Seoul, Tokyo and London top QS Best Student Cities 2027
QS Best Student Cities 2027 is live, with Seoul retaining first place, Tokyo second and London third as Asia Pacific cities gain ground across the ranking.
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The QS Best Student Cities 2027 results are live, and this year’s story is the strengthening of the Asia Pacific as a top destination for students. Seoul retains first place, Tokyo ranks second and London remains third, giving East Asia the top two positions.
Seoul stays first
Seoul ranks first for the second year in a row, supported by its top rank in the World University Ranking sub-indicator and a very strong Employer Activity position. Tokyo ranks second overall, first for Employer Activity and fourth for Desirability, reinforcing the strength of Asian cities at the top of the table.
London remains Europe’s leading student city in third place, but does not improve its rank this year.
The global picture is disrupted
Europe remains highly competitive at the top, with London, Munich, Paris, Berlin, Vienna and Zurich all in the global top 10. But some European cities have shifted down the table, including Lyon, Graz and Montpellier.
North America also shows mixed results. Boston ranks 18th, Toronto 22nd, New York joint 23rd and Los Angeles 42nd, but affordability remains a challenge across the US and ‘Big Four’. In the Middle East, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi both rise eight places, while Dubai, Sharjah and Doha form a small but improving cluster of ranked destinations.
Asia Pacific’s rise is not limited to the top two
The region’s momentum extends well beyond Seoul and Tokyo. Melbourne ranks fourth, Sydney joint fifth, Singapore 11th, Beijing 12th, Taipei 14th, Kuala Lumpur 15th, Kyoto 16th and Hong Kong 17th. This gives Asia Pacific the strongest regional presence in the top 20.
China’s student cities are moving fast
China’s performance is on a clear upward trajectory. Beijing ranks 12th overall and is China’s highest-ranked student city. Shanghai ranks 21st after improving by 25 places over two years, while Nanjing rises 10 places year-on-year to 59th and Guangzhou climbs 24 places year-on-year to joint 95th.