2026 QS Rankings by Discipline: UGA Ranks Among the Top French Universities and in the Global Top 100 in Natural Sciences

Press Release International, Research
March 25, 2026
The University of Grenoble Alpes (UGA) reaffirms its status as a leading multidisciplinary university on the international stage by standing out in the latest edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
UGA is thus ranked among the world's top universities in 26 of the 55 disciplines evaluated and is represented in all five major subject areas analyzed by QS. In particular, it ranks 91ste global ranking in the broad field of "Natural Sciences," thereby placing it among the world's top 100.

A ranking to measure academic performance

The 2026 edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject, published by the international higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds, provides an independent comparative analysis of more than 18,300 university programs, taken by students at more than 1,700 universities in 100 countries, covering 55 academic disciplines.

These assessments are organized around five major disciplinary areas:
  • Arts & Humanities
  • Engineering & Technology
  • Life Sciences
  • Natural Sciences
  • Social Sciences & Management
The broad field of "Natural Sciences," in which UGA ranks 91ste Ranked among the world's best, it encompasses nine disciplines: chemistry, earth and marine sciences, environmental sciences, geography, geology, geophysics, materials science, mathematics, and physics and astronomy.

UGA Recognized in 26 Disciplines

Among the ranked disciplines, the University of Grenoble Alpes stands out in particular:
 

World's Top 50

  • Geophysics:26th
  • Geology:32nd
  • Earth and Marine Sciences:36th

World Top 150

  • Physics & Astronomy:121st
  • Mathematics:150th

World Top 200

  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Linguistics
  • Materials Science
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Statistics and Operations Research

Across all of these disciplines, the institution remains among the top 200 in the world.

A methodology grounded in academic excellence and scientific impact

QS uses five key indicators to determine its rankings by discipline:
  • Academic reputation
  • Reputation Among Employers
  • Citations per article
  • H-Index (Research Productivity and Impact)
  • International Research Network (IRN), which measures global scientific collaboration
The reputation metrics are based on responses from more than 200,000 employers and academics worldwide.
 
France in the 2026 QS Rankings
French institutions reaffirm their international presence: 93 French institutions ranked (+12 compared to 2025), representation in 52 out of 55 disciplines, and 686 French entries in the subject rankings (+31). France is the8th most represented country in the world.

Among the French institutions with the strongest presence in the thematic and broad subject area rankings are: PSL University (47 appearances), Sorbonne University (42), Paris-Saclay University (36), Grenoble Alpes University, and Aix-Marseille University (31 each)
Published on March 25, 2026
Updated on July 20, 2026