QS Best Student Cities ranking: 115th
Formally known as Madras, Chennai is the fourth largest cosmopolitan city in India and the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu, a southern state in India. Chennai is new to the QS Best Student Cities ranking this year, coming in 115th place.
Chennai currently has two universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings®: the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) and Anna University. The former is the fourth best university in all of India, while both universities are notable for their research output.
Described as South India’s leading commercial center, the city has a strong heritage of music, classical dance, architecture and crafts, so there will be more than enough to keep you entertained when lectures are over for the day.
Students thinking of studying in Chennai will be pleased to know the city ranks highly for affordability, coming in 34th globally and third of all ranked cities in India, beaten only by Delhi and Bangalore. This is because the city has a relatively low cost of living and cheaper tuition fees than many other countries.
The city also ranks highly in the employer activity indicator (84th), with only one Indian institution achieving a higher score. This shows the strong employment prospects for graduates based in Chennai.
Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal and has excellent transport links connecting it to many different parts of India as well as countries overseas, so you’ll easily be able to explore other parts of India when you are here.
Alternatively head over to one of Chennai’s many beaches with your friends to unwind in the sun after a long day of studying!
Have you studied in Chennai? Let us know your thoughts.
Internationally ranked universities in Chennai
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), Anna University |
More about Bangalore
Number of universities ranked by QS |
2 |
Highest-ranked institution |
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) (ranked 271st) |
Population |
10,270,000 |
Average international fees (at ranked unis) |
US$4,000 |
Desirability rank |
104th |
Employer Activity rank |
83rd |
Affordability rank |
34th |
Student View rank |
114th |
To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.