Best Universities for Biology in the World

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Biology. A graph of 1.5B citations received by 55.3M academic papers made by 6,770 universities in the World was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Harvard University

United States | Massachusetts

For Biology

#1 in North America

#1 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $19,491

2. Johns Hopkins University

United States | Maryland

For Biology

#2 in North America

#2 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1545
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $24,034

3. Stanford University

United States | California

For Biology

#3 in North America

#3 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,279

4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

United States | Michigan

For Biology

#4 in North America

#4 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 74%

5. University of Washington - Seattle

United States | Washington

For Biology

#5 in North America

#5 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Receiving Aid: 58%
Average Aid: $14,731
Enrollment: 52,319

6. University of Toronto

Canada | Ontario

For Biology

#6 in North America

#1 in Canada

Enrollment: 27,651
Founded: 1827

7. University of California - San Francisco

United States | California

For Biology

#7 in North America

#6 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 3,140
Male:Female: 35:65
Founded: 1864

8. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Biology

#1 in Europe

#1 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

9. Cornell University

United States | New York State

For Biology

#8 in North America

#7 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $26,060

10. University of Pennsylvania

United States | Pennsylvania

For Biology

#9 in North America

#8 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $26,123

11. Yale University

United States | Connecticut

For Biology

#10 in North America

#9 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $18,647

12. University of California - Los Angeles

United States | California

For Biology

#11 in North America

#10 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Receiving Aid: 57%
Average Aid: $21,766
Enrollment: 46,430

13. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Biology

#2 in Europe

#2 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

14. University of Tokyo

For Biology

#1 in Asia

#1 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,218
Founded: 1877

15. University of California-San Diego

United States | California

For Biology

#12 in North America

#11 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Receiving Aid: 61%
Average Aid: $20,782
Enrollment: 42,006

16. University of California - Berkeley

United States | California

For Biology

#13 in North America

#12 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Receiving Aid: 60%
Average Aid: $21,669
Enrollment: 45,307

17. University of Wisconsin - Madison

United States | Wisconsin

For Biology

#14 in North America

#13 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 58%

18. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Biology

#3 in Europe

#3 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

19. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

United States | Massachusetts

For Biology

#15 in North America

#14 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1555
Average ACT: 36
Net Price: $20,232

20. Columbia University

United States | New York State

For Biology

#16 in North America

#15 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 4%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $22,058

21. Kyoto University

For Biology

#2 in Asia

#2 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,455
Male:Female: 76:24
Founded: 1897

22. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

United States | Minnesota

For Biology

#17 in North America

#16 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 82%

23. Washington University in St Louis

United States | Missouri

For Biology

#18 in North America

#17 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1535
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $23,432

24. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

United States | North Carolina

For Biology

#19 in North America

#18 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Average SAT: 1440
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 59%

25. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

United States | Texas

For Biology

#20 in North America

#19 in the United States

Enrollment: 364
Male:Female: 20:80
Founded: 1941

26. University of Pittsburgh

United States | Pennsylvania

For Biology

#21 in North America

#20 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 49%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 87%

27. University of California - Davis

United States | California

For Biology

#22 in North America

#21 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Receiving Aid: 63%
Average Aid: $20,548
Enrollment: 39,679

28. University of British Columbia

Canada | British Columbia

For Biology

#23 in North America

#2 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 20,893
Founded: 1908

29. University of Florida

United States | Florida

For Biology

#24 in North America

#22 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 94%

30. Osaka University

For Biology

#3 in Asia

#3 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,123
Male:Female: 68:32
Founded: 1931

31. Karolinska Institute

Sweden | Stockholm

For Biology

#4 in Europe

#1 in Sweden

Enrollment: 8,070
Founded: 1861

32. Northwestern University

United States | Illinois

For Biology

#25 in North America

#23 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $22,095

33. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

United States | Illinois

For Biology

#26 in North America

#24 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Average SAT: 1415
Average ACT: 32
Receiving Aid: 64%

34. Ohio State University

United States | Ohio

For Biology

#27 in North America

#25 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 83%

35. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Biology

#5 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

36. McGill University

Canada | Quebec State

For Biology

#28 in North America

#3 in Canada

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 37,888
Founded: 1821

37. University of Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Biology

#29 in North America

#26 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 5%
Average SAT: 1540
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $36,991

38. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Biology

#6 in Europe

#4 in the United Kingdom

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

39. Baylor College of Medicine

United States | Texas

For Biology

#30 in North America

#27 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 1,610
Male:Female: 40:60
Founded: 1900

40. University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

United States | Texas

For Biology

#31 in North America

#28 in the United States

Enrollment: 2,354
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1943

41. Pennsylvania State University

United States | Pennsylvania

For Biology

#32 in North America

#29 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1300
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 68%

42. University of Southern California

United States | California

For Biology

#33 in North America

#30 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1500
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $36,808

43. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Biology

#7 in Europe

#1 in France

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 35,114
Founded: 1150

44. Emory University

United States | Georgia

For Biology

#34 in North America

#31 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Average SAT: 1490
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $26,680

45. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science

United States | Minnesota

For Biology

#35 in North America

#32 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Net Price: $11,830
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $2,182

46. New York University

United States | New York State

For Biology

#36 in North America

#33 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Average SAT: 1520
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $29,499

47. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Biology

#8 in Europe

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

48. University of Melbourne

Australia | Melbourne

For Biology

#1 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 49,000
Founded: 1853

49. University of Sao Paulo

Brazil | Sao Paulo

For Biology

#1 in Latin America

#1 in Brazil

Acceptance Rate: 9%
Enrollment: 97,964
Founded: 1827

50. University of Sydney

Australia | Sydney

For Biology

#2 in Australia

Enrollment: 63,602
Founded: 1850

51. Lund University

For Biology

#9 in Europe

#2 in Sweden

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

52. University of Queensland

Australia | St Lucia

For Biology

#3 in Australia

Enrollment: 48,771
Founded: 1909

53. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Biology

#10 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

54. University of Alberta

Canada | Alberta

For Biology

#37 in North America

#4 in Canada

Enrollment: 31,185
Founded: 1908

55. Zhejiang University

China | Hangzhou

For Biology

#4 in Asia

#1 in China

Enrollment: 60,739
Founded: 1897

56. Boston University

United States | Massachusetts

For Biology

#38 in North America

#34 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Average SAT: 1425
Average ACT: 33
Net Price: $27,829

57. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Biology

#11 in Europe

#5 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1824

58. University of Utah

United States | Utah

For Biology

#39 in North America

#35 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Average SAT: 1290
Average ACT: 26
Receiving Aid: 99%

59. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

United States | New Jersey

For Biology

#40 in North America

#36 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 66%
Average SAT: 1375
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 70%

60. Peking University

China | Beijing

For Biology

#5 in Asia

#2 in China

Enrollment: 44,730
Founded: 1898

61. Duke University

United States | North Carolina

For Biology

#41 in North America

#37 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 6%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $23,694

62. University of Arizona

United States | Arizona

For Biology

#42 in North America

#38 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1255
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 98%

63. National University of Singapore

Singapore | Singapore City

For Biology

#6 in Asia

#1 in Singapore

Enrollment: 30,098
Founded: 1905

64. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Biology

#12 in Europe

#6 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

65. Case Western Reserve University

United States | Ohio

For Biology

#43 in North America

#39 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Average SAT: 1475
Average ACT: 34
Net Price: $38,279

66. University of Hong Kong

China | Hong Kong

For Biology

#7 in Asia

#3 in China

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 21,652
Founded: 1911

67. University of Texas at Austin

United States | Texas

For Biology

#44 in North America

#40 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Average SAT: 1365
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 89%

68. Tohoku University

For Biology

#8 in Asia

#4 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 17,591
Founded: 1907

69. Seoul National University

South Korea | Seoul

For Biology

#9 in Asia

#1 in South Korea

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 28,378
Founded: 1946

70. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Biology

#13 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 52,418
Founded: 1472

71. University of Iowa

United States | Iowa State

For Biology

#45 in North America

#41 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 1235
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 91%

72. Michigan State University

United States | Michigan

For Biology

#46 in North America

#42 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 88%
Average SAT: 1260
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 94%

73. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Biology

#14 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 31,312
Founded: 1640

74. Vanderbilt University

United States | Tennessee

For Biology

#47 in North America

#43 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 7%
Average SAT: 1530
Average ACT: 35
Net Price: $25,606

75. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Biology

#15 in Europe

#1 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1632

76. University of Alabama at Birmingham

United States | Alabama

For Biology

#48 in North America

#44 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1305
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 96%

77. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Biology

#10 in Asia

#5 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 18,560
Founded: 1911

78. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Biology

#16 in Europe

#2 in the Netherlands

Founded: 1923

79. Shanghai Jiao Tong University

China | Shanghai

For Biology

#11 in Asia

#4 in China

Enrollment: 47,000
Founded: 1896

80. Sun Yat - Sen University

China | Guangzhou

For Biology

#12 in Asia

#5 in China

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 65,638
Founded: 1924

81. Tsinghua University

China | Beijing

For Biology

#13 in Asia

#6 in China

Enrollment: 48,739
Founded: 1911

82. Texas A&M University - College Station

United States | Texas

For Biology

#49 in North America

#45 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 74%

83. Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

United States | New York State

For Biology

#50 in North America

#46 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 1,253
Male:Female: 40:60
Founded: 1963

84. Tel Aviv University

Israel | Tel Aviv

For Biology

#14 in Asia

#1 in Israel

Enrollment: 30,000
Founded: 1956

85. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Biology

#17 in Europe

#3 in the Netherlands

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

86. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Biology

#18 in Europe

#1 in Italy

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 65,234
Founded: 1924

87. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Biology

#19 in Europe

#7 in the United Kingdom

Founded: 1829

88. University of California - Irvine

United States | California

For Biology

#51 in North America

#47 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Receiving Aid: 80%
Average Aid: $17,411
Enrollment: 35,937

89. University of Virginia

United States | Virginia

For Biology

#52 in North America

#48 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1470
Average ACT: 33
Receiving Aid: 54%

90. Monash University

Australia | Clayton

For Biology

#4 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 78,000
Founded: 1958

91. Purdue University

United States | Indiana

For Biology

#53 in North America

#49 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1335
Average ACT: 31
Receiving Aid: 60%

92. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Biology

#20 in Europe

#1 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

93. Nagoya University

For Biology

#15 in Asia

#6 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 15,834
Founded: 1939

94. University of New South Wales

Australia | Sydney

For Biology

#5 in Australia

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

95. Hokkaido University

Japan | Sapporo

For Biology

#16 in Asia

#7 in Japan

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 17,541
Founded: 1918

96. University of Illinois at Chicago

United States | Illinois

For Biology

#54 in North America

#50 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 81%

97. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Biology

#21 in Europe

#8 in the United Kingdom

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

98. California Institute of Technology

United States | California

For Biology

#55 in North America

#51 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 3%
Net Price: $20,755
Receiving Aid: 71%
Average Aid: $59,192

99. University of Miami

United States | Florida

For Biology

#56 in North America

#52 in the United States

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Average SAT: 1395
Average ACT: 32
Net Price: $36,467

100. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Biology

#22 in Europe

#2 in Switzerland

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420