Asian universities continue to rise in latest QS subject rankings

The 15th annual edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject was released today. While it still places the US and UK at the top of the global table, there is no mistaking the substantial gains of universities in important Asian study destinations, including Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and South Korea.

The QS subject rankings provide an independent comparative analysis of more than 18,300 academic offerings from more than 1,700 universities in 100 locations around the world. The rankings cover 55 academic disciplines across five broad fields of study: Arts & Humanities, Engineering & Technology, Life Sciences & Medicine, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences & Management.

The US sits atop the world table with 220 universities included in the rankings for a total of 3,686 entries across all subject areas. Nearly 40 of those were ranked #1 overall for that discipline. This compares to the 104 UK universities in the 2025 ranking, their 1,883 entries, and the 18 UK-taught subjects in the #1 position overall.

In other words, the UK, in second position, registers roughly half of the institutions, entries, and top-ranked positions as the US.

The drop-off from those two top study destinations is quite pronounced in the global table as we see in below.

All about the gains

A look behind those summary figures reveals an interesting pattern. QS provides a side-by-side comparison of how the Big Four study destinations – the UK, UK, Australia, and Canada – are improving in the rankings compared to the most-improved destinations.

The answers are revealed in the following table, which highlights that the most-improved countries this year are all in Asia, where their subject rankings are moving up the table at roughly three to four times the pace of the Big Four entrants. QS explains: "The UK’s rate of improvement lags behind countries and territories such as Hong Kong, China, and Singapore, where over 60% of entries rose in the rankings this year. In contrast, just one in five UK entries improved, while 37% dropped and 35% remained stable. Although this outpaces Canada, where only 15% of entries improved, it falls slightly behind other major study destinations, including the US and Australia."

"The global landscape is shifting," adds QS. "Universities in Asian education hubs such as Hong Kong SAR and China (Mainland) are making significant gains, rising rapidly through the rankings and challenging the long-standing dominance of the UK and the US. As competition intensifies, the global race for academic leadership is becoming more dynamic than ever."

Indeed, that competition is taking shape alongside increasing competition for the world's best and brightest students. As we have observed throughout the past year, there is a distinct shift in student demand away from the Big Four destinations and in favour of regional destinations in Europe and Asia. Even with challenges associated with restrictive immigration settings, rising visa rejection rates, and visa processing delays, the Big Four destinations retain their lead positions this year. But other destinations and higher education systems are gathering strength. The competition in international student markets will only become more intense as a result.

For additional background, please see:

• "High study visa refusal rates disrupting the international education landscape"
• "Survey highlights the disruptive effects of visa delays on international students"
• "Australia and Canada: Rising to the challenge of new immigration policies"
• "Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe"