In the World University Rankings 2025/2026, Unisa places 151+ in Law. Mainland China is also the most-represented nation overall, with 81 institutions, against India’s 56 and Brazil’s 46.
The People’s Republic claims 14 places in the top 30 of the THE Emerging Economies University Rankings 2025/2026, up from 12 last year, including all of the top four places. Tsinghua University remains number one, while Peking University is second, Zhejiang University is third and the University of Science and Technology of China is fourth.
Russia, Taiwan, and South Africa are the only other territories that feature in the top 10.
Other South African universities are the University of Cape Town, the University of the Witwatersrand, Stellenbosch University, the University of KwaZulu-Natal, North-West University, the University of the Western Cape, the University of Johannesburg, the University of Pretoria and the Tshwane University of Technology.
In the World University Rankings 2025/2026, Unisa places 151+ in Law.
Mainland China is also the most-represented nation overall, with 81 institutions, against India’s 56 and Brazil’s 46.
The Emerging Economies University Rankings includes only institutions in countries classified by the London Stock Exchange’s FTSE Group as “advanced emerging”, “secondary emerging” or “frontier”.
However, South Africa is the top performer based on countries’ average overall score among institutions in the top 200. The African country achieves an average score of 41.3 out of 100, while Saudi Arabia, which joined the ranking for the first time after gaining “secondary emerging” status in the FTSE list last year, is second with a score of 40.3. Mainland China is third with a score of 39.3. Only institutions with at least five universities were included in the analysis.
Saudi Arabia is also home to the top new entrant in the table – King Abdulaziz University at 13th place.
Elsewhere, Brazil continues to decline in the ranking this year, although its flagship University of São Paulo bucks the trend, claiming 14th place (up from 15th last year).
The Emerging Economies University Rankings is based on the same 13 performance indicators used for the THE World University Rankings, but the weightings are different to reflect the development priorities of universities in emerging economies.
Overall, 533 universities from 47 countries or regions are included in the ranking.
* Compiled by Sharon Farrell, Editor: Internal Communication, Department of Institutional Advancement
Did You Know : Top 15 Free Online Learning Platforms
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Did you know : International Scholarships 2024
There are several international scholarships available for South Africans to study abroad. Here are a few examples:
- Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program: This program provides fully funded scholarships to study at selected universities in Africa, Europe, and North America. It is open to African students, including South Africans, who are committed to giving back to their communities.
- Commonwealth Scholarships: The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission offers scholarships for postgraduate study in the UK for citizens of Commonwealth countries, including South Africa. The scholarships cover tuition fees, travel costs, and a living allowance.
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program: The Fulbright program offers scholarships for South Africans to study at U.S. universities for a Master’s or PhD degree. The scholarship covers tuition, travel, living expenses, and health insurance.
- Erasmus+ Programme: The Erasmus+ programme offers scholarships for South Africans to study in Europe for a Master’s or PhD degree. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel, and living expenses.
- Australia Awards Scholarships: The Australian government offers scholarships for South Africans to study at Australian universities. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel costs, and a living allowance.
These are just a few examples of the many international scholarships available to South Africans. It is important to research the eligibility requirements and application deadlines for each scholarship program.