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The University of the Free State (UFS) has been ranked among the top ten universities in Southern Africa according to the latest Times Higher Education (THE) Africa Rankings 2026, as well as the inaugural QS World University Rankings: Sub-Saharan Africa 2026 results. 

Globally, 2 191 universities across 115 countries and territories were assessed in the THE Africa Rankings 2026 based on a comprehensive evaluation that covers areas such as teaching quality, research output, international collaboration, knowledge transfer, and industry connections. The University of the Free State was placed ninth on the African continent. 

The inaugural QS World University Rankings for Sub-Saharan Africa maps crucial areas of institutional performance across the African continent. In this first edition of the rankings, 69 institutions were ranked, representing 21 nations. The UFS was placed eight in this ranking based on research and discovery, learning experience, and global engagement. 

The outcomes of these two major international rankings are in line with the university’s revised 2023-2028 Strategic Plan and its vision to be an innovative research-led, student-centred, and regionally engaged university that contributes meaningfully to responsible societal futures. It also aligns with the institution’s Vision 130 to be ranked among the top five universities in the country and among the top 600 globally by appropriately chosen global ranking systems by 2034. 

Last month, the University of the Free State performed strongly in Law in the THE World University Rankings by Subject when it was placed in the 301-400 band, signalling continued consolidation in a discipline central to justice, governance, and social impact. This result builds on the university’s consistent strength in global rankings related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.