11 Turkish Universities Enter the "Top 500" List in the 2026 QS World University Rankings
Turkish universities continue to strengthen their international standing, achieving a qualitative leap in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. According to the announced results, 11 Turkish universities successfully secured positions among the top 500 universities globally across various academic fields.
This ranking, published by the London-based "Quacquarelli Symonds" (QS) institution, is the largest and most comprehensive to date, evaluating more than 1,900 higher education institutions from 100 different countries.
The list of universities that achieved advanced ranks in various fields includes:
Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ)
Middle East Technical University (ODTÜ/METU)
Boğaziçi University
Bilkent University
Hacettepe University
Istanbul University (İÜ)
Ankara University
Yıldız Technical University (YTÜ)
Gazi University
Achievement Details by Academic Field
The evaluation was based on five key metrics: Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, Research Citations per Paper, H-index, and International Research Network. The results were as follows:
1. Engineering and Technology (Global Leadership)
Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ) achieved an extraordinary milestone by entering the elite club of the top 100 globally, ranking 91st.
Middle East Technical University (METU): Ranked 103rd.
Boğaziçi, Koç, Sabancı, Yıldız Technical, and Bilkent: All ranked within the top 300 globally.
Hacettepe University: Secured the 364th position.
2. Social Sciences and Management
Turkish universities proved a strong presence with 9 institutions in this category:
METU led the way, ranking 173rd globally.
Followed by Boğaziçi University (217th) and Koç University (252nd).
3. Arts and Humanities
This field saw 9 Turkish universities entering the top 500:
METU ranked 242nd, followed by Istanbul University (279th), and ITU (284th).
4. Medical and Natural Sciences
In Medicine and Life Sciences: Hacettepe University led globally at 308th, followed by Ankara University and Istanbul University.
In Natural Sciences: ITU stood out at 251st, while METU ranked 300th.
Commenting on these results, the President of the Turkish Council of Higher Education (YÖK), Professor Erol Özvar, expressed his pride in this continuous progress, stating:
"Turkish higher education will continue its ascent to higher levels in global competition. We are working with diligence and strategic planning to reach even greater goals. I congratulate all our universities that contributed to this achievement."
This remarkable progress reflects the efforts made in developing scientific research and increasing international cooperation, making Turkey an increasingly preferred educational destination for international students and researchers from around the world.
