University Rankings: Top 10 Universities in the World

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1861 in response to the increasing industrialization of the United States.

MIT adopted a European polytechnic university model and stressed laboratory instruction in applied science and engineering. The current 168-acre (68.0 ha) campus opened in 1916 and extends over 1 mile (1.6 km) along the northern bank of the Charles River basin.

2. University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge (informally known as "Cambridge University" or simply "Cambridge"; is a collegiate public research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world's fourth-oldest surviving university. It grew out of an association formed by scholars leaving the University of Oxford after a dispute with townsfolk; the two "ancient universities" have many common features and are often jointly referred to as "Oxbridge".

3. Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 1636. Its history, influence and wealth have made it one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Harvard University is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines who make a difference globally.

4. University College London (UCL)

University College London, is a public research university in London. UCL was established in 1826 to open up education in England for the first time to students of any race, class or religion.  Academic excellence and conducting research that addresses real-world problems inform our ethos to this day and our plans for the future.

5. University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university located in Oxford, England. The central University is composed of academic departments and research centres, administrative departments, libraries and museums. The 38 colleges are self-governing and financially independent institutions, which are related to the central University in a federal system.

6. Imperial College London

Imperial College London is a science-based university with an international reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Consistently rated amongst the world's best universities, Imperial is committed to developing the next generation of researchers, scientists and academics through collaboration across disciplines. Located in the heart of London, Imperial is a multidisciplinary space for education, research, translation and commercialization, harnessing science and innovation to tackle global challenges.

7. Yale University 

Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1701 as the "Collegiate School" by a group of Congregationalist ministers and chartered by the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States.  Yale University comprises three major academic components: Yale College(the undergraduate program), the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and the professional schools. Approximately 11,250 students attend Yale.

8. University of Chicago 

The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. One of the world's premier academic and research institutions, the University of Chicago has driven new ways of thinking since 1890 founding. It is a leading business school offering a variety of graduate degree programs in business and finance.

9. Princeton University 

Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States.  Chartered in 1746, Princeton is the fourth-oldest college in the United States. Princeton is an independent, coeducational, nondenominational institution that provides undergraduate and graduate instruction in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering.

10. California Institute of Technology (Caltech)

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) is a research and education institution located in Pasadena, CA. Caltech is a world-renowned and pioneering research and education institution dedicated to advancing science and engineering.  It is home to approximately 2,300 students and 300 faculty, and boasts 31 Nobel laureates among its past and current faculty and alumni. Caltech manages the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for NASA, and owns and operates a global network of astronomical observatories and research facilities.