How much an MBA costs at South Africa’s top business schools right now
Update: The article has been updated to reflect the correct fees for Wits Business School
Despite a global pandemic and economic and political uncertainty, the demand for a Master of Business Administration (MBA) among business professionals continues to rise.
An MBA provides aspiring professionals with a sought-after qualification and can fast-track your career advancement and earning potential.
An MBA is the world’s best known and most widely recognised management education qualification, says Regent Business School. “It has become one of the most sought-after qualifications in today’s corporate world as a prerequisite to most top management positions as well as for successful career progression,” it said.
The latest Financial Times ranking for Executive Education shows that several business schools in South Africa rank high against their global counterparts.
The British-based Henley Business School has a strong presence in South Africa, and ranks 18th on the combined custom ranking of top executive education institutions, while the UCT Graduate School of Business (UCT GSB) also ranks well, and is particularly well-rated for its affordability.
UCT GSB ranks 44th in the world and number one in Africa for its customized programmes by the latest Financial Times Ranking. It ranks 15th in the world for growth and features in the top 40 for both programme design and customer relationship management.
“Our ability to feature so strongly against the global competition is a phenomenal achievement given the context of the pandemic, economic hardship and major political and social unrest in Kwa-Zulu Natal in 2021,” said Rayner Canning, business development director at the UCT GSB.
“We continue to see rapid growth in new client acquisition and strong client retention rates in excess of 75%. These are a direct result of our willingness to collaborate and partner closely, our agility and our high-touch client-centric approach.”
BusinessTech looked at some of the leading institutions in the country, and how much it costs to attend them in 2022 (in some cases additional registration or application fees apply):
| # | Business School | Tuition fees (all modules) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science | R376 848 |
| 2 | Henley Business School | R335 900 |
| 3 | University of Stellenbosch Business School | R293 380 |
| 4 | University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business | R285 450 |
| 5 | IIE MSA | R266 343 |
| 6 | Wits Business School | R261 100 |
| 7 | Milpark Business School | R245 150 |
| 8 | Johannesburg Business School (JBS) | R215 000 |
| 9 | Rhodes Business School | R178 000 |
| 10 | University of KwaZulu-Natal Graduate School of Business and Leadership | R147 470 |
| 11 | UNISA Graduate School of Business | R146 720 |
| 12 | Nelson Mandela University Business School | R108 640 |
| 13 | Regent Business School | R101 800 |
| 14 | MANCOSA | R73 710 |
| 15 | NWU Business School | Upon request |
| 16 | Tshwane School of Business and Society | Upon request |
Admission requirements
In terms of what prospective students require, it is common amongst MBA programmes to need applicants to be older than 25, have three years of relevant experience, a previous bachelor’s, honours or postgraduate degree and be fluent in English.
University of Pretoria’s Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
- Tuition fee: R376,848
- Application fee: R2,000 (Early bird)
- Deposit fee: R20,000
GIBS as the most expensive school on this list offers prospective students the chance to gain knowledge into how to start ones own business or gain a deeper and all-round understanding of busines to become a more effective manager.
According to the school, the GIBS MBA provides students with five focus areas, namely: General Management, Entrepreneurship, Consulting, Manufacturing and Health.
- Tuition fee: R335,900
- Application fee: n/a
- Deposit fee: n/a
Applications: The next program starts on 22 June.
University of Stellenbosch Business School
- Tuition fee: R293,380
- Application fee: n/a
- Deposit fee: R22,326
Applications: the programme is currently accepting applications
* Fees exclude the compulsory International Study module of $6,920 invoiced in year two.
University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business
- Tuition fee: R285,450
- Application fee: R1,850
- Deposit fee: R25,000
- Tuition fee: R261,100
- Application fee: R200
- Deposit fee: R15,000
- Tuition fee: R266,343
- Application fee: R400
- Deposit fee: n/a
Formerly Monash University, the campus was sold to The Independent Institute of Education in 2019.
- Tuition fee: R245,150
- Application fee: n/a
- Deposit fee: n/a
Johannesburg Business School (JBS)
- Tuition fee: R215,000
- Tuition fee for online: R194,150
- Deposit fee: n/a
- Tuition fee: R178,000
- Application fee: n/a
- Deposit fee: n/a
University of KwaZulu-Natal Graduate School of Business and Leadership
- Tuition fee: R147,470
- Application fee: R220 (once-off)
- Student levy fee: R1,000
- Registration fee: R7,500
UNISA Graduate School of Business
- Tuition fee: R146,720
- Registration fee: R73,360
- Application fee: R170
Nelson Mandela University Business School
- Tuition fee: R126,543
- Application fee: R1,480
- Deposit fee: R5,100
- Tuition fee: R101,800
- Application fee: n/a
- Deposit fee: would vary on payment plan
- Tuition fee: R73,710
- Registration fee: R8,900
- Cash fee in full on registration: R67,000
“Grow and prosper as a leader in your chosen field. Meet strategic business and management challenges head-on. This stimulating Masters of Business Administration will provide you with comprehensive knowledge and an applied skill set to succeed in a dynamic business environment,” said MANCOSA.
- NWU does not publicly disclose relevant fees.
Tshwane School for Business and Society
- Fees available on email request
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