European schools with top-notch research
Thousands of international students study in Europe each year in search of a new experience or a better education. For instance, the region hosted 193,422 Americans studying abroad in the 2018-2019 school year, according to data collected by the Institute of International Education. Of the 347,099 American students who studied abroad per this data, 55.7% chose Europe as their destination. These are the top 11 Best Global Universities in Europe, ranked by U.S. News based on their academic reputations and research performance.
10 (tie). Sorbonne Universite
The name Sorbonne Universite was bestowed in 2018 after a merger of Paris-Sorbonne and Pierre and Marie Curie University, but the roots of the institution stretch all the way back to the 13th century, according to the school’s website. U.S. News data shows enrollment of more than 42,300 students at the Sorbonne, including 8,743 international students.
10 (tie). University of Munich
The University of Munich traces its history back more than five centuries to its founding in 1472. Today, the university is home to more than 52,000 students, including 9,353 international students.
9. University of Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam came to life in 1632 as Athenaeum Illustre. Some 400 years later, the school claims upward of 41,000 students and a wide range of programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Some programs, particularly at the graduate level, are taught in English.
8. University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen traces its roots to 1479, per the institution’s website. In a recent year, more than 37,000 students were enrolled at the Danish university, which offers more than 200 research centers and even more programs of study.
7. King’s College London
Established by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, King’s College London has gone on to produce prominent alumni. Graduates of King’s College London include poet John Keats, medical pioneer Florence Nightingale and Bishop Desmond Tutu, a South African anti-apartheid activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.
6. University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, located in Scotland’s capital, has three colleges containing 21 schools, according to the university’s website. University faculty members have won Nobel Prizes across various categories. Included among Nobel Prize winners with links to the university is Winston Churchill, who once served as the head of the institution.
5. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, also known as ETH Zurich, was founded in 1855. In a recent year, according to data on the school’s website, ETH Zurich enrolled more than 23,000 students from 121 countries. Albert Einstein once taught physics at the university, according to its website, and was one of 21 Nobel laureates associated with the school.
4. Imperial College London
Imperial College London, founded in 1907, focuses on science, engineering, medicine and business studies. The university has ties to 14 Nobel laureates, according to its website, and lists an enrollment of 17,000 students with undergraduates from more than 125 countries represented on campus.
3. University College London
Based in the heart of Britain’s capital, University College London opened in 1826 and in 1878 became the first in England to “admit women students on equal terms with men,” according to the school’s website. The school now claims more than 42,000 students representing 150 nationalities, per its website.
2. University of Cambridge
The history of the University of Cambridge can be traced all the way back to 1209. Cambridge celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2009. Per its website, the university has 24,270 students, with 3,780 of those coming from the European Union and another 6,200 hailing from overseas.
1. University of Oxford
The United Kingdom’s University of Oxford, which traces its beginnings to 1096, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, according to its website. The university, which has nearly 26,000 students, has produced 28 British prime ministers, 55 Nobel Prize winners and 120 alumni who have claimed Olympic medals. Oxford also hosted Bill Clinton, who studied there on a Rhodes scholarship some two decades before his election as U.S. president.
Learn more about studying in Europe.
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Top universities in Europe
1. University of Oxford
2. University of Cambridge
3. University College London
4. Imperial College London
5. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
6. University of Edinburgh
7. King’s College London
8. University of Copenhagen
9. University of Amsterdam
10 (tie). Sorbonne Universite
10 (tie). University of Munich
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Assess Your Readiness to Earn an Undergraduate Degree Overseas
Weigh the Pros, Cons of Earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Europe
11 Best Global Universities in Europe originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 11/02/21: This slideshow has been updated with ranks from the 2022 U.S. News Best Global Universities rankings.
