ATLAS · UNIVERSITIES · SOUTH AFRICA
Universities in South Africa
South Africa has 49 universities on the map. The oldest dates to 1829. Most were founded in the modern era. Below: how they spread across the centuries, and the country’s oldest institutions. From Wikidata, snapshot 2026-06-22.
UNIVERSITIES49
OLDEST1829
FOUNDED 1900+37
By founding era
Before 12000 · 0%
1200–15990 · 0%
1600–18995 · 10%
1900 or later37 · 76%
Date unknown7 · 14%
Oldest universities in South Africa
The country’s earliest institutions — the deepest roots of higher education here.
1829University of Cape Town
1866Stellenbosch University
1873University of South Africa
1893Helderberg College
1896University of the Witwatersrand
1900College Of Cape Town
1904Rhodes University
1904University of the Free State
1904School of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering
1908University of Pretoria
1916University of Fort Hare
1920University of Pretoria Faculty of Veterinary Science
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