Brunel University London has risen to 38th in the United Kingdom and 342nd in the world in the 2025 QS World University Rankings – a new record high placing in the table.
In these latest yearly rankings, Brunel rose by one place in the world, following on from last year’s remarkable 69-place leap, and by two places in the UK.
One of three major league tables in the academic calendar, the QS rankings compare an increasing number of institutions each year: now more than 1,500 across 106 locations, making Brunel’s rise all the more impressive.
Brunel is now ranked more highly than 77.2% of other institutions, a big increase from the figure of 63.1% back in 2017, meaning that the University now sits comfortably in the top quarter of universities worldwide.
Among the 90 UK universities, Brunel is in the top 10 when it comes to the number of international students compares with those from the UK. It is also 11th for the proportion of teaching and research staff from overseas.
Published by British marketing company Quacquarelli Symonds, the QS ranks institutions on research, employment, learning, sustainability and ‘global engagement’, which looks at ratios of international students, staff and collaboration. Brunel’s most significant category improvement is in sustainability, for which it rose 21 places among universities worldwide.
Find a full breakdown here of how Brunel fared in each QS category.
Because it is the only international ranking that has International Ranking Expert Group (IREG) approval, the QS is viewed as one of the most widely read university league tables. Indeed, it is the table potential students, academics and employers overseas look to most.
The good news follows on from last month’s remarkable rise in the Complete University Guide, another of the major league tables. Brunel was spotlighted as among the nation’s 10 ‘major climbers’, having risen 16 places to 79th out of 130 in the UK.
Reported by:
Joe Buchanunn,
Media Relations
+44 (0)1895 268821
joe.buchanunn@brunel.ac.uk