University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa • Founded 1896 • World Rank #477
Overview
Founded in 1922, the University of the Witwatersrand is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the metropolis of Johannesburg (population range of 1,000,000-5,000,000 inhabitants), Gauteng.
Officially recognized by the Department of Higher Education and Training of South Africa, University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) is a very large-sized coeducational South African higher education institution. University of the Witwatersrand (WITS) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctorate degrees in several areas of study.
This 102-year-old South African higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic records and grades. The acceptance rate range is 30-39% making this South African higher education organization a very selective institution.
International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.
WITS also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, housing, sports facilities, financial aids and/or scholarships, study abroad and exchange programs, as well as administrative services.
Location & Contact
Looking to reach University of the Witwatersrand? Address, contact details, and online links below. For finance and tuition payment queries, the bursar or finance office is typically a separate contact point.
Academic Details
The basic academic profile of University of the Witwatersrand, including enrolment and faculty composition. Total student count fluctuates intake-to-intake; treat the figure as approximate rather than precise.
Academic Structures
University of the Witwatersrand's organisational chart for teaching: faculties, schools, institutes, and constituent units. Research-intensive universities often add institutes or centres alongside teaching faculties.
Unit 5 items
- Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management
- Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment
- Faculty of Health Sciences
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Science
Degrees
Also Undergraduate Diplomas; Further Diplomas; Higher Diplomas
Bachelor's 41 programs
Bachelor's programmes build foundational expertise, preparing graduates for entry-level professional roles and further postgraduate study.
- Accountancy
- Architecture
- Biomedical Engineering
- Business and Commerce
- Cinema and Television
- Commercial Law
- Constitutional Law
- Construction Engineering
- Criminal Law
- Dental Science
- Dental Studies
- Economics
- Education
- Engineering
- Film
- Fine Arts
- Graphic Arts
- Health Administration
- Health Sciences
- International Law
- Laboratory Techniques
- Law
- Medical Technology
- Medicine
- Music
- Nursing
- Occupational Therapy
- Oral Pathology
- Performing Arts
- Pharmacy
- Physical Education
- Physical Therapy
- Public Law
- Real Estate
- Regional Planning
- Social Work
- Speech Therapy and Audiology
- Surgery
- Theatre
- Town Planning
- Visual Arts
Master's 88 programs
Master's programmes develop advanced specialised expertise, suited to senior industry positions and applied research.
- Accountancy
- Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering
- Anaesthesiology
- Architecture
- Business Administration
- Business and Commerce
- Cardiology
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Clinical Psychology
- Community Health
- Construction Engineering
- Dental Studies
- Dentistry
- Dermatology
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Education
- Electrical Engineering
- Engineering
- Engineering Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Epidemiology
- Ethics
- Experimental Psychology
- Finance
- Fine Arts
- Forensic Pathology
- Genetics
- Haematology
- Health Administration
- Health Education
- Health Sciences
- Heritage Preservation
- Industrial Engineering
- Information Technology
- Internal Medicine
- Investment Analysis
- Law
- Leadership
- Logistics Management
- Management
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medicine
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Microbiology
- Mining Engineering
- Music
- Neurology
- Nursing
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Occupational Health
- Occupational Therapy
- Oncology
- Ophthalmology
- Oral Pathology
- Oral Surgery
- Orthodontics
- Orthopaedics
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Paediatrics
- Pathology
- Performing Arts
- Periodontics
- Pharmacy
- Physical Therapy
- Plastic Surgery
- Psychiatry and Mental Health
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Public Health
- Radiology
- Real Estate
- Regional Planning
- Science Education
- Social Work
- Speech Therapy and Audiology
- Surgery
- Surveying and Mapping
- Taxation
- Theatre
- Town Planning
- Translation and Interpretation
- Tropical Medicine
- Urban Studies
- Urology
- Virology
- Visual Arts
Doctoral 22 programs
Doctoral programmes train independent researchers, leading to academic, scientific, and senior advisory careers.
- Accountancy
- Architecture
- Business Administration
- Business and Commerce
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Communication Arts
- Dentistry
- Economics
- Education
- Electrical Engineering
- Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Law
- Mechanical Engineering
- Medicine
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Mining Engineering
- Music
- Regional Planning
- Surveying and Mapping
- Town Planning
Diploma & Certificate 3 programs
Diploma and certificate routes deliver focused, applied training for fast entry into skilled occupations.
- Education
- Educational Administration
- Vocational Education
Other 14 programs
- Accountancy
- Architecture
- Business and Commerce
- Construction Engineering
- Economics
- Education
- Embryology and Reproduction Biology
- Health Administration
- Health Sciences
- Management
- Real Estate
- Regional Planning
- Surveying and Mapping
- Town Planning
Faculties & Divisions
All faculties operate under Department of Higher Education and Training of South Africa.
Commerce, Law and Management (Faculty) 10 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Accountancy
- Business Administration
- Business and Commerce
- Development Studies
- Economics
- Finance
- Information Technology
- Law
- Management
- Public Administration
Common Career Paths
- Operations Manager
- Project Manager
- HR Manager
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Engineering and the Built Environment (Faculty) 15 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering
- Architecture and Planning
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Construction Engineering
- Electronics and Automation
- Engineering
- Environmental Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Mining Engineering
- Power Engineering
- Software Engineering
- Telecommunications Engineering
Common Career Paths
- Engineer
- Project Manager
- Technical Consultant
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Health Sciences (Faculty) 10 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Anatomy
- Dentistry
- Health Education
- Health Sciences
- Medicine
- Oral Pathology
- Pathology
- Physiology
- Public Health
- Rehabilitation and Therapy
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Humanities (Faculty) 35 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- African Languages
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Arts and Humanities
- Demography and Population
- Development Studies
- Education
- English
- Film
- Fine Arts
- French
- German
- Heritage Preservation
- History
- Human Rights
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- Italian
- Journalism
- Labour and Industrial Relations
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Media Studies
- Modern Languages
- Music
- Philosophy
- Political Sciences
- Portuguese
- Publishing and Book Trade
- Radio and Television Broadcasting
- Social Sciences
- Sociology
- Spanish
- Theatre
- Translation and Interpretation
- Writing
Common Career Paths
- Researcher
- Editor
- Cultural Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Science (Faculty) 16 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Actuarial Science
- Animal Husbandry
- Applied Mathematics
- Archaeology
- Biological and Life Sciences
- Botany
- Cell Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Earth Sciences
- Environmental Studies
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Molecular Biology
- Physics
- Statistics
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Programs Offered
University of the Witwatersrand's programme list, with search and degree-level grouping. Search matches programme names; if you don't see your subject, check the divisions section to locate the relevant faculty.
Bachelor's Degree
22 programmes
University of the Witwatersrand delivers 22 programmes at bachelor's level, the qualifications school-leavers most commonly apply to as their first step into higher education.
50381
Bachelor of Engineering Science in Biomedical Engineering
Bachelor of Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching
Bachelor of Education in Intermediate Phase Teaching
Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching
Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Care and Education
50378
Bachelor of Dental Science
Bachelor of Arts: Film and Television
Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Performance
Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts
9907
Bachelor of Architectural Studies
Bachelor of Accounting Science
Bachelor of Science in Property Studies
Bachelor of Speech-Language Pathology
Bachelor of Social Work
Bachelor of Pharmacy
Bachelor of Oral Health Sciences
Bachelor of Nursing
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Master's Degree
30 programmes
University of the Witwatersrand's 30 programmes at this tier lead to a master's qualification, valued for the focused, research-informed depth they add beyond undergraduate study.
Master of Medicine in Anaesthetics
Master of Medicine in Urology
Master of Medicine in Radiation Oncology
Master of Medicine in Paediatrics
Master of Medicine in Otorhinolaryngology
Master of Medicine in Neurology
Master of Medicine in Haematological Pathology
Master of Medicine in Emergency Medicine
Master of Medicine in Diagnostic Radiology
Master of Medicine in Clinical Pathology
Master of Medicine in Chemical Pathology
Master of Nuclear Technology Leadership
Master of Management in Energy Leadership
Master of Management in African Philanthropy
Master of Management
Master of Laws
Master of Engineering
Master of Economic Science
Master of Dentistry in Prosthodontics
Master of Dentistry in Periodontics and Oral Medicine
Master of Dentistry in Orthodontics
9507
Master of Science
Master of Public Health
Master of Pharmacy
Master of Arts in Theatre and Performance
Master of Arts in Speech Pathology
Master of Arts in Heritage
Master of Arts in Fine Arts
Master of Arts
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Master of Business Administration
3 programmes
University of the Witwatersrand's 3 programmes at this tier lead to a master's qualification, valued for the focused, research-informed depth they add beyond undergraduate study.
Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Leadership
Master of Business Administration in Global Executive Leadership
Master of Business Administration
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Associate, Certificate & Other Qualifications
28 programmes
Beyond the main degree tiers, University of the Witwatersrand runs 28 programmes as certificates, diplomas, and associate or foundation programmes — useful for upskilling or as a pathway to bachelor's entry.
Postgraduate Diploma in Construction Management
Postgraduate Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Postgraduate Diploma in Specialised Accountancy
Postgraduate Diploma in Science
Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management
Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health
Postgraduate Diploma in Philanthropy and Resource Mobilisation
Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education
Postgraduate Diploma in Finance
Postgraduate Diploma in Energy Leadership
Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Business
Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration
Postgraduate Diploma in Accountancy
118949
Postgraduate Certificate in Education in Senior Phase and Further Education and Training Teaching
90849
Bachelor of Economic Science Honours
Bachelor of Commerce Honours
Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours
88785
Bachelor of Architectural Studies Honours
Bachelor of Accounting Science Honours
Advanced Diploma in Technical and Vocational Teaching
Advanced Diploma in School Leadership and Management
Bachelor of Science Honours in Urban and Regional Planning
49925
Bachelor of Science Honours in Property Studies
49917
No programmes match your filter in this level.
How to apply to University of the Witwatersrand
Step-by-step guidance for applying to University of the Witwatersrand, covering the typical sequence from programme selection to admissions follow-up.
- 1 Identify the right programme
Begin by reviewing the programmes section above. University of the Witwatersrand offers 83 programmes grouped by qualification level. Decide on a target tier (bachelor's, master's, or doctoral) before narrowing by subject.
- 2 Check entry requirements
Each programme at University of the Witwatersrand has its own entry requirements — academic minimums, language proficiency, supporting documents, and sometimes interviews or portfolios. Check the programme-specific page or contact admissions to confirm eligibility.
- 3 Prepare your application documents
Most applications require certified academic records, identification documents, language test certificates (IELTS, TOEFL, or equivalent for English-medium programmes), CV/résumé, and a statement of purpose. Allow extra time for document authentication.
- 4 Submit via the institution
Apply directly via University of the Witwatersrand's online portal at www.wits.ac.za. Complete the application form, upload supporting documents, and pay any application fee. Confirmation emails typically arrive within a few business days.
- 5 Get in touch with admissions
After submitting, confirm receipt with the admissions office and track your application status through the portal. Reach the institution by phone at +27 (11) 717 1000. Set reminders for any interview requests, additional document submissions, or admission decision deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions about University of the Witwatersrand
Common questions students ask about University of the Witwatersrand — answers pulled straight from the institution's published profile.
When did University of the Witwatersrand open?
University of the Witwatersrand traces its founding to 1896 (approximately 130 years ago).
What city is University of the Witwatersrand in?
University of the Witwatersrand operates from Johannesburg, South Africa.
Is University of the Witwatersrand a public or private institution?
University of the Witwatersrand is a public institution.
How big is University of the Witwatersrand's student body?
University of the Witwatersrand serves approximately 35,000-39,999 students.
Where does University of the Witwatersrand stand in university rankings?
It ranks #477 globally and #2 in South Africa.
What qualification levels does University of the Witwatersrand offer?
Programmes at University of the Witwatersrand cover bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes.
How is University of the Witwatersrand organised academically?
University of the Witwatersrand has 5 academic units.
Is University of the Witwatersrand officially recognised?
University of the Witwatersrand is accredited by South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA); Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
What is University of the Witwatersrand's official website?
University of the Witwatersrand's official website is www.wits.ac.za.
Members of Association of African Universities (AAU)
Sabbatical exchange agreements among Association of African Universities (AAU) members create faculty mobility patterns. Students benefit indirectly through visiting-faculty courses and cross-institutional supervision arrangements.
Faculties at Nearby Universities
Healthcare and student insurance rules often apply at the regional level around University of the Witwatersrand. Nearby universities typically follow the same health-coverage requirements for enrolled students.
Universities Often Compared with University of the Witwatersrand
Application tier strategy benefits from including peer institutions to University of the Witwatersrand: safety, target, and reach picks within a comparable academic band keep your outcomes diversified.
