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30. Nanyang Technological University - Singapore -

The Nanyang Technological University kicks off the list with an overall score of 81.8 t. It's a public university with a focus on research. This Singapore-based university is often considered one of the world's most beautiful. 

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29. University of Edinburgh - United Kingdom -

The University of Edinburgh scored 82.5 overall. Here students can take advantage of the Go Abroad Fund which helps students have short-term international experiences each year. 

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28. The University of Tokyo - Japan -

The University of Tokyo scored 83.3 overall and was founded in 1877. They have been recognized as recipients of multiple Nobel Prizes.

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27. Duke University - United States -

Duke University is one of the wealthiest private American universities and scored 83.4 overall. It was founded as Trinity College and was later renamed Duke University in 1924.

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26. Technical University of Munich - Germany -

The Technical University of Munich scored 83.5 overall and is considered an entreprenurially-spirited university. The heart of the university is its people.

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25. The University of Washington - United States -

The University of Washington scored 83.8 overall. In 1861, the university was founded and today it boasts a 700-acre campus. Its medical school is highly respected.

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24. Carnegie Mellon University - United States -

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) scored 85.7 overall. The university was established in 1900 and originally named the Carnegie Technical Schools until 1912. CMU encourages faculty and students to collaborate closely to address different scholarly challenges.

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23. The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor - United States -

The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor scored 87.7 overall and was founded in 1817. Here you'll find approximately 250 undergraduate majors as well as 100 doctoral and 200 masters programs.

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22. UCL - United Kingdom -

UCL in the United Kingdom scored 87.7 overall. It is located in the heart of London and is comprised of 11 faculties including arts and humanities and brain science. Over the years, 29 Nobel Prizes have been awarded to UCL students or staff.

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21. University of Toronto - Canada -

The University of Toronto (UofT) scored 88.3 overall and was founded in 1827. The university is known for innovation and research but teaching disciplines range from medicine to business and much more.

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20. Cornell University - United States -

Cornell University scored 89.2 overall. It was founded in 1865 and today is a private Ivy League university. With six locations worldwide, Cornell has a prominent global presence. 

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19.University of California, Los Angeles - United States -

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) scored 89.8 overall. UCLA encourages students to see the world and study abroad. In fact, over 2,400 do so each year.

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18. Columbia University - United States -

Columbia University scored 89.8 overall. It was founded in 1754 and over 80 faculty members, adjunct staff, and alumni who attended Columbia University have won a Nobel prize since 1901.

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17. The National University of Singapore - Singapore -

The National University of Singapore scored 89.9 overall. Considered to be the flagship university of Singapore, the university says it offers a "global approach to education...with a focus on Asian perspectives and expertise."

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16. Johns Hopkins University - United States -

Johns Hopkins University scored 90.7 overall. It was founded in 1876 and is a private research university. Johns Hopkins has a presence in more than 150 countries and over 3,000 of their students are international. 

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15. The University of Pennsylvania - United States -

The University of Pennsylvania scored 90.9 overall and was one of the nine original Colonial Colleges or institutions that were established before the US became a sovereign nation after the American Revolution.

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14. The University of Chicago - United States -

The University of Chicago scored 90.9 overall. Its large campus covers over 210 acres just south of downtown Chicago. The university also boasts satellite campuses and facilities overseas.

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13. Peking University - China -

Peking University ranks thirteenth on the list with a score of 92.0 overall. Founded in 1898, Peking University's core values are "Freedom of thought, Embrace Diversity."

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12. Tsinghua University - China -

Tsinghua University was established in 1911 and scored 92.5 overall. It is one of China's most prestigious and influential universities and is surrounded by several historical sites in northwest Beijing.

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11. ETH Zurich - Switzerland -

ETH Zurich scored 93 overall and was established in 1855. Today it is considered one of the most prestigious science and technology universities. 

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10. Yale University - United States -

Yale University scored 94.1 overall. Yale University is an Ivy League research university founded in 1701 as the Collegiate School in Saybrook, Connecticut.

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9. Imperial College London - United Kingdom -

Imperial College London scored 94.4 overall and is a science-based institution that is considered a leading UK institution. The institution has 14 Nobel Prize winners.

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8. University of California, Berkeley - United States -

University of California, Berkeley came in eighth place with a score of 94.5 overall. Berkley has won an astounding 19 Nobel prizes, most notably in physics, chemistry, and economics.

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7. California Institute of Technology - United States -

The California Institute of Technology (Caltech) scored 96.3. It's considered a world-renowned science and engineering research and education institution. The campus is in Pasadena, California, about seven miles (11 kilometers) away from downtown Los Angeles. 

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6. Stanford University - United States -

Stanford University is located less than an hour's drive from San Francisco, California, and is known for its entrepreneurial spirit. It scored  97.2 overall and boasts one of the largest campuses in the US.

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5. University of Cambridge - United Kingdom -

The University of Cambridge scored 97.4 overall and is split into 31 autonomous colleges. The university has over 100 libraries where over 15 million books are housed.

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4. Princeton University - United States -

Princeton University came in with a score of 97.5. Princeton is one of the oldest US universities. It was founded in 1746 as the College of New Jersey and in 1986 it was renamed Princeton University.

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3. Harvard University - United States -

Harvard University in the United States scored 97.7 overall. It has over 400 student organizations on campus and its world-renowned medical school is connected to 10 hospitals.

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2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology - United States -

MIT scored 98.1 and captured second place on the list. It was established in 1861, and since then, its alumni have made significant discoveries and technological advances including the first chemical synthesis of penicillin. 

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1. University of Oxford - United Kingdom -

The University of Oxford scored 98.5 overall. It is known as the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It has a whopping 44 colleges and halls and over 100 libraries.

Sources: (Times Higher Education)

See also: Ways to boost your university or college application

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