Warsaw

Warsaw

Sabrina Collier

Updated October 21, 2025 Updated October 21

QS Best Student Cities ranking

The capital and largest city in Poland, Warsaw is situated close to the center of the country, on both sides of the river Vistula, and has a distinctive character and spirit. The city has a turbulent history, having been almost completely destroyed during World War II, leading to a large-scale reconstruction project which aimed to recreate much of the original architecture.

Its Old Town district, beside the river banks and popular among tourists, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and is celebrated as “an outstanding example of a near-total reconstruction of a span of history covering the 13th to the 20th century.”

Aside from its historic center, Warsaw is a significant center of research and development, and also has a growing collection of skyscrapers, ranging from the residential Złota 44, completed in 2012, to the art deco-inspired Palace of Culture and Science, which dates back to 1955.

There are lots of universities and colleges to choose from in Warsaw, including Poland’s highest-ranked institution, the University of Warsaw. In the QS Best Student Cities ranking, Warsaw receives a high score for affordability thanks to its combination of low living costs and reasonable tuition fees.

When asked to name the best things about Warsaw in our student survey, one respondent mentioned “Top notch technical courses at an affordable price around friendly people”, while another said “It’s a great place to expand your cultural interests.”

Would Warsaw get your vote? Tell us why.

Internationally ranked universities in Warsaw

University of WarsawWarsaw University of Technology; Warsaw University of Life Sciences


To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.

This article was originally published in November 2015 . It was last updated in October 2025

Written by

The former Assistant Editor of TopUniversities.com, Sabrina wrote and edited articles to guide students from around the world on a wide range of topics. She has a bachelor's degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Aberystwyth University and grew up in Staffordshire, UK. 

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