University of KwaZulu-NatalUKZN

The University of KwaZulu-Natal, known as UKZN, is a public university formed on 1 January 2004 through the merger of the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville, part of a national restructuring that reduced South Africa's higher education institutions from 36 to 21. The University of Natal traced back to Natal University College, which opened in Pietermaritzburg in 1910 with 57 students and gained independent university status in 1949, later expanding to Durban around the Howard College building, opened in 1931, and a medical school established in 1947. The University of Durban-Westville began in the 1960s as a college for Indian students on Salisbury Island in Durban Bay, gained university status in 1971, moved to its Westville site in 1972, and became open to students of all races in 1984.

UKZN is organised into four colleges: Agriculture, Engineering and Science; Health Sciences; Humanities; and Law and Management Studies. The Council on Higher Education has reviewed and approved improvement plans for UKZN's doctoral qualifications, UKZN's engineering degrees are accredited by the Engineering Council of South Africa, and the university's programme and qualification mix includes qualifications registered by the South African Qualifications Authority on the National Qualifications Framework. Teaching is contact-based across five campuses, all in KwaZulu-Natal: Westville, which houses the university's central administration; Howard College and the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine in Durban; Edgewood in Pinetown; and Pietermaritzburg. Qualifications range from diplomas through bachelor's degrees, honours degrees, postgraduate diplomas and postgraduate certificates, to master's and doctoral degrees, with extended curriculum programmes offering a longer route into a degree for learners who need it. UKZN Extended Learning, part of the Graduate School of Business and Leadership, adds short courses, executive education, masterclasses and customised training for organisations.

International applicants need an A-level, AS-level, IB or equivalent qualification, evaluated through Higher Education South Africa. Funding for South African students includes the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, university and donor-funded bursaries, university loans, and merit scholarships, administered through UKZN's student funding office.