Unisa's roots (and indeed that of higher education in South Africa) date back to 1873 when the University of the Cape of Good Hope was founded, initially functioning as an examining body for higher education.
In 1916, the university changed its name to the University of South Africa and in 1918 it relocated to Pretoria.
As a comprehensive university, Unisa offers both vocational and academic programmes from the level of undergraduate and postgraduate certificates and diplomas to degrees, and also postgraduate diplomas, master's and doctoral qualifications. Unisa also offers short learning programmes targeting specific needs of industry and civil society. As a comprehensive, open, distance and e-Learning pioneer, Unisa is known for delivering well-designed, interactive study material.
Unisa has a vibrant and dynamic research culture, and its strong transformative agenda encourages a creative approach to new ways of knowing. Here academics and postgraduate students are committed to finding research and innovative solutions that will address important national and global questions, and contribute to the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being of South Africa and the African continent.
Unisa Library has a vast amount of resources to help you with your studies.
Library Technology Services is responsible for enabling the provision of high-standard information technology in support of Library services and processes for Unisa library staff and clients. LTS offers support to clients with connecting to and accessing Library resources electronically. It aims to promote and enhance Unisa Library Services through the implementation of appropriate technology
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 99 places compared to 2026
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 861 | 869 | 770 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By TopUniversities
Dropped 50 places compared to 2026
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 851 | 901 | 951 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Times Higher Education
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2027 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2025 | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| - | 1201 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
This university doesn’t have a ranking for 2026 yet. Rankings are updated yearly, so check back later for the latest info.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| - | 801 | - |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Based on 100 reviews
The First African Distance Learning University (FADLU), recognized as the world's first accredited online university and Africa's first recognized online university, has a regional liaison office in Awgu, Enugu State, representing the entire West African region.
The environment at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) is very conducive to learning and personal growth. The campus is large, peaceful, and surrounded by beautiful greenery, which creates a calm atmosphere for studying and academic activities. Students have access to libraries, lecture halls, and study spaces that support effective learning. One of the best aspects of the university environment is the diversity of students from different regions and backgrounds. This creates a rich cultural experience and encourages collaboration and exchange of ideas. The campus also provides various facilities such as sports areas, cafeterias, and student hostels that make student life comfortable. In addition, the location of the university in Dar es Salaam allows students to access many opportunities, including internships, research collaborations, and professional networking. Overall, the University of Dar es Salaam provides a supportive and inspiring environment that helps students succeed academically and develop important life skills.
This university has impressed with me their online learning classes. You can basically study from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection. This flexibility allows me to work as well and I'm loving it so far. I'll be graduating by next December so I'm pretty excited.
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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