Top Computer Science Schools in 2015

Discover the 10 most improved computer science schools in the 2018 ranking here, or click here for the full table. 

Want to study computer science or a related subject at a world-leading university? Use the results of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2015 to find the top computer science schools in your region or anywhere in the world! This year, the computer science ranking has been extended to highlight a total of 400 leading universities in the field.

Check out the top 10 table and overview below for a quick glimpse, or, for a more comprehensive search, see the full results here. 

Top computer science schools in the US & Canada

Of the 400 universities featured in this year’s computer science ranking, 17 are located in Canada. The highest ranked of these, the University of Toronto comes in joint 16^th place (20^th in the overall QS World University Rankings® 2014/15). Following in close stead are the University of British Colombia (43^rd in the world rankings) and the University of Waterloo (169^th in the world rankings) which share 24^th place.

Predictably given its overall clout in the higher education world, the US has a total of 70 entries, including six in the top 10 alone. Just outside of the top 10, you’ll find the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 17^th place (37^th in the world rankings), the University of Washington in 20^th (65^th in the world rankings), the University of Texas at Austin in 22^nd (79^th in the world rankings), the California Institute of Technology (Caltech, 8^th in the world rankings) and Columbia University (14^th in the world rankings) in joint 27^th , and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (63^rd in the world rankings) at 30^th. Seventeen more US universities are ranked within the world’s top 100 computer science schools.

For more information on studying in North America, see our regional guide.

Top computer science schools in Europe

With 41 top computer science universities in the UK alone and a further 45 between Germany and France, Europe has a very strong offering for those who wish to study computer science.

Of the 28 ranked universities in Germany, the Technische Universität München (TU Munich) is the highest, in joint 32^nd place (54^th in the world rankings), while out of the 17 French offerings, it is ENS Paris that takes the national top spot, ranked 51-100 for computer science (24^th in the world rankings).

Italy is next up, claiming 14 top computer science universities, with the Politecnico di Milano in 43^rd (229^th in the world rankings). In the Netherlands, 10 universities make the ranking, with Delft University of Technology (86^th in the world rankings) and the University of Amsterdam (50^th in the world rankings) both within the top 100. Spain claims a total of seven top universities for computer science, with one entrant in the top 100: Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (337^th in the world rankings).

Meanwhile, Ireland and Switzerland each have seven entries, with latter’s Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in 29^th place behind fellow Swiss frontrunner ETH Zurich (9^th). There are six each meanwhile for Belgium and Sweden, with Belgium’s top offering, KU Leuven (82^nd in the world rankings), and Sweden’s top offering, KTH, Royal Institute of Technology (110^th in the world rankings) both ranked 51-100.

Head to Austria and you’ll find another six top universities for computer science, while Denmark, Finland, Greece and Poland all have four, and the Czech Republic and Norway each have three. Hungary and Portugal also each have one school featured for computer science. Finally, Russia claims three leading computer science schools, including Lomonosov Moscow State University at 51-100 (114^th in the world rankings).

Top computer science schools in Asia

Although just one Asian university features in the computer science top 10, the region in fact offers a wide range of leading institutions in the field, including 20 in China alone. Two Chinese universities make it into the top 50, namely, Peking University (36= for computer science; 57^th in the world rankings) and Tsinghua University (38^th for computer science; 47^th in the world rankings).

Taiwan follows China for volume of top computer science schools; of the 12 Taiwanese institutions featured, National Taiwan University (NTU, 76^th in the world rankings) is the highest ranked at 46^th.

Japan meanwhile has 11 leading computer science schools, including the University of Tokyo (18= for computer science; 31^st in the world rankings). Also among the world’s top 50 are Kyoto University (36^th in the world rankings), Osaka University (55^th in the world rankings) and the Tokyo Institute of Technology (68^th in the world rankings).

Then there’s South Korea with 10 schools featured, five of which are in the top 100, including KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (39= for computer science; 51^st in the world rankings) and Seoul National University (42^nd for computer science; 31^st in the world rankings).

Despite not being featured among the top 100, Malaysia does remarkably well in this subject ranking, with eight entrants, including Universiti Malaya (UM, 151^st in the world rankings) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM, 309^th in the world rankings) both ranked 101-150.

In India, seven universities are featured, all of which are Indian Institutes of Technology, with two in the top 100 for computer science: the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB, 222^nd in the world rankings) and the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD, 235^th in the world rankings).

Home to some of the highest-performing computer science schools in the region, Hong Kong has a total of six universities featured. Aside from HKUST in the top 10, the University of Hong Kong (HKU) is 12^th (28^th in the world rankings) and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is joint 18^th (46^th in the world rankings).

Singapore may only have three entrants, but two of these are within the top 50: the National University of Singapore (NUS) is in 11^th place (22^nd in the world rankings) and the Nanyang University of Technology (NTU) is 21^st (39^th in the world rankings).

Last but not least, Thailand has two top universities for computer science featured, while Indonesia and Pakistan each have one.

To see our full regional guide to Asia, click here. And for our dedicated ranking of Asian institutions, see the QS University Rankings: Asia

Top computer science schools in Latin America

Of the many countries in Latin America, Brazil has the strongest presence in this ranking, with seven entrants. Both ranked within the world’s top 100 are the Universidade de São Paulo (USP, 132^nd in the world rankings) and the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Unicamp, 206^th in the world rankings).

Mexico also fares well, with three schools featured. Of these,the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN, 551-600 in the world rankings) and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM, 175^th in the world rankings) are both ranked within the 150 top universities for computer science worldwide.

Then there’s Chile with two schools in the running, including the Universidad de Chile (151-200 for computer science; 220^th in the world rankings). Argentina has just one entrant: the Universidad de Buenos Aires (251-300 for computer science; 198^th in the world rankings).

Top computer science schools in Australia & New Zealand

A total of 21 universities in Australia feature in this ranking, including five within the world’s top 50. The highest-performing Australian schools in this area are the University of Melbourne (13^th for computer science; 33^rd in the world rankings), Australian National University (ANU, 26^th for computer science; 25^th in the world rankings) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW, 35^th for computer science; 48^th in the world rankings).

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, seven universities are featured, with the highest entrant being the University of Auckland, ranked joint 44^th (92^nd in the world rankings).

Top computer science schools in Africa & the Middle East

The Middle East also performs well, with six top computer science universities claimed by Israel and four each by Saudi Arabia and Turkey. In Israel, two schools are ranked among the world’s top 100, including the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (190^th in the world rankings) and Tel Aviv University (195^th in the world rankings).

King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM, 151-200 for computer science; 225^th in the world rankings) is the highest offering in Saudi Arabia, while in Turkey it is Middle East Technical University (201-250 for computer science; 401-410 in the world rankings).

In Egypt, Cairo University is the only university featured, ranked 301-400 for computer science and 551-600 in the world rankings. One more African university is also in the running; this is South Africa’s University of Cape Town (301-400 for computer science; 141^st in the world rankings).

Want more content like this? Register for free site membership to get regular updates and your own personal content feed.