What are the best universities in the world?

Knowing which universities are the best in the world can help us to make one of the most important decisions in our academic lives; which is where to study. Take a look!

The ranking of the best universities in the world

Each year, the world's universities put their strengths to the test in the different university league tables. The most famous ones are the QS Rankings or the Shanghai League table. As they are annual rankings, the best universities in the world in 2018 will not be the same in 2019.

Regarding the next academic year, the new league tables are already giving us some hints about where would be best for us to study. Check out the 2020 ranking of the best universities in the world according to the QS League table:

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - United States
2. Stanford University - United States
3. Harvard University - United States
4. University of Oxford - United Kingdom
5. California Institute of Technology (Caltech) - United States
6. ETH Zurich - Switzerland
7. University of Cambridge - United Kingdom
8. University College London (UCL) - United Kingdom
9. Imperial College London - United Kingdom
10. University of Chicago - United States
11. Nanyang Technological University - Singapore
12. National University of Singapore - Singapore
13. Princeton University - United States
14. Cornell University - United States
15. University of Pennsylvania - United States
16. Tsinghua University - China
17. Yale University - United States
18. Columbia University - United States
19. EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne - Switzerland
20. University of Edinburgh - United Kingdom
21. Michigan University - United States
22. Peking University - China
23. University of Tokyo - Japan
24. John Hopkins University - United States
25. Duke University - United States

The best university in the world

All us students want the best for our future and we'll do everything we can to get the best grades. But it's not all down to us. The options that our university offers us will also have an influence on our academic life! And so if we want to be the best students in the world, we have to go to the best university in the world, right?

However, despite what the league tables say, deeming one university as being the best can be complicated at the best of times. Every place has it's own advantages depending on what each student is looking for, so we have prepared a low-down on the 5 most important universities so that you can choose between them.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology or MIT, is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1861 and it is considered to be the most selective university in the United States, as its acceptance rate is only 9 per cent. But don't lose hope! Perhaps in the future you can add your name to the list of Nobel Prize Winners who have studied at MIT: a total of 78 people.

The university is divided into 5 schools and 1 faculty.

• MIT School of Science
• MIT School of Engineering
• MIT School of Architecture and Planning
• Sloan School of Management
• School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
• Whitaker College of Health Sciences and Technology

Another advantage of this university is that it is close to one of the most important cities in the United States: Boston. A lot of MIT students live there! Living there is great and is highly recommended, like in Frederico's Experience in Boston. Make the most of the opportunity of studying at an incredible university and living in a city like that at the same time!

But it's not all about studying! At MIT they hold various activities so that students can relax between classes, such as Chocolate Science, where students get to make delicious chocolates, or Game Day, a day at the end of the academic year with trampolines, candy floss and pens holding goats, pigs, dogs and chickens that the students can hug, pet and feed.

Also, being a student at MIT, you can also participate in the university's sports league playing as part of the MIT Engineers team, which has a range of teams including baseball, basketball, fencing, swimming, tennis, football and more. For almost all of the sports, there are both men's and women's teams. And for fencing and sailing, there are even mixed-gender teams. The university campus has lots of different facilities to play these sports in. They are more than prepped to win and make their university mascot proud: the beaver. Why did they choose a beaver? Because beavers are the engineers of nature!

If you want to know more about MIT, you can check out their official website. Furthermore, here is a list of the degree subjects which it is renowned for. The university is in the top 10 universities in the world to study at for each of them!

• Architecture
• Art and Design
• Biology
• Business Studies
• Economics
• Physics and Astronomy
• Computing
• Civil Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Language and Literature (in a university specialised in science subjects? ) Well, yes! Their Literature department is considered to be one of the best in the world! )
• Maths

Stanford University

Leland Stanford Junior University, named after the son of the university's founder, is a private university in Stanford, California. It was founded in 1890 under the German motto "Die Luft der Freiheit weht", meaning "the wind of freedom blows". Stanford also has its fair share of important alumni, as it has 83 Nobel Prize winners amongst them.

Stanford's 7 schools are:

• School of Humanities and Sciences
• School of Engineering
• School of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences
• Graduate School of Education
• Graduate School of Business
• Law
• Medicine

It also has 20 libraries, 81 student halls and health care area. In this area there is a children hospital and they are building another one for adults.

Stanford has a mental health support programme, so that if their students are having any problems, they can go there to receive some help. There are also different clubs and societies which discuss issues such as racial and religious diversity, mental illness and support for feminist and LGBT+ issues. The university's aim is to provide support to all students and make the student community more open-minded and tolerant.

Of course, you can't forget about the sport. In Stanford, you'll also find men's and women's teams for all kind of sports, even golf and beach volleyball. Their mascot is really eye-catching, as instead of being an animal like they usually are, it is a band-member dressed like a tree. The mascot is called Cardinal, the same as the sports team: Stanford Cardinal. The university is ranked as one of the best in the world, but the poor tree features in the rankings of the worst sport teams mascots.

On Stanford's website you will find all of the degrees that they offer, although the ones that the university is famous for are listed below:

• Archeology
• Art and Design
• Biology
• Business Studies
• Communication
• Law
• Economics
• Education
• Physics and Astronomy
• History
• Computing
• Electrical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Maths
• Medicine
• Psychology

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private university situated in the same city as MIT, making Cambridge, Massachusetts, an important city in terms of academics. It is the oldest university in the United States: founded in 1636. Among its alumni, in addition to 158 Nobel Prize Winners, there are 8 United States presidents and more than 30 heads of state from other countries.

It is made up of 11 schools and 1 faculty, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Their library system is the biggest in the world, with 79 of them. The campus is amazing, with lots of shops and restaurants so students have everything they need. It is definitely worth going to see it, even without studying there, this is what people who have visited have done there: Boston and its surrounding areas. Also, the school manages various museums. The admission fees are the second-lowest in the country, and 23 per cent of its students are international ones.

As is normal, so that the students can reach their full potential, Harvard University doesn't only focus on the intellectual side of things. They also have more than 450 student societies, every type you could imagine:

• Religious, LGBT+ and cultural societies
• Debate groups
• Theatre and dance groups
• Tutoring services
• Summer camp monitors
• Adult education programmes
• Support for refugees
• Student newspaper
• Magazines
• Radio and television
• Painting, pottery, sculpture and photography workshops
• Orchestras
• Jazz and gospel groups
• Choirs

The university sports team is called the Harvard Crimson It has more teams than any other university in the states: 20 male ones and 21 female ones. The mascot is John Harvard. This was a cleric that made such a big donation to the university when it first started, that it changed its name from New College to Harvard.

If you want more information, visit: their official website. As one of the best universities in the world, Harvard excels in more than one subject area, but these are the most important courses:

• Architecture
• Biology
• Law
• Economics
• Education
• Philosophy
• Physics and Astronomy
• History
• Computing
• Electrical Engineering
• Maths
• Medicine
• Psychology

Oxford University

The University of Oxford is a public university in Oxford, England. No one knows exactly when it was founded, but it's estimated to be around 1039. This makes it the oldest English-speaking university in the world. It is the only European university which is in the top 5 universities in the world. Also, 29 Nobel Prize winners and 27 British Prime Ministers form part of their alumni. Being in Europe, it is one of the top choices for Erasmus students to study at, so if you are interested in studying here too, we've explained to you: How to attend the University of Oxford!

Its structure is quite different to that of American universities. It's divided into around 40 colleges, each with their own set-up and societies. To learn more about some of the Oxford colleges, take a look at Adri's experience visiting Oxford. .

Amongst the societies for Oxford students, the university newspaper and magazines, societies for old alumni to keep in contact, or for new students who are looking to make friends really stand out. Of course, you don't need to join a society to have a good time, use your imagination and enjoy the city's atmosphere, just as Rianne recommends in her Oxford Experience. But in case you run out of ideas, remember that there is the best debating society in the world, Oxford Union, and their Student Union are waiting there.

In addition to the usual sports teams, the University has a range of very strange traditions. For example, they sing the Mallard song on special occasions, they go on boat trips, or the huge variety of robes and costumes that the students have to wear at different big occasions.

The United Kingdom has a long list of important universities, such as Cambridge, Edinburgh, London... So, the fact that Oxford University is the best of the bunch means that their most popular degrees will not disappoint. Anyway, all the information is available on their website:

• Archeology
• Biology
• Business Studies
• Law
• Economics
• Education
• Philosophy
• Physics and Astronomy
• Geography
• History
• Computing
• Chemical Engineering
• Language and literature
• Maths
• Medicine
• Psychology

California Institute of Technology

The California Institute of Technology is a private University that is also known as Caltech. It is located in Pasadena, California and was founded in 1891. 72 Nobel Prize winners have studied here. Although it began as a workshop school, it caught the eye of some noteworthy scientists and soon changed into being a fully-fledged university. Also, it comes first place out of the American universities from which the graduates have achieved a PhD.

It is divided into 6 faculties, which are all specialised in science.

• Biology and Biological Engineering
• Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
• Engineering and Applied Sciences
• Geology and Planetary Science
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Physics, Maths and Astronomy

The Californian Institute has lots of traditions, like Oxford, although maybe they aren't as formal as those of the English university. And one of the things it is most well known for is its pranks. For example, once they covered parts of the famous Hollywood sign so that it spelt Caltech. A different time, the students went to New York and changed the Alamo sculpture so that it looked like an object from the video-game Portal. But undoubtedly, the most well-known jokes are those against MUT, the other well-known United States Technological institute and their natural rival. And the Massachusetts students don't just let that pass: they always respond with another elaborate prank, so the battle between the two universities never ends.

It also has various annual traditions. For example, the pumpkin throwing from the Milikan library on Halloween. They also usually play the Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner as loud as possible at 7 am in the morning every day of the week of final exams.

The Caltech sports teams share a mascot with MIT: as both universities are specialised in engineering, they both have the beaver as their mascot, nature's engineer. In fact, the Caltech teams are known as the Beavers.

The University is specialised in Natural Sciences and Engineering, so it doesn't stand out in too many areas. Even so, it still enters in the top 10 of the best universities in the world to study these degrees, and you can find the rest of them on their official website:

• Biology
• Physics and Astronomy
• Chemical Engineering

The best European universities:

As you can see in the overall classification, the United States universities are the most prestigious in the world. But they are not the only ones that are. In Europe, the United Kingdom takes the lead. In addition to the famous Oxford University, the University College of London, The Imperial College of London and the universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh and Manchester really stand out.

But it is not just the British ones. Among the European universities in the list, there is also the the ETH Zurich and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, both in Switzerland. And don't believe that the rankings end there, as in the full ranking there is a total of 1, 000 universities from all over the world. You'll definitely find the perfect one for you!

After the 25th in the ranking, in Europe, we have Utrecht University, Amsterdam University and the University of Copenhagen. Also, if you want to study in Spain, I'm sure you won't regret your decision. The University of Barcelona, the Complutense University of Madrid and the University of Granada also occupy important positions in the list. And they're not the only ones in Spain. The best universities in Madrid y the best universities in Barcelona are also brilliant options you should bear in mind.

Of course, the degree that you want to study will affect your decision. Thus, if the universities that we've mentioned up till now haven't been what you're looking for, here are more universities that are considered the best in the world.

The best technology universities in the world

You would already have been able to check that if science is your thing, your university is within one of the top five universities in the world. But that doesn't mean you should forget about the others. Take a look at the other universities that excel in sciences and technologies.

The best degree to study chemistry are the University of California-Berkeley, the National University of Singapore, the Imperial College London and the University of Kyoto. To study civil engineering, go to the National of Singapore, the Technological of Delft, the Tokyo University and the Imperial College London. Carnegie Mellon University, ETH Zurich, and Princeton University are the best for studying computing. For Electrical Engineering, the best are the University of California, Berkeley and Los Angeles, the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) and ETH Zurich.

The best universities to study Medicine are the University of Cambridge, John Hopkins University and San Francisco University, amongst others. If you prefer animals, the best universities to study Veterinary are the Royal Veterinary College in London, Cornell University, Utrecht University and Cambridge University. This last university is also very good for studying Psychology and Biology, along with California State University, Los Angeles, Yale University and the University of California, Berkeley.

In other fields, such as Maths, Physics and Geography, Cambridge University, University of California, Berkeley stand out, as well as those in Tokyo, Toronto, Zurich and Princeton.

What is the best university to study law at in the world?

Law is one of the most sought after degrees, so the universities that offer it are usually really high up in the rankings. If you have seen one of the most well-known films about student life (yes, I'm referring to Legally Blonde), you will know that the most prestigious university for any future lawyer is Harvard University. But don't fret, if you're not Elle Woods and you can't study there, the other options are equally as good: Cambridge, Yale and the University of New York are also at the top of the rankings. These are also the best ones to study History at, in addition to the London School of Economics and Political Science, Princeton, Chicago and Columbia. And if you're wanting to study Philosophy, the universities of Pittsburgh, Rutgers and New York are also good options. Also, in this last case, the University of Barcelona is also a very good option.

The best universities to study Architecture are the University of California, Berkeley, ETH Zurich, the Manchester School of Architecture, and Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Parsons School of Design or the University of the Arts London specialise in Art and Design. For Archeology, the University College London (UCL) and the University of California, Berkeley excel.

The best universities to study Education are University College London (UCL), Cambridge University and Hong Kong University. For Journalism, I recommend the London School of Economics and Political Science, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Texas. The most important universities for studying Tourism are the University of Nevada, the University of Surrey and the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL). For Economics, the best ones are the University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University and the London School of Economics and Political Science. And if you want to do a business degree, your best bets would be INSEAD in France, London Business School, the University of Pennsylvania or the Bocconi University in Italy.

I hope that with all these options, you'll be able to find the university that best suits you and the one that lets you have a one of a kind experience.

Also, it's not just about studying, the city that you choose to go to is also important! The most important thing is that you feel comfortable wherever you are, and we can help you with that. Erasmusu offers hundreds of spacious rooms rooms, studio flats, university dorms and flats all over the whole world you will be able to find your perfect home, before you even arrive in the city. On Erasmusu you will find hundreds of options so that your life on campus can also be like something from a film.

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