Top Universities in Malaysia According to the 2026 QS World University Rankings

Find out which universities are the top in Malaysia!

Published 19 Jun 2025

The QS World University Rankings for 2026 are out, and Malaysian universities continue to make strides on the global stage.

Universiti Malaya (UM) retains its top position among Malaysia's local universities. Ranking in at #58 — an increase of 2 spots from last year’s ranking — it is the only Malaysian university to sit among the world’s top 100 universities. In the private university sector, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) climbs to #251, with Taylor's University close behind at #253, followed by UCSI University at #265.

As for international branch universities with campuses in Malaysia, Australia's Monash University leads the cohort at #36, followed by UK's University of Southampton (#87) and University of Nottingham (#97).

This year's ranking, which includes over 1,500 of the world's top universities from over 100 locations, records a number of impressive growths for Malaysian universities. A total of 19 local universities have shown an increase in rankings, while 5 newcomers joined the list, including Lincoln University College, SEGi University and University of Cyberjaya.

Check out the full ranking of all Malaysian universities below!

Congratulations to all the universities that have made it into the QS World University Rankings 2026, and may they continue to climb the ranks to greatness.