Top Universities of the World

It's not about the money-it's all about getting the best quality education. And when it comes to earning your university degree, you may want to set your sights on the following top  universities of world first (please note that course fees are just estimates).

University of Cambridge United Kingdom

Description: One of the oldest universities in the world, it has established itself as the hallmark for academic excellence. It has received a lot of commendations from a variety of world-renowned education organizations, such as the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Students learn not just by lectures and seminars but also by hands-on experiences.

Famous For: Their age-old buildings, plethora of museums and libraries Course Fees: £3,375 for the first year How to Apply: Submit UCAS and Supplementary Application Questionnaire online. Depending on the department, take a test and undergo an interview.

Harvard University United States

Description: Harvard University is notorious for its law program, but in truth, almost all its departments are extremely popular. Besides being the oldest institution in the country, Harvard is also the alma mater of well-known figures such as John Adams, Theodore Roosevelt, and Al Gore. The university strives to continuously push its students to innovate, learn more, and challenge themselves. Like Cambridge, Harvard is also peppered with libraries and museums, including Museum of Natural History.

Famous For: reputable degrees, such as law and medicine Course Fees: $48,000 a year, including health services, student services, room, and board How to Apply: To be accepted, you must be on the top 10 percentile in your high school class. You should also have a score of 2,080 to 2,370 (SAT) or 31 to 34 (ACT).

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) United States

Description: When it comes to science and technology, MIT should be first on the list. For hundreds of years, it has dedicated itself to the growth and development of science and technology, among others, primarily through lecture and research. The campus is composed of 34 departments and 5 schools.

Famous For: computer science and engineering programs, research laboratories, and nearness to Harvard Course Fees: roughly $50,000 a year, including books and personal expenses, and room and board How to Apply: Less than 15 percent of the applicants are accepted here. To enter MIT, you have to go through rigorous tests including demonstration of academic competence. You can apply for early decision, wherein you submit your application months before the actual application process.

McGill University Canada

Description: One of the oldest universities in Canada, it is the seat of medical studies and degrees in the country. It has its own hospital and offers a wide variety of medical science-related courses such as occupational health, emergency medicine, diagnostic radiology, anatomy and cell biology, biochemistry, and human genetics. Some of the institutes are Bioinformatics, Biomedical Ethics, Bone and Peridontal Research, and Centre of Genomics and Policy.

Famous For: affordable fees, medical and engineering departments, and highly diversified students and staff Course Fees: C$ 24,000 including insurance, food, lodging, and books How to Apply: Each college or department has its own requirements for admission.You can apply for your chosen course online.

ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) Switzerland

Description: The continental Europe takes pride of ETH Zurich. Located in the bustling metropolis of Zurich, the university marries science and technology successfully, eventually producing more than 20 Nobel laureates through the years like Wolfgang Pauli, Felix Bloch, Fritz Haber, and Richard Ernst.

Famous For: graduates who became Nobel laureates and 400 teachers who are experts in social sciences, mathematics, and natural sciences Course Fees: CHF 580 per semester (this is tuition only) How to Apply: You need to have a good command of German and/or English language. Requirements include recommendation from your professor, a pre-proposal of your thesis for master's, and application form.

University of Tokyo Japan

Description: One of the top 10 universities in the world, University of Tokyo is constantly visited by several business and science experts all over the world for lectures or researchers. The university also nurtures its students by giving them due recognition. It has just introduced the President's Award, given to students highly recommended by their professors. Since 2000, the university has established relationships with the international community via UT Forum.

Famous For: President's Award given twice a year, UT Forum, Komaba Festival and Gogatsusai events. Course Fees: ¥535,800 for undergraduate students, excluding certification fees How to Apply: Since a lot of lectures are conducted in Japanese, you have to know the language by heart. You also have to know if you want to be a research student or a regular student. For enrolment, you can undergo a special screening for international students or a general entrance test.

Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris France

Description: One of the true-blue best international universities, ENS takes you into the same league as Jean-Paul Sartre and Louis Pasteur, to name a few. It is one of the top best schools in Europe, according to Times Higher Education Supplement. Students are also subjected to a very strict application and learning process, eventually earning an advanced MA by the time they graduate. Depending on the department, the university also offers one-on-one teaching with students.

Famous For: competitive enrolment process (there are less than 3,000 students in ENS), ENS diploma, representation of almost all academic disciplines Course Fees: N/A How to Apply: Though it's difficult to get into ENS, the university offers plenty of enrolment options, such as International Academic Exchange and International Selection. It's recommended you know how to speak French.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong

Description: Definitely one of the well-commended universities for international students, CUHK is the only institution in the country to have Nobel laureates as facilitators or teachers. It is also home of Chinese Overseas Collection, Hong Kong Studies Archive, and CUHK Art Museum. The school continue to work and improve their curriculum, making it student-centered. Moreover, as international students, you can enjoy the local charges for health care services and don't have to pay for hospital insurance.

Famous For: focus in Chinese studies, economics and finance, earth sciences, and information sciences; credit unit system for undergraduate studies, Course Fees: HK$ 140,000 per year, including books, caution money, and hostel fee How to Apply: This is a trilingual school-English, Mandarin, and Cantonese-so you should know how to speak one or all of them fluently.

Tsinghua University China

Description: Tsinghua University is heralded as one of the greatest universities in the world, not just in mainland China but the rest of the world. It is part of LAOTSE composed of the best college institutions in both Europe and Asia, as well as C9 League, Chinese's counterpart to U.S.'s Ivy League. It always ranks no. 1 in China, and within the top 50 among top university rankings. It usually invites international keynote speakers, such as Tony Blair, Bill Clinton, and Henry Paulson. The university also implements rigid rules in admission that only 15 percent MBA applicants get accepted.

Famous For: operating inside the Qing Dynasty's Imperial Gardens and within the China's capital Beijing, EQUIS and AACSB accredited School of Economics and Management Course Fees: RMB 10,500 per semester (not including accommodation and insurance fees) How to Apply: You have to possess Certificate of Graduation and Certificate of Chinese Proficiency Test. You also have to fill out a foreigner's application form, as well as a letter of recommendation, and undergo an intensive entrance examination.

Aarhus University Denmark

Description: Aarhus University is one that believes "All work and no play makes John a very boring and dull boy." In spite of being one of the most elite university in Europe, especially in Scandinavia, Aarhus encourages students to have fun via Friday Bars and performances in University Park. Academic-wise, its main State and University Library is accessible anyplace where there's Internet connection. Further, there are dozens of research centers in Aarhus, including Water and Salt Research Centre and Centre for Materials Crystallography.