This Sydney university has just been named Australia's best (for the first time ever)

Calling all aspiring students: Sydney’s best university for 2026 has been crowned, and it’s a turnaround for a hard-working underdog. For the first time ever, the University of New South Wales (UNSW) has been named Australia’s top university in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, knocking the long-reigning University of Melbourne off its perch. Released this week, the rankings show UNSW has climbed 30 places over the past decade to land at 19th globally. Meanwhile, Melbourne Uni has still managed a solid rise of its own, jumping from 42nd to 22nd, while the University of Sydney isn’t far behind at 28th. The Australian National University rounds out the country’s top four, though it’s slipped slightly to 29th place globally. This comes after UNSW also took the top spot for Australia on the Centre for World University Rankings (CWUR).

Here in the Harbour City – alongside UNSW and the University of Sydney, the University of Technology Sydney has also surged in the rankings – from 193rd to 85th over ten years, and RMIT has leapt from 252nd to 119th. Elsewhere in NSW, University of Wollongong (13th nationally) and The University of Newcastle (18th nationally) also made the list.

So why do these rankings matter? Beyond bragging rights, they’re a major drawcard for international students – a cohort that brings in billions to the country’s economy and helps shape campus life in Australia (I came to Sydney as an international student back in 2018, and can solidly vouch for the experience).

Globally, the usual suspects still dominate. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has held onto the No.1 spot for a staggering 15th consecutive year, followed by Imperial College London and Stanford University in equal second.

But before Australia gets too comfortable, there’s a catch. Despite strong gains in reputation and international appeal, the country lags behind in teaching capacity and graduate outcomes – a pretty troubling warning sign in an increasingly competitive job market. There are also concerns about funding across Australian universities, with many of the higher-ups at universities across the country calling for better support.

Still, for Sydney – home to two of the country’s top three universities – it’s a pretty good moment to be a student.

The 20 best-performing Australian universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027

1. The University of New South Wales – National Ranking: 1; Global Ranking: 19
2. The University of Melbourne – National Ranking: 2; Global Ranking: 22
3. The University of Sydney – National Ranking: 3; Global Ranking: 28
4. Australian National University – National Ranking: 4; Global Ranking: 29
5. Monash University – National Ranking: 5; Global Ranking: 31
6. The University of Queensland – National Ranking: 6; Global Ranking: 40
7. The University of Western Australia – National Ranking: 7; Global Ranking: 77
8. Adelaide University – National Ranking: 8; Global Ranking: 79
9. University of Technology Sydney – National Ranking: 9; Global Ranking: 87
10. RMIT University – National Ranking: 10; Global Ranking: 119
11. Macquarie University – National Ranking: 11; Global Ranking: 126
12. Curtin University – National Ranking: 12; Global Ranking: 189
13. University of Wollongong – National Ranking: 13; Global Ranking: 195
14. Deakin University – National Ranking: 14; Global Ranking: 227
15. Griffith University – National Ranking: 15; Global Ranking: 230
16. Queensland University of Technology – National Ranking: 16; Global Ranking: 240
17. La Trobe University – National Ranking: 17; Global Ranking: 241
18. The University of Newcastle, Australia – National Ranking: 18; Global Ranking: 244
19. Swinburne University of Technology – National Ranking: 19; Global Ranking: 291
20. University of Tasmania – National Ranking: 20; Global Ranking: 311

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