QS Best Student Cities ranking: 2nd
For those who want to study amid the hustle and bustle of the big city, they don't come much bigger and busier than Tokyo, one of the world’s most populous urban areas. Tokyo is Asia’s leading city in the QS Best Student Cities ranking, bettered worldwide only by London.
Such is the mind-blowing scale of the Japanese capital that, even with 12 internationally ranked universities, it still has a very low proportionate student population. Tokyo, then, is a city for those who favor total immersion in local culture rather than living in a “student bubble”.
The upshot of Tokyo's gargantuan size is that it offers one of the most varied and cosmopolitan living environments on Earth. As one of the world's three leading financial centers, alongside New York and London, it also provides enviable professional and internship opportunities, consistently ranking as the best in the world for the employer activity indicator.
Alongside a high rating from graduate employers (where it ranks in first place worldwide), Tokyo scores notably well for desirability, which considers both the overall quality of living in the city, and how in-demand it is among prospective international students.
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Internationally ranked universities in Tokyo
More about Tokyo
Number of universities ranked by QS |
12 |
Highest-ranked institution |
University of Tokyo (joint 22nd in the world) |
Population |
38,001,000 |
Average international fees (at ranked unis) |
US$5,700 |
Desirability rank |
1st |
Employer Activity rank |
1st |
Affordability rank |
51st |
Student View rank |
24th |
To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.