Best Universities for Chemistry in Europe

Updated: July 18, 2023

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Chemistry. A graph of 555M citations received by 24.7M academic papers made by 1,389 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 of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#1 in the United Kingdom

#11 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

2. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#2 in the United Kingdom

#18 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1096

3. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#3 in the United Kingdom

#27 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

4. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#4 in the United Kingdom

#37 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

5. Karolinska Institute

Sweden | Stockholm

For Chemistry

#1 in Sweden

#43 in the World

Enrollment: 8,070
Founded: 1861

6. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#5 in the United Kingdom

#44 in the World

Founded: 1824

7. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Chemistry

#49 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

8. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Chemistry

#1 in Switzerland

#55 in the World

Enrollment: 12,576

9. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Chemistry

#2 in Switzerland

#62 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 23,420

10. Lund University

For Chemistry

#2 in Sweden

#67 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

11. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Chemistry

#6 in the United Kingdom

#75 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

12. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Chemistry

#76 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

13. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Chemistry

#81 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

14. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Chemistry

#84 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 31,312
Founded: 1640

15. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Chemistry

#3 in Sweden

#90 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 35,556
Founded: 1477

16. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Chemistry

#1 in the Netherlands

#94 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1636

17. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Chemistry

#97 in the World

Enrollment: 41,669
Founded: 1817

18. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#7 in the United Kingdom

#98 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

19. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Chemistry

#2 in the Netherlands

#103 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 31,123
Founded: 1632

20. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Chemistry

#104 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 50,918
Founded: 1472

21. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#8 in the United Kingdom

#107 in the World

Founded: 1900

22. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Chemistry

#1 in Italy

#111 in the World

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

23. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Chemistry

#3 in Switzerland

#112 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

24. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Chemistry

#113 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Founded: 1829

25. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Chemistry

#3 in the Netherlands

#118 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

26. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Chemistry

#4 in the Netherlands

#120 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1614

27. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#9 in the United Kingdom

#121 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Founded: 1905

28. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#10 in the United Kingdom

#122 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Founded: 1948

29. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#11 in the United Kingdom

#124 in the World

Founded: 1904

30. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Chemistry

#125 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 17%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

31. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Chemistry

#1 in Spain

#126 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 64,236
Male:Female: 86:14

32. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Germany | Bavaria

For Chemistry

#127 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 38,878
Founded: 1743

33. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#12 in the United Kingdom

#128 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1829

34. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Chemistry

#2 in Italy

#129 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 79,999
Founded: 1088

35. University of Gottingen

Germany | Lower Saxony

For Chemistry

#132 in the World

Enrollment: 31,619
Founded: 1734

36. University of Padua

For Chemistry

#3 in Italy

#136 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 62,876
Founded: 1222

37. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Chemistry

#13 in the United Kingdom

#140 in the World

Founded: 1451

38. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#14 in the United Kingdom

#141 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

39. University of Freiburg

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Chemistry

#144 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 24,391
Founded: 1457

40. University of Tubingen

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Chemistry

#146 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 28,515
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1477

41. Sapienza University of Rome

For Chemistry

#4 in Italy

#151 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

42. RWTH Aachen University

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Chemistry

#154 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 44,517
Founded: 1870

43. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Chemistry

#1 in Russia

#156 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

44. University of Munster

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Chemistry

#157 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 44,692
Founded: 1780

45. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Chemistry

#158 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

46. University of Wurzburg

Germany | Bavaria

For Chemistry

#10 in Germany

#161 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 28,878
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1402

47. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Chemistry

#11 in Germany

#162 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 26%
Enrollment: 23,321
Founded: 2009

48. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Chemistry

#163 in the World

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

49. University of Geneva

Switzerland | Geneva

For Chemistry

#4 in Switzerland

#164 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 17,744

50. Paris-Sud University

France | Ile-de-France

For Chemistry

#1 in France

#169 in the World

Enrollment: 31,400
Founded: 2014

51. University of Oslo

For Chemistry

#1 in Norway

#170 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

52. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#15 in the United Kingdom

#175 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

53. Federico II University of Naples

Italy | Campania

For Chemistry

#5 in Italy

#179 in the World

Enrollment: 78,324
Founded: 1224

54. Free University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Chemistry

#12 in Germany

#180 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 37,608
Founded: 1948

55. Leiden University

Netherlands | Leiden

For Chemistry

#5 in the Netherlands

#181 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,713
Founded: 1575

56. University of Bonn

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Chemistry

#13 in Germany

#182 in the World

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

57. University of Basel

Switzerland | Basel

For Chemistry

#5 in Switzerland

#183 in the World

Enrollment: 12,811

58. University of Bern

Switzerland | Bern

For Chemistry

#6 in Switzerland

#184 in the World

Enrollment: 18,576

59. Newcastle University

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#16 in the United Kingdom

#188 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Founded: 1963

60. Wageningen University

Netherlands | Wageningen

For Chemistry

#6 in the Netherlands

#203 in the World

Enrollment: 12,819
Founded: 1918

61. Charite - Medical University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Chemistry

#14 in Germany

#205 in the World

Enrollment: 8,877
Founded: 1710

62. University of Gothenburg

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Chemistry

#4 in Sweden

#207 in the World

Enrollment: 36,003
Founded: 1891

63. KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Sweden | Stockholm

For Chemistry

#5 in Sweden

#209 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 14,278
Founded: 1827

64. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Germany | Hesse

For Chemistry

#15 in Germany

#212 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 46,429
Founded: 1914

65. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Chemistry

#7 in the Netherlands

#213 in the World

Founded: 1923

66. University of Marburg

Germany | Hesse

For Chemistry

#16 in Germany

#215 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 24,758
Founded: 1527

67. University of Cologne

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Chemistry

#17 in Germany

#218 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 49,382
Male:Female: 39:61
Founded: 1388

68. Stockholm University

Sweden | Stockholm

For Chemistry

#6 in Sweden

#219 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 24%
Enrollment: 37,484
Founded: 1878

69. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Chemistry

#220 in the World

Enrollment: 25,421
Founded: 1817

70. University of Stuttgart

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Chemistry

#18 in Germany

#221 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Enrollment: 26,457
Founded: 1829

71. University of Florence

Italy | Tuscany

For Chemistry

#6 in Italy

#222 in the World

Founded: 1321

72. Ruhr University Bochum

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Chemistry

#19 in Germany

#223 in the World

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

73. Complutense University of Madrid

For Chemistry

#2 in Spain

#227 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Enrollment: 71,806
Founded: 1508

74. University of Dundee

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Chemistry

#17 in the United Kingdom

#230 in the World

Founded: 1967

75. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

Germany | Rhineland-Palatinate

For Chemistry

#20 in Germany

#232 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 33,132
Founded: 1946

76. Chalmers University of Technology

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Chemistry

#7 in Sweden

#238 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Enrollment: 10,912
Founded: 1829

77. Autonomous University of Madrid

For Chemistry

#3 in Spain

#240 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Founded: 1968

78. Eindhoven University of Technology

Netherlands | Eindhoven

For Chemistry

#8 in the Netherlands

#241 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1956

79. University of Pisa

Italy | Tuscany

For Chemistry

#7 in Italy

#242 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 49,108
Founded: 1343

80. Vienna University of Technology

Austria | Vienna

For Chemistry

#246 in the World

Enrollment: 29,341
Founded: 1872

81. University of Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Chemistry

#7 in Switzerland

#247 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 16,919

82. Heinrich Heine University of Dusseldorf

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Chemistry

#21 in Germany

#248 in the World

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

83. University of Porto

Portugal | Porto

For Chemistry

#249 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 29,178
Founded: 1911

84. University of Turin

Italy | Piedmont

For Chemistry

#8 in Italy

#251 in the World

Founded: 1404

85. Technical University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Chemistry

#22 in Germany

#254 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Enrollment: 35,149
Founded: 1946

86. Catholic University of Louvain

Belgium | Louvain-la-Neuve

For Chemistry

#260 in the World

Enrollment: 35,000
Founded: 1425

87. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Chemistry

#4 in Spain

#263 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Enrollment: 30,926

88. Humboldt University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Chemistry

#23 in Germany

#264 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 36,378
Founded: 1809

89. University of Regensburg

Germany | Bavaria

For Chemistry

#24 in Germany

#266 in the World

Enrollment: 21,558
Founded: 1962

90. Friedrich Schiller University of Jena

Germany | Thuringia

For Chemistry

#25 in Germany

#268 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 18,219
Founded: 1558

91. Dresden University of Technology

Germany | Saxony

For Chemistry

#26 in Germany

#270 in the World

Enrollment: 31,517
Founded: 1828

92. Cardiff University

United Kingdom | Wales

For Chemistry

#18 in the United Kingdom

#274 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1997

93. University of Ulm

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Chemistry

#27 in Germany

#275 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 10,747
Founded: 1967

94. University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Chemistry

#5 in Spain

#277 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 58,390

95. Umea University

For Chemistry

#8 in Sweden

#279 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 34,237
Founded: 1965

96. Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Chemistry

#280 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1592

97. Kiel University

Germany | Schleswig-Holstein

For Chemistry

#28 in Germany

#281 in the World

Enrollment: 25,277
Founded: 1665

98. University of Leicester

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#19 in the United Kingdom

#284 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

99. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#20 in the United Kingdom

#285 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

100. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Chemistry

#21 in the United Kingdom

#291 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Founded: 1989

Chemistry subfields in Europe

Biochemical Engineering369

Biochemistry1230

Chemical Engineering955

Computational Chemistry567

Environmental Chemistry772

Inorganic Chemistry698

Materials Science1285

Nanotechnology916

Nutrition and Food Science778

Organic Chemistry1227

Petrology and Geochemistry676

Physical chemistry967

Polymer science and Plastics engineering346

Radiochemistry562