The highly anticipated QS World University Rankings for 2026 just came out.
This year, we have six of the capital’s higher education institutions in the top 100, with one even beating Oxford and Cambridge.
So here are all the London universities that made it into the top 100 globally.
Imperial College London
via shadowssettle on Creative Commons
Global ranking: Second
UK ranking: First
Maintaining its impressive 2025 position of second-place in the QS rankings is London’s hub for all STEM enthusiasts, Imperial College London.
With an overall score of 99.4 out of 100, it was only beaten by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by 0.6.
The overall employer reputation has improved since 2025, with an overall score of 100, an improvement of 14.2 points.
University College London
Global ranking: Ninth
UK ranking: Fourth
University College London keeps its position as ninth in the global rankings, a place it has maintained for many years. With an overall score of 95.8, this is a big improvement from the 2025 score of 91.6.
UCL also has 100 scores in International Student Ratio and International Student Diversity. Academic Reputation and International Research Network are at 99.9.
All other categories are similarly close to 100 or fall around the 95 mark. The only exception is Citations per Faculty, at 80.9.
With big plans to improve the main campus on Gower Street and the expansions involved around UCL East, UCL is making clear headway in improving academic experience and campus satisfaction. Despite such building projects, it keeps an impressive Sustainability score of 98.5 per ent, showing its dedication to making a “green campus”.
King’s College London
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Global ranking: 31st
UK ranking: Fifth
King’s College London (KCL) improved considerably in the QS 2026 rankings, jumping from being tied at 40th place in 2025 with University of Queensland, Australia to now sitting at a comfortable and impressive ranking of 31.
KCL’s overall rankings percentage improved by a striking eight points, from 80.2 overall in 2025 to 88.3 in 2026.
The university also has top scores in Global Engagement categories, with 99 in International Student Ratio, 98.4 in International Research Network, 99.5 in International Faculty Ratio, and 99 in International Student Diversity. It also has a mark of 96.5 in Sustainability and 96.2 in Academic Reputation.
However, KCL’s scores fall to 70.2 in Citations per Faculty, 74.4 in Faculty Student Ratio, and 76.4 in Employment Outcomes.
The London School of Economics and Political Science
via Jonas Magnus Lystad on Creative Commons
Global ranking: 56th
UK ranking: Ninth
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) continues to be one of the UK’s top higher education institutions, only moving by a few places each year.
In 2026, it sits at 56th place with an overall score of 80.5. This is a significant drop from the 2025 ranking, where LSE was tied with Northwestern University, United States at 50th place, although its overall score has improved since then from achieving 76 points.
The 2026 results see a return to LSE’s 2023 rankings of 56th place with an overall score of 72.3, which started to rise in 2024 to 45th place with an overall score of 76.9. LSE’s fluctuating rankings has not meant a lack of improvement in its overall percentage score, which has been steadily rising over the last few years.
LSE also has top scores of 99.4 in Employer Reputation and 99.9 in Employment Outcomes, with 100 in International Student Ratio, International Faculty Ratio, and International Student Diversity.
The university’s lower scores reside in Research and Discovery, where Citations per Faculty sits at 64 alongside Academic Reputation at 80.6. LSE falls especially in the category of Learning Experience, where Faculty Student Ratio is at a score of 47.2.
Going to uni in London in September? Check out our guide on how to make the most of your first year.
Featured image via Jonas Magnus Lystad on Creative Commons
