South Africa Tertiary Enrollment
School enrollment, tertiary (% gross) SE.TER.ENRR
Overview
South Africa's tertiary enrollment stood at 24.33% in 2025, a rise of +0.84pp from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 24.33% by 2025. South Africa ranked 108th globally.
Data & projection
| Year | Tertiary Enrollment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 24.69% | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 24.33% | - | - |
| 2025 | 24.33% | +0.84pp | #108 |
| 2023 | 23.49% | −0.23pp | #97 |
| 2022 | 23.73% | +1.38pp | #100 |
| 2021 | 22.34% | −0.27pp | #103 |
| 2020 | 22.61% | +0.37pp | #103 |
| 2019 | 22.24% | −0.11pp | #103 |
| 2018 | 22.35% | +1.26pp | #101 |
| 2017 | 21.09% | +2.16pp | #104 |
| 2016 | 18.93% | −0.10pp | #108 |
| 2015 | 19.03% | +0.55pp | #110 |
| 2014 | 18.48% | −0.13pp | #99 |
| 2013 | 18.61% | +0.66pp | #97 |
| 2012 | 17.94% | +2.24pp | #99 |
| 1994 | 15.70% | +2.08pp | #14 |
| 1993 | 13.62% | +1.30pp | #15 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
South Africa matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 1994. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw tertiary enrollment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
South Africa's tertiary enrollment was 24.33% in 2025. Ranked 108th globally. This represents a 3.6% increase from the previous year.
South Africa's tertiary enrollment peaked at 24.33% in 2025.
The lowest tertiary enrollment in South Africa was 3.99% in 1970.
South Africa ranks 108th globally in tertiary enrollment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SE.TER.ENRR. Data sourced from World Bank.
South Africa's tertiary enrollment is projected to reach 24.33% by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The tertiary enrollment of South Africa in 2025 was 24.33%. This ranks 108th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_south-africa_tertiary-enrollment,
title = {South Africa Tertiary Enrollment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/south-africa/tertiary-enrollment},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}