QS Best Student Cities Ranking

To be considered for inclusion:

• Each city must have a population of over 250,000
• Be home to at least two universities featured in the most recent QS World University Rankings
• In a location marked as insignificant to medium, based on International SOS index

For population metrics, the metropolitan area is used where possible. We use this threshold as a way of roughly comparing like with like. What constitutes a city in a small country is very different to a large country, but in using this, we attempt to keep the ethos of the concept of 'city'.

Desirability

This lens aims to reflect the overall desirability of each destination.

While students may be seeking exciting cities rich in opportunity, they are also likely to be concerned about factors related to safety and the environment.

Affordability

This lens recognizes the importance of affordability for most prospective students and their families.

It draws on a range of sources to give an indication of how affordable a city is likely to be, when tuition fees and general living expenses are considered.

Student Mix

This lens is designed to look at the student make-up of the city, both overall and from an international perspective.

Cities with higher proportions of students are likely to be better equipped with the facilities students need.

Employer Activity

This lens aims to provide an indication of which cities are most highly sought-after as recruiting grounds among graduate employers.

Two of the indicators considered are based on QS’s Employer Survey.

University Rankings

This lens aims to reflect the collective performance of a city’s universities in the QS World University Rankings.

The indicators reflect the magnetism of the large numbers of universities found in large cities, as well as lending recognition to the locations of the world’s elite institutions.

Student Voice

This lens is based on the views expressed through QS’s annual International Student Survey.

The Survey provides students with an opportunity to share their experience of studying in a particular city.

Desirability

Climate Score

This indicator is based on the Climate Index within Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index. High scoring cities typically have moderate temperatures, low humidity, and no extreme weather conditions.

Corruption Score

This indicator is based on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index provides insight into the presence of corruption in the public sector by country.

GaWC+ Score

This indicator is based on the World Cities score from the University of Loughborough’s Globalization and World Cities (GaWC) data, which provides analysis about inter-city relations and global urban connectivity.

Healthcare Score

This indicator is based on the Health Care Index within Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index. It estimates the overall quality of a healthcare system by evaluating key factors such as medical professionals, equipment, staff, doctors, and costs.

Pollution Score

This indicator is based on the Pollution Index within Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index. It looks at air and water pollution, waste disposal, noise and light pollution, and the availability of green spaces.

Safety Score

This indicator is based on the Safety index within Numbeo’s Quality of Life Index and augmented by data from the personal safety indicator of the Social Progress Index (country level), and The Economist’s Safe Cities Index.

Student Desirability

This indicator is based on a student survey where respondents were asked to identify their ‘dream student city’ – the city they would choose if they could study anywhere.

Traffic Score

This indicator is based on the Traffic Index within Numbeo’s Traffic Commute Time Index. It looks at traffic conditions in cities including factors such as commute time, dissatisfaction with time spent in traffic, CO2 emissions, and overall traffic system inefficiencies.

Affordability

Big Mac Score

This indicator is based on the Economist’s price index of the same name, which measures purchasing power parity between currencies by comparing the price of a McDonald’s Big Mac in different locations.

Cost Of Living Score

This indicator is based on Numbeo’s Cost of Living Index, which looks at factors such as the costs of rent, groceries, and restaurants, as well as spending power in each location.

Tuition Fees Score

This indicator looks at the tuition fees a student can expect to pay in each of the ranked locations.

Student Mix

International Student Ratio

The total number of international students as a proportion of all students studying at ranked institutions in the city.

International Student Volume

The total number of international students enrolled at ranked institutions.

Student Population Ratio

The number of students at ranked institutions as a proportion of the city’s population.

Tolerance and Inclusion Score

An indicator based on the AlTi Global Social Progress Index, which tracks indicators by location on a variety of aspects, including tolerance and inclusion.

Employer Activity

Domestic Employer Score

An indicator based on the number of domestic employers who identified at least one institution in the city as producing excellent graduates, in QS’s Employer Survey.

International Employer Score

An indicator based on the weighted count of international employers who identified at least one institution in the city as producing excellent graduates, in QS’s Employer Survey.

Youth Employment Bonus

An indicator based on the World Bank figures for youth employment in a location. The top and bottom quartile receive a 5% boost or handicap, while the top and bottom 5% of countries for youth employment receive a 10% adjustment.

University Rankings

Indexed Score

This indicator considers the collective performance of all institutions in the city. Points are awarded for each institution depending on which ranking range they fall into.

Institution Count Score

This indicator is based on a straight count of the number of ranked institutions in the city.

Top Score

This indicator is based on the position of the highest-ranked institution in the city.

Student Voice

Staying After Grad Score

This indicator looks at the proportion of students that either stayed or said they would like to stay in their student city for at least a year after graduation.

This reflects students’ perceptions of the availability and quality of employment prospects, as well as providing a reflecting on their experience of the city overall.

This score is also adjusted for the level of international response.

Student Experience Score

This score is based on students’ ratings of their city in nine categories:

(i) Tolerance and inclusion, (ii) diversity, (iii) friendliness, (iv) ease of getting around, (v) affordability, (vi) nightlife, (vii)employment opportunities, (viii) arts and culture, and (ix) sustainability.

The score is adjusted based on the proportion of international response.