There’s loads to consider when you’re heading to university – the nightlife, the year-abroad opportunities, the distance from your hometown – but if an institution’s academic standing is the most important thing to you, we’ve got some exciting news. 

The Academic Ranking of World Universities for 2024 has just been published, and it incorporates factors such as the number of alumni who’ve won Nobel Prizes, publications in top-tier journals and per capita academic output of the institution in its ranking. 

So where has claimed the coveted crown as the world’s very best university, according to ARWU? Well, for no less than the 22nd year in a row (the 22nd year!) it’s the USA’s Harvard University. Given the institution’s worldwide reputation for academic excellence and its role as a founding member of the Association of American Universities, we’re hardly flabbergasted. 

In fact, American universities almost completely dominate this list, claiming an impressive eight of the top 10 spots – the only exceptions being renowned British institutions Cambridge and Oxford which sit in fourth and sixth respectively, but you can read more about the best universities across Europe here. 

These are the 10 best universities in the world

1. Harvard University
2. Stanford University
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4. University of Cambridge
5. University of California, Berkeley
6. University of Oxford
7. Princeton University
8. Columbia University
9. California Institute of Technology
10. University of Chicago

More on higher education at Time Out

At Time Out, we know how important it is to make the right choice about where to get your degree. Here’s a roundup from QS Top Universities about the best institutions in the world for 2025, one about the prettiest campuses on the planet, and one about the best cities in which to be a student. 

Did you see that this Cyprus beach has just been crowned Europe’s best?

Plus: The countries home to Europe’s heaviest drinkers, revealed.

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