Are you passionate about helping others, working in hospitals or clinics, or advancing public health? A qualification in Health Sciences opens the door to a fulfilling and dynamic career in healthcare. South Africa is home to some of Africa’s best universities offering a wide variety of health-related degrees — from nursing and physiotherapy to medicine, radiography, and public health.
In this post, we highlight the top universities offering Health Sciences programmes and what you can study at each institution.
Top South African Universities for Health Sciences
Nelson Mandela University (NMU)
- Bachelor of Environmental Health
- Bachelor of Nursing (Regular & Extended)
- BSc Dietetics
- BRad in Diagnostic Radiography
- Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery (MBChB)
- BHSc: Biokinetics
North-West University (NWU)
- Bachelor of Nursing
- Bachelor of Pharmacy
- BSc in Dietetics
- Bachelor of Health Sciences in Biokinetics / Occupational Hygiene
- Bachelor of Social Work
Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU)
- MBChB (Medicine)
- Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
- Diploma in Emergency Medical Care
- Bachelor of Nursing
- BSc in Life, Physical, Mathematical, and Environmental Health Sciences
Stellenbosch University (SU)
- MBChB (Medicine)
- Bachelor of Nursing
- BSc Dietetics
- BSc Physiotherapy
- Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
- Bachelor of Speech-Language and Hearing Therapy
University of Cape Town (UCT)
- MBChB
- BSc Occupational Therapy
- BSc Physiotherapy
- BSc Audiology
- BSc Speech-Language Pathology
- Higher Certificate in Disability Practice
University of the Free State (UFS)
- Bachelor of Nursing
- BSc in Physiotherapy
- BSc in Occupational Therapy
- MBChB
- BSc in Dietetics
- Bachelor of Optometry
University of Johannesburg (UJ)
- Bachelor of Nursing
- Emergency Medical Care
- Radiography
- Complementary Medicine
- Sport & Movement Studies
- Environmental Health
- Podiatry, Optometry, and Chiropractic
University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN)
- MBChB
- Bachelor of Pharmacy
- Bachelor of Audiology
- Bachelor of Physiotherapy
- Bachelor of Nursing
- Bachelor of Sport Science
University of Limpopo (UL)
- MBChB
- Bachelor of Nursing
- BSc in Medical Sciences
- Bachelor of Optometry
- BSc in Dietetics
University of the Western Cape (UWC)
- Bachelor of Nursing & Midwifery
- BSc Physiotherapy
- BSc Dietetics
- BSc Occupational Therapy
- Bachelor of Complementary Medicine
- Bachelor of Social Work
University of Venda (UNIVEN)
- Bachelor of Nursing
- BSc in Nutrition
- BSc in Biokinetics
- Bachelor of Psychology
- Diploma in Nursing
- BSc in Recreation and Leisure Studies
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits)
- MBChB
- Bachelor of Nursing
- Bachelor of Pharmacy
- Bachelor of Occupational Therapy
- Physiotherapy, Biokinetics & Clinical Medical Practice
- Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology
University of Pretoria (UP)
- MBChB
- Bachelor of Nursing Sciences
- BSc Dietetics
- Bachelor of Physiotherapy
- Bachelor of Dental Surgery
- Radiography, Speech-Language Therapy, and Occupational Therapy
Why Choose Health Sciences?
- High employability across hospitals, clinics, labs, and NGOs
- Contribute to improving healthcare access and outcomes
- Work locally or globally in a critical field
- Opportunities for specialization and postgraduate study