Are you searching for the top universities globally?
The wait is over as Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has released the World University Rankings for 2025. This year, more than 1500 universities from 105 higher education systems have been featured in the rankings.
The United states of America (USA) is on the top of the list with 197 ranked universities, followed by UK 90 and mainland China with 71.
The QS rankings are widely recognised and respected global university rankings. Students can check the top universities list and make an informed decision about which university to choose for their higher education.
QS World University Rankings 2025: Top Global Universities
Here is the list of the top 20 global universities as per the QS rankings 2025.
| Global Rank | Name of University | Overall score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 100 |
| 2 | Imperial College London | 98.5 |
| 3 | University of Oxford | 96.9 |
| 4 | Harvard University | 96.8 |
| 5 | University of Cambridge | 96.7 |
| 6 | Stanford University | 96.1 |
| 7 | ETH Zurich | 93.9 |
| 8 | National University of Singapore | 93.7 |
| 9 | UCI, London | 91.6 |
| 10 | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | 90.9 |
| 11 | University of Pennsylvania | 90.3 |
| 12 | University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | 90.1 |
| 13 | The University of Melbourne | 88.9 |
| 14 | Peking University | 88.5 |
| 15 | Nanyang Technological University | 88.4 |
| 16 | Cornell University | 87.9 |
| 17 | The University of Hong Kong | 87.6 |
| 18 | The University of Sydney | 87.3 |
| 19 | The University of New South Wales | 87.1 |
| 20 | Tsinghua University | 86.5 |
QS Top Universities in India 2025
The list of top universities in India as per QS rankings 2025 are:
| Global Rank | Name of University | Overall score |
|---|---|---|
| 118 | IIT Bombay | 56.3 |
| 150 | IIT Delhi | 52.1 |
| 211 | IISC Bangalore | 45 |
| 222 | IIT Kharagpur | 43.7 |
| 227 | IIT Madras | 43.5 |
| 263 | IIT Kanpur | 39.3 |
| 328 | Delhi University | 33.8 |
| 335 | IIT Roorkee | 33.4 |
| 344 | IIT Guwahati | 32.9 |
| 383 | Anna University | 30.6 |
In India IIT Bombay is the top ranked institution with overall score of 56.3 and 118 global rank in the world. The others in the list include IIT Delhi ranked at 150, IISC Bangalore ranked at 211 and IIT Kharagpur at 222.
QS Top Universities in Asia 2025
The list of top universities in Asia as per QS rankings 2025 are:
| Global Rank | Name of University | Overall score |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | National University of Singapore (NUS) | 93.7 |
| 14 | Peking University | 88.5 |
| 15 | Nanyang Technological University, Singapore | 88.4 |
| 17 | The University of Hong Kong | 87.6 |
| 20 | Tsinghua University | 87.6 |
| 31 | Seoul National University | 82.3 |
| 32 | The University of Tokyo | 82.1 |
| 36 | The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) | 81.3 |
| 39 | Fudan University | 80.3 |
| 45 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | 77.8 |
QS Top Universities in Europe 2025
The list of top universities in Europe as per QS rankings 2025 are:
| Global Rank | Name of University | Overall score |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Imperial College London | 98.5 |
| 3 | University of Oxford | 96.9 |
| 5 | University of Cambridge | 96.7 |
| 7 | ETH Zurich | 93.9 |
| 9 | UCL | 91.6 |
| 24 | Université PSL | 84.7 |
| 26 | EPFL | 83.5 |
| 27 | The University of Edinburgh | 83.3 |
| 28 | Technical University of Munich | 83.2 |
| 34 | The University of Manchester | 82 |
QS Top Universities in Oceania 2025
The list of top universities in Oceania as per QS rankings 2025 are:
| Global Rank | Name of University | Overall score |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | The University of Melbourne | 88.9 |
| 18 | The University of Sydney | 87.3 |
| 19 | The University of New South Wales | 87.1 |
| 30 | Australian National University | 82.4 |
| 37 | Monash University | 81.2 |
| 40 | The University of Queensland | 80.2 |
| 65 | The University of Auckland | 69.7 |
| 77 | The University of Western Australia | 65.2 |
| 82 | The University of Adelaide | 63.8 |
| 88 | University of Technology Sydney | 62.4 |
Key Indicators for QS World University Rankings 2025
The QS World University Rankings 2025 were released on 4 June, 2024. The higher education institutions featuring in the rankings are derived on the basis of several key indicators.
To participate in the rankings the institutions must teach at both UG & PG courses and work in at least two of the five faculty areas that include arts and humanities; engineering and technology; social sciences and management; natural sciences; life sciences and medicine.
The six performance indicators used by QS for university rankings include:
Academic Reputation (40%)
The academic reputation is worth 40% of the overall university score. The scores are evaluated on the basis of a global survey of academics to evaluate the quality of the university’s teaching and research.
Employer Reputation (10%)
This key indicators makes up 10% of the overall university score. A global survey is carried out to collect the feedback from employers on which institutions produce the best graduates.
Student to Faculty Ratio (20%)
This key indicator assess the quality of teaching by calculating the ratio of academic staff to students. A lower ration indicates smaller class sizes and personalized attention to the students.
Research Citations per Faculty (20%)
This indicator is worth 20% of the overall score. It measures research work done by institutions and their faculties.
International Faculty Ratio (5%)
This indicator evaluates the diversity of academic staff by calculating the proportion of international faculty members.
International Student Ratio (5%)
A measure of an institution’s success in attracting the students from overseas.
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QS World University Rankings FAQ’s
Q) How many universities featured in QS rankings 2025 and which country has the highest participation?
Ans) In 2025 edition, over 1500 universities from around the world featured in the QS rankings. The USA is the most represented country with 197 ranked institutions.
Q) Which is the top 3 universities in the world as per QS rankings 2025?
Ans) Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Imperial College London & University of Oxford are top 3 ranked universities in the world.
Q) How is the QS university ranking determined?
Ans) The rankings are determined on the basis of several parameters including: Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Faculty/Student Ratio, Citations per Faculty, International Faculty Ratio & International Student Ratio.
Q) Which is the number 1 University in India as per QS ranking?
Ans) Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) is the rank 1 university of India with the overall score of 56.3 and ranked 118 globally.