The top 10 universities in the world 2025
Scroll down for the full list of best universities in the world
| World University Rank 2025 | World University Rank 2024 | University | Country/region |
| 1 | 1 | University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
| 2 | 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | United States |
| 3 | 4 | Harvard University | United States |
| 4 | 6 | Princeton University | United States |
| 5 | 5 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
| 6 | 2 | Stanford University | United States |
| 7 | 7 | California Institute of Technology | United States |
| 8 | 9 | University of California, Berkeley | United States |
| 9 | 8 | Imperial College London | United Kingdom |
| 10 | 10 | Yale University | United States |
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025, released on 9 October 2024, has revealed the world’s top universities.
A UK institution, the University of Oxford, has taken the first-place position, while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology occupies second position.
In total, 2,092 universities across 115 countries or regions are represented in the ranking, and 30 of these countries have at least one university in the top 200.
Both in terms of the overall ranking and the highest positions, the US and the UK are well represented. Japan and India are among the best-represented countries in the ranking. Other countries such as Germany, China, Australia and the Netherlands make frequent appearances in the top 200.
Results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research environment, teaching (the learning environment), research quality, industry and international outlook. The full methodology can be found here.
Top 5 universities in the world
1. University of Oxford
One of the most prestigious universities in the UK has come out on top for the eighth consecutive year and now holds the record for longest reign at number one in our World University Rankings.
The University of Oxford is the UK’s oldest university and one of the best known in the world.
There are more than 20,000 students at Oxford, with a roughly equal number of undergraduates and postgraduates.
Admission is extremely competitive; on average, the university receives five applications for every place.
The university employs staff from just under 100 countries, and foreign citizens make up about 40 per cent of the student and academic body.
Explore the top universities in the UK here.
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is organised into six separate schools: architecture and planning; engineering; humanities, arts and social sciences; management; science; and computing.
The first architecture classes in the US were taught at MIT.
The university, which was founded in the mid-19th century, has always endeavoured to provide financial aid to students on a needs basis.
Its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, includes 18 student residences, many gardens and public works of art.
Admission is extremely selective. The university lays claim to 85 Nobel laureates, 58 National Medal of Science winners, 29 National Medal of Technology and Innovation winners and 45 MacArthur Fellows. Among its alumni is Kofi Annan, former secretary general of the United Nations.
3. Harvard University
Established in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest university in the US.
Harvard University is one of the most prestigious institutions in the world. It is part of the Ivy League, a group of eight highly regarded private universities in the US.
Harvard is connected to more than 45 Nobel laureates, at least 30 heads of state and 48 Pulitzer prizewinners. Thirteen US presidents have honorary degrees from the institution; the most recent of these was awarded to John F. Kennedy in 1956.
4. Princeton University
Princeton University is one of the oldest universities in the US. It is part of the prestigious group of Ivy League universities.
As well as high-quality teaching and research output, the university is known for its beautiful campus, with some buildings designed by some of America’s most well-known architects.
Notable alumni who have won Nobel prizes include the physicists Richard Feynman and Robert Hofstadter and the chemists Richard Smalley and Edwin McMillan.
Princeton has educated two US presidents, James Madison and Woodrow Wilson. Other distinguished graduates include Michelle Obama, actors Jimmy Stewart and Brooke Shields, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Apollo astronaut Pete Conrad.
5. University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a prestigious university located in the UK.
Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research institution. Its 800-year history makes it the world’s fourth-oldest university and the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world.
The university is split into 31 colleges, where students receive small group teaching sessions known as supervisions.
In total, 92 affiliates of the university have been awarded Nobel prizes, covering every category.
Top 200 universities in the world 2025
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2025 results
Editor’s note: As part of our THE statement on Ukraine published on 2 March 2022, Russian universities have been given less prominence in our rankings. Russian universities that met the criteria for this ranking are not displayed in the table above.
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