Best Universities for Microbiology in Europe

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Microbiology. A graph of 30.2M citations received by 769K academic papers made by 783 universities in Europe 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. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Microbiology

#19 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1817

2. University of Oxford

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#1 in the United Kingdom

#20 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. University College London

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#2 in the United Kingdom

#21 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

4. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Microbiology

#27 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

5. Karolinska Institute

Sweden | Stockholm

For Microbiology

#1 in Sweden

#29 in the World

Enrollment: 8,070
Founded: 1861

6. Imperial College London

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#3 in the United Kingdom

#32 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

7. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Microbiology

#39 in the World

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

8. Utrecht University

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Microbiology

#1 in the Netherlands

#41 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1636

9. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Microbiology

#44 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

10. University of Zurich

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Zurich

For Microbiology

#1 in Switzerland

#51 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

11. Lund University

For Microbiology

#2 in Sweden

#52 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

12. Wageningen University

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Wageningen

For Microbiology

#2 in the Netherlands

#53 in the World

Enrollment: 12,819
Founded: 1918

13. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Microbiology

#54 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1829

14. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Microbiology

#1 in France

#60 in the World

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

15. Radboud University

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Microbiology

#3 in the Netherlands

#61 in the World

Founded: 1923

16. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#4 in the United Kingdom

#62 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

17. University of Gothenburg

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Microbiology

#3 in Sweden

#63 in the World

Enrollment: 36,003
Founded: 1891

18. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Microbiology

#4 in the Netherlands

#64 in the World

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

19. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Microbiology

#1 in Spain

#67 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 64,236

20. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Microbiology

#5 in the United Kingdom

#70 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

21. University of Groningen

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Groningen

For Microbiology

#5 in the Netherlands

#71 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1614

22. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#6 in the United Kingdom

#76 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

23. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Microbiology

#81 in the World

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

24. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Microbiology

#88 in the World

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

25. University of Tubingen

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Microbiology

#92 in the World

Enrollment: 28,238
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1477

26. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#7 in the United Kingdom

#93 in the World

Founded: 1900

27. University of Manchester

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#8 in the United Kingdom

#100 in the World

Founded: 1824

28. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#9 in the United Kingdom

#102 in the World

Founded: 1948

29. Complutense University of Madrid

For Microbiology

#2 in Spain

#103 in the World

Founded: 1508

30. University of Bern

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Bern

For Microbiology

#2 in Switzerland

#108 in the World

Enrollment: 19,608

31. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

France | Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes

For Microbiology

#2 in France

#112 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

32. University of Bristol

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#10 in the United Kingdom

#115 in the World

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

33. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Microbiology

#1 in Italy

#120 in the World

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

34. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Microbiology

#4 in Sweden

#121 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1477

35. University of Wurzburg

Germany | Bavaria

For Microbiology

#124 in the World

Enrollment: 27,149
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1402

36. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Microbiology

#11 in the United Kingdom

#131 in the World

Founded: 1451

37. University of Aberdeen

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Microbiology

#12 in the United Kingdom

#132 in the World

Founded: 1495

38. Charite - Medical University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Microbiology

#133 in the World

Enrollment: 9,340
Founded: 1710

39. University of Porto

Portugal | Porto

For Microbiology

#137 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 29,178
Founded: 1911

40. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Microbiology

#2 in Italy

#138 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 96,945
Founded: 1088

41. University of London

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#13 in the United Kingdom

#140 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

42. Free University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Microbiology

#142 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 37,908
Founded: 1948

43. University of Giessen

Germany | Hesse

For Microbiology

#145 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Enrollment: 27,184
Founded: 1607

44. University of Aix-Marseilles

France | Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur

For Microbiology

#3 in France

#146 in the World

Enrollment: 66,378
Founded: 2012

45. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Microbiology

#3 in Spain

#147 in the World

Enrollment: 30,926

46. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Microbiology

#148 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

47. Federico II University of Naples

Italy | Campania

For Microbiology

#3 in Italy

#151 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1224

48. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Zurich

For Microbiology

#3 in Switzerland

#154 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

49. Cardiff University

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | Wales

For Microbiology

#14 in the United Kingdom

#155 in the World

Founded: 1997

50. University of Leeds

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#15 in the United Kingdom

#157 in the World

Founded: 1904

51. University of Lausanne

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Microbiology

#4 in Switzerland

#159 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 16,908

52. University College Cork

For Microbiology

#164 in the World

Enrollment: 21,894
Founded: 1845

53. Sapienza University of Rome

For Microbiology

#4 in Italy

#166 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

54. Umea University

For Microbiology

#5 in Sweden

#167 in the World

Enrollment: 34,237
Founded: 1965

55. University of Oslo

For Microbiology

#1 in Norway

#169 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

56. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Greece | Athens

For Microbiology

#1 in Greece

#175 in the World

Enrollment: 70,461
Founded: 1837

57. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Microbiology

#180 in the World

Enrollment: 27,678
Founded: 1817

58. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#16 in the United Kingdom

#191 in the World

Founded: 1905

59. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Sweden | Uppsala

For Microbiology

#6 in Sweden

#192 in the World

Enrollment: 5,675
Founded: 1977

60. University of Geneva

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Geneva

For Microbiology

#5 in Switzerland

#193 in the World

Enrollment: 17,744

61. University of Cologne

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Microbiology

#194 in the World

Enrollment: 52,204
Founded: 1388

62. King's College London

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#17 in the United Kingdom

#196 in the World

Founded: 1829

63. Queen's University Belfast

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | Northern Ireland

For Microbiology

#18 in the United Kingdom

#197 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

64. University of Turku

Finland | Turku

For Microbiology

#198 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 20,800
Male:Female: 38:62
Founded: 1920

65. Newcastle University

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#19 in the United Kingdom

#199 in the World

Founded: 1963

66. University of Santiago de Compostela

Spain | Santiago de Compostela

For Microbiology

#4 in Spain

#200 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 24,095
Founded: 1495

67. Leiden University

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Leiden

For Microbiology

#6 in the Netherlands

#202 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 33,474
Founded: 1575

68. Hannover Medical School

Germany | Lower Saxony

For Microbiology

#10 in Germany

#203 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 3,843
Founded: 1965

69. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Microbiology

#204 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,020
Founded: 1928

70. University of Basel

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Basel

For Microbiology

#6 in Switzerland

#205 in the World

Enrollment: 12,896

71. Catholic University of Louvain

Belgium | Louvain-la-Neuve

For Microbiology

#207 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1425

72. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Microbiology

#208 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

73. Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Microbiology

#218 in the World

Enrollment: 20,430
Founded: 1592

74. University of Padua

For Microbiology

#5 in Italy

#219 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 70,000
Founded: 1222

75. University of Bonn

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Microbiology

#11 in Germany

#220 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 38,043
Founded: 1818

76. University of Freiburg

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Microbiology

#12 in Germany

#223 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 23,938
Founded: 1457

77. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Germany | Hesse

For Microbiology

#13 in Germany

#225 in the World

Enrollment: 43,461
Founded: 1914

78. University of Turin

Italy | Piedmont

For Microbiology

#6 in Italy

#226 in the World

Founded: 1404

79. Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Microbiology

#14 in Germany

#231 in the World

Enrollment: 37,473
Male:Female: 42:58
Founded: 1965

80. University of Leicester

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#20 in the United Kingdom

#233 in the World

Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

81. University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Microbiology

#5 in Spain

#234 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 58,390

82. University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Microbiology

#241 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

83. University of Gottingen

Germany | Lower Saxony

For Microbiology

#15 in Germany

#242 in the World

Enrollment: 31,619
Founded: 1734

84. Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Italy | Lombardy

For Microbiology

#7 in Italy

#246 in the World

Founded: 1921

85. University of Munster

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Microbiology

#16 in Germany

#247 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 43,728
Founded: 1780

86. University of Florence

Italy | Tuscany

For Microbiology

#8 in Italy

#250 in the World

Founded: 1321

87. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Germany | Rhineland-Palatinate

For Microbiology

#17 in Germany

#254 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Enrollment: 33,132
Founded: 1946

88. University of Minho

Portugal | Braga

For Microbiology

#255 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 19,077
Founded: 1973

89. Paris-Sud University

France | Ile-de-France

For Microbiology

#4 in France

#256 in the World

Enrollment: 23,270
Founded: 2014

90. Norwegian University of Life Sciences

For Microbiology

#2 in Norway

#261 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Enrollment: 6,345
Founded: 1859

91. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Greece | Thessaloniki

For Microbiology

#2 in Greece

#265 in the World

Enrollment: 92,090
Founded: 1925

92. University of Perugia

For Microbiology

#9 in Italy

#267 in the World

Enrollment: 26,732
Founded: 1308

93. University College Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Microbiology

#271 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,321
Founded: 1854

94. University of Hamburg

Germany | Hamburg State

For Microbiology

#18 in Germany

#272 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

95. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Microbiology

#21 in the United Kingdom

#275 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

96. Free University of Brussels

Belgium | Brussels

For Microbiology

#276 in the World

Enrollment: 31,606
Founded: 1834

97. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Germany | Bavaria

For Microbiology

#19 in Germany

#277 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 39,658
Founded: 1743

98. University of Bari

For Microbiology

#10 in Italy

#279 in the World

Founded: 1924

99. Charles University

Czech Republic Flag

Czech Republic | Prague

For Microbiology

#1 in the Czech Republic

#281 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 49,508
Founded: 1348

100. University of Belgrade

Serbia | Belgrade

For Microbiology

#1 in Serbia

#282 in the World

Enrollment: 75,047