Finding the right university is the most important part of a student’s graduate and post-grad life. When students decide on a university, apart from finding the right fit in terms of course and education, they also take many other factors into consideration – from safety to standard of living to social life.
Here’s a quick look at the best cities around the world for international students, and the essential criteria that make a city achieve top ranks.
Table of contents:
- QS Best Student Cities 2022
- Best cities for international students to live in 2022 – the summary
London once again tops this year’s QS best student cities ranking with a score of 100. This city has been the favourite one amongst the students for many years and is also home to many famous universities like Imperial College London, UCL (University College London), and King’s College London.
The German city of Munich comes in 2nd position and South Korea’s capital city Seoul comes in the third position.
Rank |
City |
Score |
1 |
London
United Kingdom |
100 |
2 |
Munich
Germany |
97.4 |
3 |
Seoul
South Korea |
96.1 |
4 |
Tokyo
Japan |
96.1 |
5 |
Berlin
Germany |
95.9 |
6 |
Melbourne
Australia |
95.5 |
7 |
Zurich
Switzerland |
94.9 |
8 |
Sydney
Australia |
94.3 |
9 |
Boston
United States |
92.1 |
5 |
Montreal
Canada |
92.1 |
The QS Best Student Cities ranking presents the best urban destinations for international students; this ranking is based on many indicators, which are basically grouped into five key categories such as student mix, inclusivity, desirability, employer activity, affordability and student perspectives.
- London can be considered the centre of excellence when it comes to education. London has everything from the best-in-class universities to cuisines from around the world and the high street shops that you would want to shop in. London provides the kind of education that is considered the best and valued world-wide.
London is a vibrant city and home to some of the most famous cultural attractions. It is a city where you will never run out of things to do as you have many items to explore. Nightlife is one of the most attractive factors about London as you will be able to find a lot of affordable cocktail bars, clubs and live music cafes.Top universities in London:
- University College London
- University of London
- Queen Mary University of London
- Birkbeck, University of London
- Munich. Who wouldn’t want to study in the “top economic hub in the world “? From safety to a strong startup community Munich has everything you are looking for. Munich was awarded second place in the 20 greatest cities to live in. Munich is like the hub of international students, with more than 15,000 international students being enrolled across all the higher education institutions. Munich is also home to some of the top universities like Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Technische Universität München, Munich University of Applied Sciences and University of Passau.
- Seoul, South Korea. The academic environment in Korea is highly competitive; the country is considered the hub of innovation and technological advancement. South Korea is Asia’s fourth-largest economy and indeed a bastion of innovation. The education system of South Korea is recognised world-wide, and it is held in high esteem. There are many top-class universities in South Korea, most of them in Seoul.Another factor that attracts students to this city is the affordable tuition fees and living costs. Unlike cities like the USA, UK, Japan or France, the tuition expenses in South Korea, especially Seoul, is really affordable.The other reason to consider Seoul can be Food and social life; the country is definitely a paradise for food lovers, your days in Seoul will make you fall in love with the authentic and delicious Korean cuisine.Top universities in Seoul :
- Seoul National University
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
- Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU)
- Yonsei University (Seoul campus)
- Tokyo is the home of more than 20 national and public universities and 130 private universities. The city is considered the hub of possibilities with the kind of education it offers and is known for its unique and welcoming culture. Tokyo is also well known for its safety. Close to three million people call Tokyo home, and still, it remains one of the world’ safest significant metropolises. Tokyo is also a city that is admired for its state of the art technology; from robots to smart cities, Tokyo is known for many technological innovations.Top universities in Tokyo:
- University of Tokyo
- Waseda University
- Keio University
- Tokyo University of Science
- Berlin – Germany’s capital city, Berlin, is one of the fastest-growing cities in Germany and the driving force behind the financial growth. Universities in Berlin offer high-quality education and exposure to students in a global setting. The city has five major public universities and more than 20 private universities and colleges. Berlin also has a vibrant social life, making the students fall in love with the city. It is also effortless to find a student residence close to the university and meet people around the world and with different cultures.Top universities in Berlin:
- Freie Universitat Berlin
- Berlin School of Economics and Law
- Humboldt University of Berlin
- Berlin University of the Arts
On our blog you will also find the article about top universities abroad.