Best Universities for Neuroscience 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 Neuroscience. A graph of 109M citations received by 2.99M academic papers made by 1,233 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. University College London

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#1 in the United Kingdom

#2 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

2. University of Oxford

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#2 in the United Kingdom

#15 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#3 in the United Kingdom

#17 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

4. Karolinska Institute

Sweden | Stockholm

For Neuroscience

#1 in Sweden

#20 in the World

Enrollment: 8,070
Founded: 1861

5. King's College London

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#4 in the United Kingdom

#26 in the World

Founded: 1829

6. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Neuroscience

#35 in the World

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

7. Radboud University

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Neuroscience

#1 in the Netherlands

#48 in the World

Founded: 1923

8. University of Zurich

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Zurich

For Neuroscience

#1 in Switzerland

#49 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

9. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Neuroscience

#1 in France

#50 in the World

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

10. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Neuroscience

#5 in the United Kingdom

#55 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

11. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Neuroscience

#57 in the World

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

12. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Neuroscience

#59 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

13. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Neuroscience

#2 in the Netherlands

#60 in the World

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

14. Lund University

For Neuroscience

#2 in Sweden

#66 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

15. University of Manchester

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#6 in the United Kingdom

#71 in the World

Founded: 1824

16. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Neuroscience

#74 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

17. University of Tubingen

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Neuroscience

#78 in the World

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

18. Imperial College London

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#7 in the United Kingdom

#80 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

19. Charite - Medical University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Neuroscience

#82 in the World

Enrollment: 9,340
Founded: 1710

20. University of Gothenburg

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Neuroscience

#3 in Sweden

#88 in the World

Enrollment: 36,003
Founded: 1891

21. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Neuroscience

#1 in Italy

#92 in the World

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

22. Sapienza University of Rome

For Neuroscience

#2 in Italy

#93 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

23. Utrecht University

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Neuroscience

#3 in the Netherlands

#95 in the World

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

24. University of Bristol

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#8 in the United Kingdom

#96 in the World

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

25. University of Groningen

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Groningen

For Neuroscience

#4 in the Netherlands

#97 in the World

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

26. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Neuroscience

#98 in the World

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

27. University of Hamburg

Germany | Hamburg State

For Neuroscience

#100 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

28. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Germany | Hesse

For Neuroscience

#101 in the World

Enrollment: 43,461
Founded: 1914

29. University of Gottingen

Germany | Lower Saxony

For Neuroscience

#102 in the World

Enrollment: 31,619
Founded: 1734

30. Maastricht University

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Maastricht

For Neuroscience

#5 in the Netherlands

#103 in the World

Enrollment: 18,000
Founded: 1976

31. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Neuroscience

#108 in the World

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

32. University of Padua

For Neuroscience

#3 in Italy

#110 in the World

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

33. Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Neuroscience

#111 in the World

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

34. University of Oslo

For Neuroscience

#1 in Norway

#113 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

35. University of Freiburg

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Neuroscience

#10 in Germany

#114 in the World

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

36. Free University Amsterdam

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Neuroscience

#6 in the Netherlands

#118 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1880

37. University of Bonn

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Neuroscience

#11 in Germany

#119 in the World

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

38. University of Geneva

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Geneva

For Neuroscience

#2 in Switzerland

#121 in the World

Enrollment: 17,744

39. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Neuroscience

#1 in Spain

#122 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 64,236

40. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Neuroscience

#3 in Switzerland

#125 in the World

Enrollment: 12,576

41. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#9 in the United Kingdom

#127 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

42. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#10 in the United Kingdom

#129 in the World

Founded: 1900

43. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#11 in the United Kingdom

#132 in the World

Founded: 1948

44. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Neuroscience

#4 in Sweden

#133 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1477

45. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Neuroscience

#142 in the World

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

46. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Neuroscience

#4 in Italy

#144 in the World

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

47. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Neuroscience

#12 in the United Kingdom

#146 in the World

Founded: 1451

48. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Germany | Rhineland-Palatinate

For Neuroscience

#12 in Germany

#148 in the World

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

49. University of Wurzburg

Germany | Bavaria

For Neuroscience

#13 in Germany

#152 in the World

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

50. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Neuroscience

#156 in the World

Enrollment: 27,678
Founded: 1817

51. Cardiff University

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | Wales

For Neuroscience

#13 in the United Kingdom

#159 in the World

Founded: 1997

52. University of Bern

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Bern

For Neuroscience

#4 in Switzerland

#160 in the World

Enrollment: 19,608

53. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Germany | Bavaria

For Neuroscience

#14 in Germany

#164 in the World

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

54. Medical University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Neuroscience

#166 in the World

Enrollment: 7,915
Founded: 2004

55. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

France | Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes

For Neuroscience

#2 in France

#167 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

56. Leiden University

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Leiden

For Neuroscience

#7 in the Netherlands

#168 in the World

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

57. Free University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Neuroscience

#15 in Germany

#169 in the World

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

58. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#14 in the United Kingdom

#171 in the World

Founded: 1905

59. Newcastle University

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#15 in the United Kingdom

#174 in the World

Founded: 1963

60. Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands Flag

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Neuroscience

#8 in the Netherlands

#177 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1913

61. University of Lausanne

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Neuroscience

#5 in Switzerland

#180 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 16,908

62. Ruhr University Bochum

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Neuroscience

#16 in Germany

#181 in the World

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

63. University of Bordeaux

France | Nouvelle-Aquitaine

For Neuroscience

#3 in France

#182 in the World

Enrollment: 46,845
Founded: 1441

64. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Zurich

For Neuroscience

#6 in Switzerland

#184 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

65. Humboldt University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Neuroscience

#17 in Germany

#190 in the World

Enrollment: 36,232
Founded: 1809

66. University of Cologne

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Neuroscience

#18 in Germany

#191 in the World

Enrollment: 52,204
Founded: 1388

67. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Neuroscience

#193 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

68. University of Florence

Italy | Tuscany

For Neuroscience

#5 in Italy

#196 in the World

Founded: 1321

69. University of Basel

Switzerland Flag

Switzerland | Basel

For Neuroscience

#7 in Switzerland

#199 in the World

Enrollment: 12,896

70. University of Turin

Italy | Piedmont

For Neuroscience

#6 in Italy

#201 in the World

Founded: 1404

71. Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Neuroscience

#202 in the World

Enrollment: 20,430
Founded: 1592

72. University of Lubeck

Germany | Schleswig-Holstein

For Neuroscience

#19 in Germany

#205 in the World

Enrollment: 5,968
Founded: 1964

73. University of Southampton

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#16 in the United Kingdom

#206 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

74. University of Munster

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Neuroscience

#20 in Germany

#208 in the World

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

75. University of Marburg

Germany | Hesse

For Neuroscience

#21 in Germany

#212 in the World

Enrollment: 22,612
Founded: 1527

76. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Neuroscience

#2 in Spain

#214 in the World

Enrollment: 30,926

77. University of Pisa

Italy | Tuscany

For Neuroscience

#7 in Italy

#215 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 47,736
Founded: 1343

78. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Neuroscience

#216 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1817

79. Complutense University of Madrid

For Neuroscience

#3 in Spain

#218 in the World

Founded: 1508

80. University of Leeds

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#17 in the United Kingdom

#220 in the World

Founded: 1904

81. University of Ulm

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Neuroscience

#22 in Germany

#221 in the World

Enrollment: 10,164
Founded: 1967

82. Hannover Medical School

Germany | Lower Saxony

For Neuroscience

#23 in Germany

#227 in the World

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

83. University of Leipzig

Germany | Saxony

For Neuroscience

#24 in Germany

#228 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 31,088
Founded: 1409

84. Umea University

For Neuroscience

#5 in Sweden

#231 in the World

Enrollment: 34,237
Founded: 1965

85. RWTH Aachen University

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Neuroscience

#25 in Germany

#234 in the World

Enrollment: 47,521
Founded: 1870

86. Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Norway | Trondheim

For Neuroscience

#2 in Norway

#237 in the World

Enrollment: 44,000
Founded: 1996

87. University of Aberdeen

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Neuroscience

#18 in the United Kingdom

#243 in the World

Founded: 1495

88. Dresden University of Technology

Germany | Saxony

For Neuroscience

#26 in Germany

#244 in the World

Enrollment: 31,517
Founded: 1828

89. University of London

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#19 in the United Kingdom

#245 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

90. University of Bergen

Norway | Bergen

For Neuroscience

#3 in Norway

#246 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1946

91. Autonomous University of Madrid

For Neuroscience

#4 in Spain

#247 in the World

Founded: 1968

92. University of Sussex

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#20 in the United Kingdom

#248 in the World

Enrollment: 17,319
Male:Female: 44:56
Founded: 1961

93. University of Antwerp

Belgium | Antwerp

For Neuroscience

#249 in the World

Founded: 2003

94. Catholic University of the Sacred Heart

Italy | Lombardy

For Neuroscience

#8 in Italy

#254 in the World

Founded: 1921

95. University of York

United Kingdom Flag

United Kingdom | England

For Neuroscience

#21 in the United Kingdom

#256 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

96. Federico II University of Naples

Italy | Campania

For Neuroscience

#9 in Italy

#259 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1224

97. Free University of Brussels

Belgium | Brussels

For Neuroscience

#260 in the World

Enrollment: 31,606
Founded: 1834

98. University of Pavia

Italy | Lombardy

For Neuroscience

#10 in Italy

#266 in the World

Enrollment: 23,849
Founded: 1361

99. University of Parma

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Neuroscience

#11 in Italy

#269 in the World

Founded: 1117

100. University of Rome Tor Vergata

For Neuroscience

#12 in Italy

#270 in the World

Founded: 1982