There are 17 law schools in South Africa both private and public, many of which made the list of the best law universities in Africa and in the world. Some of the South Africa law schools like the University of Cape Town have been around for a long time which gives them an edge over other new law schools.
Five South African Universities made the QS World Rankings by Subject top 500 institutions of law out of the six institutions that made the list in Africa. This is evidence a South Africa has the leading institutions of law in Africa.
Requirements to Study Law in South Africa
If you want to become a lawyer in South Africa, here are the requirements.
Becoming a certified lawyer in South Africa is a journey into one of the oldest and prestigious professions in the world. To become a lawyer in any country is not easy well as in South Africa, there are some examinations you must pass and requirements to meet up with.
Below are the requirements you must meet to become a certified lawyer in South Africa.
Education Requirements:
The first step to becoming a lawyer in South Africa is completing a four years bachelor’s degree before getting an LLB degree which can be obtained from law schools in South Africa to become a lawyer. Also, a foreign degree in the same field is accepted.
For students with a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in law, they can pursue a career in law by completing a two years LLB program in law. Using this means will take up to five years to become a lawyer unlike obtaining a degree directly in law which is just a four years program.
In your journey of becoming a lawyer, you will come across these courses; Foundations of South African law, South African private law, constitutional law, criminal law, intellectual property, evidence, and African Customary Law.
Experience:
Getting the education to qualify as a lawyer is not the full stop, to practice law on your own, you will have to get work experience. You can work at a law firm (public or private) or volunteer at a legal aid organization.
This is a step towards becoming an attorney, it usually takes up to five years depending on the school attended and experience gathered so far.
Those that have at least five (5) years experience as a regional prosecutor or magistrate are exempted from the real-world experience requirements.
Attorney’s Admission Examination
The Attorney’s Admission Examination is the next thing after completing the six months of real-world experience or after taking a legal training course.
It is compulsory for all students to take and pass the Admission examination to legally practice law in Nigeria. The aim of the exam is to test an individual’s knowledge of legal procedures, and so many other aspects of the legal field.
All aspirants will be screened and interviewed by a senior member of the Law Society in South Africa. These are what you need to become a certified lawyer in SA.
Best Law Universities in South Africa
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town was established in the year 1829, 1st of October. The university was formally referred to as South African College. It is the highest-ranked University in South Africa according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, and QS World University Rankings. The institution is also the best university in Africa according to the latest ranking.
UCT currently has a student population of 28,000 across undergraduate and postgraduate programs. UCT is located in Cape Town, Western Cape which it was named after. It has 4 urban campuses and 2 sub-urban campuses.
The institution’s Faculty of Law is the smallest in the institution with close to 1,000 students, it is known for producing skilled legal professionals that have an impact in maintaining and strengthening an open, free, and democratic continent. University of Cape Town Faculty of law have students from African countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
University of Witwatersrand
On our second spot on the top ten universities in South Africa is the University of Witswatersrand which was established in 1896 and it is the third-oldest university in South Africa. The University of Witswatersrand is located in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa. It became a full-pledge university in 1922 and has over 30,000 students taking undergraduate and postgraduate courses with over 1,000 full-time and permanent staffs.
The institution has produced many notable lawyers and is known for offering one of the best when it comes to law. It trains its students to stand out among their makes and they pride in academic excellence.
University of Pretoria
In the year 1908, the University of Pretoria was established in South Africa and it became the fourth oldest university in the country. The University is located in Pretoria, Gauteng province of South Africa, the university which has been running for over a century started with 32 students and now has over 30,000 students taking undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
University of Pretoria faculty of law is ranked globally 76th in the top 80 Schools of Law. It has students from many African countries due to its academic excellence. It is recognized in society’s legal research and education both in South Africa and abroad.
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a public research university located in Stellenbosch. It is one of the oldest universities in South Africa and formally refers to as Victoria college. It became a full-pledge university in 1918 thanks to the £100 000 donated by a local benefactor, Mr. Jan Marais of Coetzenburg. The University has more than 29,000 students studying undergraduate and postgraduate courses across five campuses.
Its Faculty of Law aims at producing world-class legal practitioners by impacting students with relevant knowledge and providing relevant tools necessary for them to excel in the profession. It also has one of the largest law libraries in Africa which signifies its multicultural student population.
University of Johannesburg
The University of Johannesburg came into existence on January 1st, 2005. The institution came into existence as a result of the merger of the Rand Afrikaans (RAU), the Technikon Witwatersrand (TWR) and the Soweto and East Rand campuses of Vista University. UJ is a public university located in Johannesburg, South Africa. UJ has eight different faculties and a total number of 35 residences across the four campuses.
The institution has many international students, it has a student population of 50,000 out of which 30,000 are international students. Its Faculty of Law has produced legal experts in specialized areas like tax law, criminal justice and forensic investigation, insolvency law, and several others.
University of KwaZulu-Natal
The merger of the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville led to the establishment of the University of KwaZulu-Natal on January 1st, 2004. The university is located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It has 40,000 studying across its five campuses which are; Pietermaritzburg campus, Howard College campus, Westville campus, Nelson Mandela medical school campus, and Edgewood campus. It’s known for its outstanding excellence in health science courses and law.
It has the largest contact Law Schools in South Africa, it lay strong emphasis on skills development within the LLB – particularly professional, legal and general skills.
Rhodes University
Located in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape Province, Rhodes University is another university where you can study law in South Africa. The institution has one of the best undergraduate pass and graduation rates in the country. Its law school is known for producing sound students.
University of the Western Cape
The University of the Western Cape was established in 1959 as a public university, the institution starts with 166 students but grew to over 22,000 students today. It is located in the Ballville suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. In 2014, the university occupies the 6th position on Webometrics Universities ranking in South Africa, the 7th position in Africa and 885th in the world.
Its Faculty of Law is dedicated to the culture of human rights and constitutionalism and also produces rigorous and relevant legal education. The university is one of the richest in South Africa when it comes to student diversity.
University of the Free State
Last on the list of top 10 universities in South Africa is the University of the Free State which is also a public university in Bloemfontein, South Africa. It was established in 1904 and was formerly known as the University College of the Orange Free State.
Its Faculty of Law (in Bloemfontein) offers legal education that comprises a mix of theory and exposure to the practice of law in the lower and higher division of the courts.
North-West University
The institution is formed by a merger of two universities in 2004, the institution has a high student population of over 68,000 students of which a significant number are nationals of other African countries.
The Faculty of Law of the institution offers quality legal education and research towards expanding the frontiers of knowledge. North-West University is one of the best institutions to study law as the Faculty aims to equip its students with the knowledge, ethics and skills that are necessary for having a great career in law.
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