Are you dreaming of studying abroad at one of the best universities in the world and taking your career to new heights? Many Indian students share this dream, with a staggering 78% aspiring to pursue international education, according to a 2023 survey by the Association of International Enrollment Management.Â
When exploring the top universities, it’s common to feel overwhelmed by rankings, fees, and program choices. Understanding the challenges Indian students encounter when considering international education, we present this blog with empowering insights to help you make more informed decisions.
Best Universities in the World
Following is a list of some of the best universities in the world, along with their latest global ranking, average annual fee and popular courses-Â
| University Name | QS Ranking | Average Annual Fees (in lakhs) | Popular Courses |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 1 | Rs. 55-70+ | Engineering (especially Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering), Physics, Economics, Management |
| Imperial College London | 2 | Rs. 35-50 | Engineering (especially Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering), Medicine, Business, Data Science |
| University of Oxford | 3 | Rs. 30-45 | Law, Medicine, Humanities (English Literature, History), Social Sciences (Economics, Politics) |
| Harvard University | 4 | Rs. 50-60 | Social Sciences (Economics, Government), Medicine, Law, Business |
| University of Cambridge | 5 | Rs. 30-45 | Natural Sciences (Biological Sciences, Physics), Humanities (English Literature, History), Social Sciences (Economics, Law) |
| Stanford University | 6 | Rs. 55-70+ | Engineering (especially Computer Science), Business, Medicine, Humanities (History) |
| ETH Zurich | 7 | Rs. 20-25 | Engineering (especially Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering), Computer Science, Mathematics |
| National University of Singapore | 8 | Rs. 20-30 | Engineering, Business, Life Sciences, Computing |
| University College London (UCL) | 9 | Rs. 30-40 | Medicine, Law, Engineering, Social Sciences (Economics, Psychology) |
| California Institue of Technology | 10 | Rs. 55-70+ | Engineering, Physical Sciences (Physics, Astronomy), Computer Science |
| University of Pennsylvania | 11 | Rs. 50-60 | Business (Wharton School), Engineering, Medicine, Law |
| University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | 12 | Rs. 35-45 | Engineering, Computer Science, Social Sciences (Economics, Political Science), Life Sciences |
| The University of Melbourne | 13 | Rs. 25-35 | Engineering, Medicine, Law, Business, Humanities (English Literature) |
| Peking University | 14 | Rs. 20-30 | Economics, Law, Engineering, Humanities (Chinese Literature) |
| Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) | 15 | Rs. 20-30 | Engineering, Business, Science, Humanities & Social Sciences |
| Cornell University | 16 | Rs. 50-60 | Engineering, Business, Agriculture, Social Sciences (Economics) |
| The University of Hong Kong | 17 | Rs. 25-35 | Business, Engineering, Medicine, Social Sciences (Law) |
| The University of Sydney | 18 | Rs. 25-35 | Engineering (especially Chemical, Electrical, and Civil Engineering), Business, Law, and Medicine (Highly competitive program) |
| The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) | 19 | Rs. 30-40 | Engineering, Business, Law, Medicine, Science |
| Tsinghua University | 20 | Rs. 25-35 | Engineering, Economics, Computer Science, Humanities (Chinese Language & Literature) |
Best Universities in USA
The best universities in USA for international students are as follows-Â
| University Name | QS Ranking | Average Annual Fees (in lakhs) | Popular Courses |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 1 | UG- Rs. 42.76 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid often covers most or all tuition for PhD students | Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Physics, Economics |
| Harvard University | 2 | UG- Rs. 46.64 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid packages typically cover most or all tuition for PhD students | Economics, Computer Science, Government, English, Biology |
| Stanford University | 3 | UG- Rs. 46.54 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid and fellowships are available for PhD students | Computer Science, Engineering, Economics, Management, Psychology |
| University of California Berkeley (UCB) | 4 | UG- 50.22 PG- Varies by program PhD- Most PhD students receive full funding through fellowships and teaching assistantships | Computer Science, Molecular and Cell Biology, Political Science, Economics, English |
| University of Chicago | 5 | UG- 47.09 PG- Varies by program PhD- Many PhD programs offer full funding through fellowships and teaching assistantships | Economics, Computer Science, Biology, Political Science, History |
| University of Pennsylvania | 6 | UG- Rs. 63.18 PG- Varies by program PhD- Many PhD programs offer full funding packages | Finance, Nursing, Computer Science, Engineering, English |
| Cornell University | 7 | UG- Rs. 49.74 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid and fellowships are available for PhD students | Engineering, Business, Computer Science, Biology, Psychology |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | 8 | UG- Rs. 47.47 PG- Varies by program PhD- Most PhD students receive full funding through fellowships and teaching assistantships | Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Biology |
| Yale University | 9 | UG- Rs. 50.78 PG- Varies by program PhD- Many PhD programs offer full financial support | Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, History, Economics, English, Computer Science |
| Princeton University | 10 | UG- Rs. 55.43 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid packages are available for PhD students | Economics, Molecular Biology, Computer Science, Engineering, English |
Best Universities in UK
The best universities in the UK for international students are as follows-Â
| University Name | QS Ranking | Average Annual Fees (in lakhs) | Popular Courses |
| Cambridge University | 1 | UG- Rs. 42.76 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid often covers most or all tuition for PhD students | |
| Oxford University | 2 | UG- Rs. 46.64 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid packages typically cover most or all tuition for PhD students | |
| Imperial College London | 3 | UG- Rs. 46.54 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid and fellowships are available for PhD students | |
| University College London (UCL)Â | 4 | UG- 50.22 PG- Varies by program PhD- Most PhD students receive full funding through fellowships and teaching assistantships | |
| The University of Edinburgh | 5 | UG- 47.09 PG- Varies by program PhD- Many PhD programs offer full funding through fellowships and teaching assistantships | |
| The University of Manchester | 6 | UG- Rs. 63.18 PG- Varies by program PhD- Many PhD programs offer full funding packages | |
| King’s College London | 7 | UG- Rs. 49.74 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid and fellowships are available for PhD students | |
| 8 | UG- Rs. 47.47 PG- Varies by program PhD- Most PhD students receive full funding through fellowships and teaching assistantships | ||
| 9 | UG- Rs. 50.78 PG- Varies by program PhD- Many PhD programs offer full financial support | ||
| 10 | UG- Rs. 55.43 PG- Varies by program PhD- Financial aid packages are available for PhD students |
Best Universities in Canada
Best Universities in the World for EngineeringÂ
Are you aiming to pursue a career in engineering or considering a profession that demands the skills and expertise acquired through an engineering degree? Check out these best universities in the world for engineering-
| University Name | QS Ranking | Average Annual Fees (in lakhs) |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 1 | Rs. 60-75+ (Estimated) |
| Stanford University | 2 | Rs. 60-75+ (Estimated) |
| University of Oxford | 3 | Rs. 32-48 (Varies by program) |
| University of Cambridge | 4 | Rs. 32-48 (Varies by program) |
| University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | 5 | Rs. 48-60 (Non-residents) |
| ETH Zurich | 6 | Rs. 20-25 |
| Imperial College London | 7 | Rs. 38-55 (Estimated) |
| Harvard University | 8 | No UG or PG course available, but full financial support (tuition, fees, stipend, health insurance) for admitted PhD students. |
| California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | 9 | Rs. 60-75+ |
| EPFL – École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne | 10 | Rs. 22-27 (Estimated for Bachelors) |
Best Universities in the World for MBA
For students interested in pursuing an MBA on a full-time basis, here is a list of top universities worth considering-
| University Name | QS Ranking | Average Annual Fees (in lakhs) |
| Stanford Graduate School of Business | 1 | Rs. 70 |
| Penn (Wharton) | 2 | Rs. 65 |
| Harvard Business School | 3 | Rs. 68 |
| London Business School | 4 | Rs. 55 |
| HEC Paris | 5 | Rs. 50 |
| MIT (Sloan) | 6 | Rs. 67 |
| Columbia Business School | 7 | Rs. 63 |
| IE Business School | 8 | Rs. 45 |
| Cambridge (Judge) | 9 | Rs. 53 |
| IESE Business School | 9 | Rs. 50 |
Best Universities in the World for Medicine
Embarking on a career in medicine and seeking the best universities worldwide? Don’t forget to check out this list of best universities in the world for medicine-
| University Name | QS Ranking | Average Annual Fees (in lakhs) |
| Harvard University | 1 | Harvard Medical School only accepts applications from international students for its MD program. However, students may explore research-based programs, the fees for which aren’t publicly available. |
| University of Oxford | 2 | Varies by program |
| Stanford University | 3 | Not Available (Expect over 70 Lakhs) |
| Johns Hopkins University | 4 | Not Available (Expect over 70 Lakhs) |
| University of Cambridge | 5 | Varies by program |
| UCL | 6 | Rs. 45-50 Lakhs |
| Karolinska Institutet | 7 | Free Tuition |
| Imperial College London | 8 | Rs. 40-45 Lakhs |
| University of California, San Francisco | 9 | Not Available (Expect over 70 Lakhs) |
| Yale University | 10 | Not Available (Expect over 70) |
Best Universities in the World for Computer Science
Are you facing the daunting task of choosing the best university for computer science while dealing with concerns about program quality and career prospects? Catch a glimpse of these best universities in the world for computer science-
| University Name | QS Ranking | Average Annual Fees (in lakhs) |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 1 | Rs. 60-75+ |
| Carnegie Mellon University | 2 | Rs. 55-70 |
| Stanford University | 3 | Rs. 60-75+ |
| University of Oxford | 4 | Rs. 32-48 (Varies by program) |
| University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | 5 | Rs. 48-60 (Non-residents) |
| National University of Singapore (NUS) | 6 | Rs. 30-40 (Estimated) |
| Harvard University | 7 | Rs. 60-75+ (Estimated) |
University of Cambridge | 8 | Rs. 32-48 (Varies by program) |
| ETH Zurich | 9 | Rs. 20-25 |
| Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) | 9 | Rs. 30-40 (Estimated) |
FAQs
Which is the number 1 university in the world?
While there’s no definitive answer, Oxford University consistently ranks 1 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings (2024).
Which country has the best universities in the world?
It’s challenging to pick one country. The US and UK often dominate university rankings, but others like Switzerland (ETH Zurich) and Singapore (National University of Singapore) have top institutions.
Which country is best for studying?
This purely depends on your personal career goals! However, you can use specific metrics such as affordability, language, program offerings, and post-study opportunities to decide upon a country that is best for you to pursue further education.
Which country is best for Indian students?
Depending on individual needs, countries like Germany (low tuition), Canada (immigration options), or Singapore (shorter flights) could be strong contenders for Indian students.
We hope this blog has helped you resolve all your doubts about the best universities in the world. For more detailed and information-rich blogs, check out Admissify.
Shubham Das, an educational content writer for two years, specializes in study abroad articles. His background in filmmaking and screenplay writing brings a creative edge to his work. Fascinated by the human psyche, books, and movies, Shubham crafts vivid stories about overseas education. He doesn’t just list facts; he paints pictures of campus life and foreign cultures. His unique blend of niche knowledge and storytelling skills helps students imagine their own international adventures, making study abroad feel exciting and achievable.
