Which Aussie universities made the world’s best rankings?

Only six made the top 100 – and the final places may surprise you.

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Just one Australian university has made the world’s top 50 tertiary institutions, while five others are in the top 100.

The prestigious 2026 Times Higher Education World University rankings are out and the University of Melbourne is the best of the Australian universities.

The rankings evaluated 2191 research-intensive universities from 115 countries and territories, evaluating across the core pillars of teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry engagement.

Each university is given a score out of 100 for each pillar, and then an overall score.

University of Melbourne scored 99.3 for industry engagement, 91.6 for international outlook, 87.8 for research quality, 75.5 for research environment, and 67.7 for teaching, for an overall score of 79/100.

“As Australia’s leading university, anchored in one of the world’s most dynamic regions, we offer unparalleled diversity of expertise and experience,” said UoM’s vice-chancellor Professor Emma Johnston.

“Our nine faculties operate as world-class academic communities, excelling in their own fields, while collaborating across disciplines to tackle the most complex global challenges of our time.”

“From medicine and law to fine arts, design and engineering, our academics are solving real-world challenges such as transforming cancer detection, advancing rare genetic disease diagnosis, preserving cultural heritage, and addressing climate change.

“Our responsibility as Australia’s leading global public university is to nurture the next generation of thinkers, researchers and leaders needed for a more resilient and sustainable future,” she said.

The University of Sydney was ranked 53^rd in the world with an overall score of 75/100. Monash University finished eighth in equal 58^th place with 74.1, Australian National University came in equal 73^rd with 71.1, the University of Queensland was equal 80^th with 69.7, and UNSW Sydney was the last Australian university in the top 100, coming in 79^th with a score of 70/100.

Oxford University retained the number one spot for the 10th consecutive year, driven by strong research environment score.

Princeton rose to joint 3^rd place, and is the only US university to achieve its best-ever finish this year.

China has five universities in the top 40, up from three last year, but its top universities remain steady.

Hong Kong occupied a record six spots in the top 200 as a result of improvements in teaching metrics.

India now has the second highest number of ranked universities for the first time, behind only the US.

Other Australian universities to be ranked in the top 1000 were:

• UTS (=145^th; 62.0)
• University of WA (153^rd; 61.7)
• Macquarie University (=166^th; 60.7)
• Adelaide University (=176^th; 60.2)
• QUT (201-250; 56.4-58.6)
• Deakin University (201-250; 56.4-58.6)
• University of Wollongong (201-250; 56.4-58.6)
• Griffith University (251-300; 54.3-56.3)
• University of Tasmania (251-300; 54.3-56.3)
• La Trobe University (251-300; 54.3-56.3)
• University of Newcastle (251-300; 54.3-56.3)
• RMIT University (251-300; 54.3-56.3)
• Curtin University (251-300; 54.3-56.3)
• Swinburne UT (251-300; 54.3-56.3)
• Flinders University (301-350); 51.6-54.2)
• Western Sydney University (301-350; 51.6-54.2)
• James Cook University (351-400; 49.9-51.5)
• University of Southern Queensland (351-400; 49.9-51.5)
• Edith Cowan University (351-400; 49.9-51.5)
• University of Canberra (401-500; 46.2-49.8)
• Charles Darwin University (401-500; 46.2-49.8)
• Southern Cross University (401-500; 46.2-49.8)
• Murdoch University (401-500; 46.2-49.8)
• Central Queensland University (401-500; 46.2-49.8)
• Australian Catholic University (401-500; 46.2-49.8)
• Bond University (401-500; 46.2-49.8)
• University of the Sunshine Coast (501-600; 43.6-46.1)
• Victoria University (501-600; 43.6-46.1)
• Federation University Australia (501-600; 43.6-46.1)
• Charles Sturt University (601-800; 39.0-43.5)
• University of Notre Dame Australia (801-1000; 35.5-38.9)

Read the full list here.