The National University of Singapore (NUS) ranked third, making it the highest-ranked institution outside the U.S., behind Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) placed fourth, ahead of Carnegie Mellon University.

Both universities from the city-state improved from last year, with NUS rising one place and NTU climbing two spots to enter the top five.

The QS rankings, compiled annually by U.K.-based educational analyst Quacquarelli Symonds, valuate universities based on five indicators, including academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per paper, research productivity and impact, and international research collaboration.

The 2026 edition assessed more than 21,000 academic programs across 1,912 institutions in 100 countries and territories.

Students at National University of Singapore. Photo courtesy of NUS

China was the only other Asian country in the top 10, with Tsinghua University ranked 10th, up from 11th last year.

The U.S. and the U.K. each had two universities ranked between sixth and ninth positions.

In the broader field of engineering and technology, Singapore was the only Asian country with two universities in the global top 10.

NUS ranked eighth, rising four places from last year, while NTU placed 10th, up from 11th.