Eötvös Loránd University is ranked in the 501-600 category in the ARWU 2026 World University Ranking, achieving a shared first place in Hungary.

The Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), which has existed since 2003, is considered one of the most reliable evaluations in higher education. Since 2009, the annually published ranking has been compiled by ShanghaiRanking Consultancy, an organization independent of universities and government bodies, based on objective indicators such as the number of publications, highly cited researchers, or the number of scientific awards won by former students and current faculty members. During the process, the world's top 2,500 institutions are evaluated, and the best 1,000 are included in the publicly released ranking. You can read more about the evaluation methodology on this page in English.

As in previous years, four Hungarian higher education institutions have once again been included in the ranking this year. In 2026, ELTE shares the first place within Hungary with the University of Szeged, with both institutions placed in the 501-600 category in the world ranking. Other Hungarian universities among the best are Semmelweis University (701-800) and Budapest University of Technology and Economics (901-1000).

The top positions of the international list remain unchanged this year, with Harvard, Stanford, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology leading the podium, and eight American and two British universities occupying the top ten spots. Looking at the top 100 places, the field appears more balanced compared to previous years, with universities from 18 countries represented—among them, Asian institutions have notably strengthened their positions, notes the ARWU statement.

The results of the ARWU 2026 ranking can be browsed here by country and institution, and you can read detailed information about ELTE’s national and international ranking achievements in this summary.