Top Architecture Schools in 2016

Included in the QS World University Rankings by Subject is a ranking of the world’s top architecture schools. If you’re looking to study architecture at university and want to find a school with a strong global reputation in the field, read on for an overview of the world’s 100 top universities for architecture, categorized by region. For the full interactive ranking table, click here.

Top architecture schools in the US & Canada 

The US has a total of 23 universities ranked among the world’s top 100 for architecture, 15 of which are in the top 50. Aside from the three featured in the top 10 (above), other US universities in the top 25 include Columbia University (12^th ), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA, 14^th),  Cornell University (20^th), and Stanford University (23^rd ).

Five of Canada’s leading universities also feature in the architecture school rankings. These are the University of British Columbia (27^th), the University of Toronto (33^rd ), McGill University (51-100) Université de Montréal (a new entry this year, 51-100) and the University of Waterloo (51-100).

Top architecture schools in Europe 

A total of 31 European institutions are ranked among the world’s top 100 for architecture, with 12 of these based in the United Kingdom. As well as three entries among the world’s top 10 universities for architecture, other UK representatives include Cardiff University (35^th ), the University of Sheffield (joint 37^th), and the University of Salford (46^th).

Outside of the UK, Germany claims four of the world’s top 100 architecture schools, led by Technische Universität München in 40^th place. Up next is Sweden, with three entrants, of which the leader is KTH, Royal Institute of Technology in 24^th place.

Four more European countries are each home to two of the world’s top universities for architecture. These include Italy, which boasts Politecnico di Milano in 15^th place, and Spain, whose Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya appears in joint 29^th place. Switzerland’s ETH Zurich ranks among the top 10 for architecture, while fellow Swiss institute Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) comes 21^st. The Netherlands offers Delft University of Technology in third place, while the Eindhoven University of Technology is joint 37^th.

Other European countries represented among the world’s 100 top universities for architecture include Belgium, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Top architecture schools in Latin America 

Over in Latin America, Brazil and Chile lead the way, each claiming two universities in the top 100 for architecture. The Universidade de São Paulo  (joint 37^th) and the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (51-100) are Brazil’s offerings. In Chile, the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC) comes in at joint 29^th and the Universidad de Chile is within the top 100.

Two more Latin American universities feature. These are Argentina’s Universidad de Buenos Aires and Mexico’s Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).

Top architecture schools in Asia 

Two Asian universities – Singapore’s National University of Singapore and China’s Tsinghua University – are ranked within the global top 10 for architecture. A further 20 Asian institutions feature in the top 100 of the architecture school rankings.

In addition to Tsinghua, five more leading architecture departments are claimed by mainland China, including Tongji University (22^nd). Hong Kong brings a total of four schools to the table, of which the highest places go to the University of Hong Kong (HKU, 11^th ) and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (16^th).

Japan may only feature two representatives in the architecture school rankings, but both of these are placed in the top 50: the University of Tokyo (13^th) and Kyoto University (42^nd).

Malaysia has four representatives in the ranking, including a new entry this year, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (51-100). South Korea also boasts four top architecture schools, with its highest entrant, Seoul National University, in 31^st place. Taiwan also makes an appearance with National Cheng Kung University (51-100).

Top architecture schools in Australia & New Zealand 

Eleven universities in Australia are featured in the architecture school rankings, led by the University of Sydney (17^th) followed very closely by the University of Melbourne (18^th), and the University of New South Wales (19^th). Also within the top 50 are RMIT University (36^th), the University of Queensland (43^rd), and the University of Newcastle (joint 47^th).

Neighboring New Zealand boasts one top architecture school, the University of Auckland, which places 44^th.

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