Singapore’s NUS ranks 1st in Asia and 8th globally, while NTU ranks 3rd in Asia

Singapore’s education system – and everything related to it – has long been under the microscope, from debates around the removal of PSLE to the recent uproar over a certain university ruthlessly discarding stacks of books. But one thing remains constant: the world-class standards of our local universities. And no, this isn’t just national pride talking, especially since I didn’t even attend one myself.

In the latest World University Rankings 2026 by UK-based Quacquarelli Symonds, the National University of Singapore clinched the top spot in Asia and eighth place globally. Nanyang Technological University also fared well, coming in third in Asia and 12th in the world, jumping three places from last year’s rankings.

Universities are assessed based on various indicators including academic reputation, graduate employability, and international student ratio.

For those curious about how the global universities fared, here’s a quick snapshot. Massachusetts Institute of Technology held onto the top spot for the 14th year running, followed by Imperial College London in second place. Stanford University takes third place, while Oxford and Harvard both dipped to fourth and fifth place respectively.

Consider this your study abroad inspo list. Though getting into Stanford might be a stretch given the current situation, NUS remains a strong contender, sitting just a few ranks below and offering stellar education right at home.

The top 10 universities in Asia for 2026: 

1. National University of Singapore
2. The University of Hong Kong
3. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
4. Peking University
5. Tsinghua University
6. Fudan University
7. The Chinese University of Hong Kong
8. The University of Tokyo
9. Seoul National University
10. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

The top 10 universities in the world for 2026: 

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2. Imperial College London
3. Stanford University 
4. University of Oxford
5. Harvard University
6. University of Cambridge
7. ETH Zurich
8. National University of Singapore
9. UCL
10. California Institute of Technology

View the full ranking here. 

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