QS World University Rankings 2023: What do students think?

The QS World University Rankings 2023 feature over 1,400 universities from around the globe. Institutions are assessed on their performance across six indicators including academic and employer reputation, faculty/student ratio and research citations, to help you make the right decision for your education.  

We spoke to our QS Student Ambassadors to find out what it’s like to study at six of the institutions featured in this year’s rankings.  

King’s College London, UK: 37th  

Ranked in 37th place in the QS World University Rankings 2023, King’s College London has a high score of 100 in the international student ratio category. Mari Takatsuki is an international relations student from Japan. She chose to study abroad at King’s College London due to its global reputation as a diverse, cultural and political hub.   

Mari said: “People come to London from all over the world, which exposes me to culturally diverse communities. I got to understand the different ways of living, different attitudes and the way people spend time with each other in different cultures. 

“I love discussing the topics covered on my course with my friends. I can broaden my horizon in topics I’ve rarely paid attention to before like immigration and racism. Through my lectures and seminars, professors and classmates have given me various viewpoints to consider.” 

Outside the classroom, Mari has engaged in many opportunities to make the most of her student experience. She said: “I am a Student Communications Ambassador, writing stories about my experiences and my studies. I wrote an article discovering the LGBTQ+ figures in different wars.  

“I’m also a Japanese Speaking Volunteer Partner, which means I speak with other students at King’s College to help them enhance their Japanese language.” 

Discover studying at King’s College London 

The University of Auckland, New Zealand: 87th  

Ranking in 87th place in the QS World University Rankings 2023 is The University of Auckland, with its highest indicator scores in International Students and Faculty Ratios, and Academic and Employer Reputation.  

Michael Fray is an engineering student from, and studying in, New Zealand. For Michael, The University of Auckland was a straightforward decision. He said: “It’s New Zealand's biggest university, so the diversity within it brings so many opportunities.  

“The range of passions and backgrounds means that there are so many interesting people to meet, and initiatives to get involved with like student clubs and events. 

“Due to its rankings, size, reputation in the media, and the times I heard it mentioned in conversations, I felt that a degree from the University of Auckland would be well-regarded and high-quality. I am confident that my degree will open up great opportunities for me.”   

Discover life as a student at The University of Auckland

Trinity College Dublin, Ireland: 98th 

Trinity College Dublin ranks 98th in the QS World University Rankings 2023, with its highest indicator scores in International Faculty Ratio and Employment Outcomes (although this indicator is not weighted in their overall score.)  

A good score in Employment Outcomes could indicate a high percentage of graduates in employment after their studies, strong partnerships with global employers or effective careers support.  

Rory Chinn is a history and political science student at Trinity College Dublin and chose the institution for its urban and historical campus and academic reputation. He said: “Dublin offers an exciting social scene that’s steeped in history. Studying at a campus that’s right in the middle of Ireland’s metropolitan and innovative capital means we have ample opportunities to learn and succeed. 

“I’ve been able to get involved in projects and initiatives like the Washington Ireland Program (WIP) which gave me a taste of policymaking, with support from the Irish and American governments. I’ve also had the privilege of participating in the Forum Program at the Europa Hotel in Belfast discussing future policies for peace in Northern Ireland.”  

Find out what it’s like to study at Trinity College Dublin. 

University of Warsaw, Poland: =284th  

Adithyan Nair, from Bahrain, chose to study at the University of Warsaw for two reasons. “Firstly, the history of the university fascinated me. Professors struggled but successfully maintained a high quality of teaching during both world wars and even conducted lessons in tunnels to avoid interference. 

“Secondly, Poland is more affordable than most Western European countries and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in Europe. There’s a growing number of multinational companies establishing their offices in Warsaw, so the job market in Warsaw and Poland overall is expanding.”  

Ranked joint 284th in the QS World University Rankings 2023, the University of Warsaw is the highest-ranking university in Poland. Adithyan’s experience as an international relations student at the university has felt particularly multicultural.  

He said: “I love the ratio of international students in my faculty. I’ve had the opportunity to meet people from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China, Ukraine, Vietnam, Ecuador, Turkey, Nigeria, Lesotho, the United States and the United Kingdom. Interacting with students from different countries has allowed me to gain insight into different cultures.” 

Discover the courses available at the University of Warsaw. 

University of Lincoln, UK: 801-1000 

At the University of Lincoln, computer science student Irtiza is recommending her institution to anyone interested in studying technology. She said: “The University of Lincoln was an affordable option for me, compared to the other universities I looked at. It has a great reputation for computer science and has partnerships with companies like Microsoft and Cisco, so there are lots of opportunities for graduate jobs.       

“My favourite thing about the University of Lincoln is that they teach us how to do farming through robotics, which is really interesting, and I think very few universities are doing that in the UK.” 

What is Lincoln like as a city? Irtiza, who is from Pakistan, said: “My campus is near to the river and located in the centre of Lincoln. There’s lots going on and it’s easy to access everything you could need, so finding a part-time job is easy. There is a building on campus called Engine Shed which hosts some of the biggest events in Lincoln, so there’s always something for students to do.” 

Outside of the city, the university careers service helped Irtiza to find a number of internships during her studies. She even travelled to Fiji and Rome for internships.  

Discover courses at the University of Lincoln 

Sumy State University, Ukraine: 801-1000   

Viktoriia Vnuchkova is a philosophy student at Sumy State University, which ranks 801-1000 in the QS World University Rankings 2023. Studying during conflict, Viktoriia is managing to continue her education and make progress towards her career. 

She said: “I recommend my university to other students because the teachers are very polite, highly qualified and always try to help us. I feel like every teacher loves their work and tries to create engaging, learning using modern teaching methods.  

“Every month the teachers organise different masterclasses and invite interesting people from abroad who share their experiences and give useful tips. I even got to speak at one of these events and share my experiences with others.  

“My favorite thing about university is the wide range of activities you can do in your free time. There’s football, volleyball, skiing, basketball, darts, rugby, rock climbing, and badminton. That’s just the sport. There are movie nights and student clubs to get involved in too.”