Top 10 universities in the world
Scroll down for the full list of best universities in the world
World University Rank 2022 | World University Rank 2021 | University | Country/region |
1 | 1 | University of Oxford | United Kingdom |
=2 | 4 | California Institute of Technology | United States |
=2 | 3 | Harvard University | United States |
4 | 2 | Stanford University | United States |
=5 | 6 | University of Cambridge | United Kingdom |
=5 | 5 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | United States |
7 | 9 | Princeton University | United States |
8 | 7 | University of California, Berkeley | United States |
9 | 8 | Yale University | United States |
10 | 10 | The University of Chicago | United States |
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022, released on 2 September 2021, has revealed the world’s top universities.
A UK institution, the University of Oxford, has taken the top spot for the sixth year running. The California Institute of Technology and Harvard University are in joint second position.
In total, 99 countries or regions are represented in the ranking and 27 of these have at least one university in the top 200. A further 452 universities are listed with “reporter” status, meaning that they provided data but did not meet our eligibility criteria to receive a rank.
Applying to university overseas: what to consider
A guide to university rankings for international students
THE World University Rankings explained
How to use the rankings: frequently asked questions
The best ways to prepare for studying abroad
Both in terms of the overall ranking and the highest positions, the US and the UK are well represented. Japan and China are among the best represented countries in the ranking but they fall behind other nations, such as Germany, Australia and the Netherlands, for universities in the top 200.
The results are calculated using 13 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research, teaching, research influence, industry income and international outlook. The full methodology can be found here.
Best universities in France
Best universities in Germany
Best universities in the UK
Best universities in the United States
Best universities in Australia
Best universities in Canada
Best universities in China
Top 5 universities in the world
=5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- The first architecture classes in the US were taught at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
- MIT is organised into six separate schools: architecture and planning; engineering; humanities, arts and social sciences; management; science; and computing.
The university was founded in the mid-19th century and has always endeavoured to provide financial aid to students on a needs basis.
The campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, includes 18 student residences, many gardens and public works of art.
Admission to the university 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.
Women in STEM: stories from MIT students
=5. University of Cambridge
- The University of Cambridge climbs back into the top five this year, going up one place from last year’s number six.
- In total, 92 affiliates of the university have been awarded Nobel Prizes, covering every category.
Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is a collegiate public research institution. Its 800-year history makes it the fourth oldest university in the world 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.
The journey from Gaza to Oxbridge
4. Stanford University
- Many students go on to achieve great things; 17 Nobel laureates are affiliated with Stanford University.
- There are just under 7,000 undergraduates and 9,000 postgraduates at the university, with a 7:4 student-to-staff ratio.
Stanford University has produced many entrepreneurs and start-ups and was partly responsible for the development of the surrounding Silicon Valley.
The large campus is home to 97 per cent of undergraduates and nearly 700 university buildings, museums, gardens and recreational centres.
Research at Stanford has a $1.22 billion budget and more than 5,000 of the projects are externally funded.
Video: how I got into Stanford University as a low-income international student
Best universities in Poland
Best universities in Italy
Best universities in Taiwan
Best universities in Denmark
Best universities in New Zealand
Best universities in India
Explore more countries
=2. California Institute of Technology
- The California Institute of Technology has a high staff-to-student ratio.
- The institution was founded as Throop University in 1891 and assumed its current name in 1920.
One of the most striking features of the California Institute of Technology or Caltech is its small size; only about 1,000 undergraduates and 1,250 postgraduates are enrolled there.
Caltech has six academic divisions with a strong emphasis on science and technology teaching and research. The university has a competitive admissions process ensuring that only a small number of the most gifted students are admitted.
Caltech’s mascot is a beaver, “nature’s engineer”.
Among the unusual features of the institution are the customary cookie break taken every Thursday by physicists and their students, and the university’s status as a distributor of olive oil.
Caltech: ‘uniquely difficult but a wonderful place to study’
=2. Harvard University
- Established in 1636, Harvard University the oldest university in the US.
- It is part of the Ivy League, a group of eight highly regarded private universities in the US.
Harvard University is one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
The institution 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.
Vlogging a day at Harvard University
1. University of Oxford
- One of the most prestigious universities in the UK has come out on top for the sixth consecutive year.
- 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.
Tips for acing your University of Oxford interview
Best universities in Asia
Best universities in South America
Best universities in Africa
Best universities in Latin America
Best universities in Europe
Best universities in the Arab World
Top 200 universities in the world 2022
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2022 results
- Log in to post comments

Find the world’s top universities in 2022 using the latest Times Higher Education World University Rankings data