Best Postgraduate Universities In The World

If you’re considering a university for postgraduate study, you’ll probably be tempted to see where it sits in at least one academic ranking.

Unfortunately, none of these global tables provides a specific Masters degree ranking. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t useful for prospective Masters students – quite the opposite, in fact.

This annually updated guide explains how the three main global rankings work and looks at ways you can use them when considering a postgraduate degree.

Introduction – university rankings for Masters degrees?

Sadly, there are some things no ranking reveals: how far you’ll have to walk to lectures, whether the department photocopier will run out of paper the week before your dissertation and how much a pint costs in the student bar.

But there’s plenty you can learn from a careful look at university league tables: how well an institution performs in key teaching metrics, how respected it is internationally and what kind of reputation you’ll be associated with as one of its postgraduates.

Some rankings also use metrics that are specific to Masters (and PhD) students: including the amount of investment a university makes into research, how much focus it places on postgraduate education and the number of advanced degrees it awards.

Global rankings – ‘the big three’

There are three widely recognised and respected rankings of global universities: the QS World University Rankings, the Academic Ranking of World Universities and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

Top-ranked universities for postgraduate study

We’ve reproduced the top results from each of the three main rankings, below:

University	THE 2022	QS 2022	ARWU 2021
University of Oxford	1	5	9
California Institute of Technology	=2	6	9
Harvard University	=2	5	1
Stanford University	4	=3	2
University of Cambridge	=5	=3	3
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	=5	1	4
Princeton University	7	20	6
University of California, Berkeley	8	32	5
Yale University	9	=14	11
University of Chicago	10	10	10
Columbia University	11	19	8
Imperial College London	12	7	25
Johns Hopkins University	=13	25	16
University of Pennsylvania	=13	13	15
ETH Zurich	15	=8	21
Peking University	=16	18	45
Tsinghua University	=16	17	28
University of Toronto	=18	26	22
University College London	=18	=8	17
University of California, Los Angeles	20	40	14
National University of Singapore	21	11	75
Cornell University	22	21	12
Duke University	23	52	32
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	=24	=23	26
Northwestern University	=24	30	34
New York University	26	42	27
London School of Economics and Political Science	27	49	151-200
Carnegie Mellon University	28	=53	97
University of Washington	29	=85	19
University of Edinburgh	=30	16	38
University of Hong Kong	=30	22	101-150
LMU Munich	32	64	48
University of Melbourne	33	37	33
University of California, San Diego	34	48	18
King’s College London	=35	35	47
University of Tokyo	=35	=23	24
University of British Columbia	37	46	42
Technical University of Munich	38	=50	52
Karolinska University	39	–	42
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	=40	=14	91
Paris Sciences et Lettres – PSL Research University Paris	=40	–	–
Heidelberg University	=42	63	57
KU Leuven	=42	=70	87
McGill University	44	=27	67
Georgia Institute of Technology	45	88	101-150
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore	46	12	81
University of Texas at Austin	47	67	41
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign	48	=82	55
Chinese University of Hong Kong	49	39	101-150
University of Manchester	50	=27	35
Information in this table is based on the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings and Academic Ranking of World Universities. Visit their websites for more information.

The information in this table is based on the 2022 university rankings published by Times Higher Education, QS and the Academic Ranking of World Universities. You can view rankings and additional information on their websites.

What do rankings measure?

Rankings use their own metrics and weightings, but they tend to focus on the same broad criteria.

Research performance

• What is it? – All rankings measure universities’ research output by looking at their number of publications, as well as citations (how often research is referenced by other scholars), academic prizes, external funding and surveys of reputation.
• Why does it matter? – Masters degrees focus on advanced material at the cutting edge of scholarship and this is heavily informed by new research – a leading research university may be able to offer more innovative postgraduate courses (as well as great dissertation options).
• Bear in mind – Research is expensive and smaller or newer universities may not produce as much of it. But that doesn’t mean the research they do produce is bad. Don’t overlook innovative Masters courses at more specialised providers.

Teaching quality

• What is it? – It’s hard to measure teaching directly, so rankings use proxies such as staff-student ratio, the number of higher degrees awarded or alumni achievements.
• Why does it matter? – High quality teaching benefits all students and some metrics also specifically reflect the scope of a university’s postgraduate provision.
• Bear in mind – Some metrics won’t distinguish between undergraduates and postgraduates. Staff-student ratio, for example, may not be as important to Masters degrees with smaller class sizes.

Industry relationships

• What is it? – Some rankings measure a university’s links with employers and other commercial organisations.
• Why does it matter? – External partnerships and investment can help a university deliver innovative degree programmes, particularly at postgraduate level. Students may also benefit more generally from internship and placement opportunities. Unsurprisingly, some of these metrics are particularly important for MBA students.
• Bear in mind – Collaborations and investment won’t be evenly spread across all of a university’s degree programmes.

Internationalisation

• What is it? – Some rankings measure universities’ international partnerships and recruitment.
• Why does it matter? – A strong international profile can benefit postgraduate programmes by offering different perspectives, opportunities and experiences. And it goes without saying that a more international university can be ideal for postgraduate study abroad.
• Bear in mind – These metrics vary – and measure very different things. Universities in some countries may also find it harder to internationalise in ‘rankable’ ways, particularly if linguistic or geographical barriers are in place.

Other ranking types

Global rankings can give you a quick ‘snapshot’ of a university’s performance but, as we’ve seen, these snapshots can sometimes be too simple and sometimes it’s worth looking at alternatives:

• Regional rankings are good at identifying leading local universities in emerging higher education areas. These might still offer unique and exciting postgraduate study opportunities, even if they aren’t yet as well-known (and well ranked) as other global universities.
• Rankings of newer universities are another great way to spot younger, more innovative, universities, some of which specialise in specific postgraduate subjects.
• Subject rankings modify data from the main rankings to find the best university’s for particular academic disciplines. They’re very useful for prospective Masters students. You can use them to measure a university’s expertise in the areas that matter most for your postgraduate course.

A few other types of rankings are also being pioneered by specific publishers. Times Higher Education publishes a World Reputation Ranking (based on subjective surveys of academics) whilst QS offers a ranking of the Best Student Cities and a ranking of Graduate Employability.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings

The Times Higher Education magazine is a UK magazine that regularly publishes new university rankings.

Its flagship global ranking is the only one of the ‘big three’ to include postgraduate-specific metrics (the number and ratio of doctoral degrees awarded by a university accounts for 8.25% of its score).

Using the Times Higher Education rankings for postgraduate study

Here, in our opinion are some of the particular strengths of the THE rankings system for postgraduate students:

• Strong academic focus – Research citations carry a lot of weight in THE rankings, accounting for almost a third of a university’s score. This offers a good indicator of how successful a university is at producing leading research in its field – research that can support and inform cutting-edge Masters courses.
• Diverse teaching metrics – The Times Higher Education includes postgraduate-specific teaching metrics, measuring the ratio of PhD students to undergraduates and the number of PhDs a university awards. A strong postgraduate research culture feeds down into taught Masters degrees, as well as PGCert and PGDip courses.

Things to bear in mind

It’s important to understand what the Times Higher Education methodology excludes as well as what it includes.

• No employer-specific metrics – Employer metrics aren’t included in the Times Higher Education rankings. This isn’t necessarily a big issue, but it’s worth remembering that the focus of this methodology is mainly academic.
• May not include all specialist institutions – The Times Higher Education rankings only include universities if they award undergraduate degrees and produce a certain number of publications each year. This can exclude some specialised institutions that may offer great Masters degrees.

The QS World University Rankings

Produced by the higher education publisher, Quacquarelli Symonds, the QS World University Rankings is one of the most student-centric tables, with metrics taking account of universities’ international recruitment, exchange programmes and employer opinion.

Using the QS World University Rankings for postgraduate study

Here, in our opinion are some of the highlights and strengths of the QS rankings portfolio, from the point of view of someone comparing their postgraduate study options:

• Student-centric metrics – QS rankings are designed to meet the information needs of prospective students (rather than provide a performance benchmark for universities and other parts of the higher education industry). More weight is given to metrics such as staff/student-ratio, international recruitment and as employer opinion (which isn’t in the other two rankings).
• Qualitative and quantitative balance – The main QS World University Rankings are roughly balanced 50/50 between qualitative data (from subjective surveys) and ‘hard’ statistics.

Things to bear in mind

All rankings publishers have to make choices about what to focus on, what to prioritise and what to give less weight to. QS is no different.

• Simpler teaching metrics – the main QS rankings rely on staff-student-ratio as a core teaching quality metric. This is may not be as nuanced as the Times Higher Education rankings, which factor in peer opinion of teaching quality and the presence of postgraduate researchers.
• Less weight given to research – the flipside of QS’s focus on student metrics is a corresponding drop in the weight of more traditional academic indicators such as research citations. This is a double-edged sword: a successful academic department may be more likely to develop and support better advanced degrees such as Masters programs.

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking)

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (or ARWU) is the oldest of the three main global university systems. It’s also the most distinctive.

Originally, the ARWU was produced in-house by China’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University, but the body responsible for the tables has since become an independent organisation (the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy). The tables are still sometimes referred to as the ‘Shanghai Rankings’.

Using the ARWU rankings for postgraduate study

Here, in our opinion, are some of the highlights of the ARWU rankings, from the point of view of a prospective postgraduate:

• Reflects the presence of elite academics – if you want to study a Masters with the absolute best academic teachers and researchers in your field, the ARWU can help you find out where they might be.
• Reflects the future academic success of graduates – alumni prizes may seem like a strange metric but no other ranking factors in the achievements of a university’s graduates in this way.

Things to bear in mind

Unsurprisingly, the ARWU’s emphasis on top-quality publications, citations and academic prizes also has its limitations for students interested in other aspects of a university’s performance.

• Distinguishing between individuals and institutions – The ARWU methodology measures the success of individual university faculty and alumni. Whilst the presence of elite individuals probably reflects (or creates) institutional quality, the ARWU doesn’t directly assess this in its own right.
• Lack of teaching metrics The ARWU system measures ‘quality of education’ entirely through the academic success of a university’s alumni. This can identify producers of excellent graduates, but it only reflects their very highest achievements and only in an academic (rather than professional) context.

best postgraduate universities uK

The UK is the most popular destination for postgraduate study abroad in Europe – and the second most popular in the world. It’s no surprise then, that British universities are regarded as being some of the best, internationally.

But how do you choose the best university for your Masters in the UK?

One method is to consult international ranking tables. These can tell you which UK universities are the most internationally respected and renowned.

On this page we’ve looked at the top UK universities in the three most important world rankings – allowing you to make an easy comparison of the top institutions overall.

Top Ranked UK Universities

The following table gives the 50 top universities in the UK, according to global university rankings. It can show you which British universities are amongst the best in the world – and help you compare institutions on an international level.

This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education, QS and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

Each ranking system uses its own methodology, with different factors having more or less influence on a university’s result.

For more information on using international rankings as a postgraduate, see our guide.

University	THE 2021	QS 2021	ARWU 2020
University of Oxford	1	5	9
University of Cambridge	6	7	3
Imperial College London	11	8	25
UCL	16	10	16
London School of Economics and Political Science	27	49	151-200
University of Edinburgh	30	20	42
King’s College London	35	=31	47
University of Manchester	=51	=27	36
University of Warwick	77	62	101-150
University of Bristol	91	58	64
University of Glasgow	=92	=77	151-200
University of Birmingham	=107	87	101-150
Queen Mary University of London	110	=114	201-300
University of Sheffield	=121	=93	101-150
University of Southampton	=127	90	101-150
University of York	=133	=150	201-300
Lancaster University	=136	=135	301-400
Durham University	=149	86	201-300
University of Nottingham	=158	99	101-150
University of Leeds	=160	91	101-150
University of Sussex	=160	=246	151-200
University of Liverpool	163	=181	101-150
University of Leicester	=170	=242	301-400
University of Exeter	=174	164	151-200
University of Aberdeen	=178	207	201-300
Newcastle University	=178	=152	201-300
Cardiff University	=191	159	151-200
University of East Anglia	=200	=333	201-300
Queen’s University Belfast	=200	209	401-500
University of Bath	201-250	=173	301-400
University of Dundee	201-250	319	301-400
University of Reading	201-250	205	201-300
St George’s, University of London	201-250	–	501-600
University of St Andrews	201-250	96	301-400
Brighton and Sussex Medical School	251-300	–	–
University of Surrey	251-300	=267	301-400
Swansea University	251-300	=474	601-700
Anglia Ruskin University	301-350	–	–
University of Essex	301-350	=411	501-600
University of Kent	301-350	=380	501-600
Royal Holloway, University of London	301-350	=308	701-800
University of Stirling	301-350	=485	901-1000
Birkbeck, University of London	351-400	=344	901-1000
Brunel University London	351-400	=368	501-600
City, University of London	351-400	=350	701-800
Heriot-Watt University	351-400	=301	701-800
Loughborough University	351-400	226	501-600
Northumbria University	351-400	651-700	901-1000
Aberystwyth University	401-500	=485	901-1000
Aston University	401-500	511-520	701-800
Information in this table is based on the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings, QS World University Rankings and Academic Ranking of World Universities. Visit their websites for more information.

So, how good are UK universities for Masters study?

Pretty good! With 18 universities in the top 100 of the QS ranking, 11 in the top 100 of the THE ranking and eight in the top 100 of the Shanghai (ARWU) ranking, the UK has more top-ranked universities than any other European country.

In fact, the only country to beat the UK in global university league tables is the USA.

Unlike the USA, however, all of the UK’s top universities are publicly funded. Their place in global rankings reflects substantial ongoing investment in higher education.

Do rankings matter for Masters degrees?

International rankings use all sorts of metrics to assess universities and they aren’t all equally relevant to postgraduate study. That’s why we’ve put together a guide to university rankings for Masters students.

Of course, these are global rankings, not postgraduate rankings. This means they reflect the broad performance and reputation of universities, rather than their specific expertise in the areas you might be considering for a Masters.

There isn’t currently a global ranking of universities for postgraduate study. But there are ways to look more closely at the factors that matter most to Masters students. . .

UK University Rankings by Subject

Academic specialism is vital to postgraduate study. As a Masters student you’ll be working at a much more advanced level. This means that you’ll need access to the best facilities and the expertise of instructors who are leaders in their field.

One way to check this is to see how well a university does in rankings for your subject. Universities at the top of these leagues will be the best at producing high quality research and attracting top academics. This will be reflected in the quality of their postgraduate courses. Times Higher Education produces a series of international league tables based on subject expertise, and it’s worth taking a look at their World University Rankings by Subject.

Domestic rankings of UK universities

The global rankings discussed above are great if you want to see which UK universities are amongst the best in the world. But there are also several rankings that look specifically at universities within the UK.

Many are published by media organisations including the Telegraph, Times, Sunday Times and Guardian newspapers.

Most of these rankings aren’t postgraduate specific. They include criteria such as a student ratios, satisfaction and completion rates that are important, but may not reflect the specific experiences of Masters students.

world university rankings 2021

World Rank	Institution	Location	National Rank	Quality of Education	Alumni Employment	Quality of Faculty	Research Performance	Score
1	Harvard University	USA	1	3	1	1	1	100
2	Massachusetts Institute of Technology	USA	2	4	11	2	7	96.7
3	Stanford University	USA	3	10	4	3	2	95.2
4	University of Cambridge	United Kingdom	1	1	21	4	11	94.1
5	University of Oxford	United Kingdom	2	7	26	9	4	93.3
6	Columbia University	USA	4	11	14	10	15	92.6
7	Princeton University	USA	5	6	15	7	71	92.0
8	University of Pennsylvania	USA	6	14	9	43	12	91.6
9	University of Chicago	USA	7	8	18	29	22	91.1
10	Yale University	USA	8	5	35	11	20	90.7
11	California Institute of Technology	USA	9	2	128	5	74	90.4
12	University of California, Berkeley	USA	10	9	57	8	14	90.1
13	Cornell University	USA	11	13	28	17	24	89.8
14	University of Tokyo	Japan	1	37	7	105	27	89.5
15	Johns Hopkins University	USA	12	20	188	22	6	89.3
16	University of Michigan, Ann Arbor	USA	13	32	37	82	5	89.0
17	Northwestern University	USA	14	139	17	46	29	88.8
18	University of California, Los Angeles	USA	15	49	63	19	10	88.6
19	University College London	United Kingdom	3	33	666	14	8	88.4
20	Duke University	USA	16	61	51	16	21	88.2