Best Universities for Mechanical Engineering 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 Mechanical Engineering. A graph of 63.4M citations received by 2.64M academic papers made by 1,306 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 Mechanical Engineering

#1 in the United Kingdom

#8 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

2. University of Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in the United Kingdom

#14 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in the United Kingdom

#23 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

4. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Switzerland

#27 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

5. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in the Netherlands

#28 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

6. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in the United Kingdom

#30 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

7. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Switzerland

#37 in the World

Enrollment: 12,576

8. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in the United Kingdom

#44 in the World

Founded: 1824

9. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Belgium

#45 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

10. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Germany

#51 in the World

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

11. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Denmark

#53 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1829

12. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in the United Kingdom

#59 in the World

Founded: 1948

13. RWTH Aachen University

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Germany

#63 in the World

Enrollment: 47,521
Founded: 1870

14. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in the United Kingdom

#66 in the World

Founded: 1905

15. KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Sweden | Stockholm

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Sweden

#73 in the World

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

16. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Germany

#77 in the World

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

17. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#8 in the United Kingdom

#78 in the World

Founded: 1900

18. Polytechnic University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Italy

#84 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 28%
Enrollment: 48,645
Male:Female: 65:35
Founded: 1863

19. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Mechanical Engineering

#9 in the United Kingdom

#90 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

20. University of Stuttgart

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Germany

#101 in the World

Enrollment: 22,616
Founded: 1829

21. Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Norway | Trondheim

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Norway

#104 in the World

Enrollment: 44,000
Founded: 1996

22. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#10 in the United Kingdom

#110 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

23. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#11 in the United Kingdom

#112 in the World

Founded: 1904

24. Eindhoven University of Technology

Netherlands | Eindhoven

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in the Netherlands

#115 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 13,069
Founded: 1956

25. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Italy

#116 in the World

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

26. Lund University

Sweden | Lund

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Sweden

#119 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

27. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in France

#121 in the World

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

28. Polytechnic University of Turin

Italy | Piedmont

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Italy

#122 in the World

Founded: 1859

29. University of Padua

Italy | Veneto

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Italy

#124 in the World

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

30. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Mechanical Engineering

#12 in the United Kingdom

#126 in the World

Founded: 1451

31. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in Germany

#130 in the World

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

32. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#13 in the United Kingdom

#131 in the World

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

33. University of Erlangen Nuremberg

Germany | Bavaria

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in Germany

#132 in the World

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

34. Chalmers University of Technology

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Sweden

#135 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Enrollment: 10,773
Founded: 1829

35. Sapienza University of Rome

Italy | Lazio

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in Italy

#137 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

36. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in the Netherlands

#138 in the World

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

37. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Belgium

#139 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1817

38. Technical University of Catalonia

Spain | Barcelona

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Spain

#141 in the World

Enrollment: 29,812

39. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Sweden

#143 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1477

40. University of Twente

Netherlands | Enschede

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in the Netherlands

#150 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1961

41. Aalborg University

Denmark | Aalborg

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Denmark

#151 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 20,353
Founded: 1974

42. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Denmark

#155 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

43. University of Hamburg

Germany | Hamburg State

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in Germany

#156 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

44. Darmstadt University of Technology

Germany | Hesse

For Mechanical Engineering

#8 in Germany

#158 in the World

Enrollment: 24,969
Founded: 1877

45. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in the Netherlands

#161 in the World

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

46. TU Dortmund University

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Mechanical Engineering

#9 in Germany

#163 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 34,616
Male:Female: 54:46
Founded: 1968

47. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in the Netherlands

#166 in the World

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

48. Vienna University of Technology

Austria | Vienna

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Austria

#169 in the World

Enrollment: 29,341
Founded: 1872

49. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in the Netherlands

#173 in the World

Founded: 1923

50. Loughborough University

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#14 in the United Kingdom

#176 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

51. Technical University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Mechanical Engineering

#10 in Germany

#178 in the World

Enrollment: 34,842
Founded: 1946

52. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Denmark

#179 in the World

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

53. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#15 in the United Kingdom

#181 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

54. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#16 in the United Kingdom

#182 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

55. National Technical University of Athens

Greece | Athens

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Greece

#183 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1836

56. Dresden University of Technology

Germany | Saxony

For Mechanical Engineering

#11 in Germany

#185 in the World

Enrollment: 31,517
Founded: 1828

57. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#17 in the United Kingdom

#186 in the World

Founded: 1829

58. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

France | Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in France

#189 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

59. Federico II University of Naples

Italy | Campania

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in Italy

#192 in the World

Enrollment: 80,000
Founded: 1224

60. Newcastle University

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#18 in the United Kingdom

#193 in the World

Founded: 1963

61. University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Portugal

#197 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

62. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Mechanical Engineering

#12 in Germany

#199 in the World

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

63. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#19 in the United Kingdom

#201 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

64. University of Ljubljana

Slovenia | Ljubljana

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Slovenia

#205 in the World

Founded: 1919

65. Polytechnic University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Spain

#207 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 28,450
Founded: 1968

66. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Switzerland

#208 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

67. Durham University

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#20 in the United Kingdom

#213 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

68. University of Florence

Italy | Tuscany

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in Italy

#214 in the World

Founded: 1321

69. University of Strathclyde

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Mechanical Engineering

#21 in the United Kingdom

#222 in the World

Founded: 1964

70. Paris-Sud University

France | Ile-de-France

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in France

#226 in the World

Enrollment: 23,270
Founded: 2014

71. Linkoping University

Sweden | Linkoping

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in Sweden

#231 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 22,441
Founded: 1975

72. Cranfield University

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#22 in the United Kingdom

#233 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 4,825
Founded: 1993

73. University of Pisa

Italy | Tuscany

For Mechanical Engineering

#8 in Italy

#235 in the World

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

74. Leibniz University of Hanover

Germany | Lower Saxony

For Mechanical Engineering

#13 in Germany

#237 in the World

Enrollment: 28,018
Founded: 1831

75. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Finland

#240 in the World

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

76. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Russia

#246 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

77. AGH University of Science and Technology

Poland | Krakow

For Mechanical Engineering

#1 in Poland

#247 in the World

Enrollment: 19,750
Founded: 1919

78. University of Freiburg

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Mechanical Engineering

#14 in Germany

#249 in the World

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

79. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Spain

#251 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 64,236

80. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Mechanical Engineering

#3 in Belgium

#255 in the World

Enrollment: 27,678
Founded: 1817

81. University of Porto

Portugal | Porto

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Portugal

#261 in the World

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

82. University of Seville

Spain | Seville

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Spain

#265 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1505

83. Aalto University

Finland | Espoo

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Finland

#266 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 11,440
Founded: 2010

84. Ruhr University Bochum

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Mechanical Engineering

#15 in Germany

#267 in the World

Enrollment: 42,954
Founded: 1962

85. University of Basel

Switzerland | Basel

For Mechanical Engineering

#4 in Switzerland

#270 in the World

Enrollment: 12,896

86. Cardiff University

United Kingdom | Wales

For Mechanical Engineering

#23 in the United Kingdom

#271 in the World

Founded: 1997

87. Karolinska Institute

Sweden | Stockholm

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in Sweden

#274 in the World

Enrollment: 8,070
Founded: 1861

88. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Austria

#275 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

89. University of Bath

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#24 in the United Kingdom

#276 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 18,857
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1966

90. Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Mechanical Engineering

#8 in the Netherlands

#282 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1913

91. Brunel University London

United Kingdom | England

For Mechanical Engineering

#25 in the United Kingdom

#283 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

92. University of Bonn

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Mechanical Engineering

#16 in Germany

#284 in the World

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

93. University of the Basque Country

Spain | Bilbao

For Mechanical Engineering

#5 in Spain

#289 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 63,000

94. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Greece | Thessaloniki

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Greece

#290 in the World

Enrollment: 92,090
Founded: 1925

95. Warsaw University of Technology

Poland | Warsaw

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Poland

#293 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 71%
Enrollment: 27,072
Founded: 1826

96. Technical University of Madrid

Spain | Madrid

For Mechanical Engineering

#6 in Spain

#294 in the World

Founded: 1971

97. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Mechanical Engineering

#9 in Italy

#295 in the World

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

98. University of Duisburg - Essen

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Mechanical Engineering

#17 in Germany

#296 in the World

Enrollment: 43,281
Founded: 2003

99. University of Oslo

Norway | Oslo

For Mechanical Engineering

#2 in Norway

#299 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

100. Stockholm University

Sweden | Stockholm

For Mechanical Engineering

#7 in Sweden

#301 in the World

Enrollment: 37,484
Founded: 1878

Engineering subfields in Europe

Acoustical Engineering1187

Aerospace Engineering1139

Agricultural Engineering248

Applied/Engineering Physics468

Architectural Engineering564

Architecture522

Automation and Control engineering547

Automotive Engineering665

Aviation362

Biochemical Engineering460

Biomedical Engineering565

Biotechnology768

Chemical Engineering1043

Civil Engineering973

Computer Engineering592

Computer Networking1124

Construction Management448

Electrical Engineering1217

Electronic Engineering879

Engineering Management482

Environmental Engineering733

Firefighting and Fire Science296

Geotechnical Engineering853

Human-Computer Interaction858

Industrial Engineering390

Landscape Architecture408

Marine Engineering344

Materials Science1349

Metallurgical Engineering1155

Mining Engineering295

Nanotechnology992

Nuclear Engineering363

Operations Research670

Optical Engineering1268

Petroleum Engineering420

Polymer science and Plastics engineering352

Product and Industrial Design352

Reliability and Quality Engineering622

Remote Sensing677

Renewable Energy Engineering626

Robotics496

Structural Engineering1041

Systems Engineering995

Technical Drawing373

Telecommunications1149

Transportation Engineering589