According to Times Higher Education (THE) 2025 Rankings, South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco are the leading countries in the African continent with the best-ranked universities in the world.
According to the latest ranking, here are the top ten universities:
University of Cape Town South Africa
The University of Cape Town in South Africa is the highest-ranked university in the continent. The university is number one in Africa and =180 in THE World University Rankings 2025.
In 2024, the University of Cape Town was ranked 167 in the world, and among the first best universities in Africa.
The university was founded in 1829, making it the oldest university in the country and the second oldest in Africa, behind the University of Sierra Leone, which was established two years earlier.
Stellenbosch University South Africa
Stellenbosch University is another South African tertiary institution highly ranked in the world.
The university is ranked =2 in Africa, and 301–350 in the world in 2025, the same ranking status it had globally in 2024.
The university ensures that students complete assignments and examinations in both English and Afrikaans, even though the main language of instruction is Afrikaans.
University of the Witwatersrand South Africa
The University of the Witwatersrand, also known as Wits University, in South Africa, is ranked =2 in the continent and 301–350 in the world, the same position the institution occupied in 2024 globally.
Wits University was founded as a school of mining and has five campuses, with two joined by a walkway.
The campuses are home to student residences academic departments, the origins centre, planetarium, theatres, museums and galleries.
Academic research and teaching are spread across five faculties: commerce, law and management; engineering and the built environment; health sciences; science; and humanities.
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University Morocco
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco is ranked 401–500 in the world and =4 in Africa. It is the only Moroccan university in the top 10 ranked universities in Africa.
The university was established in 2016, and it is a not-for-profit, research-focused private university located in the city of Benguerir, Morocco.
University of Johannesburg South Africa
The University of Johannesburg (UJ), in South Africa, is ranked 401–500 in the world and =4 in Africa.
The university excels in various academic fields, emphasises critical thinking and collaboration, and offers a wide range of programmes across eight faculties.
It fosters personal and academic growth through sports, arts and culture. UJ’s diverse community, with members from over 50 countries, benefits from global collaborations. The university is dedicated to inclusion and seeks to be a premier African institution promoting respect and innovation.
Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology (E-JUST)- Egypt
Egypt-Japan University for Science and Technology (E-JUST) is ranked =6 in Africa and 501–600 in the world. It the highest-ranked Egyptian university in 2025.
The university was established in 2009 in Alexandria, as a project between the Egyptian and Japanese governments. The university accepted its first students a year later, in 2010.
It is one of the leading research universities in Egypt and the Middle East. E-JUST aims to become internationally recognised for its high education standards, quality graduates and research success, as well as aiming to be one of the top 500 international universities in its first ten years.
The university is research-focused and uses a Japanese approach to its teaching. This includes practical and lab work, as well as problem-solving at the core of the syllabus.
University of KwaZulu-Natal South Africa
The University of KwaZulu-Natal is ranked =6 in Africa and 501–600 in the world. It is the fifth-highest-ranked university in South Africa in 2025.
The university is a public research institution with five campuses in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was formed on January 1, 2004, after the merger between the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville.
American University in Cairo Egypt
The American University in Cairo is ranked =8 in Africa and 601–800 in the world, which is an improvement from its 801–1000 ranking in 2024.
It is the second highest-ranked university in Egypt, after Egypt-Japan University for Science and Technology (E-JUST).
The university was founded in 1919 by the American Mission in Egypt, a protestant mission sponsored by the United Presbyterian Church of North America, as an English-language university and preparatory school.
Future University in Egypt Egypt
Future University in Egypt is ranked =8 in Africa and 601–800 in the world. It is the third-best university in Egypt according to the world ranking order.
Future University in Egypt is one of the most promising private universities in the country. The FUE campus is conveniently located in the heart of New Cairo.
Through excellence in teaching, research and service, Future University in Egypt strives to provide a comprehensive, high-quality education that prepares our graduates to be future leaders.
Kafrelsheikh University Egypt
Kafr El Sheikh University is ranked =8 in Africa and 601–800 in the world which depicts progress compared to its 801–1000 in 2024.
The University has many faculties such as Engineering, Medicine, Physiotherapy and Nursing, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, Science, and Education, among others.
