The higher education world is getting smaller as more and more students are choosing to study abroad. Students are looking to universities to provide an international experience, the opportunity to study alongside people from all over the world, and to give them a truly global community in which to study.

As part of the data collected for the World University Rankings, all institutions have provided figures on their proportion of international students. Using these data, we have compiled a list of the top universities with the most international students. 

Countries represented in the top 20 include the UAE, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, and Australia. 

Nineteen universities from London feature in the top 200, making it one of the most represented cities in the ranking. In fact, the UK as a whole was the most represented country, with 63 universities in the top 200, compared with 28 in Australia and 20 from the US. 

The top five universities with the highest percentage of international students

Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau: This is a relatively new university, having been established in 2000.  The university is made up of 10 faculties including social sciences, sciences, law, management, business, medicine, pharmacy, tourism, art, communication, and languages. The university teaches programs in English, Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish.  The university has established partnerships with more than 200 institutions in Europe, America, Australia, Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong to facilitate student and academic exchange programs.

Near East University, Northern Cyprus: Near East University is the largest university in Northern Cyprus. It has 16 faculties with 90 departments. The university’s International Student Office assists with applications and organizes student events on campus. Students from more than 100 nationalities are enrolled at the university.

Jacobs University, Germany: Located in Bremen, Germany. Most of its courses are taught in English. Students come from more than 110 countries, including India, Nepal, the US, Albania, Pakistan, Morocco, and China. The university has more than 120 partnerships with other institutions from around the world. Students are either able to choose their own programs of study from the course catalog or opt for a pre-selected study track.

 Eastern Mediterranean University, Northern Cyprus: Eastern Mediterranean University is the second university from Northern Cyprus to feature in the top five.  The main languages of instruction at the university are Turkish and English.  The institution organizes student exchange programs in 13 countries including the US, Canada, Italy, Austria, South Korea, and China.  International students are able to apply for 50% and 25% scholarships. 

American University of Sharjah, UAE: The American University of Sharjah is a relatively small university with just over 5,000 students, and 77% of this student body is international. Some 99 countries are represented on campus, and some of the main home countries of these students are the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and India. English is the main teaching language and the university offers 26 majors and 45 minors at the undergraduate level, and 13 master’s degree programs. The university is a member of the Association of American International Colleges and Universities, an organization that delivers higher education based on the American liberal arts model outside the US.

RANKINGS	UNIVERSITY	COUNTRY/REGION	% OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
1	Macau University of Science and Technology	Macao, China	88%
2	Near East University	Northern Cyprus	86%
3	Jacobs University	Germany	78%
4	Eastern Mediterranean University	Northern Cyprus	77.7%
5	American University of Sharjah	U.A.E	77.4%
6	London School of Economics and Political Science	United Kingdom	72.5%
7	Università della Svizzera italiana	Switzerland	67%
8	RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences	Republic Of Ireland	65.8%
9	École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne	Switzerland	61.9%
10	University of Sharjah	UAE	59.2%
11	Imperial College London	United Kingdom	58.6%
12	Hong Kong Baptist University	Hong Kong	57.7%
13	UCL	United Kingdom	57.2%
14	Federation University Australia	Australia	56.1%
15	City University of Hong Kong	Hong Kong	55.7%
16	Maastricht University	Netherlands	55.3%
17	SOAS University of London	United Kingdom	53.5%
18	University of Nicosia	Cyprus	52.5%
19	University of Luxembourg	Luxembourg	52.3%
20	City, University of London	United Kingdom	50.2