Top-ranked global universities by subject
Students seeking research opportunities in specialized fields can find them at top universities around the world. While many institutions excel across disciplines, others are recognized for their leadership in subjects ranging from engineering and space science to clinical medicine and arts and humanities. This list highlights the top-ranked school in each of the 51 subjects included in the 2026-2027 U.S. News in the six world regions: Africa, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, Europe, Latin America and North America.
Agricultural sciences
Africa: (Egypt)
Subject rank: 88
Asia:
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 23
Europe: (Netherlands)
Subject rank: 4
Latin America: (Brazil)
Subject rank: 19
North America: (United States)
Subject rank: 8
See the full .
Artificial intelligence
Africa: (Egypt)
Subject rank: 122
Asia: (China)
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 15
Europe:
Subject rank: 19
Latin America: N/A
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 39
See the full .
Arts and humanities
Africa: (South Africa)
Subject rank: 190
Asia:
Subject rank: 9
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 20
Europe: (United Kingdom)
Subject rank: 1
Latin America: (Argentina)
Subject rank: 212
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 3
See the full .
Biology and biochemistry
Africa: (Egypt)
Subject rank: 90
Asia: (China)
Subject rank: 13
Australia/New Zealand: University of Queensland
Subject rank: 48
Europe: (U.K.)
Subject rank: 6
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 76 (tie)
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Biotechnology and applied microbiology
Africa: Cairo University
Subject rank: 226
Asia:
Subject rank: 3
Australia/New Zealand: University of Queensland
Subject rank: 19
Europe: University of Cambridge
Subject rank: 5
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 74 (tie)
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Cardiac and cardiovascular systems
Africa: (South Africa)
Subject rank: 129 (tie)
Asia:
Subject rank: 37
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 83 (tie)
Europe: (Scotland)
Subject rank: 2
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 106
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Cell biology
Africa: N/A
Asia: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Subject rank: 9
Australia/New Zealand: University of Melbourne
Subject rank: 43 (tie)
Europe: University of Oxford
Subject rank: 10
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 188
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Chemical engineering
Africa: (South Africa)
Subject rank: 251
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 34
Europe: (U.K.)
Subject rank: 39 (tie)
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 272
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 69
See the full .
Chemistry
Africa: (Egypt)
Subject rank: 157 (tie)
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Queensland
Subject rank: 61
Europe: University of Cambridge
Subject rank: 20
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 136 (tie)
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 9
See the full .
Civil engineering
Africa: Mansoura University
Subject rank: 107
Asia: (China)
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Technology Sydney
Subject rank: 18
Europe: (Netherlands)
Subject rank: 36
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 238
North America: (Canada)
Subject rank: 42
See the full .
Clinical medicine
Africa: University of Cape Town
Subject rank: 104 (tie)
Asia: Chinese University of Hong Kong
Subject rank: 26
Australia/New Zealand: University of Melbourne
Subject rank: 31
Europe: University of Oxford
Subject rank: 14
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 76
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Computer science
Africa: (Egypt)
Subject rank: 267 (tie)
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Technology Sydney
Subject rank: 31
Europe: ETH Zurich
Subject rank: 9
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 246 (tie)
North America: Stanford University
Subject rank: 8
See the full .
Condensed matter physics
Africa: N/A
Asia: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 20
Europe: University of Cambridge
Subject rank: 46
Latin America: N/A
North America: Georgia Institute of Technology
Subject rank: 27
See the full .
Ecology
Africa: Stellenbosch University
Subject rank: 98
Asia: Peking University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Queensland
Subject rank: 12
Europe: (Germany)
Subject rank: 2
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 33 (tie)
North America: University of British Columbia
Subject rank: 11
See the full .
Economics and business
Africa: University of Johannesburg
Subject rank: 112
Asia: Peking University
Subject rank: 6
Australia/New Zealand: Monash University
Subject rank: 14
Europe: (U.K.)
Subject rank: 10
Latin America: (Brazil)
Subject rank: 268 (tie)
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Education and educational research
Africa: N/A
Asia: Chinese University of Hong Kong
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: Monash University
Subject rank: 4
Europe: (U.K.)
Subject rank: 8
Latin America: N/A
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 11
See the full .
Electrical and electronic engineering
Africa: (Egypt)
Subject rank: 268
Asia: (Singapore)
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Technology Sydney
Subject rank: 12 (tie)
Europe: (U.K.)
Subject rank: 11
Latin America:
Subject rank: 380 (tie)
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 15 (tie)
See the full .
Endocrinology and metabolism
Africa: N/A
Asia: Chinese University of Hong Kong
Subject rank: 19
Australia/New Zealand: Monash University
Subject rank: 10
Europe: (Denmark)
Subject rank: 3
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 95 (tie)
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Energy and fuels
Africa: (Egypt)
Subject rank: 62 (tie)
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Wollongong
Subject rank: 29
Europe: Imperial College London
Subject rank: 20
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 340 (tie)
North America: Georgia Institute of Technology
Subject rank: 22 (tie)
See the full .
Engineering
Africa: Tanta University
Subject rank: 229 (tie)
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Technology Sydney
Subject rank: 30
Europe: ETH Zurich
Subject rank: 14
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 221 (tie)
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 12
See the full .
Environment/ecology
Africa: University of Cape Town
Subject rank: 148
Asia: Peking University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Queensland
Subject rank: 11
Europe: ETH Zurich
Subject rank: 3
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 36
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 4
See the full rankings.
Environmental engineering
Africa: N/A
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: Adelaide University
Subject rank: 10
Europe: ETH Zurich
Subject rank: 86
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 231
North America: Georgia Institute of Technology
Subject rank: 82 (tie)
See the full .
Food and science technology
Africa: Cairo University
Subject rank: 66
Asia: (China)
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Queensland
Subject rank: 36
Europe: (Spain)
Subject rank: 11
Latin America: (Brazil)
Subject rank: 38
North America: University of Massachusetts Amherst
Subject rank: 5
See the full .
Gastroenterology and hepatology
Africa: N/A
Asia: Chinese University of Hong Kong
Subject rank: 2
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 50
Europe: (Spain)
Subject rank: 4
Latin America:
Subject rank: 63 (tie)
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Geosciences
Africa: (South Africa)
Subject rank: 220 (tie)
Asia:
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 35
Europe: ETH Zurich
Subject rank: 2
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 105 (tie)
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 5
See the full .
Green and sustainable science and technology
Africa: University of Johannesburg
Subject rank: 95
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Technology Sydney
Subject rank: 21
Europe:
Subject rank: 31
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 140 (tie)
North America: University of British Columbia
Subject rank: 65
See the full rankings.
Immunology
Africa: University of Cape Town
Subject rank: 69 (tie)
Asia:
Subject rank: 19 (tie)
Australia/New Zealand: University of Melbourne
Subject rank: 24 (tie)
Europe: Imperial College London
Subject rank: 12
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 83
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Infectious diseases
Africa: University of Witwatersrand
Subject rank: 12
Asia: University of Hong Kong
Subject rank: 6
Australia/New Zealand: Monash University
Subject rank: 18
Europe: University of Oxford
Subject rank: 1
Latin America: (Brazil)
Subject rank: 45
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 3
See the full .
Marine and freshwater biology
Africa: N/A
Asia:
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 2
Europe: (Denmark)
Subject rank: 7
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 26
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 11
See the full .
Materials science
Africa: Al Azhar University
Subject rank: 239
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Wollongong
Subject rank: 49
Europe: (Switzerland)
Subject rank: 33 (tie)
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 243 (tie)
North America: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Subject rank: 10
See the full .
Mathematics
Africa: Mansoura University
Subject rank: 25
Asia: Peking University
Subject rank: 6
Australia/New Zealand: Monash University
Subject rank: 102 (tie)
Europe: University of Oxford
Subject rank: 3
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 133
North America: Stanford University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Mechanical engineering
Africa: N/A
Asia: (China)
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Technology Sydney
Subject rank: 11 (tie)
Europe: Imperial College London
Subject rank: 28
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 180
North America: University of British Columbia
Subject rank: 39
See the full
Meteorology and atmospheric sciences
Africa: N/A
Asia: (China)
Subject rank: 5
Australia/New Zealand: University of New South Wales Sydney
Subject rank: 29
Europe: (France)
Subject rank: 2
Latin America: N/A
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Microbiology
Africa: University of Cape Town
Subject rank: 75 (tie)
Asia: University of Hong Kong
Subject rank: 4
Australia/New Zealand: University of Melbourne
Subject rank: 34
Europe: University of Oxford
Subject rank: 3
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 29 (tie)
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Molecular biology and genetics
Africa: University of Cape Town
Subject rank: 257
Asia: (China)
Subject rank: 14 (tie)
Australia/New Zealand: University of Queensland
Subject rank: 54 (tie)
Europe: University of Cambridge
Subject rank: 4
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 165 (tie)
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
Nanoscience and nanotechnology
Africa: N/A
Asia: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Wollongong
Subject rank: 39 (tie)
Europe: University of Cambridge
Subject rank: 64
Latin America: N/A
North America: Georgia Institute of Technology
Subject rank: 27
See the full .
Neuroscience and behavior
Africa: University of Cape Town
Subject rank: 131
Asia: National University of Singapore
Subject rank: 48
Australia/New Zealand: University of Melbourne
Subject rank: 24
Europe: University College London
Subject rank: 9
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 130
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Oncology
Africa: Cairo University
Subject rank: 333 (tie)
Asia: (South Korea)
Subject rank: 22 (tie)
Australia/New Zealand: University of Sydney
Subject rank: 41 (tie)
Europe: University College London
Subject rank: 7
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 234
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Optics
Africa: (Egypt)
Subject rank: 101
Asia: National University of Singapore
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand:
Subject rank: 25
Europe: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
Subject rank: 5
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 215 (tie)
North America: Stanford University
Subject rank: 3
See the full .
Pharmacology and toxicology
Africa: Cairo University
Subject rank: 13
Asia: Fudan University
Subject rank: 2
Australia/New Zealand: Monash University
Subject rank: 15
Europe: University College London
Subject rank: 5
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 48
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Physical chemistry
Africa: Al Azhar University
Subject rank: 193 (tie)
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: Adelaide University
Subject rank: 28 (tie)
Europe: University of Cambridge
Subject rank: 56
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 443 (tie)
North America: Georgia Institute of Technology
Subject rank: 28 (tie)
See the full .
Physics
Africa: University of Cape Town
Subject rank: 220 (tie)
Asia: Tsinghua University
Subject rank: 6
Australia/New Zealand: Australian National University
Subject rank: 89
Europe: University of Cambridge
Subject rank: 13
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 115 (tie)
North America: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Plant and animal science
Africa: Cairo University
Subject rank: 59
Asia: China Agricultural University
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand:
Subject rank: 21 (tie)
Europe: Wageningen University & Research
Subject rank: 3
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 18
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 4
See the full .
Polymer science
Africa: Al Azhar University
Subject rank: 26
Asia: (China)
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: (Australia)
Subject rank: 88 (tie)
Europe: (Spain)
Subject rank: 56
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 110
North America: University of British Columbia
Subject rank: 65
See the full .
Psychiatry/psychology
Africa: University of Cape Town
Subject rank: 182 (tie)
Asia: Peking University
Subject rank: 32
Australia/New Zealand: University of Melbourne
Subject rank: 11
Europe: University of Oxford
Subject rank: 3
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 78 (tie)
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Public, environmental and occupational health
Africa: University of Cape Town
Subject rank: 48
Asia: (Saudi Arabia)
Subject rank: 18
Australia/New Zealand: Monash University
Subject rank: 14 (tie)
Europe: (U.K.)
Subject rank: 2
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 65
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Radiology, nuclear medicine and medical imaging
Africa: N/A
Asia: (China)
Subject rank: 25
Australia/New Zealand: University of Melbourne
Subject rank: 71
Europe: (Netherlands)
Subject rank: 5
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 157 (tie)
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Social Sciences and public health
Africa: University of Johannesburg
Subject rank: 69 (tie)
Asia: Peking University
Subject rank: 5 (tie)
Australia/New Zealand: University of Melbourne
Subject rank: 20
Europe: University of Oxford
Subject rank: 2
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 108
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Space science
Africa: (South Africa)
Subject rank: 143 (tie)
Asia: (Japan)
Subject rank: 7
Australia/New Zealand: Australian National University
Subject rank: 32 (tie)
Europe: (Netherlands)
Subject rank: 9
Latin America: (Chile)
Subject rank: 107 (tie)
North America: California Institute of Technology
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Surgery
Africa: Mansoura University
Subject rank: 239 (tie)
Asia: Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Subject rank: 82
Australia/New Zealand: University of Sydney
Subject rank: 60 (tie)
Europe: (Netherlands)
Subject rank: 3
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 166 (tie)
North America: Harvard University
Subject rank: 1
See the full .
Water resources
Africa: Mansoura University
Subject rank: 38
Asia: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Subject rank: 1
Australia/New Zealand: University of Technology Sydney
Subject rank: 11
Europe: Delft University of Technology
Subject rank: 16
Latin America: Universidade de Sao Paulo
Subject rank: 124 (tie)
North America: (U.S.)
Subject rank: 29
See the full .
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