Rankings: The 5 best universities in Croatia for 2027
5 universities in Croatia 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 |  University of ZagrebZagreb | 721 | 1,201 | 601 |
| 2 |  Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of OsijekOsijek | 1,201 | – | – |
| 3 |  University of RijekaRijeka | 1,201 | 1,601 | – |
| 4 |  University of SplitSplit | 1,201 | 1,401 | – |
| 5 |  University of ZadarZadar | – | 1,801 | – |
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 Croatia on content, fees and entry requirements as well.
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