QS published its Asia University Rankings 2027 on 3 November 2026. The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is first for the second year, with an overall score of 100. NUS is joint sixth with 98.7 and NTU is eighth with 98.5. Both were joint third in 2026. The top 10 are separated by 1.6 points.
Asia’s top 10 universities, 2027
Overall score out of 100. Arrows show places gained or lost against the 2026 edition.
- 1
HKUThe University of Hong Kong100 Samewas 1 - 2
PekingPeking University99.8 Samewas 2 - 3 TsinghuaTsinghua University99.7 6was 9
- 4 CityUHKCity University of Hong Kong99.1 3was =7
- 5 CUHKThe Chinese University of Hong Kong98.9 2was =7
- =6 FudanFudan University98.7 1was 5
- =6
NUSNational University of Singapore98.7 3was =3 - 8 NTUNanyang Technological University98.5 5was =3
- =9 PolyUThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University98.4 1was 10
- =9 HKUSTThe Hong Kong University of Science and Technology98.4 3was 6
No 7th or 10th place because of ties at =6 and =9. First to tenth are separated by 1.6 points.
The 2027 edition ranks 1,722 universities. The same ten universities make up the top 10 as in 2026, and eight changed position. Tsinghua University rose from ninth to third. CityUHK rose from joint seventh to fourth and CUHK from joint seventh to fifth. Hong Kong now has three of the top five places, up from one.
HKU, NUS and NTU from 2020 to 2027
NUS was first in Asia in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions. HKU first finished ahead of NUS in the 2024 edition and has stayed ahead for four editions. NTU’s eighth place is its lowest in the period shown.
HKU, NUS and NTU: QS Asia rank by edition
Rank 1 at the top. NUS was first in Asia from 2020 to 2022; HKU has been ahead of NUS since the 2024 edition.
NUS’s own overall score changed little, from 99 in 2026 to 98.7 in 2027. It fell from joint third to joint sixth because Tsinghua, CityUHK and CUHK moved past it.
HKU and NUS on the 11 indicators
QS publishes a score out of 100 for each of its 11 indicators. HKU and NUS are level or close on eight of them. HKU leads on three: papers per faculty (89.7 against 74.7), staff with PhD (100 against 93.5) and faculty student ratio (97.7 against 94.9).
HKU and NUS on all 11 QS Asia indicators
Scores out of 100, ordered by weight. Highlighted rows are the three indicators where HKU leads.
Where the gap comes from
Applying QS’s published weights to the indicator scores gives HKU 99.12 and NUS 97.87, a gap of about 1.25 points. Papers per faculty accounts for about 60% of it. NUS’s small leads on citations per paper, the international research network and employer reputation reduce the gap by 0.11 points.
Where HKU’s 1.25-point lead over NUS comes from
Each bar is the difference in indicator score multiplied by the QS weight. Weighted sums: HKU 99.12, NUS 97.87.
Singapore’s universities in 2027
NUS and NTU fell, while three other Singapore universities rose. SUTD climbed from joint 169th to 88th and SMU from joint 122nd to joint 90th, so both are now in the Asia top 100. SUSS rose from joint 627th to joint 562nd. The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) is not ranked.
Singapore’s universities: 2026 rank to 2027 rank
Places gained or lost against the 2026 edition, with overall scores.
- National University of Singapore (NUS)Overall score 99 → 98.7=3=6 3
- Nanyang Technological University (NTU)Overall score 99 → 98.5=38 5
- Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)Overall score 55.8 → 74.6=16988 81
- Singapore Management University (SMU)Overall score 65.1 → 74.3=122=90 32
- Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)Overall score 25 → 30=627=562 65
Responding to Lianhe Zaobao, NUS said it remained the highest-ranked university in Singapore and Southeast Asia. NTU said different ranking methods could produce changes from year to year, Goody Feed reported.
Hong Kong’s universities in 2027
Hong Kong has five universities in the top 10, the same number as in 2026. Four of the five gained places. HKUST is the exception, falling from sixth to joint ninth. Hong Kong Baptist University is 50th, the Education University of Hong Kong 122nd, Lingnan joint 145th, Hong Kong Metropolitan University joint 337th and Hong Kong Shue Yan University joint 366th.
Hong Kong’s five top-10 universities: 2026 to 2027
Hong Kong holds three of the top five places in 2027, up from one in 2026.
- The University of Hong Kong (HKU)11 Same
- City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK)=74 3
- The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)=75 2
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)10=9 1
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)6=9 3
Non-local student places in Hong Kong and Singapore
Hong Kong raised the cap on non-local students at its publicly funded universities from 20% to 40% of local places from 2024/25, and to 50% from 2026/27. In Singapore, international students made up about 10% of undergraduates at the autonomous universities, according to MOE in 2022. The two figures are set on different bases and are not directly comparable.
Japan, mainland China, South Korea and Malaysia
The University of Tokyo is Japan’s highest-ranked university at joint 27th, down from 26th. Japan’s leading universities score 100, or 99.9 for Tohoku, on both reputation surveys. They score 20.5 to 37.1 on citations per paper, against 99.4 for HKU and 99.8 for NUS, and 53.6 to 77.9 on international faculty.
Japan’s top universities: full reputation scores, low citation scores
Scores out of 100, with HKU and NUS for comparison. Green 90 and above, amber 60 to 89, red below 60. Rank shown as 2027 (2026).
| University | Academic rep.30% | Employer rep.20% | Citations / paper10% | Intl faculty2.5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 UTokyo=27 (26) | 100 | 100 | 37.1 | 53.6 |
| Tohoku30 (29) | 99.9 | 99.9 | 21.8 | 75.1 |
| Kyoto31 (28) | 100 | 100 | 34.3 | 69.4 |
| Science Tokyo41 (33*) | 100 | 100 | 20.5 | 64.2 |
| Osaka42 (40) | 100 | 100 | 20.7 | 77.9 |
| HKU1 (1) | 100 | 99.8 | 99.4 | 100 |
| NUS=6 (=3) | 100 | 100 | 99.8 | 100 |
Mainland China has the most ranked universities, 448, according to QS. Peking is second, Tsinghua third and Fudan joint sixth. South Korea has six universities in the top 20, led by Yonsei at 11th (The Korea Herald). Universiti Malaya is joint 17th and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia joint 20th.
How QS calculates the Asia ranking
QS Asia uses 11 indicators. Two are surveys: academic reputation (30%) and employer reputation (20%), together half of the score. Research data comes from Scopus. QS Asia uses citations per paper, adds papers per faculty, staff with PhD and inbound and outbound exchange, and has no sustainability or employment outcomes indicator. The QS World ranking uses citations per faculty instead.
QS Asia and QS World indicator weights
| Indicator | QS Asia | QS World |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Reputation (survey) | 30% | 30% |
| Employer Reputation (survey) | 20% | 15% |
| Faculty Student Ratio | 10% | 10% |
| International Research Network | 10% | 5% |
| Citations per Paper | 10% | Not used |
| Citations per Faculty | Not used | 20% |
| Papers per Faculty | 5% | Not used |
| Staff with PhD | 5% | Not used |
| International Faculty | 2.5% | 5% |
| International Students | 2.5% | 5% |
| Inbound Exchange | 2.5% | Not used |
| Outbound Exchange | 2.5% | Not used |
| Employment Outcomes | Not used | 5% |
| Sustainability | Not used | 5% |
This year’s rankings are more competitive than ever, providing an important benchmarking tool …
Analysis: what the scores show
This section is SGSchoolKaki’s analysis of the published QS scores. Each point is tied to a figure in the QS table.
The top 10 are close together
HKU scores 100 and PolyU and HKUST, at joint ninth, 98.4. NUS’s score fell 0.3 points, from 99 to 98.7, and it dropped three places. NTU’s fell 0.5 points and it dropped five. Within this range, small score changes move a university several places.
Three indicators decide the order between HKU and NUS
Both universities score 100 on academic reputation, international students, international faculty and both exchange measures, which together carry 40% of the weight. Eight of the top 10 score 100 on academic reputation. Papers per faculty (5%), staff with PhD (5%) and faculty student ratio (10%) give HKU about 1.36 points, more than its whole lead.
Those indicators depend on how staff are counted
Papers per faculty divides research output by academic staff numbers. Faculty student ratio divides staff by students. Staff with PhD is a share of staff. A higher staff count raises the faculty student ratio but lowers papers per faculty. QS publishes the scores, not the underlying staff numbers, so differences in how universities count and report staff cannot be checked from the table.
NUS leads on citation impact
NUS and NTU both score 99.8 on citations per paper, against 99.4 for HKU. NUS also leads on the international research network, 99.9 against 99.6. HKU’s lead comes from output per staff member and staffing measures, not from the citation impact of each paper.
Other rankings place NUS above HKU
In the QS World University Rankings 2027, NUS is 10th and HKU 11th. In the THE World University Rankings 2027, NUS is 15th and HKU 33rd. In the THE Asia University Rankings 2026, NUS is 3rd and HKU 6th. Each table uses different indicators and weights.
For Singapore, the trend matters more than one edition
Tsinghua rose from 9th to 3rd, CityUHK from joint 7th to 4th and CUHK from joint 7th to 5th. NTU’s papers per faculty score of 68.5 is the lowest in the top 10, and NUS’s 74.7 the second lowest. HKU has finished ahead of NUS in four consecutive editions.
Policy is moving in different directions
Hong Kong has raised its non-local cap from 20% to 40% and then to 50% of local places. Singapore prioritises places for its own citizens, with international students at about 10% of undergraduates (MOE, 2022). In the QS table, HKU and NUS both already score 100 on international students, so the policy difference does not show up in that indicator.
SGSchoolKaki analysis. Weighted figures are SGSchoolKaki’s calculation from QS’s published indicator scores and weights, not QS statements.
Tuition fees in US dollars: NUS and HKU
A Singapore Citizen pays the subsidised fee at NUS, about US$6,500 a year for most courses. At HKU, a Singaporean is a non-local student and pays US$28,600 to US$31,800 a year for the 2026/27 intake, about 4.4 to 4.9 times as much. Each university charges its own citizens a similar amount: HKU’s local fee is about US$6,000.
What a Singaporean pays a year: NUS against HKU
Tuition per year, first-year intake 2026/27. A Singaporean at HKU pays the non-local fee.
HKU has published higher non-local fees for the 2027/28 intake: about US$31,900 for non-STEM courses and US$35,700 for STEM courses. Its MBBS and BDS fee for non-local students is HK$590,000, about US$75,300 a year. A Singaporean applying now for entry in 2027 would pay these rates.
NUS fees by student status
| NUS course, per year (AY2026/27) | Singapore Citizen | International, with Tuition Grant | No Tuition Grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humanities & Sciences | US$6,500 | US$16,700 | US$28,600 |
| Computing / Design & Engineering | US$6,500 | US$16,700 | US$31,000 |
| Business | US$7,600 | US$17,300 | US$26,100 |
| Medicine | US$25,900 | US$68,500 | US$148,400 |
Source: NUS Registrar fee sheet, AY2026/27 new intake. International column is for non-ASEAN students. International students who take the MOE Tuition Grant must work in Singapore for three years after graduating. Citizen fees exclude GST; international fees include 9% GST. Converted at US$1 = S$1.281, Nov 2026. Tuition only.
The NUS international fee with Tuition Grant is not a like-for-like comparison with HKU’s non-local fee, because the grant carries the three-year work bond. The ranking does not change admission rules: entry to NUS and NTU depends on A-Level or polytechnic results and each course’s Indicative Grade Profile. Families considering Hong Kong can read our guide to Hong Kong university scholarships and our overview of Singapore university fees.
QS Asia University Rankings 2027: the top 30
The table follows QS’s display, which shows 15th twice and then 16th. Overall scores were not captured for 29th and 30th. KAIST's 2026 rank could not be matched in the QS 2026 table and is shown as n/a.
| 2027 | University | System | Score | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 100 | 1 | Same |
| 2 | Peking University | Mainland China | 99.8 | 2 | Same |
| 3 | Tsinghua University | Mainland China | 99.7 | 9 | 6 |
| 4 | City University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 99.1 | =7 | 3 |
| 5 | The Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 98.9 | =7 | 2 |
| =6 | Fudan University | Mainland China | 98.7 | 5 | 1 |
| =6 | National University of Singapore | Singapore | 98.7 | =3 | 3 |
| 8 | Nanyang Technological University | Singapore | 98.5 | =3 | 5 |
| =9 | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University | Hong Kong | 98.4 | 10 | 1 |
| =9 | The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | Hong Kong | 98.4 | 6 | 3 |
| 11 | Yonsei University |  South Korea | 97.6 | 11 | Same |
| 12 | Korea University | South Korea | 97 | 12 | Same |
| 13 | Shanghai Jiao Tong University | Mainland China | 96.9 | 13 | Same |
| 14 | Zhejiang University | Mainland China | 96.1 | 14 | Same |
| 15 | KAIST | South Korea | 95.9 | n/a | n/a |
| 15 | Sungkyunkwan University | South Korea | 95.2 | 16 | 1 |
| 16 | Seoul National University | South Korea | 94.8 | 17 | 1 |
| =17 | Nanjing University | Mainland China | 94.3 | 19 | 2 |
| =17 | Universiti Malaya |  Malaysia | 94.3 | 15 | 2 |
| 19 | Hanyang University | South Korea | 93.8 | 20 | 1 |
| =20 | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia | Malaysia | 93.6 | 24 | 4 |
| =20 | University of Science and Technology of China | Mainland China | 93.6 | 21 | 1 |
| 22 | POSTECH | South Korea | 93.4 | 18 | 4 |
| 23 | National Taiwan University |  Taiwan | 93.2 | 23 | Same |
| 24 | Universiti Putra Malaysia | Malaysia | 92.7 | 22 | 2 |
| 25 | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia | Malaysia | 92.4 | 25 | Same |
| 26 | Tongji University | Mainland China | 91.6 | 32 | 6 |
| =27 | The University of Tokyo | Japan | 91.4 | 26 | 1 |
| =27 | Universiti Sains Malaysia | Malaysia | 91.4 | 34 | 7 |
| 29 | Wuhan University | Mainland China | 90.5 | 31 | 2 |
| 30 | Tohoku University | Japan | 90.1 | 29 | 1 |
Source: QS Asia University Rankings 2027 (topuniversities.com); 2026 ranks from the QS Asia University Rankings 2026 table. USTC’s 2026 rank (21st) from the QS press release, 3 Nov 2026.
From the founder: my 2 cents on rankings
Frequently asked questions
Which university is first in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027?
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is first for the second year in a row, with an overall score of 100. Peking University is second (99.8) and Tsinghua University third (99.7). QS published the 2027 edition on 3 November 2026 and ranked 1,722 universities.
Where do NUS and NTU rank in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027?
NUS is joint sixth with Fudan University, with a score of 98.7. NTU is eighth with 98.5. Both were joint third in 2026 with 99. Among other Singapore universities, SUTD is 88th, SMU joint 90th and SUSS joint 562nd.
Why is HKU ranked above NUS?
HKU and NUS both score 100 on academic reputation, international students, international faculty and both exchange measures. HKU leads on papers per faculty (89.7 against 74.7), staff with PhD (100 against 93.5) and faculty student ratio (97.7 against 94.9). Based on QS’s published indicator scores and weights, papers per faculty accounts for about 60% of the roughly 1.25-point gap. NUS is slightly ahead on citations per paper, the international research network and employer reputation.
How much does HKU cost a Singaporean in US dollars?
A Singaporean pays HKU’s non-local fee. For the 2026/27 intake that is about US$28,600 a year for non-STEM courses and US$31,800 for STEM courses. For the 2027/28 intake HKU has published HK$250,000 (about US$31,900) and HK$280,000 (about US$35,700). A Singapore Citizen at NUS pays about US$6,500 a year for most courses. Converted at US$1 = S$1.281 and HK$7.84, Nov 2026; tuition only.
Has NUS been first in the QS Asia University Rankings before?
Yes. NUS was first in Asia in the 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions. HKU first finished ahead of NUS in the 2024 edition and has stayed ahead in the 2025, 2026 and 2027 editions.
How is the QS Asia ranking different from QS World and THE?
QS Asia uses 11 indicators, including citations per paper, papers per faculty, staff with PhD and exchange students, and has no sustainability or employment outcomes measure. QS World uses nine indicators and citations per faculty. The results differ: NUS is 10th and HKU 11th in the QS World University Rankings 2027, and NUS is 15th and HKU 33rd in the THE World University Rankings 2027.
Related articles
QS World University Rankings 2027
NUS 10th and NTU 12th in the global QS table released in June 2026.
THE Asia University Rankings 2026
Times Higher Education’s Asia table: NUS 3rd, NTU joint 4th, HKU 6th.
QS World University Rankings 2026
The previous QS World edition, with NUS 8th and NTU 12th.
THE World University Rankings 2027: top 50
The full THE World top 50, with NUS at 15th.
NUS in the THE World rankings
NUS’s Times Higher Education rank history to its 15th place in 2027.
NUS vs NTU vs SMU 2027
Fees, courses and graduate outcomes at Singapore’s three largest universities.
Hong Kong university scholarships 2026
Scholarships open to Singapore students at Hong Kong universities.
QS Best Student Cities 2027: Asia
How Singapore, Hong Kong and other Asian cities rank as places to study.
University IGP 2026/2027
Indicative Grade Profiles for NUS, NTU, SMU, SUTD, SIT and SUSS courses.
Singapore university fees 2027
Tuition, Tuition Grant, scholarships and loans for international students in Singapore.
Summary
- HKU is first in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027 with 100, for the second year.
- NUS is joint sixth (98.7) and NTU eighth (98.5). Both were joint third in 2026.
- HKU leads NUS on papers per faculty, staff with PhD and faculty student ratio; the two are level on reputation.
- SUTD (88th) and SMU (joint 90th) entered the Asia top 100.
- A Singaporean pays about US$28,600 to US$31,800 a year at HKU for 2026/27, against about US$6,500 at NUS.
Sources
- 1.QS Asia University Rankings 2027, ranking table and indicator scores, published 3 Nov 2026. topuniversities.com
- 2.QS Asia University Rankings 2026, ranking table and indicator scores. topuniversities.com
- 3.QS Asia University Rankings methodology (page last updated Mar 2023). topuniversities.com
- 4.QS, “Top 10 Universities in Asia 2020” (2020 ranks for HKU, NUS and NTU).
- 5.QS World University Rankings methodology and weights. support.qs.com
- 6.QS press release, “QS Asia Rankings 2027”, 3 Nov 2026 (PR Newswire). prnewswire.com
- 7.HKU, “HKU ranks first in Asia for the second consecutive year”, Nov 2026. lead.hku.hk
- 8.Goody Feed, NUS and NTU statements to Lianhe Zaobao, 4 Nov 2026. goodyfeed.com
- 9.The Korea Herald, Korean universities in QS Asia 2027. koreaherald.com
- 10.HKU, 11th in QS World University Rankings 2027, Jun 2026. lead.hku.hk
- 11.NUS News, 15th in THE World University Rankings 2027, 30 Sep 2026. news.nus.edu.sg
- 12.HKU, THE World University Rankings 2027 result. lead.hku.hk
- 13.Times Higher Education, Asia University Rankings 2026 results. timeshighereducation.com
- 14.UGC Hong Kong, non-local student quota raised to 40%, 25 Oct 2023. ugc.edu.hk
- 15.LegCo Panel on Education paper, non-local quota to 50% from 2026/27, 5 May 2026. legco.gov.hk
- 16.MOE parliamentary reply on international students at the autonomous universities, 12 Sep 2022. moe.gov.sg
- 17.NUS Registrar, undergraduate tuition fees AY2026/27 (new intake). nus.edu.sg
- 18.HKU Admissions, fees for the 2027/28 intake. admissions.hku.hk
- 19.HKU, undergraduate tuition fees 2026-27. hku.hk
- 20.Exchange rates: US$1 = S$1.2810 (Bloomberg, 3 Nov 2026); US$1 = HK$7.84 (HKD pegged in a 7.75 to 7.85 band).
