The 2026 QS World University Rankings were released on 19th June, 2025. Covering more than 100 locations globally, the 2026 Edition of QS World University Rankings lists over 1,500 of the world’s top universities. This ranking is poised to introduce a subtle yet seismic shift with the debut of the International Student Diversity (ISD) metric—a measure that, on paper, carries zero weight in this year’s scoring. This unassuming addition, which evaluates not just how many international students a university hosts, but how broadly they represent global nations and cultures, signals QS’s long-game strategy to redefine excellence in global education. As QS Global University Rankings 2026 subtly reshuffles the deck, one truth emerges: today’s footnote is tomorrow’s battleground.
Highlights of the 2026 QS World University Ranking
MIT Still #1: MIT tops the list for the 14th straight year. Imperial College London is #2, and Stanford is #3.
China Rising: Nearly half of mainland Chinese universities moved up. Peking Uni holds at #14, Tsinghua jumps to #17, and Fudan leaps nine spots to #30. Five are now in the top 100.
South Korea Strong: 43 Korean universities ranked. 16 improved their position.
Hong Kong Soars: HKU skyrocketed to #11 globally. Among regions with 5+ ranked unis, Hong Kong’s system improved the 2nd most.
Singapore Stands Out: NUS #8 and NTU #12 are both in the top 15. They easily beat Japan’s top universities in terms of international engagement.
Europe Shifts: Germany finally has more risers than fallers. Big win for Italy: Milan Polytech enters top 100 (#98) – its first ever top-100 university.
QS World University Ranking 2026 TOP100 List
| QS Ranking 2026 | QS Ranking 2025 |
Institution | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | United States of America | Americas |
| 2 | 2 | Imperial College London | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 3 | 6 | Stanford University | United States of America | Americas |
| 4 | 3 | University of Oxford | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 5 | 4 | Harvard University | United States of America | Americas |
| 6 | 5 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 7 | 7 | ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) | Switzerland | Europe |
| 8 | 8 | National University of Singapore (NUS) | Singapore | Asia |
| 9 | 9 | UCL (University College London) | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 10 | 10 | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | United States of America | Americas |
| 11 | 17 | The University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong SAR, China | Asia |
| 12 | 15 | Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) | Singapore | Asia |
| 13 | 21 | University of Chicago | United States of America | Americas |
| 14 | 14 | Peking University | China (Mainland) | Asia |
| 15 | 11 | University of Pennsylvania | United States of America | Americas |
| 16 | 16 | Cornell University | United States of America | Americas |
| 17 | 20 | Tsinghua University | China (Mainland) | Asia |
| 17 | 12 | University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | United States of America | Americas |
| 19 | 13 | The University of Melbourne | Australia | Oceania |
| 20 | 19 | The University of New South Wales | Australia | Oceania |
| 21 | 23 | Yale University | United States of America | Americas |
| 22 | 26 | École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne | Switzerland | Europe |
| 22 | 28 | Technical University of Munich | Germany | Europe |
| 24 | 32 | Johns Hopkins University | United States of America | Americas |
| 25 | 22 | Princeton University | United States of America | Americas |
| 25 | 18 | The University of Sydney | Australia | Oceania |
| 27 | 29 | McGill University | Canada | Americas |
| 28 | 24 | PSL University | France | Europe |
| 29 | 25 | University of Toronto | Canada | Americas |
| 30 | 39 | Fudan University | China (Mainland) | Asia |
| 31 | 40 | King’s College London (KCL) | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 32 | 30 | Australian National University | Australia | Oceania |
| 32 | 36 | The Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong SAR, China | Asia |
| 34 | 27 | University of Edinburgh | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 35 | 34 | The University of Manchester | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 36 | 37 | Monash University | Australia | Oceania |
| 36 | 32 | The University of Tokyo | Japan | Asia |
| 38 | 34 | Columbia University | United States of America | Americas |
| 38 | 31 | Seoul National University | Republic of Korea | Asia |
| 40 | 38 | University of British Columbia | Canada | Americas |
| 41 | 46 | Institut Polytechnique de Paris | France | Europe |
| 42 | 50 | Northwestern University | United States of America | Americas |
| 42 | 40 | The University of Queensland | Australia | Oceania |
| 44 | 47 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | Hong Kong SAR, China | Asia |
| 45 | 44 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | United States of America | Americas |
| 46 | 42 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | United States of America | Americas |
| 47 | 49 | Delft University of Technology | Netherlands | Europe |
| 47 | 45 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | China (Mainland) | Asia |
| 49 | 47 | Zhejiang University | China (Mainland) | Asia |
| 50 | 56 | Yonsei University | Republic of Korea | Asia |
| 51 | 54 | University of Bristol | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 52 | 58 | Carnegie Mellon University | United States of America | Americas |
| 53 | 55 | The University of Amsterdam | Netherlands | Europe |
| 54 | 57 | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University | Hong Kong SAR, China | Asia |
| 55 | 43 | New York University (NYU) | United States of America | Americas |
| 56 | 50 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 57 | 50 | Kyoto University | Japan | Asia |
| 58 | 59 | Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München | Germany | Europe |
| 58 | 60 | Universiti Malaya (UM) | Malaysia | Asia |
| 60 | 63 | KU Leuven | Belgium | Europe |
| 61 | 67 | Korea University | Republic of Korea | Asia |
| 62 | 61 | Duke University | United States of America | Americas |
| 63 | 62 | City University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong SAR, China | Asia |
| 63 | 68 | National Taiwan University (NTU) | Taiwan | Asia |
| 65 | 65 | The University of Auckland | New Zealand | Oceania |
| 66 | 72 | University of California, San Diego (UCSD) | United States of America | Americas |
| 67 | 101 | King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals | Saudi Arabia | Asia |
| 68 | 66 | University of Texas at Austin | United States of America | Americas |
| 69 | 79 | Brown University | United States of America | Americas |
| 70 | 73 | Université Paris-Saclay | France | Europe |
| 70 | 69 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | United States of America | Americas |
| 72 | 75 | Lund University | Sweden | Europe |
| 72 | 63 | Sorbonne University (merged from Paris IV & UPMC) | France | Europe |
| 74 | 69 | The University of Warwick | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 75 | 87 | Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin | Ireland | Europe |
| 76 | 80 | University of Birmingham | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 77 | 77 | The University of Western Australia | Australia | Oceania |
| 78 | 74 | KTH Royal Institute of Technology | Sweden | Europe |
| 79 | 78 | University of Glasgow | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 80 | 84 | Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg | Germany | Europe |
| 81 | 76 | University of Washington | United States of America | Americas |
| 82 | 89 | Adelaide University | Australia | Oceania |
| 82 | 89 | Pennsylvania State University | United States of America | Americas |
| 84 | 71 | Universidad de Buenos Aires | Argentina | Americas |
| 85 | 84 | Tokyo Institute of Technology | Japan | Asia |
| 86 | 82 | University of Leeds | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 87 | 80 | University of Southampton | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 88 | 108 | Boston University | United States of America | Americas |
| 88 | 97 | Freie Universität Berlin | Germany | Europe |
| 88 | 89 | Purdue University | United States of America | Americas |
| 91 | 86 | The University of Osaka | Japan | Asia |
| 92 | 105 | The University of Sheffield | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 93 | 103 | Uppsala University | Sweden | Europe |
| 94 | 89 | Durham University | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 94 | 96 | University of Alberta | Canada | Americas |
| 96 | 88 | University of Technology Sydney | Australia | Oceania |
| 97 | 108 | The University of Nottingham | United Kingdom | Europe |
| 98 | 102 | Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) | Germany | Europe |
| 98 | 111 | Politecnico di Milano | Italy | Europe |
| 100 | 109 | University of Zurich (UZH) | Switzerland | Europe |
What is meant by QS World University Ranking?
The QS World University Rankings is an annual ranking of universities published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British international education market consultancy. QS initially partnered with The Times Higher Education (THE) to produce the THE-QS World University Rankings, first published in 2004. However, since 2010, the two have published rankings separately.
Is QS World Ranking Reliable?
QS Top University Ranking is one of the most influential university rankings in the world, with a long history, outstanding reputation and wide recognition.
Firstly, QS World University Rankings adopt a complex and comprehensive methodology system, which covers multiple key factors, including academic reputation, employer reputation, teacher-student ratio, etc. Moreover, yearly, new metrics are designed to ensure the rankings’ multi-dimensionality and comprehensiveness. These factors together constitute the basis for evaluating the comprehensive strength of a university, making the ranking results more reference value.
Secondly, most of the data relied on by the rankings comes from universities and survey institutions, which usually have high professionalism and credibility.
In addition, QS rankings also pay attention to transparency and openness. They publish detailed criteria, data sources, and calculation methods for the rankings, making the results more credible and persuasive.
How is QS World University Ranking calculated 2026?
Each ranking uses its own set of measurements. Some appear in multiple rankings, while others are only used for one specific ranking. Here are the weightings for each performance lens and indicator in the QS World University Ranking for the 2026 Edition.
| Lens | Weighting | Indicator | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research and Discovery | 50% | Academic Reputation | 30% |
| Citations per Faculty | 20% | ||
| Employability and Outcomes | 20% | Employer Reputation | 15% |
| Employment Outcomes | 5% | ||
| Learning Experience | 10% | Faculty Student Ratio | 10% |
| Global Engagement | 15% | International Faculty Ratio | 5% |
| International Research Network | 5% | ||
| International Student Diversity | 0% | ||
| International Student Ratio | 5% | ||
| Sustainability | 5% | Sustainability | 5% |
2026 QS Rankings: Key Changes for UK Universities
| QS Ranking 2026 |
QS Ranking 2025 |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | Imperial College London |
| 4 | 3 | University of Oxford |
| 6 | 5 | University of Cambridge |
| 9 | 9 | UCL (University College London) |
| 31 | 40 | King’s College London (KCL) |
| 34 | 27 | University of Edinburgh |
| 35 | 34 | The University of Manchester |
| 51 | 54 | University of Bristol |
| 56 | 50 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) |
| 74 | 69 | The University of Warwick |
| 76 | 80 | University of Birmingham |
| 79 | 78 | University of Glasgow |
| 86 | 82 | University of Leeds |
| 87 | 80 | University of Southampton |
| 92 | 105 | The University of Sheffield |
| 94 | 89 | Durham University |
| 97 | 108 | The University of Nottingham |
In the QS World University Rankings 2026, 17 of the top 100 universities are from the UK, the same as last year.
- G5 Universities
Imperial College London still secured the same position #2 as last year.
University of Oxford is #4, the University of Cambridge is #6, and UCL is at #9, remaining stable in the Top 10.
LSE drop to #56.
- “Prestigious UK Group” Shifts
King’s College London (KCL) secured spots at #31.
Edinburgh falls 7 places to #34; Manchester dips slightly to #35.
Warwick declines 5 places to #7.
University of Bristol rises to #51—solidifying its place among the top UK choices.
- Notable Returns to Top 100
Sheffield University re-enters at #92, and the University of Nottingham at #97, both regaining positions after recent drops.
2026 QS World Rankings: Key Changes for Europe
| QS Ranking 2026 |
QS Ranking 2025 |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | 7 | ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) |
| 22 | 26 | École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne |
| 22 | 28 | Technical University of Munich |
| 28 | 24 | PSL University |
| 41 | 46 | Institut Polytechnique de Paris |
| 47 | 49 | Delft University of Technology |
| 53 | 55 | The University of Amsterdam |
| 58 | 59 | Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München |
| 60 | 63 | KU Leuven |
| 70 | 73 | Université Paris-Saclay |
| 72 | 75 | Lund University |
| 72 | 63 | Sorbonne University (merged from Paris IV & UPMC) |
| 75 | 87 | Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin |
| 78 | 74 | KTH Royal Institute of Technology |
| 80 | 84 | Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg |
| 88 | 97 | Freie Universität Berlin |
| 93 | 103 | Uppsala University |
| 98 | 102 | Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) |
| 98 | 111 | Politecnico di Milano |
| 100 | 109 | University of Zurich (UZH) |
Key Takeaways of QS World Ranking for European University:
Switzerland has two very stable top-tier institutions.
France and Germany have multiple universities that consistently rank well.
TU Munich is Germany’s top-ranked university.
Sweden showed significant improvement, with three universities now in the top 100.
The exit of RWTH Aachen and Copenhagen was a notable shift.
2026 QS World Rankings: Universities in the USA
| QS Ranking 2026 |
QS Ranking 2025 |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
| 3 | 6 | Stanford University |
| 5 | 4 | Harvard University |
| 10 | 10 | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) |
| 13 | 21 | University of Chicago |
| 15 | 11 | University of Pennsylvania |
| 16 | 16 | Cornell University |
| 17 | 12 | University of California, Berkeley (UCB) |
| 21 | 23 | Yale University |
| 24 | 32 | Johns Hopkins University |
| 25 | 22 | Princeton University |
| 38 | 34 | Columbia University |
| 42 | 50 | Northwestern University |
| 45 | 44 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor |
| 46 | 42 | University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) |
| 52 | 58 | Carnegie Mellon University |
| 55 | 43 | New York University (NYU) |
| 62 | 61 | Duke University |
| 66 | 72 | University of California, San Diego (UCSD) |
| 68 | 66 | University of Texas at Austin |
| 69 | 79 | Brown University |
| 70 | 69 | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
| 81 | 76 | University of Washington |
| 82 | 89 | Pennsylvania State University |
| 88 | 108 | Boston University |
| 88 | 89 | Purdue University |
2026 QS World Rankings Highlights For Universities in the USA:
26 US Universities: 26 US universities made the Top 100 (up 1 from last year).
Big Mover: Boston University renter is on the top 100 list, jumped 20 spots to #88.
Advice: Students and parents applying to the US should think about their goals and choose what’s best for them. QS is just one reference point.
Top Schools: MIT stays #1 globally for the 14th year. Harvard dropped one spot to #5. Stanford University rose three places to #3.
2026 QS Rankings: Changes in Australian University
| QS Ranking 2026 |
QS Ranking 2025 |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | 13 | The University of Melbourne |
| 20 | 19 | The University of New South Wales |
| 25 | 18 | The University of Sydney |
| 32 | 30 | Australian National University |
| 36 | 37 | Monash University |
| 42 | 40 | The University of Queensland |
| 77 | 77 | The University of Western Australia |
| 82 | 89 | Adelaide University |
| 96 | 88 | University of Technology Sydney |
The 2026 QS World University Rankings shows that there are nine Australian universities secured positions in the top 100 global universities. This year, Australian institutions marked a slight overall decline for most.
Main Changes for Australian Universities:
The University of Melbourne: Fell to 19th, but remains Australia’s top-ranked institution.
University of Sydney: Exited the top 20 and fell 7 positions to 25th.
Monash University: Ranked 36th (consistent with prior reports).
University of Queensland: Slipped to 42nd.
University of Technology Sydney (UTS): Drops 8 places to 96th.
2026 QS World Rankings: Key Takeaway in China
| QS Ranking 2026 |
QS Ranking 2025 |
Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | 14 | Peking University |
| 17 | 20 | Tsinghua University |
| 30 | 39 | Fudan University |
| 47 | 45 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University |
| 49 | 47 | Zhejiang University |
There are five universities from mainland China on the top 100 list in the 2026 QS World Rankings. All except Zhejiang University rose in rank.
Peking University held steady at 14th, making it Asia’s third-highest-ranked university.
Tsinghua University climbed to 17th, ranking fourth in Asia.
Fudan University jumped to 30th.
Shanghai Jiao Tong University ranked 47th, while Zhejiang University remained at 49th.
2026 QS Rankings: Performances of Universities in Hong Kong, China
In the 2026 QS World University Rankings, five universities from Hong Kong secured spots in the global top 100.
| QS Ranking 2026 | QS Ranking 2025 | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | 17 | The University of Hong Kong |
| 32 | 36 | The Chinese University of Hong Kong |
| 44 | 47 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology |
| 54 | 57 | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
| 63 | 62 | City University of Hong Kong |
FAQ
Most of the time, the QS rankings are the most cited and trusted. The QS rankings are known for their emphasis on academic reputation, research citations, and internationalization.
The QS UK University Rankings is a comprehensive evaluation and ranking of universities in the United Kingdom. This ranking is published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a British international education market consulting company. The QS ranking covers five major disciplines: arts and humanities, social sciences and management, natural sciences, engineering and technology, life sciences and medicine, and comprehensively evaluates the comprehensive strength of universities according to multiple indicators.
According to the QS World University Rankings 2026, the Imperial College of London (2), the University of Oxford (3), the University of Cambridge (2), and UCL (9) are among the top 10 universities in the world.
According to the QS World University Rankings 2025, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is the best university in the world, with 100 points in six QS categories, including Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation and Employment Outcomes.
“QS 5 Star” refers to the highest rating in the QS rating system, which is “5 Star+”. This rating is the result of an objective and comprehensive evaluation of universities worldwide by Quacquarelli Symonds, an independent evaluation agency, according to a series of detailed criteria. These criteria mainly include six dimensions, namely teaching level, research level, internationalization level, employment level, school facilities and innovation ability.
QS usually evaluates universities based on six items: Academic reputation, Employer Reputation, the learning and teaching environment, Research impact, the proportion of international students, and the proportion of international teachers. In 2023, QS added three new metrics: Sustainability, Employment outcomes, and International research network.
