Enrolling in the best university is crucial if you want a great study experience and a bright future! In this regard, you should check out our whole list of the top 100 universities in the world!
Table of Contents
- Top 100 Universities in the world | An overview
- World’s Top 6 Universities
- Harvard University
- Stanford University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- The University of Cambridge
- Imperial College, London
- The University of Chicago
- Top 30 universities in the world
- 50+ best universities across the globe
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions
Finding the right university that will best fit your educational and personal needs is essential. To make things easier, we have compiled a list of the top 100 universities in the world. These universities have been carefully selected and ranked based on criteria such as academic excellence, research and development, and global impact.
Top 100 Universities in the world | An overview
The top universities have a reputation for providing quality education, better job prospects and networking opportunities. They are also highly ranked in international rankings, such as the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the QS World University Rankings. These universities offer a challenging and innovative academic environment, more funding, better facilities, experienced faculty and many opportunities for research and extracurricular activities.
World’s Top 6 Universities
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League Research University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. The University is home to the world-renowned Harvard Library, which holds more than 17 million volumes of books and manuscripts and several specialized research centres and institutes. Harvard is also home to several renowned academic departments, including the Harvard Business School, Harvard Law School, and Harvard Medical School.

Stanford University
Stanford University is a private research university in Stanford, California. Founded in 1891, Stanford is one of the most prestigious universities in the world and is widely regarded as a leader in science, engineering, and technology. Stanford is home to several renowned academic departments and research centres, including the Stanford Research Institute and the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
MIT is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT is one of the world’s most prestigious universities and is widely regarded as a science, engineering, and technology leader. MIT is home to many ground-breaking research projects and initiatives, such as the MIT Media Lab, the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society, and the MIT Energy Initiative.
Also Read: 11+ best countries to study abroad and work in 2023
The University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research university in Cambridge, England. Cambridge is also regarded as the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world. It was founded in 1209 and given a royal charter by King Henry III in 1231. The University’s historic buildings, iconic structures, and renowned libraries are famous worldwide. These include King’s College Chapel, Cambridge University Library, the Great Gate of Trinity College, the Cavendish Laboratory, and the Senate House.
Imperial College, London
Imperial College London is a public research university in London, England. The University was founded in 1907 and has since become one of the leading universities in the world. Imperial College has consistently ranked in the top 100 best universities in the world, and it is particularly well-known for its science, engineering, and medicine degrees. Imperial is also home to some of the world’s leading research institutes, such as the Imperial College London Institute of Global Health and the Imperial College London Institute of Security and Resilience.
The University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded in 1890 by John D. Rockefeller, it is known for its rigorous academic standards and interdisciplinary approach to teaching and research. The University is also home to the fourth-largest library in the United States, the Harper Library. The University of Chicago is one of the top 100 best universities in the world, comprising five undergraduate colleges, six graduate divisions, and the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies. It also has affiliated faculty members from several prominent universities, including Harvard, Princeton, and Yale.

Top 30 universities in the world
- California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
- University of Oxford
- Princeton University
- Yale University
- The University of California, Berkeley (UCB)
- University College London (UCL)
- ETH Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
- The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
- Columbia University
- Johns Hopkins University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Cornell University
- University of Michigan
- Northwestern University
- New York University
- University of Toronto
- University of Washington
- The University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
- Duke University
- The University of Tokyo
- University of Edinburgh
- The University of Manchester
- The University of Hong Kong
- National University of Singapore (NUS)
- The University of Melbourne
- Seoul National University
- Heidelberg University
- Peking University
- Karolinska Institute
- University of British Columbia
50+ best universities across the globe
- King’s College London
- Tsinghua University
- Kyoto University
- Université PSL
- Copenhagen University
- Humboldt University of Berlin
- Australian National University (ANU)
- University of Amsterdam
- Michigan State University
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Osaka University
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Université de Montréal
- Monash University
- KU Leuven
- University of Texas at Austin
- Tokyo Institute of Technology
- Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- University of California, Davis
- Ecole Polytechnique
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of Minnesota
- University of St Andrews
- The University of Colorado Boulder
- The University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB)
- University of Massachusetts
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University
- University of Bristol
- Trinity College Dublin
- Utrecht University
- University of Zurich
- Nanyang Technological University
- University of Sydney
- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
- The University of California, Irvine (UCI)
- Purdue University
- University of Southern California
- Radboud University
- Univ. of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC)
- The University of Queensland
- Ghent University
- Brown University
- Universitat de Barcelona
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- University of Glasgow
- Indian Institute of Science
- University of Helsinki
- Université Sorbonne Paris
- RWTH Aachen University
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of Alberta
- University of Copenhagen
- University of Nottingham
- Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
- Université de Genève
- University of Sheffield
- Autonomous University of Madrid
- McGill University
- Université Paris-Saclay
- Université Paris Diderot
- Universität Wien
- Universidade de São Paulo
- The University of Warwick
- TU Munich
Key Takeaways
This blog lists the top 100 universities in the world, which are:
- The most respected institutions of higher learning.
- Provide the most conducive environment for higher education.
- Have a rich institutional history testifying to the quality of its academic culture.
- Have an excellent record of employment after education.
- At the forefront of academic innovation.
If you also want to get accepted into one of these top 100 universities in the world, reach out to us or drop a comment!
Like this blog? Read Next: Top places to visit in the Netherlands | Beauty at its best!
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Which are the most affordable countries for studying abroad?
Ans: Countries like Germany, France, Mexico, India, and Argentina are the most affordable countries for studying abroad.
Question 2: Which countries are the top preferences for students who wish to study abroad?
Ans: Most students prefer to study in the universities of Canada, Germany, Australia, the USA, and Italy.
Question 3: Which countries have the most student-friendly environment?
Ans: Germany, Canada, Australia, France, and China have the most student-friendly environment.
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WRITTEN BY
Anirudh Badoni
Study Abroad Expert
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FAQs
Which country has most universities in top 100? ›
American universities clearly dominate the Top 100, ranging from 53 institutions in 2011 to 34 in 2023.
What is the #1 university in the world? ›Stanford University
Stanford, California, U.S.
The University of Oxford tops the ranking for the sixth consecutive year, while mainland China has two institutions in the top 20 for the first time: Peking University and Tsinghua University share 16th place.
What is the number 1 ranked university in USA? ›Harvard University
This Ivy League school is the oldest higher education institution in the country and has the largest endowment of any school in the world.
If you want to study in USA, choosing a University will not be an easy task. Number of 202, of the Best Universities in the World, is in the USA. Universities in USA are known for their high-quality education, and excellent research outputs.
What is the hardest university to get into in the world? ›1. Stanford University. Topping the list of the hardest school to get into in the world is Stanford. It has been featured top of this list for several years and no other university anywhere in the world has managed to replace it yet.
What country has the number 1 education? ›In U.S. News and World Report's 2022-2023 Best Global Universities Rankings, Harvard is listed as number one out of 2,000 colleges and universities from 90 countries around the world. The Ivy League school known for its rigor and exclusivity has maintained its global #1 spot for several years.
What is the most respected university? ›Ranked in the annual THE World Reputation Rankings, the six “global university super-brands” as we have come to call them, fall in the following order in the 2022 edition of the rankings out this week: Harvard in first place; followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stanford; Oxford; Cambridge and then the ...
What is the most difficult school to get into? ›Harvard University — 3.19%
With a record-low admission rate of just 3.19% for the class of 2026, Harvard currently ranks as the most difficult school to get into.
What are the elite six universities? ›
There is also no change among the top six, with THE noting that Harvard, MIT, Oxford, Stanford, Cambridge and Berkeley are “a breakaway group of global university super brands”.
Do world university rankings matter? ›The simple answer is yes. It can be well worth your time to carefully study how a university ranks in different subjects, as well as its overall ranking. Often, the right university for you won't be one with the highest overall ranking.
What is the most popular degree in 2022? ›...
For the graduating class of 2022, the five highest interest majors were:
- Business (6.93% of responding students)
- Nursing (5.57%)
- Psychology (5.52%)
- Biology (5.34%)
- Medicine/Pre-Medicine (4.00%)
Massachusetts
Massachusetts has the highest rank for public schools across the country. The quality of education is exceptional, and safety is also high. It ranked highest in math and reading test scores out of all states. Students here also achieved the highest median ACT score.
GPA is an acronym for Grade Point Average. This is a number calculated from the grades you earn when studying at a US university. When you study at a US university, your GPA is on a scale from 0.0 to 4.0, with 4.0 being the highest your GPA can be.
Which US state has the best universities? ›1. California: Along with having the most colleges by state in the U.S., California also has the highest number of top-ranked institutions. Some of the top ranked colleges on the list include Stanford University, Pomona College, and California Institute of Technology.
What is the best school in the world? ›Harvard University is the top school in the world, according to the U.S. News ranking. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard has over 6 million students from more than 193 countries that attend the school through its online program, HarvardX.
What are 3 famous universities in the United States? ›- Stanford University.
- Harvard University.
- California Institute of Technology.
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- University of California, Berkeley.
- Yale University.
- Princeton University.
- The University of Chicago.
What's the easiest Ivy League school to get into? While all Ivy League schools have a low acceptance rate, Cornell University has the highest acceptance rate among them. Cornell's acceptance rate is 11%, but try not to get too hung up on the numbers.
What GPA is required for Harvard? ›You should also have a 4.18 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Harvard, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application.
Is Yale or Harvard better? ›
Top-Ranked Programs
Both Harvard and Yale are competitive rivals in academic programs in medicine, law and management. Beyond that, Yale is more popular for drama and music, while Harvard is more regarded for its engineering and government studies.
The U.S. ranks 14th in the world in the percentage of 25-34 year-olds with higher education (42%).
Which country has the hardest school system? ›Which are the hardest education systems in the world? Ans. The countries with the hardest and most difficult education systems include South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Finland, etc.
Where does the US rank in math? ›Country | 2023 Population |
---|---|
United States | 339,996,563 |
Indonesia | 277,534,122 |
Pakistan | 240,485,658 |
Nigeria | 223,804,632 |
The Big Three is a historical term used in the United States to refer to Harvard University, Yale University, and Princeton University.
What are Harvard top 3 majors? ›At Harvard University, the three most popular college majors students pursue are Social Sciences, General, Econometrics and Quantitative Economics, and Computer Science. In fact, Harvard University awards 186 degrees per year to Social Sciences, General majors. Not interested in those three majors?
What degree is Harvard known for? ›The most popular majors at Harvard University include: Social Sciences, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; Mathematics, General; Computer and Information Sciences, General; History, General; Physical Sciences, General; Psychology, General; Engineering, General; and Foreign Languages and Literatures, General ...
What is the happiest university in America? ›Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN)
They've sat atop the list on several occasions! Students report their quality of life as a significant contributor to their happiness.
- Pharmacology. For a lucrative career helping people, pharmacology is at the top of the list for in-demand degrees. ...
- Computer Science. ...
- Health Science. ...
- Information Technology. ...
- Engineering. ...
- Business Administration. ...
- Finance. ...
- Human Resources.
Reputation Rank 2022 | Reputation Rank 2021 | University |
---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Harvard University |
2 | 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
3 | 4 | Stanford University |
4 | 3 | University of Oxford |
What college has a 100% acceptance rate? ›
Located in North Dakota's capital city, Bismarck State College tops the list of colleges with the highest acceptance rates. The third-largest institution in the state's public university system, BSC serves approximately 4,000 students each year. The school accepts 100% of applicants.
What is the easiest school to get into in the US? ›10 Colleges With the Highest Acceptance Rates
A whopping 99% of students who apply to Liberty University get accepted. Marshall University, the University of New Mexico, Kansas State University, and the University of Maine all have acceptance rates of over 95%.
- Psychology.
- Criminal Justice.
- English.
- Education.
- Religious Studies.
- Social Work.
- Sociology.
- Communications.
Blacklisted Colleges: Meaning & Process
If a school or a university is blacklisted, then it means that it has lost all its accreditation. In other words, the degree or diploma from this university is not recognised.
There are eight Ivy League schools: Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale University. All Ivy League schools are private and located in the Northeast.
What are the hidden Ivy Leagues? ›The Hidden Ivies include many small colleges, such as Davidson College, Pomona College, Carleton College, and Oberlin College, as well as some large research universities, like Georgetown University, Vanderbilt University, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Southern California.
Do employers care about university rankings? ›Look at overall university rankings – especially if you're unsure what career you want. Employers who don't require specific degree subjects tend to target the universities with the best overall reputations, and those which have provided them with the best candidates in the past.
Which US university ranking is most reliable? ›The U.S. News college rankings are viewed as the gold standard of college ranking lists. Its list is the most well-known and referenced. Here is a basic overview of how U.S. News determines its rankings: A total weight of 22% is given to factors related to "outcomes," such as student retention and graduation rates.
Do colleges care about your rank? ›Does class rank matter for college admissions? According to a recent report from NACAC, class rank is considered among the “next most important factors” for college admissions after GPA, test scores, grades, and strength of curriculum.
What is the most regretted major? ›The most-regretted college major is journalism, according to the study. Eighty-seven percent of those graduates sampled said they would choose a different major if they could. Below is the list of the top 10 most-regretted majors based on the 1,500 job seekers ZipRecruiter surveyed.
What degree earns the most money? ›
- Engineering. Starting salary: $70,000 – 95,000 depending on specialty. ...
- Computer Science. Starting salary: $67,000. ...
- Mathematics. Starting salary: $62,000. ...
- Business Operations Research. Starting salary: $77,900. ...
- Political Economics. ...
- Business Analytics. ...
- Pharmacist. ...
- Aeronautics.
- Marketing and communications. ...
- Healthcare and medicine. ...
- Mathematics. ...
- Business. ...
- Finance. ...
- Engineering. ...
- Law and politics. ...
- Science.
Harvard University has been ranked as the best university in the world according to the latest U.S. News & World Report. It has been placed at the 1st position in the 2022-23 rankings. It has been listed at #1 out of 2,000 colleges and universities from 90 countries around the world.
Is the University of Texas part of the top 100 universities in the world? ›University of Texas Austin is ranked #43 in Best Global Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.
What is the top 20 university in USA? ›- Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MA. Private not-for-profit. ...
- Stanford University. CA. Private not-for-profit. ...
- University of California, Berkeley. CA. Public. ...
- Princeton University. NJ. Private not-for-profit. ...
- Columbia University. NY. ...
- University of California, Los Angeles. CA. ...
- Williams College. MA. ...
- Yale University. CT.
...
Eugenie Carys de Silva.
Dr. Eugenie Carys de Silva | |
---|---|
Alma mater | American Military University Harvard University University of Leicester University of Cambridge |
It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,536 (fall 2021), its setting is city, and the campus size is 373 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Yale University's ranking in the 2022-2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #3.
Who has the best colleges in the world? ›Top 100 Universities in the World According to the QS World University Rankings 2023 | ||
---|---|---|
Rank | University | Location |
1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | United States |
2 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
3 | Stanford University | United States |
University of Texas at Austin.
How does Texas rank among the 50 states in education? ›Texas fell to the bottom fifth of U.S. states in an annual report on education quality. Texas is now ranked 43rd in the nation, falling from 39th last year in the annual “Quality Counts” report from national education publication Education Week. Texas earned a grade of C- this year, while the nation overall earned a C.
Which university has the most prestige? ›
Ranked in the annual THE World Reputation Rankings, the six “global university super-brands” as we have come to call them, fall in the following order in the 2022 edition of the rankings out this week: Harvard in first place; followed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stanford; Oxford; Cambridge and then the ...
What is the hardest school to get into? ›Harvard University — 3.19%
With a record-low admission rate of just 3.19% for the class of 2026, Harvard currently ranks as the most difficult school to get into.
1. California: Along with having the most colleges by state in the U.S., California also has the highest number of top-ranked institutions. Some of the top ranked colleges on the list include Stanford University, Pomona College, and California Institute of Technology.
What GPA do you need to get into Harvard? ›You should also have a 4.18 GPA or higher. If your GPA is lower than this, you need to compensate with a higher SAT/ACT score. For a school as selective as Harvard, you'll also need to impress them with the rest of your application.
Is Better Harvard or Yale? ›In almost all the major ranking factors, Harvard has the upper hand except for the faculty/student ratio. Here, Yale is ranked at 4th while Harvard is at 40th. This aside, Harvard ranks first in academics and graduate employers while Yale is at ninth.