South Africa’s top-ranked university, the University of Cape Town (UCT), consistently has some of the highest tuition fees among the country’s leading institutions, with medicine being the most expensive.
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When selecting a tertiary institution, cost considerations are critical, as costs for various degrees and specialisations can vary significantly depending on the institution.
BusinessTech’s comparative analysis of estimated annual tuition fees across major fields such as commerce, arts, engineering, law, and medicine at six prominent public universities in South Africa (as identified by the Centre for World University Rankings 2024) demonstrates this trend.
Although degrees may be technically equal on paper, they may have different perceptions and influences depending on the institution.
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Accolades, global reputation, and perceived prestige all have an impact on these costs. Accolades, global reputation, and perceived prestige all have an impact on these costs. Factors influencing these costs include accolades, global reputation, and perceived prestige. Unsurprisingly, universities highly ranked in global assessments most often command higher fees.
As shown in the comparison below, a degree from UCT, Wits, or Stellenbosch is frequently more expensive than elsewhere in South Africa – unless the alternative university or department specialises in a specific field
Estimated annual tuition fees (Ranges, Source: Student fees booklets 2024)
| University | BCom | BA | LLB | Medicine* | BSc | Engineering |
| UCT | R66,140
R98,140 |
R71,400 | R72,570 | R102,470 | R78,500 | R80,750
R84,060 |
| Wits | R57,800
R78,220 |
R51,950
R65,100 |
R43,970
R76,820 |
R77,700 | R47,770
R74,080 |
R65,755 |
| Stellenbosch | R57,006
R77,150 |
R55,036 | R55,841 | R87,946 | R66,358 | R74,487 |
| UKZN | R53,089
R58,397 |
R49,628 | R50,404 | R60,202 | R45,728
R61,408 |
R58,901
R59,583 |
| UP | R50,000
R64,000 |
R45,000
R56,000 |
R49,000
R69,000 |
R70,000
R87,000 |
R50,000
R72,000 |
R53,000
R71,000 |
| UJ | R49,318
R74,860 |
R45,710
R56,470 |
R46,240
R53,100 |
– | R36,170
R79,860 |
R54,040
R66,810 |
| Range | R49,318
R98,140 |
R45,000
R71,400 |
R46,240
R72,570 |
R60,202
R102,470 |
R36,170
R78,500 |
R53,000
R84,060 |
Note: The price comparison only includes the estimated annual fees for three- or four-year degree programmes. It does not account for less expensive alternatives within these faculties that do not ultimately lead to the specified degrees. * Medicine and Surgery, first year
According to the analysis, the most expensive degree is still a Bachelor of Medicine, with annual fees of up to R102 470 (UCT).
Bachelor of Arts (BA) degrees, on the other hand, are the most affordable of the degrees compared, ranging in price from R45 000 to R71 400 across six universities.
The highest price variation is seen in the BCom degree, with prices ranging from R49 318 to R98 140 depending on where you study.
Other significant differences can be seen in the BSc degree at R42 330, medicine at R42 268, and engineering at R31 060.
Regardless, the fees mentioned above are significantly lower than those of the most expensive private schools in South Africa, where the most expensive boarding school’s annual fees are nearly four times those of UCT’s medicine programme.
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Picture: Stellenbosch University
