Universities that consistently make it to the World's Top 10 Universities list

University rankings do influence students’ decisions on where and what to study abroad. Every year, universities around the globe work towards making themselves better than the previous ones. It is not just about the prestige for them, but they are aware that better rankings will make them more appealing to prospective international students. Several university rankings and league tables get released annually. Some of them are widely recognised such as the QS World University Rankings and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Then there are country-specific rankings such as the CUG League Tables for the UK, the NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) ranking in India, the rankings of the U.S. universities by U.S. News and so on.

We at Hotcourses India evaluated the QS world university rankings to show you which are the universities that consistently made it to the top 10 over the years. Spoiler alert – there is nothing surprising here! We’ll also evaluate how they have fared in the different categories over the years.

The universities that have remained in the top 10 over the last 5 years are:

University	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
MIT	1	1	1	1	1
The University of Cambridge	2	3	7	7	6
Stanford University	3	3	2	2	2
The University of Oxford	4	2	5	4	5
Harvard University	5	5	3	3	3
Caltech	6	6	4	5	4
Imperial College London	6	7	8	9	8
UCL	8	8	10	8	10
ETH Zurich	9	8	6	6	7
The University of Chicago	10	10	9	10	9

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT is a private institution that was established in the latter half of the 1800s. It has remained in the top position of the QS World University Rankings for more than a decade now. The university is spread over 1.5 km! MIT produced close to 100 Nobel laureates.

Subjects/faculties: School of Engineering, School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Solan School of Management, School of Science and MIT Schwarzman College of Computing are the faculties at MIT.

Basic entry requirements: Prospective first-year students should submit SAT or ACT scores along with their application. There are no cut-off marks for the ACT or SAT. They also ‘recommend’ submitting results of any English Language Proficiency tests such as IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic, Duolingo English Test and Cambridge English Qualifications. You should score a minimum of 7 if opting to take the IELTS test. The recommended score is 7.5.

The University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge has a history of more than 800 years! It has students from across the world. The international student community is close to 4000 members strong. You will be able to find college-owned accommodation even after your first year of college. The lowest ranking that the university got in the last decade is 7. It climbed 4 places in 2022 to grab the 3^rd rank followed by the second rank in 2023. Cambridge is the alma mater for more than a dozen British Prime Ministers. It is also home to several Olympians!

Subjects/faculties:

The University of Cambridge has schools, departments and colleges. The schools of the University of Cambridge include:

• The School of Arts and Humanities
• The School of Humanities and Social Sciences
• The School of Biological Sciences
• The School of Physical Sciences
• The School of Clinical Medicine, and
• The School of Technology

Entry requirements:

Top grades (for example, above 95% for state boards), a reasonable standard of written and speaking skills in English (candidates might be asked to take one of the English language proficiency tests as part of the conditions of the offer), and other qualifications are needed to apply to Cambridge. Your grade 12 scores will not be considered for admission. You need to have some additional qualifications like College Board Advanced Placement Tests, IIT JEE (Advanced) rank above 2000, or Sixth Term Examination Paper.

Stanford University

Stanford is a private university in the USA. It is popular for its extensive research activities. Stanford has around 17,000 students. The university can boast of producing billionaires, astronauts and even a president of the United States.

Departments:

The departments include:

• Business
• Earth
• Education
• Engineering
• Humanities & Sciences
• Law
• Medicine

Basic entry requirements:

English language proficiency, ACT or SAT scores. There is no minimum score requirement.

The University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is one of the oldest universities in the world. It is a public research university in the United Kingdom. Oxford has close to 25,000 students. Students at Oxford can make use of the largest academic library system in the UK. Oxford is the alma mater for more than 70 Nobel laureates, 160 Olympic medal winners and several prime ministers of the UK.

Divisions at the University of Oxford:

The University of Oxford has 4 academic divisions:

• Humanities Division
• Mathematical, Physical, and Life Sciences Division
• Medical Sciences Division
• Social Sciences Division

They also have the Department of Continuing Education.

Basic entry requirements:

For undergraduate courses: If you followed the CBSE, you should have scored an A1 grade in any subject relevant to your course. If you followed the CISCE board, you should have an overall grade of a minimum of 90%. State board syllabus grades are not accepted at Oxford.

For postgraduate courses: The requirements vary based on courses. Candidates are expected to have an upper second-class degree with honours or a first-class undergraduate degree with hours. The grade requirement can be anywhere between a minimum of 65% to 75%.

Harvard University

Harvard is one of the Ivy League universities and is also one of the oldest institutions in the USA. It is a prestigious university which is the alma mater of several United States presidents, Nobel laureates, Academy Award winners, Olympic medallists and billionaires. Bill Gates, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Mark Zuckerberg are some of them.

Academic Divisions:

• The academic divisions at Harvard include:
• Arts and Humanities
• Science
• Social Science
• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)

Basic entry requirements:

Only academically excelling candidates will be accepted at Harvard. A Teacher Evaluation form is one of the requirements for applying to Harvard. Applicants should also excel in ‘challenging high school math sequence’. For the 2027 – 2030 classes, you need not send standardised test scores. However, SAT or ACT scores can be submitted if available. You also have the option to send supplemental materials such as artworks to be evaluated by the faculty.

Caltech

California Institute of Technology is one of the private research universities in the USA. It focuses on Science and Engineering. Numerous faculty members at Caltech are also associated with NASA. A little over 2000 students study at this university. Caltech can also boast of producing Nobel laureates. Did you know that Stephen Hawking was a visiting professor at Caltech?

Academic Divisions:

• The academic divisions at Caltech include:
• Biology and Biological Engineering
• Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
• Engineering and Applied Science
• Geological and Planetary Sciences
• Humanities and Social Sciences
• Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy

Basic admission requirements:

SAT or ACT scores needn’t be submitted for students applying to Caltech for Fall 2022 or Fall 2023. As proof of English language proficiency, students should submit TOEFL scores. Score submission is not necessary if you studied at an institution where English was the language of instruction during the last 2 years of your studies. It is worthy to mention that Caltech also provides need-based financial aid.

Imperial College London

Imperial College London is a public research university in the UK. Science, technology and business are some of the subjects that Imperial College focuses on.

Faculty:

Imperial College London has different faculties, each with multiple departments under them. The faculties include:

• The Faculty of Engineering
• The Faculty of Medicine
• The Faculty of Natural Sciences and
• Imperial College Business School

Basic entry requirements:

An overall score of 90-92% across 5 subjects, with 90-95% in the relevant subjects is necessary. This is the minimum entry standard requirement. Depending on your chosen course, you will have to attain a standard or higher level of English proficiency. You can prove it through the standard English language proficiency tests such as Duolingo English Test, IELTS Academic, PTE Academic and TOEFL.

UCL

UCL is a public research university in London. Around 41,000 students study at UCL. Postgraduates are more in number than undergraduate students. Mahatma Gandhi was an alumnus of the University College London. Some other famous personalities include Alexander Graham Bell and Rabindranath Tagore.

Faculties:

UCL has 11 faculties, which are:

• Arts and Humanities
• Bartlett (Built Environment)
• Brain Science
• Engineering Sciences
• IOE (It is the Faculty of Education and Society)
• Laws
• Life Sciences
• Mathematical and Physical Sciences
• Medical Sciences
• Population Health Sciences
• Social and Historical Sciences

Basic entry requirements:

UCL asks for GPA scores, and it should be a minimum of 3.3 (cumulative) on a scale of 4.0. They suggest that you only apply to courses that you meet the requirements for. The requirements are specific to courses. Refer to the course requirements carefully before you apply. You will have to take an English language proficiency test like IELTS or TOEFL to prove your English proficiency.

ETH Zurich

ETH Zurich is a public research university in Switzerland. Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are what the university focuses on. ETH alumni include 22 Nobel laureates.

Departments:

ETH Zurich has 16 departments under the following divisions:

• Architecture and Civil Engineering
• Engineering Sciences
• Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• System-oriented Natural Sciences
• Management and Social Sciences

Basic entry requirements:

The admission process to ETH Zurich is highly selective. The university website says that only the very best students can pass the exams in the first year of a bachelors degree. IELTS, TOEFL, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency should be taken to prove your English language proficiency.

The University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is a private research university in the USA. International students make up 21% of the total number of students at the University of Chicago. The university offers need-based and merit-based scholarships for first-year students.

Departments:

The University of Chicago has several departments across:

• The Biological Science Division
• Chicago Booth School of Business
• Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice
• Divinity School
• Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies
• Harris School of Public Policy
• Humanities Division
• Law School
• Physical Sciences Division
• Pritzker School of Medicine
• Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and
• Social Sciences Division

Entry requirements:

The entry requirements are the same for domestic as well as international students, except for the language requirements. You have the option to mention any extracurricular activities that you might take up and also include whatever you spend your time doing outside your class time. You should demonstrate a superior level of English skills. Candidates are free to choose the language test that they deem fit to prove their proficiency.

Bear in mind that there are not the only best universities in the world. Head to our site to find the right university for you, from among hundreds of options. All the best with your study abroad dreams!