University of the Free State

The University of the Free State (UFS) was founded in 1904 as Grey College School (later Grey University College) in Bloemfontein, initially with just six students. It became an independent Afrikaans-medium university in 1950 as the University of the Orange Free State, and was renamed the University of the Free State in 2001 as it transitioned to a dual/multi-medium institution. UFS is a public research university with over 41,000 students (2023 figures) spread across three campuses: the main Bloemfontein campus, the Qwaqwa campus in the eastern Free State, and the South Campus in Bloemfontein, which hosts Open Distance Learning. UFS positions itself as an innovative, research-led and student-centred university, and is particularly known for its health sciences (School of Medicine and affiliated teaching hospitals), natural and agricultural sciences, humanities research strength, law, and its UFS Business School.

Faculties & Programmes

Faculty of the Humanities – departments including African Languages, Afrikaans/Dutch/German/French, Anthropology, Art History and Image Studies, Communication Science, Criminology, Drama and Theatre Arts, English, Fine Arts, Hebrew, History, Linguistics and Language Practice, Odeion School of Music, Philosophy and Classics, Political Studies and Governance, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, South African Sign Language and Deaf Studies
Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences – Natural Sciences: Mathematics, Mathematical Statistics, Actuarial Science, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Geology, Biological Sciences, Information Technology and Computer Science, Consumer Science; Agricultural Sciences: agricultural economics, animal sciences, agrometeorology, agronomy, soil sciences, grassland science, wildlife production, plant breeding, plant pathology, crop production
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences – Department of Business Management, Department of Industrial Psychology, Department of Economics and Finance, Department of Public Administration and Management, School of Accountancy, Centre for Development Support, Centre for Business Dynamics
Faculty of Health Sciences – School of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, School of Nursing, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (including Optometry, Physiotherapy, Biokinetics), School of Clinical Medicine
Faculty of Law – undergraduate LLB, postgraduate LLM programmes, School of Financial Planning Law (Advanced Diploma in Estate and Trust Administration, Postgraduate Diploma in Investment Planning, Postgraduate Diploma in Estate Planning), UFS Law Clinic
Faculty of Education – Bachelor of Education (Pre-school and Foundation, Intermediate, Senior and FET phases), postgraduate programmes in Curriculum Studies, Higher Education, Psychology of Education, Philosophy and Policy Studies in Education, Comparative Education, Education Management
Faculty of Theology and Religion – theology and religious studies programmes
UFS Business School – MBA and postgraduate business/management programmes
Open Distance Learning (South Campus) – distance-mode delivery of selected undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications

Bursaries That May Apply Here

Based on published eligibility criteria mentioning this institution or its type (public university/university of technology) — always confirm current eligibility directly with the bursary provider before applying.