QS Best Student Cities 2027 results

Seoul, ranking #1 for the second year in a row, benefits from the top rank in our World University Ranking sub-indicator and a very strong Employer Activity position, supporting a city narrative around academic strength, graduate opportunity and global city appeal.

Tokyo’s performance reinforces the leadership of Asian cities. It ranks second overall, first for Employer Activity and fourth for Desirability – given student’s increasing desire for positive post-graduate work opportunities, Employer Activity is a key metric. London remains close behind as Europe’s leading student city but fails to improve its rank.

The Asia Pacific’s strength is not limited to the top two. Melbourne ranks fourth (+1 in the past two years), Sydney ranks joint fifth (+1), Singapore ranks 11^th (+4), Beijing ranks 12^th (+19), Taipei ranks 14^th (+12), Kuala Lumpur ranks 15^th (+8), Kyoto ranks 16th (+2 since entering Best Student Cities in the 2026 edition) and Hong Kong ranks 17^th (=). This is remarkably strong performance while other regions are facing challenges. The Asia Pacific is the most represented region in the top 20, and reflects broader trends we’ve seen across QS metrics – Malaysia is one of the highest-growth-forecast markets in the world, and ASEAN countries are acquiring global visibility.

Zooming in on the China story, we see continued established presence, but also dramatic upward movement. As noted, Beijing ranks 12th overall and is China’s best student city. Shanghai ranks 21st and has improved by 25 places over two years. Nanjing also stands out, ranking 59th after a 10-place year-on-year rise and a 28-place improvement over two years. Guangzhou ranks joint 95th and has risen 24 places year-on-year.

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Beyond Asia, the global picture is more volatile. Europe remains highly competitive, with London third, Munich joint fifth, Paris seventh, Berlin eighth, Vienna ninth and Zurich tenth. However, several European cities show meaningful downward movement: Lyon falls 17 places year-on-year to 71st, Graz falls 18 places to joint 124th and Montpellier falls 13 places to 147th. Europe remains strong at the top, but individual city performance is shifting.

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North America also shows mixed results. Boston ranks 18th, Toronto 22nd, New York joint 23rd and Los Angeles 42nd, but several North American cities record declines, including Montreal falling two places to 20th, Vancouver falling four places to joint 33rd and Ottawa falling four places to joint 84th. North American student cities still have strong employer and university credentials, but affordability is a recurring challenge, as it is in most ‘Big Four’ markets, with Boston ranked 149th for Affordability, New York joint 147th, San Francisco joint 147th and Washington DC 146th.  

The Middle East offers another upward story. Riyadh rises eight places to 76^th (+21 in two years), while Abu Dhabi rises eight places to 72^nd (+19). Dubai ranks 79th, Sharjah ranks 80th and Doha ranks joint 81st, giving the region a small but improving cluster of ranked student cities destinations.  

Latin America’s performance is more uneven. Buenos Aires ranks joint 35th and remains the region’s highest-ranked city, while Santiago ranks 55th and Mexico City ranks 77^th – but all three see year-on-year declines. Bogotá falls one place to 111th and Lima falls one place to 149^th. There is strength in Latin America, but it is not on the same broadly upward trajectory of the Asia Pacific or the Middle East.

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