THE World University Rankings 2027 Released: IISc Tops India at 254, Check Global Top 10

Times Higher Education (THE) has released the World University Rankings 2027 on September 30, 2026. The latest edition includes 2,297 universities from 118 countries and territories, compared with 2,191 institutions in the previous edition. The University of Oxford has retained the global No. 1 position for the 11th consecutive year. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru is the highest-ranked Indian institution, securing the 254th position globally. No Indian university has entered the global top 200 in the 2027 edition.

THE World University Rankings 2027: Global Top 10

The United States and the United Kingdom account for most of the institutions in the global top 10.

THE notes that Oxford leads MIT by only 0.1 points in the overall score.

IISc Bengaluru Tops Indian Institutions

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru is India's highest-ranked institution in THE World University Rankings 2027, at 254th globally. Its 2027 overall score is reported as 57.0, with its strongest pillar being research environment. The latest ranking therefore places IISc outside the global top 200, while several other Indian institutions appear in different ranking bands. Students should check the official THE table for the exact position or band of individual Indian universities.

Asian Universities Gain Ground

Asian universities have strengthened their presence near the top of the global ranking. Tsinghua University is the highest-ranked Asian university at 11th, followed by Peking University at 13th and the National University of Singapore at 15th. THE says this is the first time three Asian universities have appeared in the global top 15.

How THE World University Rankings Are Calculated

THE evaluates universities using 18 performance indicators grouped into five broad pillars: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook.

Research quality carries the highest weight at 30%, followed by teaching at 29.5% and research environment at 29%.

How to Check THE World University Rankings 2027

Students can access the complete ranking through the official Times Higher Education website. The ranking tables can be filtered by country and other performance areas.

1. Visit the Times Higher Education World University Rankings page.
2. Select the World University Rankings 2027 edition.
3. Use the country filter to select India.
4. Search for a specific university to view its ranking and performance data.
5. Compare the relevant performance pillars rather than relying only on the overall position.

What the THE 2027 Ranking Means for Students

The ranking provides a global comparison of universities based on teaching, research, industry links and international outlook. However, students should consider the course, subject-specific performance, fees, location, admission requirements and career opportunities alongside a university's overall THE position. THE also publishes separate subject rankings, which can provide more specialised information for students comparing institutions for a particular field.

Key Takeaways

1. THE World University Rankings 2027 covers 2,297 universities.
2. The ranking spans 118 countries and territories.
3. University of Oxford remains No. 1 globally.
4. IISc Bengaluru is India's highest-ranked institution at 254th.
5. No Indian institution features in the global top 200.
6. Tsinghua University is the highest-ranked Asian university at 11th.
7. THE uses 18 indicators across five pillars to calculate the overall ranking.