Study in South Africa

South Africa has 26 public universities and more than a hundred registered private higher education institutions. Teaching is in English. The academic year runs from February to November or early December. In 2027, classes at Wits, Pretoria and Johannesburg start on 8 February.

Types of universities and colleges

• Traditional universities (11) concentrate on academic degrees and research.
• Comprehensive universities (9) offer both academic degrees and career-focused diplomas.
• Universities of technology (6) offer practical, career-focused qualifications, often with workplace training.
• Private colleges and universities must be registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). Before you apply or pay any fees, look up both the institution and your course in DHET's register. If either is missing, the qualification may not be recognised.

Degrees and how long they take

Every qualification sits on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), which runs from level 5 to level 10. A revised framework published on 3 July 2026 kept the degree levels below unchanged.

• Bachelor's degree: usually 3 years (NQF 7). Professional degrees such as engineering usually take 4 years (NQF 8).
• Honours degree: usually one extra year after a 3-year bachelor's (NQF 8), and normally required before a master's.
• Master's degree: NQF 9, by research or by coursework.
• Doctorate (PhD): NQF 10.

How much it costs

Students from outside the Southern African Development Community (SADC) usually pay more than South Africans and SADC citizens. Some examples for 2026:

• University of Cape Town: typical first-year BCom tuition is R62,340 to R110,580. Undergraduates from African countries outside SADC also pay an International Term Fee of R60,300 and an International Administrative Fee of R5,600 each year, and must make a first payment of R121,700 before registering.
• Wits: undergraduates from outside SADC pay double the local tuition, plus an International Registration Fee of R6,970 a year. Postgraduates pay local tuition plus the same fee.
• University of Pretoria: double local tuition for coursework programmes, plus a R4,725 international levy.

For living costs, Wits suggests R8,000 to R15,000 a month, while UCT estimates at least R133,960 a year for food and housing off campus.

Applying

• Deadlines come early. Applications usually open in April of the year before you start. For February 2027 entry, UCT closed undergraduate applications on 31 July 2026 and postgraduate ones on 30 September, and Wits closed most undergraduate programmes on 30 September (health sciences on 30 June).
• School leavers need a matriculation exemption. The Matriculation Board of Universities South Africa (USAf) checks whether your school results are good enough for degree study. The 2026 fee is R1,070, and it is not refunded if you do not qualify. For a foreign conditional exemption, your university usually applies on your behalf.
• Check your qualification early. School-leaving certificates from many countries are not enough on their own. The Board's online self-check shows the rule for your country, and your university has its own entry rules too.
• Postgraduate applicants: the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) evaluates foreign degrees against the NQF. Ask your university whether you need a SAQA evaluation.

Getting your study visa

1. Accept your offer. You will need an acceptance letter and the university's undertaking to report your registration to Home Affairs.
2. Buy cover from a medical scheme registered in South Africa, because foreign insurance is not accepted.
3. Get a police clearance certificate from every country you have lived in for 12 months or more since turning 18. Each must be less than six months old. You also need medical and radiological reports and, where required, a yellow fever certificate.
4. Gather proof that you can pay your tuition and living costs, such as three months of recent bank statements.
5. Fill in form DHA-1738 and apply in person at the South African mission or visa centre (often VFS Global) that serves your country. Checklists and fees vary by country.

Allow at least 6 to 8 weeks for processing. Universities will not register you without a valid study visa, and that the visa is tied to one institution only.

Working while you study

Home Affairs allows study visa holders at a higher education institution to work part time for up to 20 hours a week.

Working after you graduate

There is no separate post-study work visa. If you want to stay and work you need a job offer and either a critical skills work visa or a general work visa. Since October 2024, both have been decided under a points-based system in which you need 100 points and a job offer is compulsory. A job on the official Critical Skills List earns the full 100 points. Otherwise, points come from salary, qualifications, experience, an offer from a "Trusted Employer" and language skills. You can apply while your SAQA evaluation is pending, but the visa is then issued for only 12 months.

Recent changes

On 12 August 2026, Home Affairs launched an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for short visits of up to 90 days. It does not cover study visas yet. Home Affairs plans to bring study and work visas onto the same platform, but for now you still apply in person. In November 2026, the department also approved 71 more companies for its Trusted Employer Scheme.