- Ranked 75th with an overall score of 65.8 worldwide, Cairo, Egypt, is the best student city in 2025.
- Top South African and Egyptian cities have the top spot for being the most attractive cities for international students on the continent.
- The list is the courtesy of QS Best Student Cities 2025 rankings.
Ever wondered what the best student cities in Africa are? Africa boasts some of the most prestigious universities in the world, attracting students from all across the continent and beyond. Knowing the city of your choice is important if you are an international student looking to take advantage of the academic and professional opportunities the continent has to offer.
According to the QS Best Student Cities 2025 ranking, Egyptian and South African cities bagged the top slot for students desirability and suitability for academic opportunities. Cairo, Egypt, is the best student city in Africa, placing 75th globally.
Cape Town follows as the second-best student city on the continent, ranked 81st worldwide. Both Cairo and Cape Town presented an overall score of 65.8 and 64, respectively, in the QS best student cities rankings, making the only three African cities in the top 100 list (Johannesburg included).
QS applies key factors contributing to a city being ranked as the best student city, including university rankings, student mix, desirability, employer activity, affordability, and student view. These factors are equally weighed to provide a balanced view of what makes a city truly student-friendly.
Cairo is home to the top leading public universities in Egypt, including Cairo University itself, ranked 350th in the QS World University Rankings 2025, offering a wide range of programs across 26 faculties known for commitment to education, research, and cultural studies.
The American University in Cairo is another prestigious institution, ranked 410th and is renowned for its strong academic programs. Ain Shams University is also a notable institution in Cairo, ranked 592nd in the QS World University Rankings 2025.
The University of Cape Town in Cape Town is ranked as the top university in Africa and is placed 171st in the QS World University Rankings 2025. The institution offers a wide range of programs across six faculties, including Commerce, Engineering and Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law, and Science.
Johannesburg and Pretoria, both South African, and Alexander, Egypt, also make the list of the best student cities in 2025. Johannesburg City has the highest affordability (80.8), closely followed by Pretoria and Alexander, with affordability scores of 75.6 and 73.7, respectively.
