The University of Surrey ranking story turns on one global standout: hospitality. The Guildford-based public research university holds #18 worldwide and #1 in the UK for Hospitality and Leisure Management in QS Subject Rankings 2026. Across overall bodies the university sits at #246 in QS World University Rankings 2027 and #194 in Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026.

  • QS World University Rankings 2027: #246 globally, #30 in the UK
  • Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026: #194 overall, #111 for Engineering
  • Times Higher Education 2026: 201-250 band globally
  • U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026: #339 globally

Bottom Line for Indian Applicants: Surrey’s global reputation moves on one subject crown, Hospitality and Leisure Management at #18, rather than on a top-100 overall position. For Indian students targeting hospitality, marketing, business or select engineering streams, the subject rank delivers a degree brand that outranks the overall band of #246. Outside those subjects, the value tracks closer to the overall #246 than to the hospitality crown.

Read More: University of Surrey Admissions 2026: Deadlines, Eligibility and Acceptance Rate for Indian Students

University of Surrey Overall Rankings 2026

Surrey’s overall ranks sit in a tight band between #194 (Collegedunia Study Abroad) and the #401-500 ARWU band, a 200-plus position gap that signals a stronger Indian-relevance profile than a research-citation profile.

Ranking Body and EditionUniversity of Surrey Rank
Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026#194
QS World University Rankings 2027#246
Times Higher Education 2026#201-250
U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026#339
ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities 2025#401-500

Key insight: The Collegedunia rank sits 52 spots ahead of QS and roughly 200 spots ahead of ARWU, a wide cross-body gap that points to strong Indian-applicant outcomes (employability, intake size, post-study response) without a matching global research footprint.

University of Surrey Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students

For an Indian applicant weighing Surrey against an Indian alternative, the decision hinges on subject choice rather than the overall world rank. Below are the rank signals that matter, with what each one means in practice.

SignalRankWhat it means for Indian applicants
Hospitality and Leisure Management (QS 2026)#18 world, #1 UKThe strongest Surrey credential globally. Hospitality, tourism and hotel management degrees carry top-tier brand value
Overall QS world rank (QS 2027)#246A solid UK degree. Outside subject strength areas, the brand sits well below the Russell Group top tier
Indian comparator on overall world rankIIT Bombay #129 QS 2027If engineering is the goal and a top IIT is achievable, the Indian degree outranks Surrey on the overall world list
Collegedunia Study Abroad overall#194Places Surrey 52 spots ahead of its QS overall, signalling strong Indian-relevance from intake and outcomes data
Engineering subject rank (CD 2026)#111CD’s engineering category rank confirms engineering is a stronger pick at Surrey than the headline overall rank suggests

The pattern is clear: Surrey is a subject-led pick for Indian students. The hospitality and engineering ranks both outperform the overall world position by a wide margin.

Key insight

  • Subject crown: Hospitality at QS #18 world is the single rank that defines the Surrey degree brand globally.
  • Subject-vs-overall gap: The Hospitality rank beats the QS overall rank by 228 positions, the largest gap in the Surrey profile.
  • India alternative: IIT Bombay outranks Surrey by 117 QS positions on the overall list, but Surrey wins on hospitality, marketing and select PG STEM degrees.

University of Surrey QS World University Rankings 2027

QS, which ranks universities based on academic reputation, employer opinion and research, places University of Surrey at #246 globally and #30 in the UK for its 2027 edition. Surrey has climbed 59 places since the QS 2023 cycle, the headline trend in its profile.

YearUniversity of Surrey QS World Rank
2027#246
2026#262
2025#285
2024#244
2023#305

The five-year average sits at #268, a band that Surrey has now bettered for two editions in a row. Year-on-year, the university has gained 16 spots from QS 2026 to QS 2027, the second consecutive upward move after a 2025 dip.

Trend signal: Surrey is on a multi-edition climb back toward its 2024 peak of #244, the closest it has come to the QS top-200 line in five years. For Indian applicants, the trend means the QS-stamped brand value of a Surrey degree is appreciating, not depreciating.

Read More: University of Surrey Courses and Fees 2026 for Indian Students

Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of University of Surrey

The Collegedunia Study Abroad ranking of University of Surrey places the institution at #194 overall and #111 for Engineering in the 2026 edition. The CD rank reads 52 spots ahead of Surrey’s QS 2027 world position.

CategoryCollegedunia Study Abroad Rank 2026
Overall#194
Engineering#111

Collegedunia builds its rank from Indian-applicant outcomes (intake size, employability, programme depth), so a tighter CD position than QS overall means Surrey delivers more for Indian students than its global research profile suggests. The Engineering rank of #111 aligns with the THE Engineering band of 126-150, reinforcing engineering as a stronger choice than the headline overall rank.

India-relevance: The CD-vs-QS gap of 52 spots is the single clearest signal in this profile that the Surrey degree delivers Indian-student value above its global research weight class.

University of Surrey Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings 2026

Times Higher Education (THE), which weighs teaching, research, citations and international outlook, places University of Surrey in the 201-250 band globally for its 2026 edition. The university has held this band for four of the last five editions.

YearUniversity of Surrey THE World Rank
2026201-250
2025201-250
2024251-300
2023201-250
2022201-250

The five-year THE pattern is flat, with one single-edition dip to the 251-300 band in 2024 before recovery. Surrey’s THE band sits roughly 40 positions weaker than its QS band, the gap between a reputation-led measure (QS) and a research-citation-led measure (THE).

What it signals: The THE band stability since 2022 tells an Indian applicant that the Surrey degree is not slipping on the research scoreboard. The dip in 2024 was the exception, not the trend.

University of Surrey U.S. News Best Global University Rankings 2025-2026

The University of Surrey ranking in U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026 sits at #339 worldwide. The three-edition trend shows an 83-position lift since the 2023-2024 cycle.

EditionUniversity of Surrey U.S. News Global Rank
2025-2026#339
2024-2025#327
2023-2024#422

The lift from #422 to #339 across three editions is a faster cleanup than Surrey’s QS or THE trends over the same window. U.S. News uses a research-citation-weighted measure, so the climb points to rising research output and citation impact, not just reputation survey gains.

Key insight: The U.S. News climb is the fastest single-body rank improvement in Surrey’s profile in the last three editions. For Indian applicants comparing rank trajectories, this is the sharpest positive signal in the file.

University of Surrey Other Global Rankings

Two further global bodies place Surrey beyond the top-300 band but inside the top-500 universe. The ARWU rank shows the largest cross-body gap in the profile, a 175-position gulf below its QS rank.

Ranking BodyEditionUniversity of Surrey Rank
ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities2025#401-500
ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities2022#301-400

ARWU weighs Nobel laureates, highly cited researchers and top-journal output, metrics that lean toward older, larger research universities. Surrey’s slip from the 301-400 band in 2022 to the 401-500 band in 2025 reflects the methodology’s hard tilt toward research scale, not a degree value drop for the Indian applicant.

University of Surrey Subject Rankings

Surrey’s subject ranks are where the brand value lives. The University of Surrey subject rankings spread across QS and THE, with hospitality holding the global crown and four THE subjects sitting inside the world top 150.

Subject strength snapshot

  • Hospitality and Leisure Management (QS 2026): #18 world, #1 UK — the brand-defining rank.
  • Law (THE 2026): =68 — the highest-ranked Surrey subject in THE.
  • Business and Economics (THE 2026): #100 — a clean top-100 finish.
  • Social Sciences (THE 2026): 101-125 band — a top-125 finish.
  • Engineering and Computer Science (THE 2026): 126-150 band — both inside the world top 150.

University of Surrey Hospitality and Leisure Management Ranking

The University of Surrey ranks #18 globally and #1 in the UK for Hospitality and Leisure Management in QS Subject Rankings 2026. The subject rank beats the overall QS rank by 228 positions, the widest subject-vs-overall gap in the file.

Note: Surrey is the only UK institution inside the world top 20 for this subject. For Indian students targeting an MSc in International Hotel Management or Tourism, this is the rank that anchors the application.

University of Surrey Engineering and Technology Rankings

The QS Engineering and Technology rank sat at #270 in the 2025 subject edition. The THE 2026 subject ranks give Engineering a stronger read at the 126-150 band, alongside Computer Science in the same band.

SubjectRanking Body and EditionRank
EngineeringTHE 2026126-150
Computer ScienceTHE 2026126-150
Engineering and TechnologyQS 2025#270
Computer ScienceQS 2025#184

QS Computer Science at #184 beats the overall QS rank by 62 positions, a subject-vs-overall gap that mirrors Surrey’s engineering positioning. The THE bands sit a tier above the QS positions, a split that Indian applicants should read as: research-output ranks (THE) read stronger here than reputation-led ranks (QS) for both subjects.

University of Surrey Business, Law and Social Sciences Rankings

The THE 2026 subject editions place three Surrey faculties inside the world top 125. Law leads at =68 globally, Business and Economics sits at #100 and Social Sciences holds the 101-125 band.

SubjectRanking Body and EditionRank
LawTHE 2026=68
Business and EconomicsTHE 2026#100
Social SciencesTHE 2026101-125
MarketingQS 2025#51-100

Three subjects inside the top 125 globally is the data point that pulls Surrey’s brand value above its overall world rank. Law at =68 is the single strongest THE subject in the profile, a position no other rank in the file matches.

India-relevance: Marketing, Business, Law and Social Sciences all rank stronger as subjects than Surrey ranks overall. Indian PG applicants targeting these streams should weigh the subject rank, not the QS #246.

University of Surrey Sciences, Psychology and Health Rankings

The THE 2026 subject editions place Physical Sciences and Psychology at the 151-175 band. Medical and Health and Life Sciences sit lower, in the 301-400 and 401-500 bands respectively.

SubjectRanking Body and EditionRank
Physical SciencesTHE 2026151-175
PsychologyTHE 2026151-175
Arts and HumanitiesTHE 2026201-250
Medical and HealthTHE 2026301-400
Life SciencesTHE 2026401-500

The 250-position spread across Surrey’s subjects, from Law at =68 to Life Sciences at 401-500, is the widest subject range in the profile. Indian applicants in health and life sciences should weigh Surrey’s positioning against UK peers ranked stronger in these specific subjects.

University of Surrey Regional Rankings

The University of Surrey ranking in the THE Impact Rankings 2025, which assess universities against the UN Sustainable Development Goals, sits in the 101-200 band globally. Three individual SDG ranks sit inside the world top 35.

CategoryTHE Impact Rank 2025
Overall Impact Ranking101-200
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth#16
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities=#32
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities#33

The SDG 8 rank of #16 is the third single-rank top-20 finish in the Surrey profile, after QS Hospitality #18 and QS UK Hospitality #1. For Indian applicants weighing sustainability or development-focused programmes, the SDG 8 and SDG 10 ranks are direct signals of programme strength in employment, inequalities and urban-systems research.

Trend signal: Three top-35 SDG ranks alongside a top-200 overall Impact rank is a sustainability footprint that sits above Surrey’s research-heavy ARWU position by a clear margin.

University of Surrey Rankings: Indian Student Outlook

For Indian students, the University of Surrey ranking for Indian students question resolves on subject choice, not overall world rank. The Collegedunia Study Abroad position of #194 reads 52 spots stronger than the QS overall, a Indian-relevance signal that flags Surrey as a stronger pick for outcomes-focused applicants than for raw-brand seekers.

The programmes most commonly chosen by Indian students at Surrey map cleanly to its strongest subject ranks:

  • MSc Data Science and MSc Artificial Intelligence: backed by THE Computer Science 126-150 band and QS Computer Science #184.
  • MSc Business Analytics and MSc Marketing: backed by THE Business and Economics #100 and QS Marketing #51-100.
  • MSc International Hotel Management: backed by the QS Hospitality #18 world rank.
  • LLB Law: backed by THE Law =68, the highest subject rank in the profile.
Indian-relevant signalRankRead
Strongest brand for Indian applicantsQS Hospitality #18Single global signal that lifts the Surrey CV worldwide
Engineering pick vs. overallCD Engineering #111 vs. QS overall #246Subject rank delivers 135-spot uplift for engineering applicants
QS five-year trajectory+59 spots since 2023Surrey brand is appreciating, not slipping, on the QS measure
Indian alternative on overall rankIIT Delhi #118, IIT Bombay #129Top IITs outrank Surrey overall; Surrey wins on hospitality and select PG STEM
Sustainability outcomesTHE SDG 8 #16Direct rank signal for employment and economic-growth focused programmes

Indian student takeaways

  • Pick by subject, not headline: Hospitality, Law, Business, Engineering and Computer Science all rank well inside the QS overall band of #246.
  • Brand trajectory: A 59-spot QS climb since 2023 and an 83-spot U.S. News climb since 2023-2024 mean degree value is on the rise.
  • CD-vs-QS gap: The 52-spot gap between Collegedunia #194 and QS #246 confirms Surrey delivers Indian-student value above its global research weight.
  • Watch-outs: Life Sciences (401-500) and Medical and Health (301-400) THE bands sit well below the strongest Surrey subjects. Indian applicants in these areas should compare with UK peers.

The Surrey rank profile is shaped by a single global crown (Hospitality at QS #18) and a steady QS climb of 59 spots since 2023, set against an ARWU position that sits in the 401-500 band. Indian applicants who pick by subject rather than headline rank are reading the Surrey file the way it was designed to be read.

University of Surrey Ranking FAQs

Ques. What is the QS ranking of University of Surrey in 2027?

Ans. University of Surrey is ranked #246 globally in QS World University Rankings 2027 and #30 in the UK. The university has climbed 59 places from #305 in QS 2023.

Ques. What is the University of Surrey ranking in Times Higher Education 2026?

Ans. University of Surrey is placed in the 201-250 band in THE World University Rankings 2026. Surrey has held this band for four of the last five editions, with one single-edition dip to the 251-300 band in 2024.

Ques. Which subject is University of Surrey best ranked in globally?

Ans. Hospitality and Leisure Management is Surrey’s strongest subject, ranked #18 globally and #1 in the UK in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. The rank beats Surrey’s overall QS position by 228 spots.

Ques. What is the University of Surrey ranking for Indian students on Collegedunia Study Abroad?

Ans. The Collegedunia Study Abroad ranking of University of Surrey is #194 overall and #111 for Engineering in the 2026 edition. The CD rank reads 52 spots ahead of Surrey’s QS world position, a strong Indian-relevance signal.

Ques. How has the University of Surrey ranking changed in the last five years?

Ans. Surrey has climbed 59 QS positions since 2023 (from #305 to #246) and 83 U.S. News positions since the 2023-2024 edition (from #422 to #339). THE has stayed stable in the 201-250 band across four of the last five editions.

Ques. What is the University of Surrey ranking in the U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026?

Ans. University of Surrey is ranked #339 globally in U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026. The trajectory is the fastest single-body climb in Surrey’s profile, with the university gaining 83 positions over three editions.

Ques. How does University of Surrey compare to IIT Bombay on global rankings?

Ans. IIT Bombay ranks #129 and IIT Delhi #118 in QS World University Rankings 2027, outranking Surrey’s #246 on the overall list. Surrey wins on hospitality, marketing and select postgraduate STEM degrees, where its subject ranks beat the overall position by a wide margin.