Best Student Cities in the World

Choosing a renowned university for your higher education is always important when deciding where to study, on top of that the city you opt to reside in is pretty crucial too. Especially if you plan to get a job there when you're finished. Where your university located will hugely impact the studying abroad experience you’re set to have.

The annual QS World University Ranking is considered one the most widely read and authoritative higher education ranking out there, and back in 2014 they started releasing an annual Student Cities Ranking, too. Every year they list the top 120 cities that offer the best student experience, based on a number of factors such as:

• University ranking – The quality and number of institutions in that city
• Student count – The number of students in the city, particularly international students
• Desirability – How appealing the city is, based on safety and job opportunities
• Employer activity – Whether top graduate employers tend to recruit students from the city
• Affordability – Based on the cost of tuition fees and living costs
• Student view – The experiences of students living in that city, collected via an annual survey

1) London

One of the world's great centre of culture and creativity, London offers an abundance of study and lifestyle options to any student. However, with a high cost of living, too much fun can be costly. London is one of the world's most important financial centre, so it is a land of opportunity for corporate-minded graduates. It is also one of the most important cities in the world for media and art lovers.

Highly ranked universities:

• University College London
• London School of Economics and Political Science

2) TokyoComing in at 2nd place, Tokyo is the perfect study destination for students who enjoy the hustle and bustle of a big city. As one of the world’s leading financial centre, this capital city offers plenty of work opportunities and chances to gain international experience. In fact, Tokyo is in the 1^st place for having the most sought-after students by graduate employers.

Highly ranked universities:

• The University of Tokyo
• The Tokyo Institute of Technology

3) Melbourne

A popular city for many students around the world, Melbourne is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most liveable cities. This South-Australian city is also known for its creativity and culture, offering students an exciting and unique study experience outside of lectures. Two of Melbourne’s seven universities place within the world’s top 100 institutions, reflecting the high quality of education.

Highly ranked universities:

• The University of Melbourne
• Monash University

4) MunichAs Germany is becoming more and more desirable for international students, partly because of low tuition costs, it’s no surprise to see a German city in the top 5. However, Munich has now overtaken Germany’s capital, Berlin and climbed two places since last year. As an undergraduate student in a public university in Munich, you will not be expected to pay any tuition fees, despite your country of origin. If this doesn’t sway your decision, then cost of living and distinctive culture in Munich will get you thinking about studying here.

Highly ranked universities:

• The Technical University of Munich
• Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

5) Berlin

Berlin is known as one of the coolest cities in the world. With a flourishing cultural scene, the city is a major centre of design, fashion, music and art that rivals New York and London. Berlin, however, is still easily affordable on a student budget, whilst also being enough of a global financial centre to appeal to those more corporate-minded. Comfortably the most affordable city in the top 5, Berlin offers free tuition at public universities with a greater provision of courses in English for international students.

Highly ranked universities:

• Humboldt University of Berlin
• Free University of Berlin

Student satisfaction is an ever-important factor for prospective students when choosing a university and this can be seen in the ranking of these cities. Despite the fact that a few of the cities are also home to prestigious world class universities, we can see that students’ study abroad preferences are significantly influenced by important factors such as quality of life, affordability, job prospects and city culture ahead of university ranking.

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