Queen's University Belfast Ranking

Queen’s University Belfast is ranked 174th in the world and 26th in the UK in the QS World University Rankings 2027. The university has improved by 25 places from the previous QS edition and achieved its highest-ever percentile position in the ranking. Queen’s is also a Russell Group university and the only Russell Group university in Northern Ireland. Along with its overall ranking, the university has 24 subjects in the QS global top 200 in the 2026 subject rankings, with Pharmacy and Pharmacology ranked 19th in the world.

This article covers the latest Queen’s University Belfast rankings, including its global, UK and subject-wise rankings, along with major achievements and other rankings that can help students understand the university better.

Queen’s University Belfast in QS, THE, and U.S. News Rankings

The Queen’s University Belfast ranking shows strong performance across major global platforms. In the latest QS World University Rankings 2027, Queen’s is ranked #174, improving from #199 in 2026 and #206 in 2025. In THE, Queen’s moved into the global top 200 and is ranked #198 in the 2026 World University Rankings. 

Below check the Queen’s University Belfast rankings have changed over the years:

Queen’s has shown a clear improvement in the QS World University Rankings, moving from #206 in 2025 to #174 in 2027. The university also says its 2027 result is its highest-ever percentile position, placing Queen’s in the top 11.6% of universities assessed by QS. 

The THE ranking improved from the 201–250 band in 2025 to #198 in 2026, putting Queen’s into the global top 200. The U.S. News ranking is shown as #241 under 2026.

Check the Courses at Queens University Belfast to find available programmes, course details, eligibility requirements, and fees.

Course-Wise Rankings of Queen’s University Belfast

The Queen’s University Belfast ranking shows Queen’s University Belfast position among universities worldwide but subject rankings give a clearer idea of Queen’s University Belfast strengths in different study areas. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 Queen’s University Belfast has 34 subjects ranked with 24 subjects, in the global top 200. Six subjects are in the global top 100, with Pharmacy and Pharmacology ranked #19 in the world.

Below check the latest Queen’s University Belfast subject rankings across QS, THE and U.S. News.

QS Subject-Wise Rankings of Queen’s University Belfast

The QS subject rankings 2026 highlight performance for Queen’s University across health, humanities and social science subjects. Pharmacy and Pharmacology is the ranked subject, at #19 globally. Nursing follows at #48. English Language and Literature Performing Arts and Social Policy and Administration also make it into the top 100.

The latest QS subject rankings are as follows:

THE Subject-Wise Rankings of Queen’s University Belfast

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2026 also show Queen’s doing well in areas. Its best results are in Medical and Health and in Physical Sciences, both of which are ranked between 126 - 150 globally.

Here are the latest THE subject rankings for Queen’s:

U.S. News Subject-Wise Rankings of Queen’s University Belfast

U.S. News also ranks Queen’s across a range of individual subjects. Its strongest result is in Pharmacology and Toxicology, which is ranked #18 in the world. Other strong areas are Energy and Fuels Food Science and Technology Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Clinical Medicine. 

The top 10 U.S. News subject rankings are shown below:

Queen’s University Belfast Excellence and Achievements

Queen’s University Belfast has a strong record in research, teaching, student experience and sustainability. It was named UK University of the Year 2026 in the Whatuni Student Choice Awards, while its Students’ Union was ranked #1 in the UK for the second year in a row. 

Queen’s also reached #174 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, its highest-ever percentile position, and was ranked 37th in the world in the THE Impact Rankings 2026. 

Below look at some of the major Queen’s University Belfast achievements and recognitions:

Research Excellence and Academic Recognition

Research is one of Queen’s main strengths. The university says 99% of its research environment was rated world-leading or internationally excellent in REF 2021. It is also ranked in the top 105 in the world for research quality in the THE World University Rankings 2026.

Some key research achievements of Queen’s are shown below:

Teaching Excellence and Student Experience

Queen’s has also received fresh recognition for teaching and student life. In the 2026 Whatuni Student Choice Awards, students named Queen’s the UK University of the Year. The university also won Gold awards for Students’ Union of the Year, Student Life and Student Support. 

Here are some of its recent teaching and student-focused achievements:

In August 2026, Queen’s also reported another year of success in the Advance HE National Teaching Fellowship Scheme and Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence. These awards recognise teachers and teams for improving learning and the student experience. 

Sustainability and Social Impact

Sustainability is another area where Queen’s has made strong progress. In the latest THE Impact Rankings 2026, Queen’s was ranked 37th in the world out of 1,603 universities, its highest-ever position in the ranking. It also ranked #5 globally for SDG 14, Life Below Water. 

The university's recent sustainability achievements include:

Queen’s received its eighth consecutive Green Flag and Heritage Award in 2026. The award recognises the university's work in maintaining safe, welcoming and well-managed green spaces across its campus. 

Global Recognition and Recent Milestones

Queen’s has also reached a number of important milestones in recent years. Its latest QS 2027 ranking of #174 puts it in the global top 175 and gives the university its highest-ever percentile position in the ranking. Its Employer Reputation score also improved strongly, rising 83 places in the latest QS edition. 

Some of the latest milestones include:

Miscellaneous Rankings of Queen’s University Belfast

Apart from the main QS, THE, and U.S. News rankings, Queen’s University Belfast also appears in other rankings that look at areas such as sustainability, research, student experience and graduate outcomes. These rankings give a wider view of the university and show some areas where Queen’s performs especially well. 

Below check the latest Queen’s University Belfast rankings outside the main global rankings:

Queen’s University Belfast Rankings vs Acceptance Rate

Queen’s University Belfast is ranked #174 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, showing its strong position among universities worldwide. However, its ranking does not directly tell students how difficult admission is. Queen’s has different entry requirements for different courses, so students should check the requirements of their chosen programme before applying. 

The university does not publish one official overall acceptance rate. EduRank estimates Queen’s University Belfast’s acceptance rate at 31%, based on its own admissions data and methodology. This figure should be treated as an estimate and not as an official Queen’s University Belfast acceptance rate. 

Below is the comparison of the latest overall rankings and estimated acceptance rate:

Note: The 31% acceptance rate is an EduRank estimate, not an official figure published by Queen’s University Belfast. Recent 2025 data show 29,750 applications and 21,680 offers, which gives an offer rate of about 72.9%; this is an offer rate, not an acceptance rate.

Conclusion

Queen’s University Belfast has a strong position in the latest global university rankings. It is ranked #174 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, moving up from #199 in 2026. The university also has strong results in subject rankings, with Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Nursing, Performing Arts and other subjects performing well globally.

Its strengths are not limited to rankings. Queen’s is also known for its research, student experience, graduate outcomes and sustainability work. It is the only Russell Group university in Northern Ireland and was named UK University of the Year 2026 based on student feedback.

For students planning to apply, rankings can be a useful starting point, but they should not be the only factor. It is also important to check the course, entry requirements, fees, location and career options before choosing Queen’s University Belfast.

If you are still unsure, you can book a free counseling session with upGrad and seek professional guidance! We’d be happy to help you figure this out.