QS World University Rankings 2020

While the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) continues to hold first place in our rankings for a record-breaking eighth consecutive year, the overall picture for US universities is concerning. Of the 157 universities from the United States to be included this year, 117 of them have fallen in rank since last year.

This decline is mirrored in the UK, where 56 of the 84 universities have dropped at least one place. In both the UK and US, this drop is at least partly due to a decline in international students, which is one of the indicators used to compile the ranking (learn about the methodology here).

In total, 80 percent of US universities and 61 percent of UK universities have seen their score for international student ratio drop this year, with the political situation in both countries likely to be a factor in deterring international applicants.

By contrast, Australian universities are becoming increasingly international. Elsewhere in the world, Chinese universities are continuing to perform well and are increasingly receiving high scores for their research impact. Eight of the world’s top 100 universities for research impact are now Chinese, up from five last year.

Want to share your thoughts on this year’s ranking? Has this helped you make your mind up about where to apply? Tweet us @TopUnis and let us know!