Within the intense competition of almost 25,000 global universities, finding what matches your interests can be tough. Several annual university rankings are a good solution to at least navigate among the abundance of educational institutions. 

Universities With the Lowest Rankings

However, practically those lists may still leave you uncertain about what university to choose. Even though there is a filtered list of the best colleges, they may still be inaccessible for a portion of young people because of the high tuition fees, high grades for admission, etc. 

An option to combine the university’s quality and accessibility is to look at the last rows of the best-ranked universities. 

The key point here is that if the university is on the best list, it is already a good one. Inclusion in the top rankings indicates that the university corresponds to the main qualitative and quantitative standards to be considered good. Lower scores just mean they have a place to improve in the industry competition. 

It might be easier to find an optimal choice in the lowest-ranked university lists. While there are exceptions, usually the lower are the university’s rankings, the more affordable and easier admitting it is. 

If you are unsure which rankings to start with, scroll down to the already combined list of 30 lowest-ranked (yet good) universities.

The below list is based on the published 2020 world university rankings by the three leading ranking platforms: US news report ranking, Times Higher Education Ranking, and QS University Ranking. 

The following three sections present the ten lowest-ranked universities of each publication, along with a summary of their specialization areas. 

Want to study at one of the world’s top 100 universities? The QS World University Rankings offers an annually updated list of the top 1,400+ universities worldwide. We will be revealing which of these made the top 100. 

In the 2023 edition of the QS World University Rankings, just under half of the top 100 universities in the world are located in the US (which has 27 representatives) or the UK (17). 

Lowest Ranked University in the World โ€“ CollegeLearners.com

Note that there are around 1000 universities listed in each of the publications. If you do not find your proper match in the listing below, explore the full list by the provided links to find one. 

Top 100 Universities in the WorldAccording to the QS World University Rankings 2023 
Rank  University  Location 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) United States 
University of Cambridge United Kingdom 
3Stanford University United States  
4University of Oxford United Kingdom  
Harvard University United States 
=6 California Institute of Technology (Caltech) United States 
=6Imperial College London United Kingdom  
UCL (University College London) United Kingdom
9ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) Switzerland  
10 University of Chicago United States 
11 National University of Singapore (NUS) Singapore 
12 Peking University Mainland China 
13 University of Pennsylvania United States  
14 Tsinghua University Mainland China
15University of Edinburgh United Kingdom
=16 Ecole Polytechnique Fรฉdรฉrale de Lausanne (EPFL) Switzerland
=16Princeton University United States
18 Yale University United States
19 Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU) Singapore
20 Cornell University United States 
21 University of Hong Kong (UKU) Hong Kong SAR  
22 Columbia University United States
23University of Tokyo Japan 
24Johns Hopkins University United States 
25 University of Michigan-Ann Arbor United States 
26 Universite PSL France
27University of California, Berkeley (UCB) United States
28University of Manchester United Kingdom
29Seoul National University South Korea  
30 Australian National University Australia
31 McGill University Canada 
32 Northwestern University United States 
33 University of Melbourne Australia
=34 Fudan University  Mainland China 
=34 University of Toronto Canada
36 Kyoto University Japan
37 King’s College London United Kingdom
38 Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Hong Kong SAR
39 New York University (NYU) United States
40 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)Hong Kong SAR
41 University of Sydney Australia
=42KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology South Korea
=42Zhejiang University Mainland China
44 University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) United States
45 University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) Australia
46 Shanghai Jiao Tong University Mainland China
47 University of British Columbia Canada
48 Institut Polytechnique de Paris France
49 Technical University of Munich Germany 
=50 Duke University United States
=50 University of Queensland Australia
52 Carnegie Mellon University United States  
53University of California, San Diego (UCSD) United States  
54City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR 
55 Tokyo Institute of Technology Japan
56 London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) United Kingdom
57 Monash University Australia
58 University of Amsterdam Netherlands 
59 Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitรคt Mรผnchen Germany
60 Sorbonne University France
=61Delft University of Technology Netherlands
=61University of Bristol United Kingdom 
63 Brown University United States
64 University of Warwick United Kingdom
=65 Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat Heidelberg Germany
=65 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong SAR 
67 Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA)  Argentina  
68 Osaka University Japan
69 Universit Paris-SaclayFrance
70Universiti Malaya (UM)  Malaysia 
71Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH)South Korea
72 University of Texas at AustinUnited States
73 Yonsei University South Korea
74 Korea University South Korea 
75Lomonosov Moscow State University Russia
76KU Leuven Belgium 
77 National Taiwan University (NTU) Taiwan  
78 University of Southampton United Kingdom
79 Tohoku University Japan
80University of WashingtonUnited States
81 University of Glasgow  United Kingdom
82University of Copenhagen Denmark  
=83University of Wisconsin-MadisonUnited States
=83University of Zurich Switzerland
85University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign United States 
86University of Leeds United Kingdom
87 University of Auckland New Zealand 
88 Georgia Institute of Technology United States 
89 KTH Royal Institute of Technology Sweden 
90 University of Western AustraliaAustralia
91 University of Birmingham United Kingdom 

10 lowest ranked by US news 

Main indicators for evaluation: Global research reputation, Regional Research Reputation, Number of 10% most cited publications, etc. 

Read more about the ranking methodology.

UniversitySpecialization areasLocation
Shanghai University of 
Traditional 
Chinese Medicine
Arts and HumanitiesBusiness and Social SciencesLanguage and CulturalMedicine and HealthEngineeringScience & TechnologyShanghai, 
China
Universidade Federal 
de Alagoas
Nursing and PharmacyArtsSocial SciencesPhysicsMathematicsChemistry and BiotechnologyArchitecture and UrbanismGeography, Development 
and Environment
Maceiรณ, 
Brazil
Huaqiao UniversityScienceEngineeringEconomicsManagementLawLiberal ArtsPhilosophyHistoryXiamen, 
China
Jichi Medical UniversityMedicineNursingShimotsuke, 
Japan
Kyoto Institute of
Technology
Applied BiologyBiomolecular EngineeringMacromolecular Science 
and EngineeringChemistry and Materials 
TechnologyElectronicsInformation ScienceDesign Engineering and 
ManagementIntegrated Science and 
Technology
Kyoto, 
Japan
East Tennessee 
State University
Arts and ScienceBusiness and TechnologyClinical and Rehabilitative Health SciencesNursingPharmacyPublic HealthContinuing StudiesJohnson City, 
United States
Henan Polytechnic 
University
ScienceTechnologyManagementArtsLowEconomicsEducationJiaozuo, 
China
Beijing University of 
Chinese Medicine
Traditional Chinese 
MedicineChinese Materia MedicineLife SciencesAcupunctureManagementNursingHumanitiesChinese Culture StudiesPhysical Teaching
Beijing, 
China
Grigore T Popa 
University of 
Medicine & Pharmacy
NursingDental TechniqueAudiologyBalneotherapyMedical CosmeticsPharmaceutical TechniqueIasi, 
Romania
Umm Al-Qura UniversityArabic LanguageBusinessEducation (in Makkah)Applied SciencesSocial SciencesEngineering and 
Islamic ArchitectureDentistryMedicine
Makkah, 
Saudi Arabia

Lowest Ranked University In The World

Knowing what to avoid is another way to navigate for the best. Thatโ€™s why you might also find it useful to look through the list of unranked universities.

The reasons universities may fall out of the ranking system vary from not providing enough evaluation data to not corresponding to the pre-defined ranking standards. Either way, this signals that the university is not very competent or up-to-date in its approaches. 

Consequently, is not included in top rankings is perhaps the best definition for the โ€œworst universities.โ€ The following list consists of 20 universities that are not ranked by US news data in 2020.

  1. American College of Thessaloniki
  2. American University in Cairo
  3. American University of Paris
  4. Brock University
  5. Chamberlain University
  6. Florida A&M University — Florida State University
  7. Inter American University of Puerto Rico–Guayama
  8. McGill University
  9. Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education–Monterrey
  10. Pennsylvania State University–Harrisburg
  11. Ryerson University
  12. Tilburg University
  13. University of Calgary
  14. University of Ottawa
  15. University of Toronto
  16. Washington State University–Tri-Cities
  17. Washington State University — Vancouver
  18. Western University
  19. West Virginia University Institute of Technology
  20. York University

Also Read: worst university in the UK, most prestigious universities ranking, which is the number 1 university in the world

10 lowest ranked in Times Higher Education ranking

Main indicators for evaluation: Teaching, Research, Citations, International Outlook, Industry Income. 

UniversitySpecialization areasLocation
Zhejiang University 
of Technology
Chemical Engineering 
and Materials ScienceMechanical EngineeringInformation EngineeringBusiness and AdministrationScienceLawForeign languages
Zhejiang, China
University of ZanjanEngineeringArchitecturePaintingSciencesIslamic HistoryAgronomy and Plant BreedingSoil SciencesEconomic SciencesAccountancyPhilosophyZanjan, Iran
University of ZagrebNatural SciencesEngineeringBiomedical SciencesBiotechnologySocial SciencesHumanitiesThe ArtsZagreb, Croatia
Zagazig UniversityAgricultureCommerceVeterinary MedicineEducationHuman medicineOncologyPhysical Education GirlsPhysical Education BoysAsian StudiesComputing and InformationZagazig, Egypt
Yuan Ze UniversityEngineeringInformaticsManagementHumanitiesSocial SciencesTaoyuan City, Taiwan
Yokohama National 
University
EducationHuman SciencesEconomicsBusiness AdministrationEngineering ScienceUrban InnovationKanagawa, Japan
Yฤฑldฤฑz Technical UniversityElectric and ElectronicsLiterature and National 
culture StudiesArts & SciencesDesignEducationCivil EngineeringChemical and Metallurgical 
EngineeringNaval Architecture and Maritime
Istanbul, Turkey
Yeditepe UniversityApplied SciencesArchitectureArts and ScienceMathematicsCommerceDentistryLawPharmacyIstanbul, Turkey
Yazd UniversityEngineeringHumanities and 
Social SciencesScienceNatural Resources and 
Desert StudiesArt and Architecture
Safavieh, Iran
Yarmouk UniversityArtsScienceEconomics and Administrative 
SciencesEngineering TechnologyEducationPhysical EducationFine ArtsMass CommunicationArcheology and AnthropologyTourism and Hotel Management
Irbid, Jordan 

Modern competition is fierce both in the education industry and the employment market. Meanwhile, the difference gap between universities is small, offering a wide choice for any quality, budget, location, and interest.  

The list of university rankings platforms goes beyond the above-mentioned three. Each ranking has its own methodology, so read the evaluation methods first to find the rankings closer to your priorities. Coming from the opposite end, you can first shortlist universities most appealing to you, and find out whether they are included in the rankings after.

Of course, there are no absolute truths in the question of what brings people to success. You might still get great employment and a career being a graduate of an unranked university. 

top 10 universities in the world

As in previous years, universities from the United States dominated the ranking, claiming eight of the top ten spots โ€” which remain largely unchanged from the previous year with the exception of the University of Washington, Seattle, and Cambridge University each rising one spot. California Institute of Technology fell two spots. 

However, the ranking also shines a light on top universities across the globe. The University of Cape Town was named the best institution in Africa, Tsinghua University in Beijing, China was named the best institution in Asia, The University of Melbourne has named the best institution in Australia, and The Universidade de Sรฃo Paulo was named the best institution in Latin America. 

Here are the top 10 best overall global universities of 2022, according to U.S. News:

1. Harvard University

Harvard University

Harvard UniversityDenisTangneyJr | iStock | Getty Images

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts โ€” United States

Highlight: Top-ranked university in many categories including biology & biochemistry and economics & business.

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts(Photo: Bloomberg / Getty Images)

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts โ€” United States

Highlight: MIT has ranked the best university for mathematics in the world.

3. Stanford University

A general view of the campus of Stanford University including Hoover Tower and buildings of the Main Quadrangle.

A general view of the campus of Stanford University including Hoover Tower and buildings of the Main Quadrangle.David Madison/Getty Images

Location: Stanford, California โ€” United States

Highlight: U.S. News identified Stanford as having the best chemistry program in the world.

4. University of California, Berkeley

A general view of the University of California Berkeley campus including Sather Tower. The Haas School of Business is visible in foreground and the San Francisco Bay in the background.

A general view of the University of California Berkeley campus including Sather Tower. The Haas School of Business is visible in the foreground and the San Francisco Bay in the background. David Madison/Getty Images

Location: Berkeley, California โ€” United States

Highlight: This year, UC Berkeley was recognized for having the second-best chemistry program.

5. University of Oxford

The U.K. is home to three of the world's top 10 universities, according to Times Higher Education, including Oxford University.

The U.K. is home to three of the worldโ€™s top 10 universities, according to Times Higher Education, including Oxford University. Joe Daniel Price | Getty Images

Location: Oxford, England โ€” United Kingdom 

Highlight: Oxford was found to have the best arts & humanities program, worldwide.

6. Columbia University

Columbia University

Columbia UniversityEducation Images | Getty Images

Location: New York City, New York โ€” United States

Highlight: Columbia University was recognized by U.S. News for being among the best places to study cardiovascular systems.

7. University of Washington, Seattle

University of Washington

University of WashingtonNikko Hellstern | Getty Images

Location: Seattle, Washington โ€” United States

Highlight: The University of Washington, Seattle was found to have one of the worldโ€™s best clinical medicine programs.

8. University of Cambridge

Students walk through Cambridge University in Cambridge, east of England, on March 14, 2018.

Students walk through Cambridge University in Cambridge, East of England, on March 14, 2018.TOLGA AKMEN | AFP | Getty Images

Location: Cambridge, England โ€” United Kingdom

Highlight: Cambridgeโ€™s faculty has included some of historyโ€™s most famous mathematicians. This year, the university earned fifth place for its mathematics program.

9. California Institute of Technology (tie)

California Institute of Technology

California Institute of TechnologyDanita Delimont | Getty Images

Location: Pasadena, California โ€” United States

Highlight: Home to NASAโ€™s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, CalTech was identified as the top-ranked university in space science.

9. Johns Hopkins University (tie)

Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins UniversityJHU Sheridan Libraries/Gado/Getty Images

Location: Baltimore, Maryland โ€” United States

Highlight: Known for its medical research, Johns Hopkins was found to have the second-best infectious disease program, as well as the second-best surgical program, in the world.

what college has the lowest acceptance rate in the world

RUR World University Rankings evaluate the performance of the worldโ€™s leading higher education institutions by 20 indicators grouped into 4 key areas of university activity: Teaching, Research, International Diversity, Financial Sustainability. You can view the rankings for the period of 2010-2021 by selecting the year on the timeline and by choosing the ranking type in the menu below.

1Harvard University100.000USADiamond League
2California Institute of Technology (Caltech)99.636USADiamond League
3Stanford University97.050USADiamond League
4Imperial College London96.742UKDiamond League
5Karolinska Institute96.609SwedenDiamond League
6Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)96.370USADiamond League
7University of Oxford96.167UKDiamond League
8ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)94.629SwitzerlandDiamond League
9University of Cambridge94.383UKDiamond League
10Columbia University94.132USADiamond League

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