The World University Index

London, United Kingdom

Imperial College London

Ranked in the world

2

Imperial College London is ranked 2nd in the world.

Source: QS World University Rankings, 2026

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Full ranking profile

Imperial College London's placement across the international ranking systems recorded by the Index. The headline figure above is the strongest of these.

RankingPublisherWorld rank
QS 2026HeadlineQuacquarelli Symonds2
QS 2025Quacquarelli Symonds2
QS 2027Quacquarelli Symonds2
RUR 2026in the world for researchRUR Rankings Agency2
ARWU GRAS 2025in the world for Automation & ControlShanghaiRanking Consultancy3
QS by Subject 2026in the world for Chemical EngineeringQuacquarelli Symonds4
ARWU GRAS 2025in the world for Energy Science & EngineeringShanghaiRanking Consultancy5
NTU 2025in the world for ImmunologyNational Taiwan University5
CUG 2027Complete University Guide5
Guardian 2026Guardian News & Media6
QS by Subject 2026in the world for MedicineQuacquarelli Symonds7
QS by Subject 2026in the world for Biological SciencesQuacquarelli Symonds7
QS by Subject 2026in the world for Civil & Structural EngineeringQuacquarelli Symonds7
MosIUR 2025Association of Rating Makers (MosIUR)7
THE 2026Times Higher Education8
QS by Subject 2026in the world for Mineral & Mining EngineeringQuacquarelli Symonds8
Time 2026Time / Statista8
QS by Subject 2026in the world for Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing EngineeringQuacquarelli Symonds9
ARTU 2025UNSW Sydney9
Leiden 2025in the world for biomedical and health sciences (top 10% most-cited papers)CWTS, Leiden University9
NTU 2025in the world for MicrobiologyNational Taiwan University9
ARWU GRAS 2025in the world for Mechanical EngineeringShanghaiRanking Consultancy10
RUR 2026in the world for international diversityRUR Rankings Agency10
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Medical and Health SciencesMETU (URAP Lab)10
NTU 2025National Taiwan University11
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Public, Environmental & Occupational HealthURAP Research Laboratory, Middle East Technical University12
NTU 2025in the world for Clinical MedicineNational Taiwan University13
NTU 2025in the world for Clinical MedicineNational Taiwan University13
US News 2026-2027U.S. News & World Report14
Leiden 2025in the world for scientific impact (top 10% most-cited papers)Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University14
RUR 2026RUR Rankings Agency14
THE-Rep 2025in the world for reputationTimes Higher Education14
NTU 2025in the world for Biology & BiochemistryNational Taiwan University14
NTU 2025in the world for Biomedical EngineeringNational Taiwan University14
URAP 2025-2026URAP Research Laboratory, Middle East Technical University15
NTU 2025in the world for Energy Science & EngineeringNational Taiwan University21
Nature 2025in the world for physical sciencesNature / Springer Nature24
NTU 2025in the world for Life SciencesNational Taiwan University25
NTU 2025in the world for Neuroscience & BehaviorNational Taiwan University25
ARWU 2025ShanghaiRanking Consultancy26
Leiden 2025in the world for social sciences and humanities (top 10% most-cited papers)CWTS, Leiden University27
CWUR 2025Center for World University Rankings28
SCImago 2026SCImago Research Group28
NTU 2025in the world for Environment/EcologyNational Taiwan University28
NTU 2025in the world for Mechanical EngineeringNational Taiwan University28
SCImago 2025in the world for MedicineSCImago Research Group28
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Information & Computing SciencesMETU (URAP Lab)28
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Mathematical SciencesMETU (URAP Lab)28
SCImago 2025in the world for MathematicsSCImago Research Group29
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Biological SciencesMETU (URAP Lab)29
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Physical SciencesMETU (URAP Lab)30
URAP 2024-2025in the world for EngineeringMETU (URAP Lab)31
NTU 2025in the world for Natural SciencesNational Taiwan University33
Webomet 2025.2 (July 2025)Cybermetrics Lab, CSIC33
NTU 2025in the world for Electrical EngineeringNational Taiwan University33
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Chemical SciencesMETU (URAP Lab)33
NTU 2025in the world for Molecular Biology & GeneticsNational Taiwan University34
SCImago 2025in the world for Computer ScienceSCImago Research Group36
SCImago 2026in the world for Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular BiologySCImago Research Group38
NTU 2025in the world for PhysicsNational Taiwan University39
NTU 2025in the world for Social Sciences, GeneralNational Taiwan University39
SCImago 2025in the world for EngineeringSCImago Research Group39
NTU 2025in the world for Chemical EngineeringNational Taiwan University40
NTU 2025in the world for AgricultureNational Taiwan University42
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Earth SciencesMETU (URAP Lab)44
NTU 2025in the world for Social SciencesNational Taiwan University45
NTU 2025in the world for GeosciencesNational Taiwan University45
SCImago 2026in the world for Physics and AstronomySCImago Research Group45
SCImago 2026in the world for ChemistrySCImago Research Group46
Leiden 2025in the world for mathematics and computer science (top 10% most-cited papers)Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University48
NTU 2025in the world for EngineeringNational Taiwan University48
NTU 2025in the world for MathematicsNational Taiwan University49
SCImago 2025in the world for Pharmacology, Toxicology and PharmaceuticsSCImago Research Group51
Nature 2025in the world for health sciencesNature / Springer Nature53
Leiden 2025Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University56
Nature 2025Nature / Springer Nature56
RUR 2026in the world for teachingRUR Rankings Agency58
Nature 2025in the world for biological sciencesNature / Springer Nature66
Leiden 2025in the world for life and earth sciences (top 10% most-cited papers)CWTS, Leiden University67
Nature 2025in the world for Earth & environmental sciencesNature / Springer Nature70
RUR 2026in the world for financial sustainabilityRUR Rankings Agency83
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Human Movement & Sports SciencesURAP Research Laboratory, Middle East Technical University86
SCImago 2026in the world for Environmental ScienceSCImago Research Group88
Leiden 2025in the world for physical sciences and engineering (top 10% most-cited papers)Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University96
SCImago 2025in the world for Economics, Econometrics and FinanceSCImago Research Group122
SCImago 2026in the world for Arts and HumanitiesSCImago Research Group129
SCImago 2025in the world for Earth and Planetary SciencesSCImago Research Group131
SCImago 2026in the world for Business, Management and AccountingSCImago Research Group158
SCImago 2025in the world for PsychologySCImago Research Group158
SCImago 2025in the world for Social SciencesSCImago Research Group164
SCImago 2025in the world for Agricultural and Biological SciencesSCImago Research Group178
SCImago 2026in the world for VeterinarySCImago Research Group188
URAP 2024-2025in the world for Studies in Human SocietyURAP Research Laboratory, Middle East Technical University407

Banded results are recorded at the lower bound of the band. For how the headline figure is selected, see the methodology.