The University of Pretoria (UP) is a multi-campus public research university located in Pretoria (the administrative and de facto capital of the country) in the Gauteng Province of South Africa.
The university was established in 1908 as the Pretoria campus of the Johannesburg-based Transvaal University College with just four professors and 32 students in a little late Victorian house called Kya Rosa.
Currently, the University of Pretoria is built on seven suburban campuses on 1,190 hectares (2,900 acres) and has over 55,000 students in 2025.
The university’s main campus and central administration offices are at the Hatfield Campus, located in the suburb of Hatfield, Pretoria.
The institution offers programmes in Humanities, Education, Economic and Management Sciences, Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Health Sciences, Veterinary Science, Theology and Religion Law, and Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology.
The University of Pretoria is the fourth South African institution in continuous operation to be awarded university status. It is also one of South Africa’s largest contact and research-intensive universities.
Tuks prides itself on producing the most impactful social research to solve the world’s most pressing challenges.
The University of Pretoria is overseen by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) under the National Government of South Africa.
Overview
| Nicknames: | UP / Tuks / Tukkies |
| Motto: | “With zeal and perseverance, strive towards the goal.” |
| Type: | Public University |
| Established: | 4 March 1908 |
| Chancellor: | Justice Sisi Khampepe |
| Vice-Chancellor: | Prof Francis Petersen |
| Location: | Pretoria, Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa |
| Website: | www.up.ac.za |
Campuses
The University of Pretoria has seven campuses listed below:
- Hatfield campus – located along Lynnwood Road in Hatfield, Pretoria
- Hillcrest campus – located along Burnett Street in Hatfield, Pretoria
- Groenkloof campus – located along George Storrar Drive (M7) and Leyds Street in Groenkloof, Pretoria
- Prinshof campus – located along Dr Savage Road in Prinshof, Pretoria
- Onderstepoort campus – located along the M35 in Onderstepoort, Pretoria
- GIBS campus (Gordon Institute of Business Science) – located along Melville Road, Illovo Boulevard in Sandton, Johannesburg
- Mamelodi campus – located along Hinterland Avenue in Mamelodi, Pretoria
Overseeing Department/Entity
Office Bearers/Management
Chancellor
- Justice Sisi Khampepe
Vice Chancellor
- Prof Francis Petersen
Deputy Vice Chancellors
- Prof Loretta Feris (Academic)
- Prof Sunil Maharaj (Research Innovation and Postgraduate Studies)
- Prof Themba Mosia (Student Life)
Registrar
- Prof Caroline Nicholson
Senior Management
- Prof Carolina Koornhof (Executive Director: Finance and Business Initiatives)
- Mr Sandile Mthiyane (Chief Operating Officer [COO])
- Dr Diane Parker (Director: Strategy Coordination and Implementation)
Contact Details
The contact details of the University of Pretoria are listed in the table below.
| Physical Address: | Cnr Lynnwood Road and Roper Street, Hatfield |
| Postal Address: | Private Bag X20, Hatfield, 0028 |
| Telephone: | 012 420 3111 |
| Email: | ssc@up.ac.za |
| Website: | www.up.ac.za |
