In the 2026 ARWU World University Rankings, Eötvös Loránd University is ranked in the 501-600 category and has achieved a shared first place in Hungary.

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), established in 2003, is considered one of the most reliable evaluations of higher education. Since 2009, the annual rankings have been compiled by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, an organization independent of universities and government bodies. The ranking is based on objective indicators such as the number of publications and highly cited researchers, as well as the scientific awards won by former students and current faculty members. During the process, the world’s top 2,500 institutions are assessed, and the top 1,000 are included in the publicly released ranking. You can read more about the evaluation methodology on this link.

As in previous years, four higher education institutions from Hungary are included in the ranking this year. In 2026, ELTE shares the first place in the national field with the University of Szeged, with both institutions falling into the 501-600 category in the world ranking. Also making it into the top are Semmelweis University (701-800) and Budapest University of Technology and Economics (901-1000) from Hungary.

The top of the international ranking remains unchanged this year, with Harvard, Stanford, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology occupying the podium in that order. The top ten continue to be dominated by eight American and two British universities. Looking at the top 100, the field is more balanced than in previous years: universities from 18 countries are represented, with Asian institutions notably strengthening their positions, as ARWU notes in its statement.

The results of the 2026 ARWU ranking can be browsed here by country and institution, while news about ELTE's achievements in international rankings is available on this link.