Best Physical Universities in the World [2026 Rankings]

1

China | Beijing

Tsinghua University

For Physical

#1 in Asia #1 in China

22% Acceptance

48,739 Enrollment

1911 Founded

2

United States | Massachusetts

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

For Physical

#1 in North America #1 in United States

5% Acceptance

4,535 Enrollment

1550 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

3

United States | California

University of California – Berkeley

For Physical

#2 in North America #2 in United States

11% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1175 Avg SAT

1868 Founded

4

China | Hangzhou

Zhejiang University

For Physical

#2 in Asia #2 in China

20% Acceptance

60,739 Enrollment

1897 Founded

5

United States | California

Stanford University

For Physical

#3 in North America #3 in United States

4% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

6

Japan | Tokyo

University of Tokyo

For Physical

#3 in Asia #1 in Japan

36% Acceptance

28,918 Enrollment

1877 Founded

7

China | Hefei

University of Science and Technology of China

For Physical

#4 in Asia #3 in China

10% Acceptance

17,000 Enrollment

1958 Founded

8

United States | Georgia, US

Georgia Institute of Technology

For Physical

#4 in North America #4 in United States

14% Acceptance

1,070 Enrollment

1455 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

9

United States | Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State University

For Physical

#5 in North America #5 in United States

61% Acceptance

42,604 Enrollment

1330 Avg SAT

1855 Founded

10

United States | Texas

University of Texas at Austin

For Physical

#6 in North America #6 in United States

27% Acceptance

43,165 Enrollment

1380 Avg SAT

1883 Founded

11

Singapore | Singapore City

Nanyang Technological University

For Physical

#5 in Asia #1 in Singapore

38% Acceptance

33,000 Enrollment

1955 Founded

12

Japan | Kyoto

Kyoto University

For Physical

#6 in Asia #2 in Japan

11% Acceptance

22,365 Enrollment

1897 Founded

13

China | Tianjin

Tianjin University

For Physical

#7 in Asia #4 in China

34% Acceptance

35,370 Enrollment

1895 Founded

14

United States | Michigan

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

For Physical

#7 in North America #7 in United States

16% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1445 Avg SAT

1817 Founded

15

Singapore | Singapore City

National University of Singapore

For Physical

#8 in Asia #2 in Singapore

20% Acceptance

30,098 Enrollment

1905 Founded

16

China | Changsha

Central South University

For Physical

#9 in Asia #5 in China

77% Acceptance

52,000 Enrollment

1914 Founded

17

China | Harbin

Harbin Institute of Technology

For Physical

#10 in Asia #6 in China

16% Acceptance

33,496 Enrollment

1920 Founded

18

Switzerland | Lausanne

Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

For Physical

#1 in Europe #1 in Switzerland

23% Acceptance

12,576 Enrollment

19

United States | Illinois

University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign

For Physical

#8 in North America #8 in United States

42% Acceptance

37,140 Enrollment

1415 Avg SAT

1867 Founded

20

China | Wuhan

Huazhong University of Science and Technology

For Physical

#11 in Asia #7 in China

26% Acceptance

71,970 Enrollment

1953 Founded

21

China | Shanghai

Shanghai Jiao Tong University

For Physical

#12 in Asia #8 in China

20% Acceptance

47,000 Enrollment

1896 Founded

22

Japan | Suita

Osaka University

For Physical

#13 in Asia #3 in Japan

13% Acceptance

23,234 Enrollment

1931 Founded

23

Japan | Sendai

Tohoku University

For Physical

#14 in Asia #4 in Japan

30% Acceptance

17,975 Enrollment

1907 Founded

24

United Kingdom | England

University of Cambridge

For Physical

#2 in Europe #1 in United Kingdom

21% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1209 Founded

25

Japan | Tokyo

Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Physical

#15 in Asia #5 in Japan

10% Acceptance

6,551 Enrollment

1881 Founded

26

China | Nanjing

Nanjing University

For Physical

#16 in Asia #9 in China

24% Acceptance

56,068 Enrollment

1902 Founded

27

China | Guangzhou

South China University of Technology

For Physical

#17 in Asia #10 in China

30% Acceptance

42,720 Enrollment

1952 Founded

28

China | Beijing

Peking University

For Physical

#18 in Asia #11 in China

21% Acceptance

44,730 Enrollment

1898 Founded

29

United States | Illinois

Northwestern University

For Physical

#9 in North America #9 in United States

8% Acceptance

9,399 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

30

China | Tianjin

Nankai University

For Physical

#19 in Asia #12 in China

37% Acceptance

26,568 Enrollment

1919 Founded

31

China | Changchun

Jilin University

For Physical

#20 in Asia #13 in China

30% Acceptance

68,000 Enrollment

1946 Founded

32

United States | Minnesota

University of Minnesota – Twin Cities

For Physical

#10 in North America #10 in United States

80% Acceptance

15,019 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1851 Founded

33

South Korea | Seoul

Seoul National University

For Physical

#21 in Asia #1 in South Korea

20% Acceptance

28,378 Enrollment

1946 Founded

34

China | Shanghai

Fudan University

For Physical

#22 in Asia #14 in China

18% Acceptance

33,000 Enrollment

1905 Founded

35

United Kingdom | England

Imperial College London

For Physical

#3 in Europe #2 in United Kingdom

41% Acceptance

17,565 Enrollment

1907 Founded

36

Canada | Ontario

University of Toronto

For Physical

#11 in North America #1 in Canada

54% Acceptance

102,431 Enrollment

1827 Founded

37

United States | Indiana

Purdue University

For Physical

#12 in North America #11 in United States

50% Acceptance

44,819 Enrollment

1340 Avg SAT

1869 Founded

38

China | Hong Kong

University of Hong Kong

For Physical

#23 in Asia #15 in China

17% Acceptance

21,652 Enrollment

1911 Founded

39

United States | Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin – Madison

For Physical

#13 in North America #12 in United States

45% Acceptance

38,040 Enrollment

1450 Avg SAT

1848 Founded

40

United States | California

University of California – Los Angeles

For Physical

#14 in North America #13 in United States

9% Acceptance

37,297 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1919 Founded

41

China | Dalian

Dalian University of Technology

For Physical

#24 in Asia #16 in China

30% Acceptance

41,000 Enrollment

1949 Founded

42

South Korea | Daejeon

KAIST

For Physical

#26 in Asia #2 in South Korea

35% Acceptance

10,249 Enrollment

1971 Founded

43

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

Technical University of Denmark

For Physical

#4 in Europe #1 in Denmark

38% Acceptance

33,020 Enrollment

1829 Founded

44

United States | California

California Institute of Technology

For Physical

#15 in North America #14 in United States

3% Acceptance

26,133 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1891 Founded

45

United States | Texas

Texas A&M University – College Station

For Physical

#16 in North America #15 in United States

57% Acceptance

60,710 Enrollment

1275 Avg SAT

1876 Founded

46

China | Jinan

Shandong University

For Physical

#27 in Asia #18 in China

30% Acceptance

60,000 Enrollment

1901 Founded

47

Switzerland | Zurich

Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

For Physical

#5 in Europe #2 in Switzerland

8% Acceptance

23,420 Enrollment

48

China | Wuhan

Wuhan University

For Physical

#28 in Asia #19 in China

19% Acceptance

60,000 Enrollment

1893 Founded

49

United States | New York State

Cornell University

For Physical

#17 in North America #16 in United States

9% Acceptance

16,128 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1865 Founded

50

China | Beijing

Beijing University of Chemical Technology

For Physical

#29 in Asia #20 in China

30% Acceptance

21,000 Enrollment

1958 Founded

51

United Kingdom | England

University of Oxford

For Physical

#6 in Europe #3 in United Kingdom

22% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1096 Founded

52

United States | Massachusetts

Harvard University

For Physical

#18 in North America #17 in United States

4% Acceptance

1,489 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1636 Founded

53

China | Chengdu

Sichuan University

For Physical

#30 in Asia #21 in China

37% Acceptance

44,200 Enrollment

1896 Founded

54

United States | Washington

University of Washington – Seattle

For Physical

#19 in North America #18 in United States

39% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1315 Avg SAT

1861 Founded

55

Japan | Fukuoka

Kyushu University

For Physical

#31 in Asia #6 in Japan

14% Acceptance

18,813 Enrollment

1911 Founded

56

China | Changsha

Hunan University

For Physical

#32 in Asia #22 in China

40% Acceptance

36,000 Enrollment

1926 Founded

57

Netherlands | Delft

Delft University of Technology

For Physical

#7 in Europe #1 in Netherlands

50% Acceptance

24,703 Enrollment

1842 Founded

58

United States | New Jersey

Princeton University

For Physical

#20 in North America #19 in United States

5% Acceptance

5,813 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1746 Founded

59

China | Shanghai

East China University of Science and Technology

For Physical

#33 in Asia #23 in China

14% Acceptance

26,000 Enrollment

1952 Founded

60

United States | Maryland

University of Maryland – College Park

For Physical

#21 in North America #20 in United States

45% Acceptance

31,133 Enrollment

1465 Avg SAT

1856 Founded

61

China | Beijing

Beijing Institute of Technology

For Physical

#34 in Asia #24 in China

29% Acceptance

27,000 Enrollment

1940 Founded

62

China | Beijing

University of Science and Technology Beijing

For Physical

#35 in Asia #25 in China

34% Acceptance

25,000 Enrollment

1952 Founded

63

France | Ile-de-France

Pierre and Marie Curie University

For Physical

#8 in Europe #1 in France

20% Acceptance

35,114 Enrollment

1150 Founded

64

United States | California

University of California – Santa Barbara

For Physical

#22 in North America #21 in United States

33% Acceptance

45,882 Enrollment

1535 Avg SAT

1921 Founded

65

Canada | Ontario

University of Waterloo

For Physical

#23 in North America #2 in Canada

54% Acceptance

16,092 Enrollment

1957 Founded

66

United States | Florida

University of Florida

For Physical

#24 in North America #22 in United States

24% Acceptance

36,573 Enrollment

1400 Avg SAT

1853 Founded

67

China | Chongqing

Chongqing University

For Physical

#36 in Asia #26 in China

30% Acceptance

47,000 Enrollment

1929 Founded

68

Japan | Sapporo

Hokkaido University

For Physical

#37 in Asia #7 in Japan

27% Acceptance

17,770 Enrollment

1918 Founded

69

United Kingdom | England

University of Manchester

For Physical

#9 in Europe #4 in United Kingdom

40% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1824 Founded

70

China | Guangzhou

Sun Yat – Sen University

For Physical

#38 in Asia #27 in China

30% Acceptance

65,638 Enrollment

1924 Founded

71

United States | California

University of California-San Diego

For Physical

#25 in North America #23 in United States

27% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1500 Avg SAT

1960 Founded

72

Australia | St Lucia

University of Queensland

For Physical

#1 in Oceania #1 in Australia

70% Acceptance

48,771 Enrollment

1909 Founded

73

Canada | Alberta

University of Alberta

For Physical

#26 in North America #3 in Canada

53% Acceptance

31,185 Enrollment

1908 Founded

74

Germany | Bavaria

Technical University of Munich

For Physical

#10 in Europe #1 in Germany

46% Acceptance

44,000 Enrollment

1868 Founded

75

China | Xiamen

Xiamen University

For Physical

#39 in Asia #28 in China

36% Acceptance

40,302 Enrollment

1921 Founded

76

China | Wuhan

Wuhan University of Technology

For Physical

#40 in Asia #29 in China

60% Acceptance

540,000 Enrollment

1946 Founded

77

Taiwan | Taipei

National Taiwan University

For Physical

#41 in Asia #1 in Taiwan

34% Acceptance

33,882 Enrollment

1945 Founded

78

China | Shanghai

Tongji University

For Physical

#42 in Asia #30 in China

29% Acceptance

37,000 Enrollment

1907 Founded

79

China | Hong Kong

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

For Physical

#43 in Asia #31 in China

34% Acceptance

34,156 Enrollment

1991 Founded

80

Brazil | Sao Paulo

University of Sao Paulo

For Physical

#1 in Latin America #1 in Brazil

9% Acceptance

97,964 Enrollment

1827 Founded

81

United States | North Carolina

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

For Physical

#27 in North America #24 in United States

42% Acceptance

28,422 Enrollment

1385 Avg SAT

1887 Founded

82

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

For Physical

#11 in Europe #2 in Germany

26% Acceptance

23,321 Enrollment

2009 Founded

83

United States | Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

For Physical

#28 in North America #25 in United States

5% Acceptance

1,947 Enrollment

1540 Avg SAT

1740 Founded

84

United States | Ohio

Ohio State University

For Physical

#29 in North America #26 in United States

61% Acceptance

10,603 Enrollment

1395 Avg SAT

1870 Founded

85

China | Suzhou, Jiangsu

Soochow University

For Physical

#44 in Asia #32 in China

30% Acceptance

48,901 Enrollment

1899 Founded

86

Belgium | Leuven

Catholic University of Leuven

For Physical

#12 in Europe #1 in Belgium

33% Acceptance

62,693 Enrollment

1425 Founded

87

Japan | Nagoya

Nagoya University

For Physical

#45 in Asia #8 in Japan

14% Acceptance

15,959 Enrollment

1939 Founded

88

Australia | Sydney

University of New South Wales

For Physical

#2 in Oceania #2 in Australia

60% Acceptance

63,864 Enrollment

1949 Founded

89

South Korea | Seoul

Hanyang University

For Physical

#46 in Asia #3 in South Korea

45% Acceptance

35,000 Enrollment

1939 Founded

90

Sweden | Gothenburg

Chalmers University of Technology

For Physical

#13 in Europe #1 in Sweden

79% Acceptance

10,773 Enrollment

1829 Founded

91

United States | Arizona

Arizona State University – Tempe

For Physical

#30 in North America #27 in United States

90% Acceptance

38,313 Enrollment

970 Avg SAT

1885 Founded

92

Canada | British Columbia

University of British Columbia

For Physical

#31 in North America #4 in Canada

52% Acceptance

71,201 Enrollment

1908 Founded

93

United States | Utah

University of Utah

For Physical

#32 in North America #28 in United States

86% Acceptance

47,335 Enrollment

1285 Avg SAT

1850 Founded

94

China | Nanjing

Southeast University

For Physical

#47 in Asia #33 in China

20% Acceptance

30,664 Enrollment

1902 Founded

95

Sweden | Stockholm

KTH Royal Institute of Technology

For Physical

#14 in Europe #2 in Sweden

41% Acceptance

14,278 Enrollment

1827 Founded

96

Sweden | Lund

Lund University

For Physical

#15 in Europe #3 in Sweden

58% Acceptance

40,000 Enrollment

1666 Founded

97

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

RWTH Aachen University

For Physical

#16 in Europe #3 in Germany

35% Acceptance

47,521 Enrollment

1870 Founded

98

Sweden | Uppsala

Uppsala University

For Physical

#17 in Europe #4 in Sweden

69% Acceptance

40,000 Enrollment

1477 Founded

99

China | Nanjing

Nanjing Tech University

For Physical

#48 in Asia #34 in China

43% Acceptance

30,000 Enrollment

1958 Founded

100

United States | California

University of California – Davis

For Physical

#33 in North America #29 in United States

42% Acceptance

25,685 Enrollment

1545 Avg SAT

1905 Founded

100 Best Universities in the World for Physical

Academic Filters

Academic Filters

Join our global network