Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions in South Africa

South Africa: Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions was 7.8% in 2018. ▲ Rising

Latest (2018)
7.8%
Change on year
up 10.5%
World rank
125th
of 138 countries
All-time high
7.8%
in 2018
All-time low
4.8%
in 2014
Years of data
7
2012–2018

Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions in South Africa, 2012–2018

024682012201520182012: 5.2 %2013: 5 %2014: 4.8 %2015: 6.2 %2016: 7.4 %2017: 7.1 %2018: 7.8 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 7.8% for percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions in 2018. That is the highest value across all 7 years on record.

The figure is up 10.5% on the previous year and up 49.8% over ten years.

South Africa ranks 125th of 138 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions (%) in South Africa, 2012 to 2018.
Year % Change
2012 5.2%
2013 5.0% -4.0%
2014 4.8% -3.2%
2015 6.2% +28.8%
2016 7.4% +18.2%
2017 7.1% -4.1%
2018 7.8% +10.5%

South Africa compared with similar countries

  • South Africa's 7.8% is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 35.4%, 22% of the median. (40 countries reporting)
  • South Africa's 7.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 29.2%, 27% of the median. (28 countries reporting)

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 122 Ukraine 8.0% compare
  2. 123 Estonia 7.9% compare
  3. 124 Türkiye 7.9% compare
  4. 126 Belarus 7.3% compare
  5. 127 Morocco 7.2% compare
  6. 128 Andorra 6.5% compare

See the full ranking of 138 places →

More education data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions in South Africa?
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions in South Africa was 7.8% in 2018, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 7.8% in 2018.
What is the lowest percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 4.8% in 2014.
How does South Africa rank for percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions?
South Africa ranks 125th out of 138 countries with data for 2018.
Is percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 49.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/percentage-of-enrolment-in-tertiary-education-in-private-institutions-percent/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Percentage of enrolment in tertiary education in private institutions (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
138 places, 1,828 data points, 1998–2020
Last refreshed

Total number of students in tertiary education enrolled in institutions that are not operated by a public authority but controlled and managed, whether for profit or not, by a private body (e.g., non-governmental organisation, religious body, special interest group, foundation or business enterprise), expressed as a percentage of total number of students enrolled in tertiary education.