Application strategy
UP now teaches entirely in English (after phasing out Afrikaans around 2019), so there is no language barrier for most international applicants — but it is academically selective, especially for Veterinary Science (Onderstepoort), engineering, accounting and the health sciences, which carry high admission point scores (APS) and limited places. International qualifications are accepted: a full IB Diploma, A-Levels and AP are recognised toward entry, but you must apply for exemption/equivalence via Universities South Africa (USAf) and meet faculty-specific subject requirements (for example strong maths and physical/life sciences for veterinary, engineering and health sciences). Apply early — competitive programmes such as veterinary science fill fast and admit small cohorts — and budget for the additional international-student levy on top of tuition. Look into UP's merit and international scholarships, as funding for non-South Africans is more limited than the low tuition might suggest.
Who fits
- Aspiring veterinarians seeking Onderstepoort — the only veterinary school in South Africa and one of Africa's most respected
- International students wanting a large, fully English-medium South African research university without a language barrier
- Engineering, accounting, law and economics students seeking a strong, employable South African professional degree
- Management students and executives targeting the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), a top-ranked African business school
- Pan-African and diaspora students seeking a major continental research university at low tuition with a strong residence and sporting culture
Who should think twice
- Students who must have a global top-100/top-200 brand name on their degree
- Applicants who need uninterrupted, heavily-resourced infrastructure and are unwilling to navigate load-shedding or periodic disruption
- Students prioritising the very highest research-funding and lab budgets of the wealthy global elite
- Those wanting a scenic, coastal or compact campus-town setting rather than a large multi-campus university in inland Gauteng
- Applicants uncomfortable with the safety and stability considerations of studying in parts of South Africa
Visa and application system in South Africa
- Student visa / post-study work: Study visa sponsored by the institution; post-study work via critical-skills/employer routes — South Africa actively retains scarce-skill graduates
- Application system: Largely English-medium; international applicants need a Matriculation Exemption (via Universities South Africa) and are assessed on IB/A-Level/AP plus the National Senior Certificate for locals