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.
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
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
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 | 801 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
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
Based on 100 reviews
My university is pretty great. It does a really good job of getting students ready for successful careers after graduation.
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.
My online LLM study experience has been both demanding and rewarding, with the most notable aspect being the level of independence it required. Studying remotely pushed me to become self-disciplined, organized, and fully responsible for my own learning, without the constant structure of a physical classroom. What stood out most was how the programme deepened my legal thinking. I moved beyond simply understanding legal principles to critically analyzing case law, statutes, and academic debates. I particularly enjoyed the research process and the moments when complex legal concepts finally made sense after sustained efforts. These experiences strengthened my analytical and writing skills and helped me grow more confident in constructing legal arguments. At the same time, the online nature of the programmed came with challenges. The biggest was the sense of isolation, as limited face to face interaction made it harder to engage in academic discussions. Time management was also demanding, especially when balancing studies with personal responsibilities. At times, maintaining motivation was difficult without a structured learning environment. Occasional technical or platform related issues also disrupted the flow of studying. Despite these challenges, i gained valuable skills in self reliance, resilience, and critical thinking. I learned how to stay consistent even under pressure and developed a more professional approach to legal problem-solving. The experience also shape my identity as a developing legal practitioner. My LLM journey is transformative. It strengthened my academic, abilities, improved my discipline, and deepened my understanding of the law, while also teaching the important personal lessons about perseverance and growth.
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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