1 / 14#1. London, United Kingdom: For the second year running, London has been ranked as the world’s number one student city. London is not exactly a cheap option for international students, home and EU students alike. In addition, rent and living costs are significantly higher in London compared to the rest of the UK. Yet thanks to the concentration of world-class universities, professional and social opportunities and a mind-boggling cultural confluence that mixes the corporate and the alternative, the historical and the cutting-edge, studying in London may well be worth every penny. (Image: Reuters)
2 / 14#2. Tokyo, Japan: For those who want to study amid the hustle and bustle of the big city, they don't come much bigger and busier than Tokyo, one of the world’s most populous urban areas. Tokyo is Asia’s leading city in the QS Best Student Cities ranking. Such is the mind-blowing scale of the Japanese capital that, even with 12 internationally ranked universities, it still has a very low proportionate student population. Tokyo, then, is a city for those who favor total immersion in local culture rather than living in a “student bubble”. (Image: Stock)
3 / 14#3. Melbourne, Australia: In the third place once again in this year’s Best Student Cities ranking is Melbourne. Melbourne is a highly attractive destination for international students and is home to one of the world’s most diverse student communities. Seven universities in Melbourne are featured in the QS World University Rankings 2020. (Image: AP)
4 / 14#4. Munich, Germany: In accordance with Germany’s growing status as an international study destination, the country now has not just one but two entries in the top five of this year’s QS Best Student Cities. Munich has climbed two places this year, putting it just ahead of Germany’s capital, Berlin. Munich is now the joint most popular city with students, something which is no doubt partly due to the city’s affordability, ease of getting around, nightlife and friendliness. (Image: Stock)
5 / 14#5. Berlin, Germany: Having flourished into one of the world’s coolest urban hubs – a major center of design, fashion, music and art to rival even New York or London – Berlin offers both unbeatable culture and a hot financial market, making it as perfect for history buffs and art aficionados as it is for budding financiers. To sweeten the deal even further, all undergraduate degrees (and some postgraduate programs) are free at public universities in Germany, even for international students. (Image: Reuters)
6 / 14#6. Montreal, Canada: Montreal has slipped two places in the 2019 edition of the QS Best Student Cities to sixth place. Despite this drop, it continues to be the highest-ranked city in North America. Montréal is multicultural, multilingual and is widely referred to as Canada’s “cultural capital”. It performs well across five of the six indicators assessed, ranking within the top 50 for all of them except affordability. (Image: Pixabay)
7 / 14#7. Paris, France: Paris’ consistently strong performance in the ranking is largely due to its high concentration of internationally ranked universities. Home to 12 universities featured in the QS World University Rankings, it lays claim to more world-leading institutions than almost any city on the planet – with the exceptions of Seoul and London. (Image: AP)
8 / 14#8. Zurich, Switzerland: Zurich is renowned for its prosperity, orderliness and low taxes, which may make it sound more like a place for millionaires than international students. ETH Zurich is the highest-ranked university in continental Europe – and the best performing university from outside the US and UK. (Image: Stock)
9 / 14#9. Sydney, Australia: Sydney comes just one spot behind Melbourne for the student mix indicator, thanks to its large, diverse and inclusive student community, and has also climbed two places to be ranked second in the world for desirability, reflecting the all-round high quality of life in the city, as well as its popularity among prospective students. (Image: Pixabay)
10 / 14#10. Seoul, South Korea: South Korea’s capital scores well in a number of indicators used to compile the ranking, including employer activity where it ranks sixth – reflecting the strong reputation of universities in Seoul among both domestic and international employers. The city also rises one spot to claim the second-highest score in the rankings indicator (beaten only by London). (Image: Reuters)
11 / 14#81. Bengaluru, Karnataka, India: Bengaluru is known as the country’s tech hub, giving it the nickname ‘The Silicon Valley of India’. It’s a leading technology exporter, is a hotspot for start-ups, and is home to a number of highly reputed research institutions and universities, including the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Institute of Management (Bangalore) (IIMB). (Image: Stock)
12 / 14#85. Mumbai, Maharashtra, India: Mumbai climbed 14 places in this year’s Best Student Cities thanks to improved ratings in the desirability and student rank categories, with its buzzing cultural scene, great weather, beaches and entertainment making it probably one of India’s most fun cities. There are activities and sights to suit any interest, including great food, live music, traditional festivals and theater, as well as some of India’s best nightlife. (Image: Stock)
13 / 14#113. New Delhi, India: Delhi has no shortage of higher education institutions, with nine major universities, two of which are located in the New Delhi district. The city is also a very affordable study destination – especially if you take advantage of street food – and most universities teach in English. (Image: Reuters)
14 / 14#115. Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India: Chennai is new to the QS Best Student Cities ranking this year, coming in 115th place. Chennai currently has two universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings: the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) and Anna University. The former is the fourth-best university in all of India, while both universities are notable for their research output. (Image: Anna University
