Field · Physics and Astronomy · South Africa
Physics and Astronomy research in South Africa
University of the Witwatersrand ranks first in South Africa for Physics and Astronomy research in 2022–2025 (#321 worldwide), followed by National Institute for Theoretical Physics and University of Johannesburg.
- South Africa's world rank
- #42 of 79 countries, 2022–2025
- Works, 2022–2025
- 1.7k
- Top-10% rate
- 21.7%
- Ranked institutions
- 12
Research strength only: this says nothing about teaching, admissions or cost.
What is the best university for Physics and Astronomy in South Africa?
| # | Institution | World rank | Score | Top-10% rate | Works |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of the WitwatersrandJohannesburg | #321 | 22.1 | 21.3% | 172 |
| 2 | National Institute for Theoretical PhysicsJohannesburg | #1,071 | 5.8 | 36.4% | 75 |
| 3 | University of JohannesburgJohannesburg | #1,200 | 4.3 | 19.7% | 102 |
| 4 | University of the Western CapeCape Town | #1,207 | 4.2 | 24.1% | 82 |
| 5 | North-West UniversityPotchefstroom | #1,224 | 4.0 | 26.6% | 151 |
| 6 | Stellenbosch UniversityStellenbosch | #1,270 | 3.5 | 15.6% | 100 |
| 7 | University of Cape TownRondebosch | #1,329 | 2.9 | 21.0% | 144 |
| 8 | University of South AfricaPretoria | #1,352 | 2.7 | 11.4% | 85 |
| 9 | University of KwaZulu-NatalDurban | #1,383 | 2.3 | 31.6% | 163 |
| 10 | University of the Free StateBloemfontein | #1,420 | 2.0 | 15.7% | 61 |
| 11 | South African Radio Astronomy ObservatoryCape Town | #1,500 | 125.0 | 23.0% | 92 |
| 12 | Durban University of TechnologyDurban | #1,538 | 92.0 | 23.9% | 93 |
Institutions in South Africa above the floor of 40 fractional works in Physics and Astronomy, ordered by their worldwide rank on research quality, 2022–2025.
Who are the top Physics and Astronomy researchers in South Africa?
J. Cleymans and D. A. H. Buckley rank highest among researchers based in South Africa.
- 1J. Cleymans#14,238 worldwide overall2.3k citations · 198 works
- 2D. A. H. Buckley#570,033 worldwide overall613 citations · 193 works
How South Africa compares with other countries in Physics and Astronomy