50 Best Computer Science Universities in the World 2026
- What is Computer Science Course Abroad?
- Best 50 Computer Science Universities in the World
- Top Computer Science Universities in the World - Admission Requirements
- Country-Wise Salaries for Computer Science Graduates 2026
- How to Choose the Best Computer Science University for Study?
What is Computer Science Course Abroad?
The study of computers and computational systems is covered in the field of computer science. It includes almost everything, going from the algorithms of a particular software program to the interaction between that software and hardware, and finally to ways in which a certain software may be designed and developed efficiently. Computer scientists use mathematical algorithms, coding techniques, and a broad range of advanced programming skills to study computer processes and develop new software and systems. If this interests you, you can also plan and pursue a course in Computer Science abroad.
Types of Computer Science Courses Abroad
Broadly there are 5 to 6 types of Computer Science courses offered abroad and they are offered at the following levels of study:
- Associate Degree in Computer Science
- Diploma in Computer Science
- Undergraduate Degree: B.Tech in Computer Science, BSc in Computer Science and others
- PG Diploma in Computer Science
- Postgraduate Degree: MS in Computer Science Abroad (there can be just this course or there can be a dual degree also on offer, check out the best countries for MS in Computer Science abroad also)
- Doctoral Degree: MPhil or PhD in Computer Science
Computer Science Specializations
Computer Science Courses List: Candidates should note that Computer science is a course by itself. However, candidates can look at selecting their specialization as offered by every university in the study of computer science. Computer Science specialisations can be taken up only at the postgraduate level, thus, some of the popular MS in Computer Science specialisations are as follows:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Machine Learning (ML)
- Data Science
- Cybersecurity
- Cloud Computing
- Information Systems
- Software Engineering
- Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
These specialisations will vary with the applicant's choice of university and the availability of these specialisations as well.
Related Reads
| Difference between MIS and Computer Science | Computer Science in the USA |
| AP Computer Science Principles | GRE Scores for MS in Computer Science for US |
Your choice of computer science specialization would depend on several factors. This includes your past academic records, your interests, your job preference and the demand of the job market to name a few. Hence, candidates looking to study Computer Science abroad must make their decisions aligned with the factors mentioned above.
Best 50 Computer Science Universities in the World
In this section, we will be talking about the top computer science universities in the world. For the benefit of our readers, we have taken the top computer science universities in the world as reported by QS World University Rankings and the best computer science universities in the world as reported by Times Higher Education (THE) 2025. This way we have been able to provide a balanced list of the world's top 50 computer science universities.
| Universities |
Top Universities for Computer Science & Information Systems 2025 – QS World University Rankings by Subject |
World University Rankings 2025 by subject: computer science – Times Higher Education (THE) |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, United States |
#1 |
#3 |
| Stanford University Stanford, United States |
#2 |
#5 |
| Pittsburgh, United States |
#3 |
#6 |
| National University of Singapore (NUS) Singapore, Singapore |
#4 |
#11 |
| Oxford, United Kingdom |
#5 |
#1 |
| Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU) Singapore, Singapore |
#6 |
#19 |
| Cambridge, United States |
#7 |
#10 |
| University of California, Berkeley (UCB) Berkeley, United States |
#8 |
#8 |
| Cambridge, United Kingdom |
#9 |
#2 |
| ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich, Switzerland |
#10 |
#4 |
| Tsinghua University Beijing, China (Mainland) |
#11 |
#13 |
| Toronto, Canada |
#12 |
#23 |
| Princeton, United States |
#13 |
#6 |
| Peking University Beijing, China (Mainland) |
#14 |
#12 |
| École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Lausanne, Switzerland |
#15 |
- |
| University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Los Angeles, United States |
#16 |
#17 |
| New York City, United States |
#17 |
#27 |
| Ithaca, United States |
#18 |
#16 |
| Seattle, United States |
#19 |
#18 |
| Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai, China (Mainland) |
#20 |
#33 |
| The University of Hong Kong Hong Kong |
#21 |
#53 |
| Imperial College London London, UK |
#22 |
#8 |
| Edinburgh, United Kingdom |
#23 |
#29 |
| The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR |
#24 |
#28 |
| University College London (UCL) |
=24 |
- |
| New Haven, United States |
#26 |
#23 |
| New York City, United States |
#27 |
#24 |
| The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR |
=27 |
#38 |
| KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology Daejeon, South Korea |
#29 |
#46 |
| The University of Tokyo Tokyo, Japan |
#30 |
#33 |
| University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada |
#31 |
#49 |
| Hangzhou, China (Mainland) |
=31 |
#44 |
| Waterloo, Canada |
#33 |
|
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Champaign, United States |
#34 |
#19 |
| Technical University of Munich Munich, Germany |
#35 |
#15 |
| The University of Sydney Sydney, Australia |
#36 |
#69 |
| Australian National University Canberra, Australia |
#37 |
#81 |
| University of California, San Diego |
=37 |
#35 |
| Fudan University Shanghai, China (Mainland) |
#39 |
#73 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, United States |
#40 |
#22 |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, United States |
#41 |
#41 |
| Philadelphia, United States |
=41 |
#34 |
| Austin, United States |
=41 |
#32 |
| Seoul National University Seoul, South Korea |
#44 |
#49 |
| Amsterdam, Netherlands |
#45 |
=80 |
| Parkville, Australia |
#46 |
#55 |
| University of New South Wales Sydney, Australia |
=46 |
#47 |
| Montreal, Canada |
#48 |
#76 |
| University of Southern California LA, USA |
#49 |
#64 |
| University of Chicago Chicago, USA |
#50 |
#40 |
Based on the rankings in the table above, the universities that rank for Computer Science courses include USA, Canada, UK, Singapore, Australia, China, Germany and South Korea. The maximum number of universities offering Computer Science courses abroad are in the USA, followed by the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany and others. Thus, applicants looking at applying to universities abroad can understand the universities ranking here and then shortlist them based on preference.
What is the Best Country to Study Computer Science Abroad?
From the ranking above, we can clearly decipher that the best country to study computer science abroad is the United States of America (USA) closely followed by the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada. All these countries have the maximum number of their universities ranking under the best 50 computer science universities in the world. Hence, these can be considered for admission based on the course offering, specialisation availability, tuition costs and cost of living factors along with post study work options.
Also, Read
Candidates looking to study Computer science can check out the application requirements below.
Top Computer Science Universities in the World - Admission Requirements
Candidates looking to study Computer Science abroad would be required to provide the following information as part of the admission process to universities abroad.
- High school transcripts
- SAT or ACT scores, depending on the university of application for an undergraduate computer science course
- A Bachelor’s or undergraduate degree with an aggregate GPA of 3.0 GPA out of 4.0. (Calculate GPA using a free GPA Calculator)
- GRE score between 290-330. The score required may vary depending on the university.
- English language proficiency test scores in IELTS (6.5 to 7) or TOEFL (7 to 7.5).
- Internship or work experience certificate or proof.
- Photocopies of passport
- A good resume with a detailed summary of your education and work (if applicable).
- Letter of Recommendation by your home country mentor or employer, stating why you’re fit for admission.
- Statement of Purpose clearly defines your future goals and purpose to study at the respective university of application.
- Proof of funds via bank statements stating that you’ve enough balance to pay your 1- year tuition and living fee.
Candidates wanting answers to their queries can get in touch with us in the comments section below. Also, candidates can get in touch with our Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors to learn more about the popular Computer Science specializations that are offered by various universities abroad along with their fee structure and admission requirements.
Country-Wise Salaries for Computer Science Graduates 2026
Applicants applying to any of the universities amongst the top 50 universities for computer science would eventually be interested in knowing the salaries offered in the respective countries of study. Here is an average salary country-wise for computer science graduates and postgraduates in the table below for reference:
| Top Countries for Computer Science Courses | Salary for Computer Science UG Degree Holders | Salary for Computer Science PG Degree Holders |
|---|---|---|
| USA | USD 70,000 - USD 80,000 | USD 98,000 - USD 135,000 |
| UK | £25,000 - £35,000 | £44,143 - £53,155 |
| Canada | CDN 55,000 - CDN 110,000 | CDN 72,577 to CDN 91,305 |
| Australia | AUD 60,000 - AUD 80,0000 | AUD 80,000 - AUD 120,000 |
| Germany | €40,000 - €60,000 | €60,000 - €80,000 |
Applicants must note that these are average annual costs and may vary per time, job role, location of work and time of working. Thus, the costs are dynamic and can change based on the current market trends or inflation rates.
Popular Job Roles after Computer Science Abroad
Some of the most popular job roles after Computer Science course abroad are as follows:
- Computer Programmer
- Database Architect
- Computer Systems Analyst
- Data Scientist
- Information Security Analyst
- Software Developer
- Web and Digital Interface Designer
How to Choose the Best Computer Science University for Study?
To choose the best computer science university to study in 2026, applicants must focus on different factors. Each factor must be considered so that the best choice can be made. Consider these five critical factors, which will aid in making a choice:
- Look exclusively at Computer Science rankings rather than general university reputations. For 2025-26, QS World University Rankings and Times Higher Education highlight Oxford, MIT, and Stanford as the top global performers.
- If you are interested in graduate studies or AI, use CSrankings.org, which ranks schools based on faculty publications in top-tier conferences rather than surveys, often placing Carnegie Mellon at the top.
- Choose a university located near a major technology ecosystem to secure better internships. For example, Stanford and UC Berkeley provide direct access to Silicon Valley, while the University of Washington offers a pipeline to Seattle-based giants like Microsoft and Amazon.
- Match the school to your specific sub-field. While ETH Zurich is a world leader in robotics and engineering, the University of Toronto is globally renowned for deep learning and neural networks.
- Compare the total cost of attendance against the average starting salary for graduates. Public institutions like Georgia Tech or UT Austin often offer a higher Return on Investment (ROI) than expensive private ivy leagues due to lower tuition and strong corporate recruiting partnerships.
This was all about the best 50 universities for Computer Science abroad, along with the country-wise analysis to pursue Computer Science abroad. Applicants can shortlist universities for Computer Science based on their preference and pocket. For further queries, applicants can send us their doubts in the comments section below. For additional queries for admissions, sign up for our free Shiksha Abroad Counelling.
As per The Guardian, the Uni of Bedfordshire ranks at #103 in 2026 and #122 in 2025. Furthermore, as per Complete University Guide, this university ranks at #130 in 2026 and #120 in 2025.
With a 16.8% acceptance rate, the University of Hertfordshire is very hard to get into and follows a difficult selection criteria during admissions. This does not mean the university accepts all the students applying for different programs.
The selection is based on the factors given below -
- Academic performance
- English language requirements
- References
Some of the programs at Hertfordshire even demand an experience of 4-5 years. In addition, students with average performance can showcase their relevant experience or extracurricular activities participation to increase their selection probability.
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England Newcastle University is one of the top choices among international students due to the university's world-class programs, an impressive return on investment, vibrant campus life, and more. As per the reviews posted by students on Shiksha, the university has obtained the following stars: