Borg El Arab

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#2 in Egypt

#712 in the World

Enrollment: 3,741
Male:Female: 59:41
Founded: 2010

7. Benha University

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#3 in Egypt

#726 in the World

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

8. Mansoura University

Egypt | Mansoura

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#4 in Egypt

#732 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1972

9. Cairo University

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#5 in Egypt

#773 in the World

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

10. University of Pretoria

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#3 in South Africa

#798 in the World

Enrollment: 48,174
Founded: 1908

11. Ain Shams University

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#6 in Egypt

#808 in the World

Enrollment: 220,000
Founded: 1950

12. University of Sfax

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#830 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 33,193

13. University of Cape Town

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Cape Town

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#4 in South Africa

#841 in the World

Founded: 1874

14. Tunis University

Tunisia | Tunis

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#854 in the World

15. Hassan II University of Casablanca

Morocco | Casablanca

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#893 in the World

16. Alexandria University

Egypt | Alexandria

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#7 in Egypt

#933 in the World

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

17. Assiut University

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#8 in Egypt

#949 in the World

Founded: 1957

18. University of KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Durban

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#5 in South Africa

#983 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 2004

19. University of Johannesburg

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Johannesburg

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#6 in South Africa

#990 in the World

Enrollment: 49,910
Founded: 2005

20. University of Nigeria

Nigeria | Nsukka

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1 in Nigeria

#1053 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1960

21. University of Tunis El Manar

Tunisia | Tunis

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1054 in the World

22. Mohammed V University

Morocco | Rabat

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1057 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%

23. Zagazig University

Egypt | Zagazig

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#9 in Egypt

#1077 in the World

Enrollment: 117,299
Founded: 1974

24. University of the Free State

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Bloemfontein

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#7 in South Africa

#1094 in the World

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

25. Kafrelsheikh University

Egypt | Kafr El Sheikh

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#10 in Egypt

#1113 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Founded: 2006

26. Menoufia University

Egypt | Shibin El Kom

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#11 in Egypt

#1118 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1976

27. University of Tlemcen

Algeria | Tlemcen

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1210 in the World

28. Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1239 in the World

29. University of Batna 1

Algeria | Batna

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1240 in the World

30. Minia University

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#12 in Egypt

#1283 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Founded: 1976

31. Helwan University

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#13 in Egypt

#1347 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1975

32. Abdelmalek Essaadi University

Morocco | Tetouan

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1366 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%

33. University of South Africa

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Pretoria

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#8 in South Africa

#1370 in the World

Enrollment: 420,000
Founded: 1873

34. University of Sousse

Tunisia | Sousse

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1375 in the World

Enrollment: 19,311

35. Ferhat Abbas Setif University 1

Algeria | Setif

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1388 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%

36. Al-Azhar University

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#14 in Egypt

#1418 in the World

Founded: 1961

37. University of Annaba

Algeria | Annaba

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1434 in the World

Enrollment: 39,916

38. Ibn Tofail University

Morocco | Kenitra

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1451 in the World

39. University of Khartoum

Sudan | Khartoum

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1 in Sudan

#1452 in the World

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

40. University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene

Algeria | Algiers

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1457 in the World

Enrollment: 54,549

41. North-West University

South Africa Flag

South Africa | Potchefstroom

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#9 in South Africa

#1463 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 2004

42. University of Science and Technology of Oran

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1496 in the World

Enrollment: 18,484

43. University of Constantine 1

Algeria | Constantine

For Applied/Engineering Physics

#1508 in the World

Physics subfields in Africa

Acoustical Engineering224

Astrophysics and Astronomy247

Atomic and Molecular physics95

Condensed Matter Physics138

Materials Science317

Medical Physics28

Nanotechnology222

Nuclear Physics197

Optical Engineering281

Quantum and Particle physics334

Theoretical Physics99