World's Top 100 Universities 2026 : Rankings
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Studying abroad has evolved into a billion-dollar industry, generating substantial employment opportunities. If planning to apply abroad, check out the top 100 universities in the world as per QS - WUR 2026. Also understand how to choose among these universities to study abroad in 2026.
To encourage students to study abroad, countries are introducing student-friendly policies and, above all, allowing international students a fair chance of garnering employment through their post-study visa has only furthered the cause. Indians have one of the largest student populations in countries abroad, with the second-highest international student population, after China. Hence, India has become a formidable market that international study destinations cannot ignore.
There is no single best university in the world; hence, there are multiple universities ranked differently. Read on to learn more about the top 100 universities in the world for 2026 for Indian and international students alike. Check out the top universities for international students based on the University Rankings 2026 in this article. Check out the list of top universities abroad.
- World Best University Rankings 2026
- Top 100 Universities in the World - QS 2026
- QS Asia University Rankings 2025
- Why Study at Top 100 Universities Abroad?
- Admission Requirements for Top 100 Universities in the World
- How to Choose Your Preferred Universities from the Top 100
World Best University Rankings 2026
Studying abroad is categorised as imparting theoretical knowledge with the right amount of practical involvement. We all know that studying abroad is this and so much more; candidates get their fair share of improving their skills through part-time work options, interacting with a heterogeneous crowd, and acquiring skills that would otherwise not have been possible. Studying in one of the top 10 universities in the world provides all this and more. There are no limits attached to studying abroad.
Candidates wanting to study abroad only want the best university in the world for themselves. Today, we bring our students to the best universities in the world for higher education. You can visit each university listed below to understand more about the university in detail, the courses on offer, the course duration, admission and eligibility requirements, and the updated living and tuition fee structure.
Top 100 Universities in the World - QS 2026
The list of the top 100 Universities in the world for 2026 have been ranked by QS Top Universities Ranking, by considering multiple factors.
| Top 100 Universities in the World |
QS - World University Ranking 2026 |
QS - World University Ranking 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| #1 |
#1 | |
| #2 |
#2 | |
| #3 |
#6 | |
| #4 |
#3 | |
| #5 |
#4 | |
| #6 |
#5 | |
| #7 |
#7 | |
| #8 |
#8 | |
| #9 |
#9 | |
| #10 |
#10 | |
| #11 |
#17 | |
| #12 |
#15 | |
| #13 |
#21 | |
| #14 |
#14 | |
| #15 |
#11 | |
| #16 |
#16 | |
| #17 |
#20 | |
| #18 |
#12 | |
| #19 |
#13 | |
| #20 |
#19 | |
| #21 |
#31 | |
| #22 |
#32 | |
| #23 |
#32 | |
| #24 |
#23 | |
| #25 |
#22 | |
| #25 |
#18 | |
| #27 |
#26 | |
| #28 |
#25 | |
| #29 |
#28 | |
| #30 |
#40 | |
| #31 |
#29 | |
| #32 |
#24 | |
| #33 |
#34 | |
| #34 |
#50 | |
| #35 |
#30 | |
| #36 |
#26 | |
| Columbia University | #38 |
#34 |
| Seoul National University | #38 |
#31 |
| #39 |
#102 | |
| University of British Columbia | #40 |
#63 |
| #41 |
#27 | |
| #42 |
#114 | |
| HKUST | #43 |
#47 |
| #44 |
#40 | |
| #45 |
#37 | |
| #46 |
#42 | |
| #47 |
#49 | |
| #48 |
#84 | |
| #49 |
#45 | |
| Yonsei University |
#50 |
#56 |
| University of Bristol | #51 |
#54 |
| Carnegie Mellon University |
#52 |
#58 |
| The University of Amsterdam |
#53 |
#55 |
| The Hong Kong Polytechnic University |
#54 |
#57 |
| New York University (NYU) |
#55 |
#43 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) |
#56 |
#50 |
| Kyoto University |
#57 |
#50 |
| Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München |
#58 |
#59 |
| Universiti Malaya (UM) |
#58 |
#60 |
| KU Leuven |
#60 |
#63 |
| Korea University |
#61 |
#67 |
| Duke University |
#62 |
#61 |
| City University of Hong Kong |
#63 |
#62 |
| National Taiwan University (NTU) |
#63 |
#68 |
| The University of Auckland |
#65 |
#65 |
| University of California, San Diego (UCSD) |
#66 |
#72 |
| King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals |
#67 |
#101 |
| University of Texas at Austin |
#68 |
#66 |
| Brown University |
#69 |
#79 |
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
#70 |
#69 |
| Paris-Saclay University |
#70 |
#73 |
| Lund University |
#72 |
#75 |
| Sorbonne University (merged from Paris IV & UPMC) |
#72 |
#63 |
| The University of Warwick |
#74 |
#69 |
| Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin |
#75 |
#87 |
| University of Birmingham |
#76 |
#80 |
| The University of Western Australia |
#77 |
#77 |
| KTH Royal Institute of Technology |
#78 |
#74 |
| University of Glasgow |
#79 |
#78 |
| Universität Heidelberg |
#80 |
#84 |
| University of Washington |
#81 |
#76 |
| The University of Adelaide |
#82 |
#82 |
| Pennsylvania State University |
#82 |
#89 |
| Universidad de Buenos Aires |
#84 |
#71 |
| Tokyo Institute of Technology |
#85 |
#84 |
| University of Leeds |
#86 |
#82 |
| University of Southampton |
#87 |
#80 |
| Boston University |
#88 |
#108 |
| Freie Universität Berlin |
#88 |
#97 |
| Purdue University |
#88 |
#89 |
| The University of Osaka |
#91 |
#86 |
| The University of Sheffield |
#92 |
#105 |
| Uppsala University |
#93 |
#103 |
| Durham University |
#94 |
#89 |
| University of Alberta |
#94 |
#96 |
| University of Technology Sydney |
#96 |
#88 |
| The University of Nottingham |
#97 |
#108 |
| Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) |
#98 |
#102 |
| Politecnico di Milano |
#98 |
#111 |
| University of Zurich (UZH) |
#100 |
#109 |
Based on year over year trends for those ranking in the top 100 universities in the world can be understood through different parameters. Based on the stats 1,500 universities have been ranked for the year 2026 as per QS. Among the top 100 universities in the world, 26 are US universities, followed by 17 UK universities and 09 Australian universities in the lead.
Also, let's look at the top 50 universities in the world. There are 15 universities in the USA, followed by eight UK universities and three Canadian universities; the rest are from China, Spain, Germany, Switzerland and Singapore. Those who make it to the top 50 universities in the world are equally prestigious, and applicants can consider applying to these universities for admissions.
Also Read:
Applicants who plan to study abroad can gain good insights based on the top 100 universities in the world ranking data. Since the rankings are based on different parameters and methodologies, applicants can get insights on international outlook, research, popularity, course offering and other details for top 100 universities in the world.
QS Asia University Rankings 2025
Apart from global rankings, there are also some of the best universities in the world for students based on a particular region. Students looking to study in Asia across its top universities can go for the following world top universities based on QS Asia University Rankings 2025:
| Top 10 Asia Universities (QS) | QS Asia University Rankings 2025 |
|---|---|
| National University of Singapore | #8 |
| Peking University | #14 |
| Tsinghua University | #20 |
| Nanyang Technological University | #15 |
| University of Hong Kong | #17 |
| University of Tokyo | #32 |
| Seoul National University | #31 |
| Zhejiang University | #47 |
| Kyoto University | #50 |
| The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) | #36 |
Why Study at Top 100 Universities Abroad?
There are numerous reasons why students can consider applying and taking admission to top 100 ranking universities, ofcourse by choosing a handful. Check out the reasons below:
Here are a few reasons which can be beneficial for students to choose their preferred universities of study.
Admission Requirements for Top 100 Universities in the World
Admission prerequisites for the best 100 universities in the world may differ on the basis of program and university policy. Here are some general admission requirements for the number 1 university in the world regarding education:
- 10+2 or Bachelor's degree scores
- GPA score above 3.0. (check a free GPA calculator tool)
- Depending on the university and country, strong examination scores like:
- Extracurricular activities like internships or leadership and engaging in artistic or collegiate sports.
- Statement of purpose (SOP)
- Letters of recommendation (LOR)
- Admission Essays
If studying abroad is worthwhile depends on many different factors and individual circumstances, there are universally agreed upon contributions. A few benefits, include exposure to a new culture, and experiences, availability of quality academics and educational resources, better employment statistical chances, and networking opportunities and personal development and independence.
How to Choose Your Preferred Universities from the Top 100
While the options are in abundance, it is essential to narrow them down to avoid confusion. Here is how you can shortlist your top go-to choices from a list of top 100 universities abroad:
- Choose your level and area of study.
- Research for universities offering your choice of course with the specialisation (if any).
- If you have postgraduate or doctoral study plans, ensure you have your plan ready, ideally for the same university or in the same country.
- Now, make a table and compare your options, in one column add the name of the university, in the second add the total annual expenses and in the third add the PSW opportunities.
- After this, analyse what you have in hand and closely consider all aspects.
For further queries, please leave a comment below.
Related Reads:
| Engineering in Abroad: Universities, Colleges & Fees | Times Higher Education (THE) Ranking Methodology |
| Best countries to study MS abroad |
Looking for admission-related help to study abroad? Or are you looking at applying to any of the top 100 universities in the world? Sign up for free at Shiksha Abroad Counselling and request a call back from our counsellors.
The following are the top 10 universities that have been ranked globally by THE for the year 2024:
- University of Oxford
- Stanford University
- MIT
- Harvard University
- University of Cambridge
- Princeton University
- CalTech
- Imperial College London
- UCB
- Yale University
Definitely yes. Studying abroad is no child's play and students need compelling reasons to leave their home country and move abroad. Here are some reasons why you should consider studying abroad:
- Top-ranking universities: The experience of studying in a top-ranking university is different from just obtaining a degree. If you have a degree from any of the top 100 universities, you have a strong stand in the job market.
- Global opportunities: Studying abroad will provide you with various opportunities on a global level. These might be related to your industrial visits, sandwich placements, internships, full-time employment, etc.
- Global network: If you have good networking skills, studying abroad will be a blessing for you since you can find good employment opportunities.
Predict your IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE in just 4 steps!
Statement of Purpose
Letter of Recommendation
Student Visa Application
Admission Essay Writing
Student Curriculum Vitae
The no 1 university in the world is none other than Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT has retained its number 1 position for the 13th consecutive year. Which in turn, makes it one of the number universities in the world.