Find a university that's right for you
With thousands of universities around the world, choosing where to study can feel overwhelming. The good news is that a clear, honest shortlist makes the decision far easier. Here's how to compare universities the smart way, and how IDP's counsellors in Kuwait can build a shortlist for you, free of charge.
Top 2 in the UK
University of Oxford
🇬🇧 Oxford
Top 2 in the UK
University of Cambridge
🇬🇧 Cambridge
Top 5 in the UK
Imperial College London
🇬🇧 London
Top 10 in the UK
University College London
🇬🇧 London
Top 10 in the UK
University of Edinburgh
🇬🇧 Edinburgh
Russell Group
University of Manchester
🇬🇧 Manchester
Russell Group
King's College London
🇬🇧 London
World-leading in social sciences
London School of Economics and Political Science
🇬🇧 London
Top 10 in the UK
University of Warwick
🇬🇧 Coventry
Russell Group
University of Bristol
🇬🇧 Bristol
Russell Group
University of Glasgow
🇬🇧 Glasgow
Russell Group
University of Leeds
🇬🇧 Leeds
Russell Group
University of Birmingham
🇬🇧 Birmingham
Russell Group
University of Nottingham
🇬🇧 Nottingham
Russell Group
University of Sheffield
🇬🇧 Sheffield
Russell Group
University of Southampton
🇬🇧 Southampton
Top 10 in the UK
Durham University
🇬🇧 Durham
Top 5 in the UK
University of St Andrews
🇬🇧 St Andrews
Russell Group
University of Exeter
🇬🇧 Exeter
Top 10 in the UK
University of Bath
🇬🇧 Bath
Top 15 in the UK
Lancaster University
🇬🇧 Lancaster
Russell Group
University of York
🇬🇧 York
Russell Group
University of Liverpool
🇬🇧 Liverpool
Russell Group
Cardiff University
🇬🇧 Cardiff
Russell Group
Queen Mary University of London
🇬🇧 London
Russell Group
Newcastle University
🇬🇧 Newcastle upon Tyne
Research-intensive university
University of Leicester
🇬🇧 Leicester
Top 30 in the UK
University of Surrey
🇬🇧 Guildford
Top 5 in the USA
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
🇺🇸 Cambridge, Massachusetts
Top 5 in the USA
Stanford University
🇺🇸 Stanford, California
Ivy League
Harvard University
🇺🇸 Cambridge, Massachusetts
Top 10 in the USA
California Institute of Technology
🇺🇸 Pasadena, California
Ivy League
Princeton University
🇺🇸 Princeton, New Jersey
Ivy League
Yale University
🇺🇸 New Haven, Connecticut
Ivy League
Columbia University
🇺🇸 New York, New York
Top 10 in the USA
University of Chicago
🇺🇸 Chicago, Illinois
Ivy League
University of Pennsylvania
🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Top public university
University of California, Berkeley
🇺🇸 Berkeley, California
Top public university
University of California, Los Angeles
🇺🇸 Los Angeles, California
Ivy League
Cornell University
🇺🇸 Ithaca, New York
Top 30 in the USA
New York University
🇺🇸 New York, New York
Top public university
University of Michigan
🇺🇸 Ann Arbor, Michigan
Top for computer science
Carnegie Mellon University
🇺🇸 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Top for medicine
Johns Hopkins University
🇺🇸 Baltimore, Maryland
Top 15 in the USA
Northwestern University
🇺🇸 Evanston, Illinois
Top 10 in the USA
Duke University
🇺🇸 Durham, North Carolina
Top public university
University of Washington
🇺🇸 Seattle, Washington
Top public university
University of Texas at Austin
🇺🇸 Austin, Texas
Top for engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
🇺🇸 Atlanta, Georgia
Top public university
University of California, San Diego
🇺🇸 San Diego, California
Top 50 in the USA
Boston University
🇺🇸 Boston, Massachusetts
Top 30 in the USA
University of Southern California
🇺🇸 Los Angeles, California
Top for engineering
Purdue University
🇺🇸 West Lafayette, Indiana
Top for engineering
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
🇺🇸 Champaign, Illinois
Top for innovation
Arizona State University
🇺🇸 Tempe, Arizona
Top 50 in the USA
Northeastern University
🇺🇸 Boston, Massachusetts
Group of Eight; #1 in Australia
University of Melbourne
🇦🇺 Melbourne
Group of Eight; Australia's oldest
University of Sydney
🇦🇺 Sydney
Group of Eight; top for research
Australian National University
🇦🇺 Canberra
Group of Eight; top for engineering
University of New South Wales
🇦🇺 Sydney
Group of Eight; Australia's largest
Monash University
🇦🇺 Melbourne
Group of Eight; top in Queensland
University of Queensland
🇦🇺 Brisbane
Group of Eight; top in WA
University of Western Australia
🇦🇺 Perth
Group of Eight; third-oldest
University of Adelaide
🇦🇺 Adelaide
Top young university in Australia
University of Technology Sydney
🇦🇺 Sydney
Top 10 in Australia
Macquarie University
🇦🇺 Sydney
Top for art, design & engineering
RMIT University
🇦🇺 Melbourne
Top for student experience
Deakin University
🇦🇺 Melbourne
'University for the real world'
Queensland University of Technology
🇦🇺 Brisbane
Top 2% of universities worldwide
Griffith University
🇦🇺 Gold Coast
Top for engineering & computing
University of Wollongong
🇦🇺 Wollongong
Top 200 worldwide
University of Newcastle
🇦🇺 Newcastle
Top 1.3% worldwide
La Trobe University
🇦🇺 Melbourne
Largest university in WA
Curtin University
🇦🇺 Perth
#1 worldwide for sustainability
Western Sydney University
🇦🇺 Sydney
Top for technology & innovation
Swinburne University of Technology
🇦🇺 Melbourne
Top 1 in Canada (U15)
University of Toronto
🇨🇦 Toronto, Ontario
Top 3 in Canada (U15)
University of British Columbia
🇨🇦 Vancouver, British Columbia
Top 3 in Canada (U15)
McGill University
🇨🇦 Montreal, Quebec
Top for co-op & tech (U15)
University of Waterloo
🇨🇦 Waterloo, Ontario
Top 5 in Canada (U15)
University of Alberta
🇨🇦 Edmonton, Alberta
Top for medicine (U15)
McMaster University
🇨🇦 Hamilton, Ontario
Top business (Ivey) — U15
Western University
🇨🇦 London, Ontario
Top French-language (U15)
Université de Montréal
🇨🇦 Montreal, Quebec
Top 7 in Canada (U15)
University of Calgary
🇨🇦 Calgary, Alberta
Top 10 in Canada (U15)
Queen's University
🇨🇦 Kingston, Ontario
Largest bilingual (U15)
University of Ottawa
🇨🇦 Ottawa, Ontario
Top Atlantic Canada (U15)
Dalhousie University
🇨🇦 Halifax, Nova Scotia
Top comprehensive university
Simon Fraser University
🇨🇦 Burnaby, British Columbia
Top co-op & research
University of Victoria
🇨🇦 Victoria, British Columbia
3rd largest in Canada
York University
🇨🇦 Toronto, Ontario
Top young university
Concordia University
🇨🇦 Montreal, Quebec
U15 research university
University of Saskatchewan
🇨🇦 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Top in capital region
Carleton University
🇨🇦 Ottawa, Ontario
Top for career focus
Toronto Metropolitan University
🇨🇦 Toronto, Ontario
U15 research university
University of Manitoba
🇨🇦 Winnipeg, Manitoba
Top 100 worldwide
Trinity College Dublin
🇮🇪 Dublin
Top 200 worldwide
University College Dublin
🇮🇪 Dublin
Top 300 worldwide
University of Galway
🇮🇪 Galway
Top 300 worldwide
University College Cork
🇮🇪 Cork
Top 100 young universities
Dublin City University
🇮🇪 Dublin
Top 600 worldwide
University of Limerick
🇮🇪 Limerick
Top 100 young universities
Maynooth University
🇮🇪 Maynooth
Ireland's first technological university
Technological University Dublin
🇮🇪 Dublin
Top 300 worldwide for medicine
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)
🇮🇪 Dublin
Ireland's newest technological university
South East Technological University
🇮🇪 Waterford
Top-ranked in New Zealand
University of Auckland
🇳🇿 Auckland
New Zealand's oldest university
University of Otago
🇳🇿 Dunedin
Top NZ for law and humanities
Victoria University of Wellington
🇳🇿 Wellington
Leading NZ university for engineering
University of Canterbury
🇳🇿 Christchurch
NZ leader in agriculture & veterinary
Massey University
🇳🇿 Palmerston North
Highly ranked for management & computing
University of Waikato
🇳🇿 Hamilton
NZ's specialist land-based university
Lincoln University
🇳🇿 Lincoln
NZ's fastest-growing modern university
Auckland University of Technology
🇳🇿 AucklandNo universities match your search.
What to weigh when you shortlist
A good shortlist balances several factors rather than chasing one.
- Location: country, city size, climate, distance from home and the local lifestyle.
- Cost: tuition fees, living expenses and the scholarships or funding available.
- Entry requirements: academic grades, prerequisites and the IELTS score you'll need.
- Course strength: the department's reputation and expertise in your subject.
- Student support: orientation, academic help, accommodation and wellbeing services.
- Employability: graduate outcomes, placements, internships and industry links.
Use rankings as one input, not the whole story
University rankings are a helpful starting point, but they're only one signal among many. A university ranked outside the top tier may still be excellent for your specific subject and goals.
Read subject-level rankings rather than overall ones, and combine them with the practical factors above. The right university is the one that fits your course, budget and life, not just the highest number on a list.
Where IDP can help you study
IDP works with thousands of partner universities across the world's leading study destinations.
UK & Ireland
Long, respected academic traditions with a wide range of one-year master's options.
USA & Canada
Flexible degrees, strong research and welcoming pathways for international students.
Australia & New Zealand
Highly ranked universities with strong post-study work and lifestyle appeal.
How IDP builds your shortlist
Our counsellors do the heavy lifting so you can focus on your decision.
- 1
Understand your profile
We start with your grades, budget, preferred destinations and career goals.
- 2
Match partner universities
We draw on our network of partner universities to find genuine fits for you.
- 3
Compare and shortlist
We present a clear shortlist with costs, entry requirements and key differences.
- 4
Plan your application
We guide you through deadlines, documents and the IELTS score each option needs.
IDP's university placement counselling in Kuwait is free. You get expert, honest guidance and a tailored shortlist at no cost to you.
Common questions
How many universities should I apply to?
There's no fixed number, but a balanced shortlist of a few well-matched choices is usually wiser than many scattered applications. Your IDP counsellor can help you decide.
Do I need IELTS for every university?
Most universities in these destinations require proof of English, and IELTS is widely accepted. The exact score depends on the university and course.
Can IDP help with the application itself?
Yes. Beyond shortlisting, IDP can guide you through applications, offers and visa steps for our partner universities.
Keep exploring
Ready to find your university?
Let an IDP counsellor in Kuwait build a free, tailored shortlist based on your goals and budget.