Top University in Malaysia | 2026 QS World Ranking
🏆 2026 QS World University Rankings: Malaysian Universities
| Rank | University |
|---|---|
| =58 | Universiti Malaya (UM) |
| =126 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) |
| =134 | Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) |
| =134 | Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) |
| =153 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) |
| =251 | Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) |
| =253 | Taylor's University |
| =269 | UCSI University |
| =410 | Sunway University |
| =491 | Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) |
| =509 | INTI International University |
| =542 | Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) |
| =551 | Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) |
| =597 | Asia Pacific University (APU) |
| =597 | Management and Science University (MSU) |
| =609 | Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) |
| =613 | International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) |
| =638 | Lincoln University College |
| 731–740 | SEGi University |
| 791–800 | Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) |
| 801–850 | Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) |
| 851–900 | Multimedia University (MMU) |
| 851–900 | Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) |
| 951–1000 | University of Cyberjaya |
| 1001–1200 | Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) |
| 1001–1200 | Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) |
| 1001–1200 | Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) |
| 1001–1200 | Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) |
| 1201–1400 | Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) |
| 1201–1400 | Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) |
1. Ranking Trends & Highlights
In recent years, Malaysia's higher education reputation has soared. In the 2026 QS rankings, over 30 local universities are listed. Universiti Malaya (UM) leads at 58th globally, with an academic reputation score of 92.3, among Asia's best.
2. Top 10 University Analysis
Public Universities
- UM, UKM, UPM, USM, UTM all in global Top 200–500
- Strong in engineering, agriculture, biosciences, social sciences, international collaboration
- Excellent graduate employability and research output
Private Universities
- Taylor's, UCSI, Sunway: strong in internationalization, industry links
- Outstanding in hospitality, business, media
- Rapid growth, high international student ratio
3. Private University Performance
Research & Employability
- UTP: citation score 95, strong research output
- APU: QS 5-star, excellent teaching and employability
Private Sector Expansion
- INTI, MSU, Lincoln, SEGi, Cyberjaya: continuous improvement
- Diverse, internationally accredited, English-medium environment attracts local and international students
4. University Selection Advice
Goal/Need
- Top 100/graduate/public sector: UM, UKM, UPM, USM, UTM
- English-medium/employability: Taylor's, UCSI, Sunway, APU
- Engineering/Tech/Oil: UTP, UTM, UniMAP, UMPSA
- Media/Business/Management: Taylor's, Sunway, UCSI, INTI, MSU
- Budget public: UiTM, UUM, UMK, UPSI, UNIMAS
5. The Meaning of Rankings
What do Malaysian university rankings mean?
- Rising faculty research and international collaboration
- Improved graduate employability, matching global industry trends
- Private institutions increasingly internationalized
- For international students: globally recognized degrees + affordable cost + multilingual environment
Jul 17,2025