Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

22 Best Universities in South Africa for Surgery

If you are looking to study Surgery in South Africa, our index highlights the top 22 domain-leading institutions. Based on 686.6K scholarly articles and 14.49M peer-reviewed citations, we reveal the best research labs driving innovation in Surgery. This targeted approach bypasses general university reputation, directly revealing the strongest programs.

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1

Cape Town

University of Cape Town

For Surgery

#2 in Africa #224 in the World

51% Acceptance

24,754 Enrollment

1874 Founded

2

Johannesburg

University of the Witwatersrand

For Surgery

#5 in Africa #316 in the World

34% Acceptance

48,174 Enrollment

1922 Founded

3

Durban

University of KwaZulu-Natal

For Surgery

#8 in Africa #459 in the World

63% Acceptance

48,174 Enrollment

2004 Founded

4

Pretoria

University of Pretoria

For Surgery

#12 in Africa #569 in the World

52% Acceptance

48,174 Enrollment

1908 Founded

5

Bellville

University of the Western Cape

For Surgery

#44 in Africa #1228 in the World

60% Acceptance

24,754 Enrollment

1959 Founded

6

Johannesburg

University of Johannesburg

For Surgery

#49 in Africa #1306 in the World

58% Acceptance

49,910 Enrollment

2005 Founded

7

Potchefstroom

North-West University

For Surgery

#53 in Africa #1349 in the World

83% Acceptance

37,000 Enrollment

2004 Founded

8

Port Elizabeth

Nelson Mandela University

For Surgery

#105 in Africa #2318 in the World

57% Acceptance

8,200 Enrollment

2005 Founded

9

Durban

Durban University of Technology

For Surgery

#120 in Africa #2580 in the World

75% Acceptance

49,910 Enrollment

2002 Founded

10

Pretoria

Tshwane University of Technology

For Surgery

#146 in Africa #2925 in the World

89% Acceptance

49,910 Enrollment

2003 Founded

11

Makhanda

Rhodes University

For Surgery

#127 in Africa #2668 in the World

61% Acceptance

8,200 Enrollment

1904 Founded

12

Pretoria

Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University

For Surgery

#64 in Africa #1570 in the World

74% Acceptance

5,000 Enrollment

2014 Founded

13

Bloemfontein

University of the Free State

For Surgery

#32 in Africa #1065 in the World

25% Acceptance

37,000 Enrollment

1904 Founded

14

Kwadlangezwa

University of Zululand

For Surgery

#143 in Africa #2862 in the World

45% Acceptance

37,000 Enrollment

1960 Founded

15

Pretoria

University of South Africa

For Surgery

#84 in Africa #1909 in the World

61% Acceptance

420,000 Enrollment

1873 Founded

16

Bloemfontein

Central University of Technology

For Surgery

#147 in Africa #2931 in the World

64% Acceptance

49,910 Enrollment

1981 Founded

17

Stellenbosch

University of Stellenbosch

For Surgery

#7 in Africa #398 in the World

56% Acceptance

24,754 Enrollment

1918 Founded

18

Mthatha

Walter Sisulu University

For Surgery

#96 in Africa #2107 in the World

67% Acceptance

24,754 Enrollment

2005 Founded

19

Thohoyandou

University of Venda

For Surgery

#208 in Africa #3881 in the World

72% Acceptance

48,174 Enrollment

1982 Founded

20

Alice

University of Fort Hare

For Surgery

#70 in Africa #1685 in the World

64% Acceptance

11,074 Enrollment

1916 Founded

21

Mankweng

University of Limpopo

For Surgery

#39 in Africa #1163 in the World

45% Acceptance

48,174 Enrollment

1959 Founded

22

Cape Town

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

For Surgery

#134 in Africa #2749 in the World

91% Acceptance

35,047 Enrollment

2005 Founded