Do we have to pay for being part of the rankings?
by Baerbel Eckelmann
No, universities do not have to pay any joining fees. Participation in our rankings is free of charge, provided the interested institution fulfills our set of criteria for inclusion.
How can a university qualify for participation in the QS World University Rankings?
by Baerbel Eckelmann
Getting onto our initial list
The university must run undergraduate AND graduate/postgraduate programs.
The university must run programs that objectively qualify under more than one of our 5 subject areas (Arts & Humanities, Engineering & IT, Life Sciences, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences) …
Please note: Running a joint diploma with another school DOES NOT qualify the school as being active in the subject area offered by the other school.
Cooperation to provide accurate data
Universities are expected to provide us with accurate data. Please note that the figures should be based on the last annual reporting period (the last complete academic, financial or calendar year, whichever is easier to provide). For example, the university will need to be able to answer questions regarding:
Faculty statistics
Number of faculty staff (full-time/part-time/headcount/FTE)
Number of international faculty staff (full-time/part-time/headcount/FTE)
Undergraduate statistics
Number of undergraduate students (full-time/part-time/headcount/FTE)
Number of international undergraduate students (full-time/part-time/headcount/FTE)
Graduate/Postgraduate statistics
Number of postgraduate students (full-time/part-time/headcount/FTE)
Number of international postgraduate students (full-time/part-time/headcount/FTE)
Other statistics
Average tuition fees per year for an undergraduate course
Average tuition fees per year for an international undergraduate course
Average tuition fees per year for a postgraduate course
Average tuition fees per year for an international postgraduate
Number of undergraduate exchange students – Inbound
Number of undergraduate exchange students – Outbound
Number of graduate/postgraduate exchange students – Inbound
Number of graduate/postgraduate exchange students – Outbound
Please note that we need the Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) figure for all personnel related statistics.
Justification to participate in our ranking
The university should provide us with an argument/statement of why the institution should be included based on objective comparison between their university and other institutions (in their country/region) that are already included in the top 500.
The university should also refer to inclusion in any domestic ranking if available and appropriate.
Additional Stimuli we take into consideration
Survey Performance – respondents to the Academic and Employer Reputation Surveys are invited to suggest any institutions they feel may have been omitted.
Geographical Balancing – acknowledging that universities have different priorities and characteristics in different parts of the world, the balance of institutions from given countries and regions is periodically reviewed.
Upon receiving all the necessary information from the interested institution, a member of our QS Intelligence Unit will contact the university on whether they are eligible to participate in the ranking.
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