South Africa Universities and Colleges

Overview

Overview of Higher Education in South Africa

South Africa has over one million students attending approximately 100 institutions of higher education. Its universities are the most highly ranked on the African continent and offer a vast array of programs. The public universities were recently restructured and merged, resulting in over 20 general and technology universities.

The Minister of Education and Training oversees education policy and quality assurance while the South African Council on Higher Education is responsible for advising the Minister of Education on higher education policy and for conducting quality assurance evaluations of all higher education institutions.

Admission to public universities is based on National Senior Certificate exam scores and/or the National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) which are used as standardized entrance exams. Students apply to and are accepted by individual schools and programs which have varying minimum scores required for entrance. Tuition at public universities varies by school but is generally less than at public universities in the US. Private universities charge higher tuitions but are still reasonable by western standards.

Types of Schools and Degrees

As of 2010, there were over 20 public universities including 6 universities of technology as well as another 100 private institutions of higher education. The universities offer a vast array of subject areas while private schools offer programs in limited subject areas. Private schools, which are attended by a small portion of the population, are focused more on vocational subjects and offer non-degree diploma and certificate programs as well as degree programs.

South African universities and other institutions offer three-year bachelor's degrees, honor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees. At some schools, students who are less academically prepared may attend an extended bachelor's degree program which lasts four years.

International Students

About seven percent of South Africa's higher education students are from outside the country, primarily from other African countries. Foreign students can attend full degree programs or attend school through an exchange program or a study-abroad program. Undergraduate courses are primarily taught in Africaans, which developed from the Dutch language, while postgraduate courses are generally taught in English.

International students pay more for tuition than South African residents and residents of some other African countries. In some cases, these costs are similar to the cost of attending a university or college in the US.

About South Africa

South Africa is located at the southern tip of Africa and with a long coastline along the South Atlantic and Indian oceans. Its population of approximately 50 million people speaks 11 different languages of which Afrikaans is the most widely used. English is commonly used in business and government but is used as the primary language by only one fifth of residents.

South Africa has the largest economy among the African Union member countries. It is considered a middle-income country but has a high rate of poverty, low per capita GDP, high rates of unemployment and wide income disparities as a result of apartheid rule. Improvements are being made to reverse the educational and economic effects of apartheid policies but much work remains to be done. South Africa's literacy rate is about 86 percent overall but is much lower among the poor, rural black population. It ranks in the lower half of countries on the United Nations Human Development Index which looks at a combination of life expectancy, education and standard of living.

Resources

Higher Education South Africa (HESA)

Council on Higher Education – South Africa

Department of Higher Education and Training