World University Rankings 2026: out now

• United Kingdom’s University of Oxford retains position as world number one for 10th consecutive year   

• Overall, United States takes seven places in global top 10 while United Kingdom takes the remaining three 

• United States is most-represented country/territory, with 171 universities 

• THE World University Rankings is the most comprehensive and balanced assessment of global research universities – built on an analysis of almost 19 million research papers, 1.5 million votes in an Academic Reputation Survey and detailed institutional data on more than 3,000 universities worldwide 

• Record number (2,191) of universities ranked, an increase of 99 since last year 

• Number of countries/territories in the rankings remains consistent at 115 

• Three countries (Senegal, Libya and Yemen) join the ranking for the first time   

• Rankings launched at World Academic Summit hosted by KAUST in Saudi Arabia 

Top 10 universities overall in the World University Rankings 2026 

= joint   

If you reproduce any part of these ranking tables or charts, please attribute it to “Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026”, and link to the full list on our website.

The United Kingdom’s University of Oxford leads the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for a record 10th consecutive year. 

Overall, the US takes seven places in the global top 10 while the UK takes the remaining three. 

However, despite a strong performance at the top of the table, the US continues to decline overall, and there are warning signs for the UK too. Meanwhile, Asia continues its rapid progress. 

Hong Kong occupies a record six spots in the top 200 as a result of improvements in teaching reputation and its student-to-staff ratio, and all six of its institutions that were ranked both this year and last year have improved.  

Japan’s University of Tokyo climbs to 26th, its highest-ever position, while South Korea now has a record four institutions in the top 100. 

And while China’s top universities remain steady, after years of consistent climbing, the country now has five universities in the top 40, up from three last year, and 35 in the top 500 – which is more than Australia. A total of 18 Chinese institutions achieved their best rank ever, more than any other nation. 

The rankings results for the US in some ways present an opposite trend to that in China, with the best American universities mostly holding strong in the top 10, and in some cases improving, as those lower down the list continue their decline. 

Having climbed to its highest position ever, joint third place, Princeton University is the only US university to achieve its best-ever finish this year. While the US still dominates the top 500, with 102 ranked institutions, this is its lowest number on record. Twenty-five US institutions also suffer their worst-ever results. 

The US remains the most-represented country in the rankings, with 171 universities ranked, down from 174 last year. 

In the UK, of the 105 institutions to have been ranked in the past two years, 27 per cent slid down the table and only 12 per cent improved. 

Twelve UK universities, including the London School of Economics and Political Science (52nd) and the University of Warwick (joint 122nd), fell to their lowest-ever positions. It is also the first time that the number of UK universities in the global top 500 has dipped below 50; it is now 49. 

This year a record 2,191 universities from 115 countries/territories have been ranked, an increase of 99 institutions since last year. 

Phil Baty, THE’s chief global affairs officer, said: 

“This year’s rankings highlight a dramatic and accelerating trend – the shift in the balance of power in research and higher education excellence from the long-established, dominant institutions of the West to rising stars of the East. The US and much of western Europe have lost significant ground in the World University Rankings while Asian nations, led by China, continue to surge up the table. This clear trend is set to continue as research funding and international talent attraction continues to be stymied in the West. 

“Are we accelerating towards a new world order and a new, Eastern centre of gravity for knowledge creation and innovation? The data certainly suggests so.” 

10 most-represented countries overall in the World University Rankings 2026 

= joint   

If you reproduce any part of these ranking tables or charts, please attribute it to “Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026”, and link to the full list on our website.

The THE World University Rankings is the gold standard in global university performance benchmarking. The ranking deploys 18 balanced and comprehensive performance indicators across the full range of a research university’s core missions and is a closely watched barometer of the shifting dynamics of the international knowledge economy. 

Notes to editors     

1. For more information, or to arrange an interview, please email media@timeshighereducation.com  

1. THE is the trusted global data partner for higher education. Drawing on five decades of expertise in the sector, millions of individual data points and with more unique institutions participating in our flagship university rankings than any other, we offer deeper and richer insight into university performance than anyone else. From powerful data-driven insights and strategic consultancy support to agenda-setting events, student recruitment and hiring solutions, our products and services enable everyone in higher education to make smarter, more informed decisions. For more information, visit Times Higher Education or find us on Twitter/X: @timeshighered @THEworldunirank