The Quacquarelli Symonds Best Student Cities Ranking 2026 are out. Only cities with over 250,000 population and at least 2 ranked universities were eligible for the top 100 list.
Further, to make the top 100, cities were assessed on 6 factors: University rankings, student mix, desirability, employer activity, affordability, student view (student ratings).
Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai are among the world's top 130 cities for students and Mumbai re-entered the global 100 at 98. Which were the top 10 cities?
Tuition fees for foreign students are some of the lowest in Europe in beautiful Wien, a city of exotic architecture. Vienna has 2 leading unis too -- University of Vienna, Vienna University of Technology.
Located on Lake Zurich, amidst loads of natural beauty, and the presence of two top ranked universities, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, makes Zurich a rich choice for students.
Iconic monuments, a wealth of museums, several prestigious universities make sure the City of Love ranked 7th amongst top student cities, alongside Berlin.
With most undergraduate courses offered for free and many postgraduate programmes available in English, historic but rocking Berlin remains a top option for international students.
40 per cent of Sydneysiders are international students. Wow! This metropolis' liveability and the presence of several top ranked institutions, like the University of Melbourne, is why it boasts such a healthy student mix.
A little down the coast, Melbourne, sometimes called Melbs, has an equally impressive student population too. University of Melbourne is one of the attractions as too is the happening arts scene, superior quality of life.
With zero tuition fees for undergraduate courses, students flock to Bavaria's wunderbar Munchen on the Isar river. Add to that: Affordability and employability options.
One of the most diverse cities in the world, with 20 prestigious universities, and once, invariably, the No 1 choice for students, London has dropped to 3rd place this year. Why? Costs.
For students hung up on a better quality of life and innovation, 12th century Tokyo, with its futurisitic-but-also-old-time vibes is an attractive bet, though it does not score high on affordability.
It's no surprise that chilled-out, lively Seoul, with its many contrasts, tops the list. As many as 20 Seoul universities make the QS World University Rankings 2026, making it a worthy study destination for students from all over.
Affordability is the chief reason Mumbai got its foot in the door at 98 on the world's top 100. Charming, friendly Mumbai scored well in the employer activity category too.