Annual student city ranking underlines continued ascent of Asian destinations
- North American cities are losing ground in a global ranking of top student cities, not least because they are more expensive
- Europe remains strong but its cities are not growing as fast as those in Asia
- The Middle Eastern cities of Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have moved up dramatically
The most attractive cities for students to study in are in Asia, Europe, and Australia, according to the 2027 edition of QS Best Student Cities. To arrive at the ranking, QS looks at factors including employer activity and affordability, as well as the quality of a city's universities and the opinions of current students.
The ranking includes 150 cities, all of which must have a 250K+ population and at least a couple of universities in the QS World University Rankings.
Seoul’s #1 position is the second consecutive year it has achieved this ranking. Tokyo is next, and its ranking was driven especially by “employer activity” – a key metric given students’ increasing concerns about finding a good job after completing their programmes. London rounds out the top 3 – and 15 other UK cities also make the list, the most of any country.
Asia-Pacific on the move
Several Asian cities improved their position at the top of the table this year: Singapore (#11 in 2027,+4 over 2026), Beijing (#12, +19), Taipei (#14), Kuala Lumpur (#15, +8), and Kyoto (+2). Two Australian cities also improved their positions: Melbourne (#4) and Sydney (joint #5 with Munich).
As the following chart shows, Asia-Pacific’s ascendence over the past couple of years is in contrast to slower or negative growth trends in many cities in the Americas and Europe.
There were notable declines in Canadian cities including Montreal (#20, -2), Vancouver (joint #33, -4), and Ottawa (joint #84, -4). For those cities, as well as several American cities (Boston, San Francisco, and Washington), affordability was a major drag on overall ranking.
Some Middle Eastern cities ascended dramatically: Riyadh (#76, +21) and Abu Dhabi (#72, +19). Dubai, Sharjah, and Doha also made the 2027 ranking. We can hope that Middle Eastern tensions abate soon for those cities to regain the momentum they have recently achieved.
For additional background, please see:
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