Which universities are ranked top worldwide for physics and astronomy in QS 2026 if I want to study it?
12 Oct 2026 · Answered by Abhishek Mehta · 1 min read
Quick Answer
verified
According to QS 2026, MIT ranks #1 for physics and astronomy, followed by Harvard University at #2, the University of Oxford at #3, Stanford University at #4, and the University of Cambridge at #5. Caltech, Tokyo, ETH Zurich and Princeton complete the top 10 here.
According to the QS 2026 subject ranking, MIT is first for physics and astronomy, followed by Harvard and Oxford. The table lists the top 10 so you can shortlist quickly.
QS Physics and Astronomy Top 10 (2026)
| Rank | University |
|---|---|
| #1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) |
| #2 | Harvard University |
| #3 | University of Oxford |
| #4 | Stanford University |
| #5 | University of Cambridge |
| #6 | University of California, Berkeley |
| #7 | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) |
| #8 | University of Tokyo |
| #9 | ETH Zurich |
| #10 | Princeton University |
Other Ranking Views
- The QS list continues to the top 20, including NUS, Imperial College London, Tsinghua, NTU, UCLA, Chicago, Cornell and the Institute of Science Tokyo.
- Times Higher Education also ranks the Physical Sciences subject for 2026, where Caltech is first, with Harvard and Stanford tied at second.
- Different ranking bodies use different methods, so positions can vary.
My Advice
Use these rankings to build a shortlist, then look at faculty research areas, lab access and funding for your own interest. Check the latest QS release for any changes.
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