Rankings: The 10 best universities in Belgium for 2027
10 universities in Belgium appear in at least one of the three major global university rankings. The table orders them by their combined world position.
Ranking table
| # | University | QS 2027 | THE 2027 | ARWU 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  KU LeuvenLeuven | 59 | 45 | 87 |
| 2 |  Ghent UniversityGhent | 150 | 116 | 98 |
| 3 |  Université libre de BruxellesBrussels | 248 | 252 | 101 |
| 4 |  University of AntwerpAntwerp | 277 | 185 | 201 |
| 5 |  Université catholique de LouvainLouvain-la-Neuve | 196 | 205 | 201 |
| 6 |  Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)Brussels | 295 | 261 | 201 |
| 7 |  Université de LiègeLiège | 364 | 326 | 401 |
| 8 |  Hasselt UniversityHasselt | 639 | 351 | 701 |
| 9 |  University of MonsMons | 801 | 701 | – |
| 10 |  University of NamurNamur | 801 | 801 | – |
About these rankings
Each ranking uses its own method, so a university can sit in quite different positions across them. A dash (–) means the university is not included in that ranking.
- QS World University Rankings combine surveys of academics and employers with measures such as citations per faculty, staff-to-student ratio and the share of international staff and students.
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings assess teaching, the research environment, research quality, international outlook and links with industry.
- Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking) are based on research output: highly cited researchers, papers in leading journals, and Nobel Prizes and Fields Medals won by staff and alumni.
Rankings say little about the quality of a single programme. Compare the programmes in Belgium on content, fees and entry requirements as well.
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