Whether you're finishing up year 12 or considering a career change that requires you to hit the books (or maybe you're just curious to see how your alma mater is going), this grading of global universities is sure to pique your interest. Especially because two revered Melbourne institutions have made the list.
There are plenty of university rankings out there (including QS and CWUR), but the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking is widely regarded as one of the most trusted. This year, it assessed almost 2,200 institutions across 115 countries and territories, evaluating performance across five key pillars: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry engagement. Each institution was then scored and ranked – and for the 2026 list, ten Australian universities earned a spot.
Once again, The University of Melbourne retained its crown as Australia’s top university, ranking 37th on the global leaderboard. Home to more than 77,000 students and 13,000 staff, the university improved two places on its 2025 ranking and earned near-perfect scores in five metrics, including research excellence and impact, while making notable progress in its teaching reputation. The University of Melbourne also finished 16 places ahead of its closest rival, The University of Sydney, which rose eight spots to 53rd in 2026.
It's another tassel in the graduation cap for Melbourne Uni, which also landed in the global top 20 according to 2026 QS World University Rankings, beating out esteemed institutions like Yale and Princeton to come in at 19th.
The only other local uni to make the Times Higher Education list was Monash University, which held onto its 2025 position, remaining at 58th globally. Overall, 12 of the 37 Australian universities listed improved their position compared with last year.
The world’s ten highest-ranked universities are all located in England or the United States, with Oxford University in England and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) claiming the top two spots yet again. You can view the full rankings here, or check out the top-performing Australian universities below.
The ten best universities in Australia for 2026, according to Times Higher Education
- The University of Melbourne (37th globally)
- The University of Sydney (53rd globally)
- Monash University (58th globally)
- The Australian National University (73rd globally)
- UNSW Sydney (79th globally)
- The University of Queensland (80th globally)
- University of Technology Sydney (145th globally)
- The University of Western Australia (153rd globally)
- Macquarie University (166th globally)
- Adelaide University (176th globally)
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