Which are the best universities in Europe?

Have you been waiting for months for the situation to get better to study at one of the best universities in Europe, but you still don't know which one suits you best? Don’t worry! In this post, you will find out which European university in the global top best suits your needs according to your specialty. Let's get to it shall we?!

Best European Universities ranking (QS Ranking)

There are several rankings that measure the quality of universities according to diverse factors. One of the best known is the Ranking QS (QS World University Rankings), which updates its ranking every year according to six different metrics, among them its academic reputation according to experts and companies, or the quality of teaching keeping in mind the teacher-student ratio of their degrees.

Below, you can check the best European Universities of 2021 according to the QS classification ranking:

1. University of Oxford - United Kingdom
2. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) - Switzerland
3. University of Cambridge - United Kingdom
4. Imperial College London - United Kingdom
5. University College London (UCL) - United Kingdom
6. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) - Switzerland
7. The University of Edinburgh - United Kingdom
8. The University of Manchester - United Kingdom
9. King's College London- United Kingdom
10. The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) - United Kingdom
11. Technical University of Munich - Germany
12. PSL Research University - France
13. Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) - Netherlands
14. University of Bristol - United Kingdom
15. École polytechnique- France
16. University of Amsterdam - Netherlands
17. University of Warwick - United Kingdom
18. University of Munich (LMU) - Germany
19. Heidelberg University - Germany
20. University of Zurich - Switzerland
21. Moscow State University - Russia
22. University of Copenhagen - Denmark
23. University of Glasgow - United Kingdom
24. Sorbonne University - France
25. KU Leuven University- Belgium

University of Oxford:

What else can we say about the University of Oxford that hasn't been said before? Cradle of Nobel Prize winners and Prime Ministers of United Kingdom, this prestigious university is again the best European University this year, being number 5 in the global ranking. But which specialties does it have?

The University of Oxford has 38 colleges self-managed with their own internal structure and diverse activities, so whatever is your vocation, you will not have a problem taking quality studies. If you are not sure yet, you can have a look at Experience in Oxford by Becca to convince you!

Besides, it is well-known that the process to access to this university and to be a future 'Oxonian' is quite rigorous. Don't let this stop you! Depending on the degree you want to study, the requirements may change, so we recommend that you carefully check the tips in our post " Do you want to go to the University of Oxford? Do you have what it takes?”.

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich)

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology is the second in this ranking and it is no wonder since it is one of the most important technical and scientific institutions in Europe and the world. If you want to specialise in science or technology, this could the university for you! The ETH offers more than 20 undergraduates (Bachelor's degrees) and around 40 Master's degrees, so there is no doubt that you will find your specialty here.

Regarding the admission requirements, a sound command of German is required to study a Bachelor at this Swiss university since, even though from the second or third year some modules are taught in English, the first year and most of the modules are in German. However, they offer some Master's degrees only in English.

Some of the degrees that you could study are the following:

• Architecture
• Biology
• Health Sciences and Technology
• Physics
• Geospatial Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Mathematics
• Medicine
• Chemistry

Would you like to know more? You can have a look at the full catalogue of studies and the admission requirements at the ETH website.

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge, third in the QS Ranking, is the second oldest English-speaking university in the world. It has 31 colleges and more than a hundred departments, one of them is the famous Cambridge University Press, the oldest publishing house in the world.

If you like sports and competition encourages you, you should know that cricket and rugby are very popular in this university, but rowing is the star sport. Every year they are several competitions like the “May Bumps” between colleges, and some others against the University of Oxford.

But what can you study at the University of Cambridge? The institution offers a wide range of degrees, but you need to choose a college when enrolling. Each college may be specialised in one or more disciplines, depending on the training of its tutors, so it is important that you check which one interests you the most.

The institution offers degrees in the following areas:

• Archaeology
• Architecture
• Social and Political Sciences
• Law
• Economy
• Philology
• History
• History of Art
• Computer Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Mathematics
• Medicine
• Music
• Psychology
• Veterinary Science

If you can't decide, maybe the Experience in Cambridge by Rut helps to clarify your ideas a bit. Besides, here it is the full list of studies and admission requirements on the Cambridge University website.

Imperial College London

The Imperial College London is one of the universities with the best reputation in Europe, since it is at the forefront of scientific research and it is a world leader in this field. It is famous for its researches on multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's disease and it is also well-known for contributing to society with the discovery of penicillin and fibre optics.

This institution is defined as the only university in the United Kingdom specialised exclusively in science, medicine, engineering and business science. It is divided into three faculties (Engineering, Medicine and Natural Sciences), a business school and a Humanities Department since the university encourages students to take modules and electives in art, communication and languages to be better professionals in the future.

The process to access this university depends on the studies that you want to take, but according to their website, they are looking for motivated students who are specially interested in the specialty that they chose. If you would like to know the admission process of the Imperial College London you have all the information on its website.

Your specialty is not studied at this university but you still want to study in London? We are sure that you can find the one in this post about the best universities in London.

University College London (UCL)

If you want be part of a multidisciplinary university with students from 150 countries and live in the United Kingdom, it is very possible that the University College London is your next destination.

This institution is part of the same system as the University of London, and it is called itself a diverse community with disruptive thinking since its founding in 1826. It also claims to be the first university in England accepting women and students of any religion and social class.

Being an institution that offers several disciplines, it will not be a problem to find yours. It stands out specially for its school of urban planning and architecture and also for the faculties of Arts and Humanities, Neurological Science, Engineering and Law among others.

Would you bring yourself to study at this university? Read maybe the Experience in University College London by Angélica to find out more.

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)

Do you speak French and want to specialise in Engineering, Science and/or technology?

In the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne, acclaimed as a national and European center of excellence in Science and Technology, you will learn everything you need to be a good professional in any of these areas. The university encourages teamwork among students, professors and researchers to benefit the creation of new technological, scientific and architectural projects. This institution is very similar to ETH Zurich, which is located in the German-speaking area of Switzerland, so it wouldn't be surprising that both of them are on this list.

The EPFL is divided into five campuses, of which can be underlined some of its buildings since they have been designed by renowned architects, such as ArtLab, the Rolex Learning Center and the SwissTech Convention Center, so you will enjoy quality teaching in a unique environment.

One of the admission requirements is, as you know, to have a sound command of French. To learn about the rest of the admission process, you can visit the EPFL website.

University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh is the third most popular university in the United Kingdom by the number of applications, behind only Oxford and Cambridge ones, which makes the admission process quite competitive. It is also the fourth university with the greatest investigative power in the country. But it is not on this list only for that, there is more!

This university was founded in 1583 and positioned the city of Edinburgh as one of the most important during the Enlightenment in the 18th century, since great personalities such as the naturalist Charles Darwin, the philosopher David Hume or the writer Arthur Conan Doyle were part of its community.

Regarding the specialties, it stands out in research and the Medical School, which is part of the College of Medicine and Vet Medicine, is one of the oldest and best in the United Kingdom.

If you would like to know how is life in this beautiful city, the Experience in Edinburgh by Esther will make you want to move right away to Scotland.

University of Manchester

The origin of this university, founded in 1824, is linked to the fact that Manchester positioned itself as the first industrial city in the world. It is also the university with the largest number of Nobel Prize-winning professors in the United Kingdom currently, one of the best in research and the one with most students from the country.

Among its specialties are sciences such as biology, chemistry, engineering, nursing, pharmacy and humanities and languages studies. Moreover, if you want to study a master's degree or a doctorate in Health Sciences, this university is well-known for its researches on different types of cancer, on the use of antibiotics and on diseases such as sclerosis.

If you want to know if they offer the discipline you are looking for, you will find more information in the Manchester University website.

Best European Universities ranking (Webometrics Ranking)

We have already seen the QS Ranking but, what about considering other factors such as the visibility or quality of the academic content?

The Webometrics Ranking is a study carried out by research experts which was created with the aim of promoting the academic presence on the web, supporting those university projects that share both scientific and cultural knowledge, making them more accessible to the general public.

This is the list of the best universities in Europe 2020 according to Webometrics:

1. University of Oxford - United Kingdom
2. University of Cambridge - United Kingdom
3. University College London (UCL) - United Kingdom
4. Imperial College London - United Kingdom
5. The University of Edinburgh - United Kingdom
6. Utrecht University - Netherlands
7. The University of Manchester - United Kingdom
8. University of Amsterdam - Netherlands
9. King's College London- United Kingdom
10. University of Copenhagen - Denmark
11. The Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven) - Belgium
12. University of Groningen- Netherlands
13. University of Helsinki - Finland
14. University of Oslo - Norway
15. Technical University of Munich - Germany
16. Ghent University - Belgium
17. University of Leeds - United Kingdom
18. University of Munich (LMU) - Germany
19. Heidelberg University - Germany
20. Uppsala University - Sweden
21. University of Zurich - Switzerland
22. University of Warwick - United Kingdom
23. University of Nottingham - United Kingdom
24. Lund University - Sweden
25. Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) - Netherlands

Do you want to study at a good university but prefer a non-English-speaking country to practice more languages? We can tell you everything you need to know about the best three universities in Europe, which are in the top 10 of the Webometrics Ranking.

Utrecht University

The Utrecht University, founded in 1636, is the best university in the Netherlands. Its education model is based on four principles: a clear distinction between bachelor's degrees and master's degrees, flexibility and freedom of choice for students, a personal learning experience in small groups, and a good professional development for professors. These principles are considered in order to modernise the educational concepts to adapt to a changing society and contribute to progress.

This institution also committed to progress, diversity and inclusion, and it offers 50 degree programs and 154 master's degree programs to choose the discipline that best suits your needs and vocation.

If you want to contribute and make the world a better place, surely this is your place! In this university research and innovation are fundamental to make progress towards a new model of society. This area is focused on four fields to achieve a positive impact: life sciences, transition to sustainability, dynamics of childhood and youth, and institutions for an open society.

Do you need more information about studies and admission? You can check the Utrecht University website.

If what you would like to know is how a student lives in this medieval city, have a look at the Experience in Utrecht by Lucas.

University of Amsterdam

Have you already decided that you are studying abroad next year, but you don't know which city suits you best? We suggest the capital of the Netherlands and the University of Amsterdam in particular, which ranks number eight in the ranking.

Why should you study in Amsterdam?

• Amsterdam has an excellent location. It has a good transport system, so thanks to its multiples connections with other European cities you will be able to travel to different destinations in a very short time.
• High quality of life. The city of Amsterdam is ranked number eleven among the best cities in the world to live in.
• City you will fall in love with. The Venice of the North has everything you need: culture, leisure, nightlife and diversity, within an enclave of historical and modern style.

Are you convinced but you would like to know more about the student life? Surely you will find the inspiration when you read this post about the Erasmus Experience in Amsterdam by Carla.

The University of Amsterdam is divided into six faculties: Economy, Humanities, Law, Medicine, Science and Social Sciences. Even though it offers several bachelor's degrees and master's degrees, some of its most distinguished disciplines are the Humanities, among which there are sociology and linguistics, besides the communication studies. Most of the studies can be taken in English.

Regarding admission, it is required for non-native English students to have an English language certificate from the following ones: TOEFL, IELTS (academic module) and Cambridge International Examination. However, these requirements may change depending on the degree that you choose, so you should check the information on the University of Amsterdam website.

University of Copenhagen

At number 10 in the ranking there is the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. This institution has six faculties, 36 departments and more than 200 research centers, besides including 9 Nobel Prize winners among its graduates. Among its specialties there are biology, chemistry, psychology, journalism and communication, art, education and engineering studies.

The admission requirements are different depending on whether you plan to study a bachelor's degree or a master's degree, since all of their degree programs are taught currently in the Danish language. However, they offer individual courses and modules in English at a grade level each semester, and there are around 50 master's degree programs taught totally in English.

If you want to know first-hand how to study in Denmark, please read the Erasmus Experience in Copenhagen, Denmark by Olivia and have an idea of what is awaiting you next year.

Hopefully, this post about the best European universities helped you to know which university suits you better and that, whichever you choose, may you have a great experience.

Do you want to study a bachelor's degree or a master's degree but you don't know where to start?

Have a look at our new section of Masters Degrees, where you will find a good offer of quality studies. If you choose to study a bachelor's degree, in Erasmusu you can find the best Best Bachelor Degrees & Programs so you can look out for the future, either in person or online.

Do you need accommodation? We're here to help you!

Erasmusu offers hundred of options to choose from spacious rooms, studios, flats or university dorms that make you feel like at home. At Erasmusu you will find hundred of options so that your life on campus feel like a movie.

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