Best Condensed Matter Universities in the World [2026 Rankings]

1

Japan | Tokyo

University of Tokyo

#1 in Asia #1 in Japan

36% Acceptance

28,918 Enrollment

1877 Founded

2

United States | Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

#6 in North America #6 in United States

5% Acceptance

4,535 Enrollment

1550 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

3

Japan | Sendai

Tohoku University

#9 in Asia #4 in Japan

30% Acceptance

17,975 Enrollment

1907 Founded

4

United States | California

University of California – Santa Barbara

#59 in North America #55 in United States

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

5

United States | California

University of California – Berkeley

#5 in North America #5 in United States

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

6

United States | California

Stanford University

#2 in North America #2 in United States

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

7

United Kingdom | England

University of Cambridge

#2 in Europe #2 in United Kingdom

21% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1209 Founded

8

Japan | Kyoto

Kyoto University

#2 in Asia #2 in Japan

11% Acceptance

22,365 Enrollment

1897 Founded

9

Japan | Suita

Osaka University

#6 in Asia #3 in Japan

13% Acceptance

23,234 Enrollment

1931 Founded

10

United States | Illinois

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

#20 in North America #19 in United States

42% Acceptance

37,140 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

11

United States | New Jersey

Princeton University

#22 in North America #21 in United States

5% Acceptance

5,813 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1746 Founded

12

United States | Massachusetts

Harvard University

#1 in North America #1 in United States

4% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1636 Founded

13

Japan | Tokyo

Tokyo Institute of Technology

#26 in Asia #10 in Japan

10% Acceptance

6,551 Enrollment

1881 Founded

14

United States | New York State

Cornell University

#4 in North America #4 in United States

9% Acceptance

16,128 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

15

Switzerland | Lausanne

Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

#33 in Europe #3 in Switzerland

23% Acceptance

12,576 Enrollment

16

United Kingdom | England

University of Oxford

#1 in Europe #1 in United Kingdom

22% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1096 Founded

17

China | Beijing

Tsinghua University

#3 in Asia #1 in China

22% Acceptance

48,739 Enrollment

1911 Founded

18

United States | Maryland

University of Maryland – College Park

#33 in North America #30 in United States

45% Acceptance

31,133 Enrollment

1465 Avg SAT

1856 Founded

19

China | Hefei

University of Science and Technology of China

#22 in Asia #8 in China

10% Acceptance

17,000 Enrollment

1958 Founded

20

Switzerland | Zurich

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

#7 in Europe #1 in Switzerland

8% Acceptance

23,420 Enrollment

21

China | Nanjing

Nanjing University

#25 in Asia #10 in China

24% Acceptance

56,068 Enrollment

1902 Founded

22

United States | Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State University

#18 in North America #17 in United States

61% Acceptance

42,604 Enrollment

1330 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

23

United States | Illinois

Northwestern University

#27 in North America #25 in United States

8% Acceptance

9,399 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

24

France | Ile-de-France

Paris-Sud University

#168 in Europe #9 in France

13% Acceptance

23,270 Enrollment

2014 Founded

25

China | Beijing

Peking University

#4 in Asia #2 in China

21% Acceptance

44,730 Enrollment

1898 Founded

26

Austria | Vienna

Vienna University of Technology

#162 in Europe #3 in Austria

34% Acceptance

29,341 Enrollment

1872 Founded

27

United States | California

University of California-San Diego

#21 in North America #20 in United States

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

28

United States | California

California Institute of Technology

#50 in North America #46 in United States

3% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

29

United States | Iowa State

Iowa State University

#57 in North America #53 in United States

89% Acceptance

25,628 Enrollment

1240 Avg SAT

1858 Founded

30

Singapore | Singapore City

National University of Singapore

#5 in Asia #1 in Singapore

20% Acceptance

30,098 Enrollment

1905 Founded

31

United States | Texas

University of Texas at Austin

#28 in North America #26 in United States

27% Acceptance

43,165 Enrollment

1380 Avg SAT

1883 Founded

32

United States | California

University of California – Los Angeles

#11 in North America #11 in United States

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

33

United States | Minnesota

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

#15 in North America #14 in United States

80% Acceptance

15,019 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

34

United States | Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

#13 in North America #12 in United States

5% Acceptance

1,947 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1740 Founded

35

United States | New Jersey

Rutgers University – New Brunswick

#32 in North America #29 in United States

58% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1405 Avg SAT

1766 Founded

36

United States | Michigan

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

#3 in North America #3 in United States

16% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1445 Avg SAT

1817 Founded

37

Japan | Nagoya

Nagoya University

#18 in Asia #7 in Japan

14% Acceptance

15,959 Enrollment

1939 Founded

38

United Kingdom | England

Imperial College London

#5 in Europe #5 in United Kingdom

41% Acceptance

17,565 Enrollment

1907 Founded

39

China | Hong Kong

University of Hong Kong

#7 in Asia #3 in China

17% Acceptance

21,652 Enrollment

1911 Founded

40

France | Ile-de-France

Pierre and Marie Curie University

#61 in Europe #1 in France

20% Acceptance

35,114 Enrollment

1150 Founded

41

Netherlands | Delft

Delft University of Technology

#40 in Europe #5 in Netherlands

50% Acceptance

24,703 Enrollment

1842 Founded

42

United States | Indiana

Purdue University

#37 in North America #34 in United States

50% Acceptance

44,819 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

43

Germany | Bavaria

Technical University of Munich

#17 in Europe #3 in Germany

46% Acceptance

44,000 Enrollment

1868 Founded

44

United Kingdom | England

University of Manchester

#8 in Europe #6 in United Kingdom

40% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1824 Founded

45

China | Hangzhou

Zhejiang University

#10 in Asia #4 in China

20% Acceptance

60,739 Enrollment

1897 Founded

46

United States | Connecticut

Yale University

#10 in North America #10 in United States

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1520 Avg SAT

1701 Founded

47

Singapore | Singapore City

Nanyang Technological University

#21 in Asia #2 in Singapore

38% Acceptance

33,000 Enrollment

1955 Founded

48

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

#68 in Europe #15 in Germany

26% Acceptance

23,321 Enrollment

2009 Founded

49

United States | Georgia, US

Georgia Institute of Technology

#51 in North America #47 in United States

14% Acceptance

1,070 Enrollment

1455 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

50

United States | New York State

Columbia University

#7 in North America #7 in United States

4% Acceptance

29,640 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1754 Founded

51

United States | Washington

University of Washington – Seattle

#8 in North America #8 in United States

39% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1315 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

52

China | Shanghai

Fudan University

#20 in Asia #7 in China

18% Acceptance

33,000 Enrollment

1905 Founded

53

Japan | Fukuoka

Kyushu University

#17 in Asia #6 in Japan

14% Acceptance

18,813 Enrollment

1911 Founded

54

China | Changchun

Jilin University

#46 in Asia #21 in China

30% Acceptance

68,000 Enrollment

1946 Founded

55

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

University of Stuttgart

#111 in Europe #24 in Germany

48% Acceptance

22,616 Enrollment

1829 Founded

56

Canada | Ontario

University of Toronto

#12 in North America #1 in Canada

54% Acceptance

102,431 Enrollment

1827 Founded

57

United States | Ohio

Ohio State University

#19 in North America #18 in United States

61% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1395 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

58

United States | Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin – Madison

#14 in North America #13 in United States

45% Acceptance

38,040 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1848 Founded

59

Russia | Moscow

Moscow State University

#56 in Europe #1 in Russia

12% Acceptance

20,188 Enrollment

1755 Founded

60

United States | Florida

University of Florida

#24 in North America #23 in United States

24% Acceptance

36,573 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

61

Israel | Rehovot

Weizmann Institute of Science

#40 in Asia #4 in Israel

8% Acceptance

1,380 Enrollment

1934 Founded

62

United States | Colorado

University of Colorado Boulder

#48 in North America #45 in United States

78% Acceptance

34,096 Enrollment

1335 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

63

Japan | Tsukuba

University of Tsukuba

#23 in Asia #9 in Japan

18% Acceptance

16,684 Enrollment

1973 Founded

64

China | Wuhan

Huazhong University of Science and Technology

#27 in Asia #11 in China

26% Acceptance

71,970 Enrollment

1953 Founded

65

Japan | Sapporo

Hokkaido University

#19 in Asia #8 in Japan

27% Acceptance

17,770 Enrollment

1918 Founded

66

United States | Illinois

University of Chicago

#16 in North America #15 in United States

4% Acceptance

7,598 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

67

South Korea | Seoul

Seoul National University

#14 in Asia #1 in South Korea

20% Acceptance

28,378 Enrollment

1946 Founded

68

India | Karnataka

Indian Institute of Science

#63 in Asia #2 in India

29% Acceptance

4,695 Enrollment

1909 Founded

69

China | Shanghai

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

#11 in Asia #5 in China

20% Acceptance

47,000 Enrollment

1896 Founded

70

Japan | Tokyo

Tokyo University of Science

#78 in Asia #17 in Japan

31% Acceptance

19,768 Enrollment

1881 Founded

71

China | Jinan

Shandong University

#36 in Asia #16 in China

30% Acceptance

60,000 Enrollment

1901 Founded

72

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

Technical University of Denmark

#62 in Europe #3 in Denmark

38% Acceptance

33,020 Enrollment

1829 Founded

73

United States | North Carolina

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

#47 in North America #44 in United States

42% Acceptance

28,422 Enrollment

1385 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

74

United States | Arizona

Arizona State University – Tempe

#45 in North America #42 in United States

90% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

970 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

75

United States | Florida

Florida State University

#80 in North America #70 in United States

24% Acceptance

6,768 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

76

Germany | Rhineland-Palatinate

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

#76 in Europe #18 in Germany

28% Acceptance

33,132 Enrollment

1946 Founded

77

United States | Utah

University of Utah

#44 in North America #41 in United States

86% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

78

China | Harbin

Harbin Institute of Technology

#34 in Asia #15 in China

16% Acceptance

33,496 Enrollment

1920 Founded

79

Sweden | Uppsala

Uppsala University

#25 in Europe #2 in Sweden

69% Acceptance

40,000 Enrollment

1477 Founded

80

Germany | Hamburg State

University of Hamburg

#28 in Europe #4 in Germany

39% Acceptance

43,957 Enrollment

1919 Founded

81

Belgium | Leuven

Catholic University of Leuven

#10 in Europe #1 in Belgium

33% Acceptance

62,693 Enrollment

1425 Founded

82

United States | Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University

#41 in North America #38 in United States

12% Acceptance

7,377 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1900 Founded

83

Germany | Bavaria

University of Munich

#12 in Europe #2 in Germany

55% Acceptance

52,418 Enrollment

1472 Founded

84

Sweden | Gothenburg

Chalmers University of Technology

#118 in Europe #8 in Sweden

79% Acceptance

10,773 Enrollment

1829 Founded

85

United States | New York State

Stony Brook University

#98 in North America #86 in United States

49% Acceptance

18,263 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1957 Founded

86

Australia | Sydney

University of New South Wales

#4 in Oceania #4 in Australia

60% Acceptance

63,864 Enrollment

1949 Founded

87

Switzerland | Geneva

University of Geneva

#49 in Europe #4 in Switzerland

25% Acceptance

17,744 Enrollment

88

Israel | Haifa

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

#32 in Asia #3 in Israel

37% Acceptance

1,500 Enrollment

1924 Founded

89

Canada | British Columbia

University of British Columbia

#25 in North America #2 in Canada

52% Acceptance

71,201 Enrollment

1908 Founded

90

Taiwan | Taipei

National Taiwan University

#12 in Asia #1 in Taiwan

34% Acceptance

33,882 Enrollment

1945 Founded

91

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

University of Cologne

#57 in Europe #11 in Germany

33% Acceptance

52,204 Enrollment

1388 Founded

92

Australia | Canberra

Australian National University

#6 in Oceania #6 in Australia

71% Acceptance

31,313 Enrollment

1946 Founded

93

Netherlands | Groningen

University of Groningen

#30 in Europe #3 in Netherlands

50% Acceptance

34,000 Enrollment

1614 Founded

94

United States | Texas

Rice University

#92 in North America #80 in United States

8% Acceptance

4,789 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

95

Spain | Madrid

Autonomous University of Madrid

#115 in Europe #6 in Spain

53% Acceptance

58,390 Enrollment

1968 Founded

96

Sweden | Stockholm

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

#77 in Europe #6 in Sweden

41% Acceptance

14,278 Enrollment

1827 Founded

97

Germany | Bavaria

University of Wurzburg

#89 in Europe #20 in Germany

23% Acceptance

27,149 Enrollment

1402 Founded

98

South Korea | Pohang

Pohang University of Science and Technology

#122 in Asia #8 in South Korea

43% Acceptance

3,425 Enrollment

1986 Founded

99

Germany | Bavaria

University of Erlangen Nuremberg

#64 in Europe #13 in Germany

46% Acceptance

39,658 Enrollment

1743 Founded

100

Israel | Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv University

#8 in Asia #1 in Israel

44% Acceptance

30,000 Enrollment

1956 Founded

100 Best Universities in the World for Condensed Matter

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