University of KwaZulu-Natal
INyuvesi yakwaZulu-Natali
A five-campus public university in Durban and Pietermaritzburg, with a medical school at the centre of HIV and TB research.
- Students
- 46,000
- International
- 2%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 30.7:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- ZAR 46,694
- From · 2026 (latest fees guides; 2027 fees not yet published)
- Founded
- 2004
About UKZN
The University of KwaZulu-Natal was formed on 1 January 2004 by merging the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville, so its history runs back more than a century: the Pietermaritzburg campus dates from 1910 and Howard College in Durban from 1931. It has five campuses: Howard College, Westville, Edgewood and the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine in Durban, and Pietermaritzburg in the Natal Midlands. The university says it enrols about 46,000 students.
Teaching is organised into four colleges: Agriculture, Engineering and Science; Health Sciences; Humanities; and Law and Management Studies. The medical school houses the Doris Duke Medical Research Institute and sits alongside HIV and TB research groups such as CAPRISA and the Africa Health Research Institute. UKZN also says it is the only South African university offering an agricultural engineering degree accredited by the Engineering Council of South Africa.
English is the main language of teaching, and the university is developing isiZulu as an additional medium. Most students are South African and apply through the Central Applications Office (CAO), where places are ranked on the Admission Point Score. It suits students who want a large, research-active university close to the coast and who are ready to compete for places in health sciences, engineering, law and commerce.
Inspiring Greatness
University motto
Why students choose UKZN
The Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine works alongside HIV and TB research centres including CAPRISA and the Africa Health Research Institute.
UKZN is the only university in South Africa offering an ECSA-accredited degree in agricultural engineering, taught at Pietermaritzburg.
Local tuition for most bachelor's degrees in 2026 was about R42,000 to R74,000 a year, and NSFAS bursaries are administered on campus.
Students can choose between the Durban campuses near the coast and the historic Pietermaritzburg campus, the only one teaching agriculture, theology and fine art.
Admissions
2027 academic year (first semester starts 8 February 2027)
Selectivity
UKZN does not publish an acceptance rate. It says it receives more applications than it can accommodate: applicants are ranked by APS within quotas, so meeting the minimum score does not guarantee a place. Medicine ranks applicants on their average percentage, and Health Sciences and Law run their own selection.
Typical entry requirements
| NSC (B Com Accounting) | Minimum APS 32 with Mathematics 5 and English and Life Orientation 4 (CAO Handbook, 2027 entry) |
|---|---|
| NSC (B Sc Engineering, e.g. Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Mechanical) | Minimum APS 33 with Mathematics and Physical Sciences 5 (65%) and English and Life Orientation 4 (50%) |
| NSC (Bachelor of Laws) | Minimum APS 32 with English Home Language 5 or First Additional Language 6, and Mathematics 3 or Mathematical Literacy 5 |
| NSC (MBChB) | Bachelor's pass with English, Mathematics, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences at 5 and Life Orientation 4; applicants ranked by average percentage |
| International school-leaving qualifications | Must be accompanied by a Universities South Africa (USAf) evaluation showing equivalence to the South African school-leaving certificate; where Mathematics or Physical Science is required it must be passed at A or AS/HIGCSE level |
| English language | UKZN is an English-medium university and international applicants must meet the required performance in English; official translations are required for documents not in English. No IELTS or TOEFL minimum is stated on the undergraduate selection pages. |
Deadlines
- CAO: MBChB (Medicine) 2027 entry Non-binding Passed30 June 2026 (passed)
No late applications accepted.
- CAO: all other UKZN programmes, on-time closing date (2027 entry) Non-binding Passed30 September 2026
Health Sciences programmes do not consider applications after the closing date; late applications for selected other programmes open on 1 October 2026.
- International undergraduates: Health Sciences, Science and Engineering, Nursing, Architecture Non-binding Passed30 September 2026
Applications plus fee to UKZN directly, by 30 September in the year before study (per the 2026 international fees guide). No late applications for international students.
- International undergraduates: Law, Management Studies, Education, Humanities Non-binding Next deadline · In 25 days31 October 2026
By 31 October in the year before study (per the 2026 international fees guide).
Dates above are for entry in February 2027, from the CAO Handbook 2027 Entry and UKZN's international fees guide; the CAO's 1 November late-fee date applies to all 2027 applications. Dates for 2028 entry have not been published yet; in the current cycle CAO applications opened early in 2026, MBChB closed on 30 June and most programmes on 30 September, so 2028 applicants should expect a similar timetable in 2027 and check the CAO Handbook for 2028 entry when it appears.
How to apply
First-time South African applicants (Grade 12s and transfers) apply online through the Central Applications Office (CAO) at cao.ac.za; the CAO administration fee is R250 on time (R470 late). International applicants, including those with foreign school-leaving qualifications such as A-levels, apply directly to UKZN online, pay an application fee (R490 for SADC and other African countries, US$153 from outside Africa) and include a USAf evaluation of their school qualification. Once admitted, international students receive letters to apply for a study permit.
What admissions looks for
- An APS at or above the programme minimum, calculated from six NSC subjects excluding Life Orientation.
- The required subjects at the right level, such as Mathematics and Physical Sciences at 5 (65%) for engineering.
- Final NSC results that hold up after early selection: conditional offers are withdrawn if final results miss the requirements.
- For international applicants, a USAf-evaluated school qualification and adequate English.
Tips for applying to UKZN
- 1 Apply early through the CAO: UKZN makes conditional early offers on Grade 11 and June or trial results.
- 2 Watch programme-specific dates: MBChB closes at the end of June, and Health Sciences programmes accept no late applications.
- 3 If you hold A-levels, IGCSE or another foreign qualification, apply directly to UKZN rather than through the CAO, and start the USAf evaluation early.
- 4 Rank your CAO choices carefully: several programmes only consider applicants who list them as a first, second or third choice.
Costs & financial aid
2026 (latest fees guides; 2027 fees not yet published) · figures in ZAR
South African students can apply for National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) bursaries, which UKZN administers, alongside UKZN loan funding and bursaries and scholarships from corporate sponsors, the National Research Foundation and deceased estate funds. International students from outside Africa pay a flat US$19,100 a year for undergraduate tuition.
- R7,300 tuition and R6,800 residence
- Registration deposit (2026, non-NSFAS students)
- US$19,100 per year including levy (2026)
- Undergraduate tuition, international students from outside SADC
- R210 South Africans (direct), R490 SADC and rest of Africa, US$153 outside Africa
- Application fee (2027)
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (2027: 8 February to 24 June and 19 July to 30 November)
MBChB (Medicine)
Six-year degree at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, with a 30 June closing date and ranking by average percentage.
B Sc Engineering: Agricultural
UKZN says it is the only ECSA-accredited agricultural engineering degree in South Africa; first year at Pietermaritzburg.
B Com Accounting
Recognised by the Southern African Institute of Government Auditors; minimum APS 32 with Mathematics 5.
Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
Four-year degree at Howard College and Pietermaritzburg, with two university law clinics for practical training.
B Optometry
One of the health sciences degrees at Westville; UKZN reports optometry among its research fields ranked in the world top 100 by EduRank.
Research
- The medical school houses the Doris Duke Medical Research Institute, with CAPRISA and the Africa Health Research Institute working on HIV and TB.
- Research centres include the Astrophysics Research Centre, the Aerospace Systems Research Institute (rocket propulsion) and the Centre for Quantum Computing and Technology.
- The Centre for Water Resources Research and the African Centre for Crop Improvement support the university's focus on water and food security.
Schools & faculties
- College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science
- College of Health Sciences
- College of Humanities
- College of Law and Management Studies
Student life
Life at UKZN depends on your campus. Howard College sits on the Berea ridge above Durban's harbour inside an environmental conservancy, Westville is a conservancy campus 8 km from the city, and Pietermaritzburg has Victorian and Edwardian buildings around its 1912 Old Main Building. The university reports more than 200 clubs and societies. Its Centre for Creative Arts runs public festivals such as Time of the Writer, Poetry Africa and the Durban International Film Festival.
- More than 200 clubs and societies across the campuses.
- The Durban International Film Festival, first held in 1979, is run through the university's Centre for Creative Arts.
- Law clinics in Durban and Pietermaritzburg give final-year law students practical experience.
- Five campuses spread between Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
Housing. University residences cost R48,896 a year in 2026 (R62,780 for international students, including vacation periods), with a R6,800 residence deposit before registration.
Location
Durban is a port city on the Indian Ocean coast, and four of UKZN's five campuses are there; Howard College overlooks the harbour, with the city's beaches nearby. Pietermaritzburg, the provincial capital, lies inland in the Natal Midlands and has the university's oldest campus. UKZN's 2026 guideline for living and meal costs in KwaZulu-Natal is R37,400 a year.
Nearest airport: King Shaka International Airport (DUR), Durban
Notable alumni
- MM Mosa MoshabelaVice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town; earned his medical degree at UKZN
- SM Salome MaswimeObstetrician and global health expert; MBChB from UKZN (2005)
- ND Ncoza DlovaDermatologist who helped identify a gene behind hair loss in women of African descent; studied medicine and specialised at UKZN
- NM Nomfundo MohPlatinum-certified singer-songwriter; enrolled in UKZN's Bachelor of Social Work
- SB Steve BikoAnti-apartheid activist and founder of the Black Consciousness Movement; studied medicine at the University of Natal Medical School (predecessor), did not graduate
- ND Nkosazana Dlamini-ZumaFormer Chairperson of the African Union Commission and South African cabinet minister; studied medicine at the University of Natal (predecessor)
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply to UKZN?
First-time South African applicants apply online through the Central Applications Office (CAO). International applicants, including those with A-levels or other foreign school qualifications, apply directly to UKZN online.
When is the UKZN closing date for 2027?
Most programmes close on 30 September 2026 via the CAO; MBChB closed on 30 June 2026. International undergraduates must apply by 30 September (Health Sciences, Science and Engineering, Nursing, Architecture) or 31 October (Law, Management, Education, Humanities).
What APS do I need for UKZN?
It depends on the programme: for 2027 entry the CAO Handbook lists, for example, APS 32 for B Com Accounting and LLB and APS 33 for BSc Engineering, plus subject minimums. Meeting the minimum does not guarantee a place.
How much does UKZN cost for international students?
In 2026, students from SADC countries paid local fees plus a R4,800 annual levy, while students from the rest of Africa and outside Africa paid US$19,100 a year for undergraduate tuition, excluding accommodation.
Does UKZN teach in English?
Yes. English is UKZN's primary academic language, and the university is developing isiZulu as an additional medium of instruction.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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