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The universities with the highest percentage of international students 2023

Explore the universities with the highest percentage of international students based on data collected by Times Higher Education

    May 3 2023
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    Top 10 universities with the highest percentage of international students 2023

    Scroll down to see the full table

    International student rank 2023 University Country/region Percentage of international students
    1 Macau University of Science and Technology Macao 91.0%
    2 Constructor University Germany 83.7%
    3 Near East University Northern Cyprus 83.3%
    4 Eastern Mediterranean University Northern Cyprus 76.2%
    5 American University of Sharjah United Arab Emirates 76.0%
    6 London School of Economics and Political Science United Kingdom 73.0%
    7 RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences Ireland 69.8%
    8 Università della Svizzera italiana Switzerland 66.5%
    9 City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 62.5%
    10 École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Switzerland 62.1%

    The higher education world is getting smaller as more and more people choose to study abroad. Students want universities to provide an international experience, the opportunity to study alongside people from all over the world, and a truly global community in which to study.

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    As part of the data collected for the World University RankingsTimes Higher Education asks all institutions to provide figures on their percentage of international students. Using this data, THE has compiled a list of the top 200 universities with the highest percentage of  international students. 

    Macau University of Science and Technology is in first place, with 91 per cent international students, while Constructor University takes second place.

    Countries represented in the top 20 include the UAE, UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Australia. 

    Nineteen universities from London feature in the top 200, making it one of the most represented cities in the ranking. In fact, the UK as a whole was the most represented country, with 65 universities in the top 200, compared with 23 in Australia and 19 from the US. 

    The top five universities with the highest percentage of international students 2023

    Scroll down to see the top 200.

    1. Macau University of Science and Technology, Macao

    Macau University of Science and Technology is a relatively young university, having been established in 2000. 

    The university offers courses in areas that include social sciences, sciences, law, management, business, medicine, pharmacy, tourism, art, communication and languages.

    To reflect its international student cohort, the university teaches in English, Chinese, Portuguese and Spanish. 

    The institution has established partnerships with more than 200 institutions in Europe, America, Australia, Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong to facilitate student and staff exchange programmes. 

    2. Constructor University, Germany

    Constructor University is located in Bremen, Germany.

    Most of its courses are taught in English.

    Students come from more than 110 countries, including India, Nepal, the US, Albania, Pakistan, Morocco and China. The university also has more than 120 partnerships with other institutions around the world.

    Students are able to choose their own programme of study from the course catalogue or opt for a preselected study track.

    3. Near East University, Northern Cyprus

    Near East University is the largest university in Northern Cyprus. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in areas including architecture, dentistry, fine arts, engineering, veterinary science, law, maritime studies and performing arts.

    The university’s international student office assists with applications and organises student events on campus. 

    Students from more than 100 nationalities are enrolled at the university.

    4. Eastern Mediterranean University, Northern Cyprus

    Eastern Mediterranean University is the second university from Northern Cyprus to feature in the top five. 

    The main languages of instruction at the university are Turkish and English. 

    The institution organises student exchange programmes in 13 countries including the US, Canada, Italy, Austria, South Korea and China. 

    International students are able to apply for 50 per cent and 25 per cent scholarships. 

    5. American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

    The University of Sharjah is a relatively small institution with just over 5,000 students, and 77 per cent of this student body is international. Some 99 countries are represented on campus, and some of the main home countries of these students are the UAE, Egypt, Jordan and India.

    English is the main teaching language.

    The university is a member of the Association of American International Colleges and Universities, an organisation that delivers higher education based on the American liberal arts model outside the US.

    Every year the university’s international studies department organises the annual Model United Nations high school and university conference.


    The top 200 universities for international students 2023

    Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2023 profile

    International student rank 2023 University Country/region Percentage of international students
    1 Macau University of Science and Technology Macao 91.0%
    2 Constructor University Germany 83.7%
    3 Near East University Northern Cyprus 83.3%
    4 Eastern Mediterranean University Northern Cyprus 76.2%
    5 American University of Sharjah United Arab Emirates 76.0%
    6 London School of Economics and Political Science United Kingdom 73.0%
    7 RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences Ireland 69.8%
    8 Università della Svizzera italiana Switzerland 66.5%
    9 City University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 62.5%
    10 École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne Switzerland 62.1%
    11 Hong Kong Baptist University Hong Kong 61.7%
    12 Imperial College London United Kingdom 60.7%
    13 UCL United Kingdom 59.8%
    14 Abu Dhabi University United Arab Emirates 59.6%
    15 University of Bedfordshire United Kingdom 59.4%
    16 Maastricht University Netherlands 56.2%
    17 University of Sharjah United Arab Emirates 54.9%
    18 University of Nicosia Cyprus 54.0%
    19 SOAS University of London United Kingdom 52.7%
    20 Federation University Australia Australia 52.4%
    21 King’s College London United Kingdom 52.0%
    22 Australian National University Australia 51.5%
    23 University of Luxembourg Luxembourg 51.3%
    24 City, University of London United Kingdom 50.6%
    25 Middlesex University United Kingdom 50.2%
    26 University of Westminster United Kingdom 50.1%
    27 Auckland University of Technology New Zealand 48.9%
    28 Coventry University United Kingdom 47.5%
    =29 University of Melbourne Australia 47.4%
    =29 Carnegie Mellon University United States 47.4%
    =31 University of Edinburgh United Kingdom 47.0%
    =31 University of St Andrews United Kingdom 47.0%
    33 Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) United Kingdom 46.1%
    34 Queen Mary University of London United Kingdom 45.9%
    35 University of Innsbruck Austria 45.5%
    36 University of Sydney Australia 44.7%
    37 University of Manchester United Kingdom 44.4%
    38 University of East London United Kingdom 44.3%
    =39 University of Warwick United Kingdom 44.2%
    =39 Lincoln University New Zealand 44.2%
    41 University of Greenwich United Kingdom 44.1%
    42 University of Aberdeen United Kingdom 43.7%
    43 Medical University of Innsbruck Austria 43.5%
    44 University of Hong Kong Hong Kong 43.1%
    =45 Centrale Nantes France 42.6%
    =45 Kingston University United Kingdom 42.6%
    47 University of Oxford United Kingdom 42.2%
    48 New York University United States 41.5%
    =49 University of Sheffield United Kingdom 41.4%
    =49 UNIR – International University of La Rioja Spain 41.4%
    51 Institut Polytechnique de Paris France 41.1%
    52 University of Glasgow United Kingdom 40.9%
    53 The University of Queensland Australia 40.8%
    =54 ETH Zurich Switzerland 40.7%
    =54 Illinois Institute of Technology United States 40.7%
    56 Monash University Australia 40.6%
    =57 University of Sunderland United Kingdom 40.4%
    =57 University of Essex United Kingdom 40.4%
    =59 Murdoch University Australia 40.2%
    =59 UNSW Sydney Australia 40.2%
    61 Birkbeck, University of London United Kingdom 40.1%
    62 Georgia Institute of Technology United States 40.0%
    63 University of Geneva Switzerland 39.7%
    64 University of Cambridge United Kingdom 39.4%
    65 Brunel University London United Kingdom 39.3%
    66 University of Southampton United Kingdom 39.2%
    67 Lancaster University United Kingdom 39.1%
    68 Goldsmiths, University of London United Kingdom 39.0%
    69 University of Macau Macao 38.8%
    70 Queen’s University Belfast United Kingdom 38.7%
    71 Bond University Australia 38.6%
    72 Columbia University United States 37.9%
    =73 De Montfort University United Kingdom 37.5%
    =73 University of Hertfordshire United Kingdom 37.5%
    =75 Heriot-Watt University United Kingdom 37.3%
    =75 École des Ponts ParisTech France 37.3%
    77 Sciences Po France 37.1%
    78 University of Twente Netherlands 37.0%
    79 University of Sussex United Kingdom 36.5%
    80 University of Rochester United States 36.4%
    =81 University of Liverpool United Kingdom 36.1%
    =81 University of Leeds United Kingdom 36.1%
    =83 University of Tasmania Australia 36.0%
    =85 The University of Chicago United States 35.8%
    =85 University of Surrey United Kingdom 35.8%
    =85 Flinders University Australia 35.8%
    88 Northeastern University, US United States 35.7%
    89 Technical University of Munich Germany 35.6%
    =91 Qatar University Qatar 35.2%
    =91 London South Bank University United Kingdom 35.2%
    93 Royal Holloway, University of London United Kingdom 35.1%
    94 The New School United States 35.0%
    95 Edinburgh Napier University United Kingdom 34.9%
    96 Stevens Institute of Technology United States 34.6%
    97 Durham University United Kingdom 34.5%
    98 University of Birmingham United Kingdom 34.4%
    99 RMIT University Australia 34.3%
    =100 University of British Columbia Canada 34.2%
    =100 Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg Austria 34.2%
    =102 Semmelweis University Hungary 34.1%
    =102 University of Leicester United Kingdom 34.1%
    104 California Institute of Technology United States 33.9%
    =105 Concordia University Canada 33.7%
    =105 Universitat Internacional de Catalunya Spain 33.7%
    =107 University of St Gallen Switzerland 33.6%
    =107 University of Bath United Kingdom 33.6%
    109 Medical University of Vienna Austria 33.3%
    110 IMT Atlantique France 33.2%
    111 Massachusetts Institute of Technology United States 33.1%
    =112 University of Roehampton United Kingdom 33.0%
    =112 La Trobe University Australia 33.0%
    114 Iuliu Haţieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca Romania 32.6%
    115 University of Adelaide Australia 32.3%
    =116 Instituto Politécnico de Bragança Portugal 32.2%
    =118 University of Reading United Kingdom 32.1%
    =118 Alfaisal University Saudi Arabia 32.1%
    121 European University of Madrid Spain 31.9%
    =122 The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Hong Kong 31.7%
    =122 James Cook University Australia 31.7%
    =124 University of Auckland New Zealand 31.5%
    =124 University of Amsterdam Netherlands 31.5%
    =124 Curtin University Australia 31.5%
    =127 Delft University of Technology Netherlands 31.4%
    =127 Simon Fraser University Canada 31.4%
    129 University of Waikato New Zealand 31.3%
    130 University College Dublin Ireland 31.2%
    131 Université Libre de Bruxelles Belgium 31.1%
    132 University of Bristol United Kingdom 31.0%
    =133 Boston University United States 30.9%
    =133 TU Wien Austria 30.9%
    136 University of Technology Sydney Australia 30.7%
    137 University of Nottingham United Kingdom 30.5%
    139 Ilmenau University of Technology Germany 30.3%
    =140 University of Bradford United Kingdom 30.1%
    =140 Royal Veterinary College United Kingdom 30.1%
    =140 University of Basel Switzerland 30.1%
    =140 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hong Kong 30.1%
    =140 McGill University Canada 30.1%
    145 Charles Darwin University Australia 29.9%
    =146 Universiti Utara Malaysia Malaysia 29.8%
    =146 University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Western Switzerland Switzerland 29.8%
    148 Massey University New Zealand 29.5%
    =150 University of Kent United Kingdom 29.3%
    =150 University of Exeter United Kingdom 29.3%
    152 University of Vienna Austria 29.1%
    =153 University of Strathclyde United Kingdom 28.9%
    =153 University of Windsor Canada 28.9%
    =155 Newcastle University United Kingdom 28.8%
    =155 University of Portsmouth United Kingdom 28.8%
    =157 Université Sorbonne Nouvelle France 28.7%
    =157 Johns Hopkins University United States 28.7%
    159 Loughborough University United Kingdom 28.6%
    =160 University of California, San Diego United States 28.5%
    =160 Riga Stradiņš University Latvia 28.5%
    =160 The University of Western Australia Australia 28.5%
    =163 University of Klagenfurt Austria 28.4%
    =163 Dalhousie University Canada 28.4%
    165 Brandeis University United States 28.3%
    166 University of Alberta Canada 28.2%
    =167 Rice University United States 28.1%
    =167 Cardiff University United Kingdom 28.1%
    =169 University of Groningen Netherlands 28.0%
    =169 RWTH Aachen University Germany 28.0%
    =169 York University Canada 28.0%
    =169 Edith Cowan University Australia 28.0%
    =169 University of California, Irvine United States 28.0%
    174 Southern Cross University Australia 27.8%
    =175 Reichman University Israel 27.6%
    =175 Trinity College Dublin Ireland 27.6%
    =175 University of York United Kingdom 27.6%
    178 National Institute of Applied Sciences of Lyon (INSA Lyon) France 27.5%
    =179 Kyung Hee University South Korea 27.4%
    =179 Technical University of Berlin Germany 27.4%
    181 University of Wollongong Australia 27.3%
    182 University of Regina Canada 27.2%
    =183 University of Navarra Spain 27.1%
    =183 Karolinska Institute Sweden 27.1%
    =183 Macquarie University Australia 27.1%
    186 Prague University of Economics and Business Czech Republic 27.0%
    187 Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Romania 26.9%
    =188 Wageningen University & Research Netherlands 26.8%
    =188 Medical University of Graz Austria 26.8%
    =190 Korea University South Korea 26.7%
    =190 University of Stirling United Kingdom 26.7%
    =190 University of Dundee United Kingdom 26.7%
    =190 Jinan University China 26.7%
    =194 V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University Ukraine 26.5%
    =194 University of Huddersfield United Kingdom 26.5%
    196 Birmingham City University United Kingdom 26.3%
    =197 Bangor University United Kingdom 26.1%
    =197 Universiti Putra Malaysia Malaysia 26.1%
    =197 Cornell University United States 26.1%
    =197 Technical University of Denmark Denmark 26.1%

    Editor’s note: As part of our THE statement on Ukraine published on 2 March 2022, Russian universities have been given less prominence in our rankings. Russian universities that met the criteria for this ranking are not displayed in the table above.


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