University of Leicester Ranking

For Indian students aspiring to study abroad, university rankings serve as a crucial benchmark for evaluating academic excellence and global reputation. These rankings offer insights into a university's research output, teaching quality, international outlook, and overall standing in the global academic landscape. Understanding a university's position in trusted global rankings can significantly inform your decision-making process, ensuring you choose an institution that aligns with your academic aspirations and career goals.

This page aims to provide a clear, comprehensive overview of the University of Leicester's latest global and subject-level rankings from the most respected international agencies. We will present verified data from the QS World University Rankings 2026, Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), and U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities, allowing you to thoroughly assess the University of Leicester's academic quality and reputation on a global scale.

QS World University Ranking 2026 – University of Leicester

The QS World University Rankings are among the most widely recognized and influential global university rankings, particularly popular among students in India. QS assesses universities based on indicators like academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio. For Indian students, a strong QS ranking indicates a university's global recognition, which can be beneficial for career prospects and further academic pursuits worldwide. Understanding the University of Leicester's performance in this ranking offers a direct insight into its standing in the international academic community for the upcoming year.

Current QS Global Rank (2026) – University of Leicester

The University of Leicester holds a position within the top 350 universities globally, according to the QS World University Rankings for 2026. This placement suggests a consistent presence among leading international institutions, reflecting its commitment to academic excellence and research impact. For Indian students, this rank signifies that the University of Leicester is a recognized and reputable institution on the world stage, offering a globally competitive education and a diverse international environment.

QS Ranking Trend (Last 5 Years) – University of Leicester

Analyzing the QS ranking trend for the University of Leicester over the past five years indicates a fluctuating but generally stable position within the top 350. While there has been some movement, the university has maintained its standing within a competitive global landscape. This trend suggests that the University of Leicester consistently demonstrates its strengths across the various QS indicators, offering a reliable academic environment for international students.

QS Subject Rankings 2026 – University of Leicester

Beyond overall institutional performance, subject-specific rankings are crucial for Indian students, as they highlight a university's strengths in particular academic disciplines. These rankings help in identifying programs where the University of Leicester excels, allowing you to choose a course with a strong global reputation in your chosen field of study. Focusing on subject rankings ensures that the department you join is recognized for its teaching, research, and graduate employability in that specific area.

2026 Subject-wise QS Ranks – University of Leicester

Note: 2026 QS Subject Rankings data is not fully released; the latest available (2025) data is presented where 2026 is unavailable.

The University of Leicester demonstrates notable strengths across various disciplines, particularly in Communication & Media Studies, which ranks within the top 150 globally. Its Medicine program also shows a strong international standing, positioned within the top 200. These specific subject ranks underscore the university's focused excellence in these areas, indicating high-quality programs and research opportunities for students pursuing these fields.

Times Higher Education (THE) Ranking 2026 – University of Leicester

The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings are another highly regarded global benchmark, known for their rigorous methodology that emphasizes teaching, research, citations, international outlook, and industry income. For Indian students, THE rankings provide a different perspective on a university's strengths, particularly in research influence and its ability to attract international talent. A strong performance in THE rankings signifies a university's robust academic environment and global connectivity.

THE Global Rank for 2026 – University of Leicester

Note: 2026 THE World University Rankings data is not yet released; the latest available (2025) data is presented.

The University of Leicester is ranked 191st globally by Times Higher Education for 2025, placing it firmly within the top 200 universities worldwide. This is a commendable achievement, highlighting the university's significant contributions to teaching, research, and international collaboration. Such a strong global rank suggests that students at the University of Leicester benefit from a high-quality academic experience and are part of a thriving research community.

5-Year THE Global Ranking Trend (2022–2026) – University of Leicester

Note: 2026 THE World University Rankings data is not yet released. The trend reflects up to the 2025 ranking.

The University of Leicester has shown some fluctuations in its THE global ranking over the past five years but has generally maintained a position within the top 200-250. The rise to 191st in 2025 after a dip in 2024 indicates a positive trajectory and continuous efforts to enhance its performance across THE's key indicators. This suggests a resilient and improving academic environment for prospective students.

THE Subject Rankings 2026 – University of Leicester

Just as with QS, Times Higher Education also publishes subject-specific rankings that provide a deeper dive into a university's excellence in particular fields. These rankings are incredibly valuable for Indian students looking to specialize, as they validate the quality of teaching and research within their chosen discipline at the University of Leicester.

University of Leicester 2026 Subject Ranks (available disciplines only)

Note: 2026 THE Subject Rankings data is not fully released; the latest available (2025) data is presented where 2026 is unavailable.

The University of Leicester demonstrates significant strength in Clinical & Health subjects, ranking impressively within the top 125 globally. Strong performances in Arts & Humanities and Life Sciences also highlight the university's diverse academic strengths. These subject-specific acknowledgments affirm the University of Leicester's capacity to deliver high-quality education and research in a broad range of disciplines, offering specialized pathways for Indian students.

Other Global Rankings 2026 (ARWU, U.S. News) – University of Leicester

Beyond QS and THE, other esteemed global ranking systems provide additional perspectives on a university's international standing. The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai Ranking, primarily focuses on research output and the number of Nobel laureates and Fields Medalists associated with the institution. U.S. News & World Report's Best Global Universities rankings emphasize research performance, global and regional reputation, and academic publications. For Indian students, considering these diverse rankings offers a more holistic view of the University of Leicester's global academic footprint.

Latest Global Rank from ARWU and U.S. News – University of Leicester

Note: 2026 ARWU and U.S. News data are not yet released; the latest available data is presented.

5-Year ARWU Global Ranking Trend (2022–2026) – University of Leicester

5-Year U.S. News Global Ranking Trend (2022–2026) – University of Leicester

The University of Leicester consistently places within the top 400 in the rigorous ARWU ranking, indicating a strong research profile and academic quality. Its performance in the U.S. News & World Report rankings shows a remarkable upward trend, breaking into the top 200 and reaching 166th globally in 2025. This consistent recognition across different methodologies underscores the University of Leicester's standing as a respected global institution. The upward trend in the U.S. News ranking is particularly encouraging, reflecting improvements in various research-related indicators.

Ranking Methodology Snapshot

Understanding the methodology behind these global rankings helps Indian students appreciate what each ranking prioritizes and how a university's performance is assessed.

• QS World University Rankings: QS emphasizes a balance of academic standing, research impact, and internationalization. Key indicators include:
• Academic Reputation (40%): Based on a global survey of academics.
• Employer Reputation (10%): Based on a global survey of employers.
• Faculty/Student Ratio (20%): Measures teaching commitment.
• Citations per Faculty (20%): Reflects research impact.
• International Faculty Ratio (5%): Proportion of international faculty members.
• International Student Ratio (5%): Proportion of international students.
• Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings: THE focuses more heavily on research, teaching, and knowledge transfer. Key indicators include:
• Teaching (Learning Environment) (29.5%): Based on reputation, staff-to-student ratio, doctorate-to-bachelor ratio, and institutional income.
• Research (Volume, Income, Reputation) (29%): Based on reputation survey, research income, and research productivity.
• Citations (Research Influence) (30%): Measures the number of times a university's published research is cited by scholars globally.
• International Outlook (Staff, Students, Research) (7.5%): Proportion of international staff and students, and international collaboration on research papers.
• Industry Income (Knowledge Transfer) (4%): Research income from industry.
• Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU/Shanghai Ranking): This ranking is heavily research-centric, focusing on highly cited researchers and publications. Key indicators include:
• Alumni winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals (10%)
• Staff winning Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals (20%)
• Highly Cited Researchers (20%)
• Articles published in Nature and Science (20%)
• Articles indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded and Social Science Citation Index (20%)
• Per capita academic performance (10%)
• U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities: This ranking uses a methodology that prioritizes research reputation and output. Key indicators include:
• Global Research Reputation (12.5%)
• Regional Research Reputation (12.5%)
• Publications (10%)
• Books (2.5%)
• Conferences (2.5%)
• Normalized Citation Impact (10%)
• Total Citations (10%)
• Number of Publications that are among the 10% most cited (12.5%)
• Percentage of total publications that are among the 10% most cited (10%)
• International Collaboration (10%)
• Number of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited in their respective fields (5%)
• Percentage of total publications that are among the top 1% most cited in their respective fields (5%)