Founded in 1209 in the small market city of Cambridge, England, the University of Cambridge holds a place inside the global top six on every major world ranking and is the only UK university placed at joint #3 in the Times Higher Education World Rankings 2026. It is ranked #6 in QS World University Rankings 2027, #5 by Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 and holds #1 placements in archaeology and English literature on the latest QS subject lists.
- QS World University Rankings 2027: #6 globally, #2 in the UK
- Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026: #5 globally, #2 in the UK
- Times Higher Education 2026: joint #3 globally, #2 in the UK
- ARWU 2025: #4 globally, #1 in the UK
What this means for Indian applicants: Cambridge sits higher on research-focused bodies (THE joint #3, ARWU #4, US News #5) than on QS (#6), pointing to citation and reputation strength that runs deeper than the QS table alone shows. Among UK universities, Cambridge trails Oxford by 2 places on QS 2027 but matches Oxford at joint top-three on THE 2026 and sits 2 places ahead of Oxford on ARWU 2025. For Indian applicants weighing UK targets, Cambridge offers research-led credibility on par with Oxford across medicine, life sciences and humanities.
Read More: University of Cambridge Admissions 2026
Table of Contents
- University of Cambridge Overall Rankings 2026
- University of Cambridge Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students
- University of Cambridge QS World University Rankings 2027
- Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of University of Cambridge
- University of Cambridge Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings 2026
- University of Cambridge ARWU (Shanghai) Rankings 2025
- University of Cambridge U.S. News Best Global University Rankings 2026-2027
- University of Cambridge Subject Rankings 2026
- University of Cambridge Rankings: Indian Student Outlook
- University of Cambridge Ranking FAQs
University of Cambridge Overall Rankings 2026
Cambridge crosses every major global ranking body inside the top six, with its strongest position at joint #3 on Times Higher Education 2026 and its weakest at #6 on QS 2027.
| Ranking Body | University of Cambridge Rank |
|---|---|
| Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 | #5 globally #2 in the UK |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | #6 globally #2 in the UK |
| Times Higher Education 2026 | =#3 globally #2 in the UK |
| ARWU (Shanghai) 2025 | #4 globally #1 in the UK |
| U.S. News Best Global 2026-2027 | #5 globally #2 in the UK |
The 3-place spread across the five bodies (THE #3 to QS #6) is narrower than at most global top-10 universities, where research-led tables and reputation-led tables often pull positions apart by 6 to 10 places. ARWU’s #1 UK placement is the data point that matters most for Indian PhD applicants weighing publication record and faculty award counts.
University of Cambridge Rankings Highlights
For an Indian applicant reading the 5-body picture in 2026: Cambridge’s rank line is calmest on research metrics (ARWU at #4 for 4 straight years) and most volatile on QS (a 4-place fall from #2 in 2024 to #6 in 2027).
| Signal | Cambridge Rank | What it means for Indian applicants |
|---|---|---|
| Research strength (ARWU 2025) | #4 globally | Highest position of any UK university on a Nobel and citation-driven table, so PhD output is research-grade |
| Teaching reputation (THE 2026) | =#3 globally | Degree brand sits level with Princeton, ahead of Stanford and Harvard for Indian academic recognition |
| Employer pull (QS 2027) | #6 globally | Single rank below Harvard, so Indian recruiters in finance, tech and consulting still treat it as elite shortlist |
| India-relevance (Collegedunia 2026) | #5 globally | One rank above QS position, meaning Indian applicant demand is outpacing the global QS read |
| Closest Indian alternative (IIT Delhi QS 2027) | #118 globally | Cambridge sits 112 places ahead of India’s top-ranked institution on QS 2027 |
Key insight
- Research-first signal: A 4-year flat line at ARWU #4 means publication record and faculty awards will not fade by the time a 2026 enrollee graduates.
- Brand stability: Across QS, THE and US News, Cambridge has stayed inside the global top 6 for 5 straight years, so degree value holds steady for Indian employers.
- UK-vs-India gap: Cambridge’s QS 2027 rank sits 112 places ahead of IIT Delhi, the highest-ranked Indian alternative on the same edition.
University of Cambridge QS World University Rankings 2027
Cambridge ranks #6 in QS World University Rankings 2027, holding its 2026 position after slipping 4 places from its 2024 peak at #2.
QS ranks universities mainly on academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, faculty-student ratio, international enrolment and sustainability. The 4-place fall from #2 (2024) to #6 (2027) traces to QS adding 3 new indicators in 2024 (employment outcomes, international research network and sustainability).
| Year | University of Cambridge QS World Rank |
|---|---|
| 2027 | #6 |
| 2026 | #6 |
| 2025 | #5 |
| 2024 | #2 |
| 2023 | #2 |
The 2026-2027 hold at #6 shows Cambridge has settled into the new #5-6 band under QS’s expanded indicator set. For a 2026 Indian applicant, the practical gap behind Oxford is now 2 places on QS rather than the 0 to 1 place margin held before the methodology revision.
Key insight: The 4-place fall over 4 years reflects a QS scoring change rather than any drop in Cambridge teaching or research, so degree value for Indian graduates is unaffected.
Read More: University of Cambridge Courses and Fees 2026 for Indian Students
University of Cambridge Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings
Cambridge ranks #5 globally on Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026, on a list of 824 international universities, and #2 in the UK across 127 ranked institutions, sitting 1 rank above its QS World position.
| Category | Collegedunia Rank 2026 |
|---|---|
| Global Universities | #5 out of 824 |
| UK Universities | #2 out of 127 |
The 1-place CD-vs-QS gap (CD #5 vs QS #6) reflects deeper India-applicant demand and stronger Indian alumni outcomes, both of which Collegedunia weights more heavily than QS. On the UK list, Cambridge sits behind only Oxford and ahead of every other Russell Group member.
India-relevance: A higher Collegedunia rank than QS rank signals Indian student demand is running 1 step ahead of global perception, which usually pulls more Cambridge recruiters into Indian schools the following cycle.
University of Cambridge Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings 2026
Cambridge climbed 2 places to joint #3 in Times Higher Education 2026, sharing the spot with Princeton, after holding #5 in both 2024 and 2025. The rise marks Cambridge’s highest THE position in 3 years.
THE ranks universities mainly on teaching, research environment, research quality, industry income and international outlook. Cambridge is the only UK university to rank in the THE global top 3 in 2026.
| Year | University of Cambridge THE Rank |
|---|---|
| 2026 | =#3 |
| 2025 | #5 |
| 2024 | #5 |
| 2023 | #3 |
| 2022 | #5 |
The 5-year THE pattern oscillates between #3 and #5, with a 4.2 average across the window and 2026 matching the 2023 peak. For Indian PhD and master’s applicants weighing research credibility, the joint #3 spot puts Cambridge ahead of Harvard (#5) on the only major table where it leads Harvard in 2026.
What it signals: Cambridge’s THE rank has averaged #4.2 over 5 years, the steadiest 5-year top-5 average of any UK university and a calmer number than its QS pattern.
University of Cambridge ARWU (Shanghai) Rankings 2025
Cambridge ranks #4 globally in ARWU 2025, holding the same position for 4 consecutive years after slipping 1 place from #3 in 2021. It is the highest-ranked university outside the United States on ARWU 2025.
ARWU is the most research-focused of the major rankings, built almost entirely on Nobel Prizes, Fields Medals, highly cited researchers and Nature and Science publications. The flat #4 line means Cambridge’s research output is being scored against the same US giants (Harvard, Stanford, MIT) year after year without slipping.
| Year | University of Cambridge ARWU Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #4 |
| 2024 | #4 |
| 2023 | #4 |
| 2022 | #4 |
| 2021 | #3 |
The 4-year flat line at #4 (5-year average #3.8) means publication record and faculty Nobel count are not shifting, so an Indian PhD applicant choosing Cambridge in 2026 faces the same research environment a 2022 enrollee chose. ARWU is the only major ranking where Cambridge sits ahead of Oxford on the global table.
Trend signal: 4 straight years at #4 makes ARWU the lowest-volatility ranking for Cambridge, the most reassuring data point for Indian PhD applicants planning a 4 to 5 year programme.
University of Cambridge U.S. News Best Global University Rankings 2026-2027
Cambridge ranks #5 in U.S. News Best Global Universities 2026-2027, holding the position it gained in 2025-2026 after climbing 1 place from #6 in 2024-2025.
U.S. News evaluates 2,250 universities mainly on research reputation and bibliometric data (publications, citations and international collaboration). Cambridge sits behind only Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Oxford on the 2026-2027 table.
| Edition | University of Cambridge U.S. News Rank |
|---|---|
| 2026-2027 | #5 |
| 2025-2026 | #5 |
| 2024-2025 | #6 |
The 1-place gain over 3 editions tracks Cambridge climbing past UC Berkeley, which slipped from #5 to #6 between 2025-2026 and 2026-2027. For Indian applicants who weigh US News (many US employers quote it), Cambridge now sits 1 rank below Oxford and 2 ranks above UCL.
Key insight: A 2-year hold at #5 and a 3-year band of #5-6 places Cambridge in the steadiest research-reputation tier of any UK university on the only ranking the US labour market widely quotes.
University of Cambridge Subject Rankings 2026
Cambridge places 2 subjects at #1 in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 (archaeology and English language and literature) and psychology at #1 in Times Higher Education 2026. It is one of only 3 universities to rank inside the global top 10 across all 11 THE subject areas in 2026.
Subject ranking highlights for Indian applicants
- Engineering and Technology (QS 2026): #4 globally, the strongest QS stream for IIT-track applicants looking abroad.
- Computer Science (THE 2026): #2 globally, a 6-rank gap above its QS Computer Science position of #8.
- Mathematics (QS 2026): #3 globally, the highest QS Mathematics position of any UK university.
- Medicine (QS 2026): #5 globally, paired with THE Medical and Health at #2 for Indian MBBS-to-PG applicants.
- Business and Management (QS 2026): #5 globally, paired with the Judge MBA at FT #17 (2026).
University of Cambridge QS Subject Rankings 2026
Cambridge ranks inside the QS global top 10 for 40 subjects in 2026, with 14 of those placed inside the global top 3, more than any other UK university.
| Subject | QS Rank 2026 |
|---|---|
| Archaeology | #1 |
| English Language and Literature | #1 |
| Anatomy and Physiology | #2 |
| Biological Sciences | #2 |
| Chemistry | #2 |
| Modern Languages | #2 |
| Psychology | #2 |
| Anthropology | #3 |
| Arts and Humanities | #3 |
| Earth and Marine Sciences | #3 |
| Geography | #3 |
| History | #3 |
| Law | #3 |
| Linguistics | #3 |
| Mathematics | #3 |
| Engineering and Technology | #4 |
| Medicine | #5 |
| Business and Management Studies | #5 |
| Computer Science | #8 |
The 7-place spread between Cambridge’s strongest QS subject (#1) and Computer Science (#8) is unusual for a global top-10 university and signals where its research core sits. Archaeology and English literature at #1 sit outside typical Indian applicant streams, so the practical headline subjects are mathematics (#3), engineering (#4) and medicine (#5).
What it signals: 14 QS subjects inside the global top 3 in 2026 means Indian applicants in mathematics, law, geography or biological sciences are choosing a department ranked within 2 places of the world #1.
University of Cambridge THE Subject Rankings 2026
Cambridge holds psychology at #1 on Times Higher Education 2026, taking the spot from Stanford which held it in 2025. It also places inside the top 10 across all 11 THE subject areas, alongside Harvard and Stanford.
| Subject | THE Rank 2026 |
|---|---|
| Psychology | #1 |
| Computer Science | #2 |
| Life Sciences | #2 |
| Medical and Health | #2 |
| Arts and Humanities | #3 |
| Law | #3 |
| Education Studies | #4 |
| Engineering | #5 |
| Physical Sciences | =#5 |
| Business and Economics | #6 |
| Social Sciences | #7 |
The 7-rank spread on THE (psychology #1 to social sciences #7) is narrower than the QS spread because THE caps each subject at the top 200 and uses a 5-factor scoring system. Cambridge’s THE Computer Science #2 sits 6 places ahead of its QS Computer Science #8, the widest cross-body gap on its subject card.
Cross-body gap: The Computer Science #2 (THE) vs #8 (QS) split tells Indian B.Tech applicants that Cambridge’s CS department wins on research and citations but takes a hit on the QS employer survey, where US-based tech recruiters still dominate.
Cambridge Judge Financial Times MBA Ranking 2026
The Cambridge Judge full-time MBA ranks #17 in the Financial Times Global MBA 2026, climbing 18 places from #35 in 2025. The climb is the largest single-year MBA recovery on the FT 2026 list.
| Year | Cambridge Judge MBA FT Rank |
|---|---|
| 2026 | #17 |
| 2025 | #35 |
The 18-place jump traces to a recovery in salary-3-years-after-graduation data and alumni satisfaction (Judge scored 9.193 out of 10 on the FT alumni survey). For Indian MBA applicants weighing UK options, FT #17 puts the Judge MBA back inside the global top 20, a band Indian recruiters in consulting and tech treat as full-tier.
Trend signal: The Judge MBA’s 18-place gain in one cycle is the strongest single-year recovery on FT 2026 and signals stronger Indian alumni placement outcomes are feeding into the next survey round.
Read More: University of Cambridge Scholarships 2026 for Indian Students
University of Cambridge Rankings: Indian Student Outlook
For Indian applicants, Cambridge sits 1 rank above its QS 2027 position on Collegedunia Study Abroad (CD #5 vs QS #6), reflecting deeper India-specific demand than the QS table alone captures. The 5-year QS average (#4.2) and 5-year THE average (#4.2) both land inside the global top 5, the steadiest top-tier band of any UK university.
Popular Cambridge Programs for Indian Students
Indian students at Cambridge cluster around 5 programs that map directly to its strongest subject rankings.
- Engineering Tripos and MPhil in Engineering: backed by QS Engineering #4 and THE Engineering #5, the most-chosen stream for Indian B.Tech and UG applicants.
- MPhil in Machine Learning and Computer Science: backed by THE Computer Science #2 and QS Computer Science #8, the highest-demand PG stream for Indian B.Tech graduates.
- Economics and MPhil in Economics: backed by QS top 10 placement in Economics, the second-most popular PG choice for Indian applicants.
- Cambridge Judge MBA: backed by FT #17 (2026) and QS Business and Management #5, the main full-time MBA route for Indian work-experience candidates.
- Law (LLM, MPhil): backed by QS Law #3 and THE Law #3, the strongest law programme outside the US for Indian LLB graduates.
| India-relevant signal | Data point |
|---|---|
| Collegedunia rank vs QS rank gap | CD #5 vs QS #6 (1 place stronger on the India-weighted list) |
| Strongest STEM subject for Indian applicants | Engineering and Technology QS #4 |
| 5-year QS movement | Slipped 4 places from #2 (2024) to #6 (2027) |
| India alternative (IIT Delhi QS 2027) | #118 globally (Cambridge sits 112 places higher) |
| 5-year ARWU stability | #4 for 4 straight years (lowest volatility of any UK university) |
The Cambridge acceptance rate for international applicants sits at 15.4% against 21% overall, so the QS 2027 #6 and ARWU 2025 #4 numbers attach to a programme where roughly 1 in 6 Indian applicants succeed.
Key insight
- India-relevance gap: Cambridge’s 1-place CD-vs-QS lead means Indian student demand is outpacing global QS perception, which usually pulls more direct recruiting into Indian schools.
- STEM subject signal: QS Engineering #4 and THE Computer Science #2 are the 2 most quoted ranks for Indian B.Tech applicants choosing a UK target.
- Brand durability: ARWU #4 held for 4 years means a 2026 Indian PhD enrollee will graduate with the same research-reputation rank intact.
- Peer positioning: Cambridge sits 2 ranks below Oxford on QS 2027 but matches Oxford at joint #3 on THE 2026 and ranks 2 places above Oxford on ARWU 2025.
Across 5 ranking bodies and 19 ranked subjects, Cambridge holds a 5-year QS average of #4.2, a 5-year THE average of #4.2 and a 5-year ARWU average of #3.8, with #1 placements in archaeology, English literature and psychology. For an Indian applicant building a UK shortlist in 2026, the most load-bearing pair of numbers is THE Computer Science #2 with QS Engineering #4, both sitting more than 100 positions ahead of the highest-ranked Indian alternative.
University of Cambridge Ranking FAQs
Ques. What is the QS ranking of University of Cambridge in 2027?
Ans. The University of Cambridge ranks #6 in QS World University Rankings 2027, holding its 2026 position. It is the second-highest ranked UK university on QS 2027, sitting 2 places behind Oxford (#4) and 4 places behind Imperial College London (joint #2).
Ques. What is the THE ranking of University of Cambridge in 2026?
Ans. Cambridge ranks joint #3 in Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, sharing the spot with Princeton. The 2-place climb from #5 in 2025 makes Cambridge the only UK university inside the THE global top 3 for 2026.
Ques. Where does Cambridge rank on Collegedunia Study Abroad in 2026?
Ans. Cambridge ranks #5 globally and #2 in the UK on Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026. The Collegedunia list places it 1 rank above its QS 2027 position, reflecting Indian student demand and alumni outcomes weighted into the Collegedunia ranking model.
Ques. Which Cambridge subjects rank #1 in the world?
Ans. Cambridge ranks #1 in QS 2026 for archaeology and English language and literature, and #1 in THE 2026 for psychology. It also places inside the global top 5 in mathematics, engineering, medicine, biological sciences and computer science (THE).
Ques. Is Cambridge ranked higher than Oxford?
Ans. Cambridge ranks 2 places behind Oxford on QS 2027 (#6 vs #4) and 1 rank behind Oxford on US News 2026-2027 (#5 vs #4). On Times Higher Education 2026, both sit inside the global top 3 with Oxford at #1 and Cambridge at joint #3. On ARWU 2025, Cambridge ranks #4 globally and sits 2 places above Oxford.
Ques. How has Cambridge’s QS ranking changed in 5 years?
Ans. Cambridge slipped from #2 in QS 2023 and QS 2024 to #6 in QS 2027, a 4-place fall over 4 years. The drop traces to QS adding 3 new indicators in 2024 (employment outcomes, international research network and sustainability), which redistributed weight away from teaching and citations.
Ques. Where does the Cambridge Judge MBA rank?
Ans. The Cambridge Judge full-time MBA ranks #17 in Financial Times Global MBA 2026, climbing 18 places from #35 in 2025. The rise is the strongest single-year gain on the FT 2026 list.
1546425900.png?h=40&w=60&mode=stretch)
Comments