University of the Free State

801–1000th
World University Rankings 2024
205 Nelson Mandela Dr, Park West, Bloemfontein, Free State Province, 9300, South Africa

About University of the Free State

The University of the Free State is a public university in Bloemfontein which was founded in 1904.

It was founded as English-only and began to offer its first classes in Afrikaans in 1911. From 1948 was Afrikaans-only and in 1993 adopted a Parallel Language policy. It declared English its main language in 2016 and in 2021 formed the academy of multingualism, promoting in particular Sesotho, Afrikaans and isiZulu.

Students can study at the faculties of health science, law, education, theology and religion, humanities, economics and management science.

The undergraduate microscope laboratory is the largest in Africa and the robotic telescope at the observatory is one of only seven of its type.

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Explore rankings data for University of the Free State

All ranked institutions have an overall score and 4 pillar scores. However for each pillar, only institutions ranked in the top 500 overall or the top 500 in this pillar have a publicly visible score

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Key statistics

  • 25%
    (1)
  • 63 : 37
    Student Ratio of Females to Males
    (1)
  • 35.6
    No. of students per staff
    (1)
  • 2%
    Percentage of International Students
    (1)
  • 33,247
    Number of FTE Students
    (1)
Based on data collected for the (1) 2024 World University Rankings

Subjects taught at University of the Free State

  • Social sciences

    • Geography
    • Communication & Media Studies
    • Politics & International Studies (incl Development Studies)
    • Sociology
  • Arts & humanities

    • Languages, Literature & Linguistics
    • Archaeology
    • History, Philosophy & Theology
    • Art, Performing Arts & Design
    • Architecture
  • Psychology

    • Psychology
  • Physical sciences

    • Geology, Environmental, Earth & Marine Sciences
    • Physics & Astronomy
    • Mathematics & Statistics
    • Chemistry
  • Life sciences

    • Biological Sciences
    • Agriculture & Forestry
    • Sport Science
  • Computer science

    • Computer Science
  • Education

    • Education
  • Business & economics

    • Business & Management
    • Accounting & Finance
    • Economics & Econometrics
  • Law

    • Law
  • Clinical, pre-clinical & health

    • Medicine & Dentistry