Top six universities in South America 2024
Scroll down for the full list of best universities in South America
South America Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2023 | University | Country | City/state |
1 | 201–250 | 201–250 | University of São Paulo | Brazil | São Paulo |
2 | 351–400 | 401–500 | University of Campinas | Brazil | São Paulo |
3 | 401–500 | 401–500 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | Chile | Santiago |
=4 | 601–800 | 1001–1200 | Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) | Brazil | Porto Alegre |
=4 | 601–800 | 1001–1200 | Federal University of Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Rio de Janeiro |
=4 | 601–800 | 601–800 | Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul | Brazil | Porto Alegre |
There are 13 universities from South America in the top 1,000 of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024.
Just under half of these South American universities are in Brazil, including the University of São Paulo in first place, in the top 250 in the world.
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Chile has 28 universities in the full ranking, followed by Colombia with 21 institutions, Ecuador with seven, Argentina with three, and Peru with three. The main language of instruction at these South American universities is either Portuguese or Spanish.
The South America filter of the THE World University Rankings 2024 supplements a specific Latin America ranking last published in July 2023, which includes Central American universities.
Top 3 universities in South America
=2. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile has a history that dates back to 1888, making it one of the country's oldest universities.
It is one of six private Catholic institutions in the country.
The university has four campuses located in Santiago, Chile's capital, and one in Villarrica, a city in the south of the country.
When the university was first established it offered courses in law, mathematics, legal sciences, and physical sciences. The university has since expanded and today it has courses available in a wide range of subjects such as architecture, engineering, and philosophy.
=2. University of Campinas
The University of Campinas is commonly called Unicamp, and it is a public research university in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.
It was opened in 1966, and although it is one of Brazil’s younger institutions it has established itself as a primary medical and scientific research centre.
The campus has a unique design, with the main library, student service buildings and restaurant in a central circular plaza, and most of the academic buildings located in blocks radiating out from the centre.
1. University of São Paulo
The University of São Paulo is Brazil’s largest public institution of higher education and one of the largest in South America.
There are currently about 83,000 students enrolled across 11 campuses, four of which are in São Paulo.
It is unsurprising that the institution is the best South American-university in the World University Rankings 2024; it was also named the most prestigious Latin American-university in a survey of top scholars and is second in the overall Latin America rankings.
Alumni have a strong track record of becoming CEOs of the world’s largest companies. Twelve Brazilian presidents graduated from USP.
When it was founded in 1934, the university attracted famous foreign professors and created a new standard for teaching and research in the country.
More than 200 undergraduate programmes and 200 postgraduate programmes are offered across the full range of academic disciplines.
In addition to its faculties, the university operates four hospitals and 24 museums and galleries across its campuses.
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Best universities in South America 2024
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2024 results
South America Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2024 | World University Rank 2023 | University | Country | City/state |
1 | 201–250 | 201–250 | University of São Paulo | Brazil | São Paulo |
2 | 351–400 | 401–500 | University of Campinas | Brazil | São Paulo |
3 | 401–500 | 401–500 | Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile | Chile | Santiago |
=4 | 601–800 | 1001–1200 | Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) | Brazil | Porto Alegre |
=4 | 601–800 | 1001–1200 | Federal University of Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Rio de Janeiro |
=4 | 601–800 | 601–800 | Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul | Brazil | Porto Alegre |
=7 | 801–1000 | 1001–1200 | University of the Andes, Colombia | Colombia | Bogotá |
=7 | 801–1000 | 1001–1200 | University of Chile | Chile | Santiago |
=7 | 801–1000 | NR | University of la Costa | Colombia | Barranquilla |
=7 | 801–1000 | 801–1000 | Federal University of Minas Gerais | Brazil | Minas Gerais |
=7 | 801–1000 | 1001–1200 | Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina | Brazil | Florianópolis |
=7 | 801–1000 | 601–800 | Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) | Brazil | São Paulo |
=7 | 801–1000 | 801–1000 | Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) | Brazil | Rio de Janeiro |
=14 | 1001–1200 | 801–1000 | Universidad Autónoma de Chile | Chile | Temuco, Talca and Santiago |
=14 | 1001–1200 | 601–800 | University of Desarrollo | Chile | Concepción |
=14 | 1001–1200 | 801–1000 | Diego Portales University | Chile | Santiago |
=14 | 1001–1200 | 1201–1500 | Federal University of São Carlos | Brazil | São Carlos |
=14 | 1001–1200 | 601–800 | Icesi University | Colombia | Cali |
=14 | 1001–1200 | 601–800 | Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia | Peru | Lima |
=14 | 1001–1200 | 801–1000 | Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS) | Brazil | Porto Alegre |
=14 | 1001–1200 | 1001–1200 | Universidad San Francisco de Quito | Ecuador | Quito |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Adolfo Ibáñez University | Chile | Santiago |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | University of the Andes, Chile | Chile | Santiago |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 601–800 | University of Antofagasta | Chile | Temuco, Talca and Santiago |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | University of Antioquia | Colombia | Medellín |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Austral University of Chile | Chile | Valdivia |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | University of Brasília | Brazil | Taguatinga |
=22 | 1201–1500 | NR | Universidad de Cartagena | Colombia | Cartagena |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | University of Concepción | Chile | Concepción |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Del Rosario University | Colombia | Bogotá |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral | Ecuador | Guayaquil |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) | Brazil | Rio de Janeiro |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC) | Brazil | São Paulo |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Universidade Federal da Bahia | Brazil | Salvador |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1501+ | Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) | Brazil | Fortaleza |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Federal University of Espírito Santo | Brazil | Espírito Santo |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Federal University of Goiás | Brazil | Goiás |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Federal University of Lavras | Brazil | Lavras |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR) | Brazil | Paraná |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1501+ | Federal University of Pernambuco | Brazil | Recife |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN) | Brazil | Natal |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Federal University of Santa Maria | Brazil | Santa Maria |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Federal University of Uberlândia | Brazil | Minas Gerais |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Federal University of Viçosa | Brazil | Viçosa |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Federico Santa María Technical University | Chile | Valparaiso |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | University of La Frontera | Chile | Temuco |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1001–1200 | National University of Colombia | Colombia | Bogotá |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Pontifical Catholic University of Peru | Peru | Lima |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso | Chile | Valparaiso |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 801–1000 | Pontifical Javeriana University | Colombia | Bogotá |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná | Brazil | Paraná |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 801–1000 | University of La Serena | Chile | La Serena |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | University of Talca | Chile | Talca |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | University of Tarapacá | Chile | Arica |
=22 | 1201–1500 | 1201–1500 | Unisinos University | Brazil | São Leopoldo |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | University of the Andes, Venezuela | Venezuela | Mérida |
=56 | 1501+ | 1201–1500 | Universidad Andrés Bello (UNAB) | Chile | Santiago |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | Antonio Nariño University | Colombia | Bogotá |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | Bernardo O’Higgins University | Chile | Santiago |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | University of Bío-Bío | Chile | Concepción |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | University of Caldas | Colombia | Manizales |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Catholic University of Brasília | Brazil | Taguatinga |
=56 | 1501+ | 1201–1500 | Catholic University of the North | Chile | Antofagasta |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | Universidad Católica del Maule | Chile | Talca |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción | Chile | Concepción |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | University of Caxias do Sul | Brazil | Caxias do Sul |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Ceará State University | Brazil | Fortaleza |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica Celso Suckow da Fonseca (CEFET-RJ) | Brazil | Rio de Janeiro |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | CES University | Colombia | Medellín |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | EAFIT University | Colombia | Medellín |
=56 | 1501+ | 1201–1500 | El Bosque University | Colombia | Bogotá |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Escuela Politécnica Nacional | Ecuador | Quito |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina | Brazil | Santa Catarina |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro | Brazil | Rio de Janeiro |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Estadual de Maringá | Brazil | Maringá |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (Unioeste) | Brazil | Paraná |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) | Brazil | Porto Alegre |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Federal University of Itajubá | Brazil | Itajubá |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora | Brazil | Juiz de Fora |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA) | Brazil | São Luís |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul | Brazil | Campo Grande |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP) | Brazil | Ouro Preto |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Federal University of Pará | Brazil | Belem |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Federal Rural University of Pernambuco | Brazil | Recife |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Arido | Brazil | Mossoró |
=56 | 1501+ | 801–1000 | Universidade Federal de Sergipe | Brazil | São Cristóvão |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Fluminense Federal University | Brazil | Rio de Janeiro |
=56 | 1501+ | 1001–1200 | University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR) | Brazil | Fortaleza |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas – ESPE | Ecuador | Quito |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidad Industrial de Santander (UIS) | Colombia | Santander |
=56 | 1501+ | 1201–1500 | Londrina State University | Brazil | Londrina |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | University of Los Lagos | Chile | Osorno |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Mackenzie Presbyterian University | Brazil | São Paulo |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | Universidad Mayor | Chile | Santiago |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidad Nacional del Litoral | Argentina | Santa Fe |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | National University of Córdoba | Argentina | Córdoba |
=56 | 1501+ | 1201–1500 | National University of San Martín | Argentina | Buenos Aires |
=56 | 1501+ | 1201–1500 | University of the North, Colombia | Colombia | Barranquilla |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Nove de Julho (Uninove) | Brazil | São Paulo |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Nueva Granada Military University | Colombia | Bogotá |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Pedagogical and Technological University of Colombia | Colombia | Tunja |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | University of Pernambuco | Brazil | Recife |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas (UPC) | Peru | Lima |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidad Politécnica Salesiana | Ecuador | Cuenca |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais | Brazil | Minas Gerais |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB) | Colombia | Medellín |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador | Ecuador | Quito |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | University of La Sabana | Colombia | Chia |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | San Sebastián University | Chile | Santiago |
=56 | 1501+ | 1201–1500 | University of Santiago, Chile (USACH) | Chile | Santiago |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | State University of Bahia | Brazil | Bahia |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | State University of Ponta Grossa | Brazil | Paraná |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | State University of Santa Cruz | Brazil | Bahia |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Technical University of Loja | Ecuador | Loja |
=56 | 1501+ | 1201–1500 | Technological University of Pereira | Colombia | Pereira |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR) | Brazil | Paraná |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | Temuco Catholic University | Chile | Temuco |
=56 | 1501+ | NR | Universidad del Valle | Colombia | Cali |
=56 | 1501+ | 1501+ | University of Valparaíso | Chile | Valparaíso |
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