Best Universities for Ecology in Europe

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Ecology. A graph of 168M citations received by 5.09M academic papers made by 1,372 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 Oxford

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#1 in the United Kingdom

#11 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#2 in the United Kingdom

#15 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

3. Wageningen University

Netherlands | Wageningen

For Ecology

#1 in the Netherlands

#16 in the World

Enrollment: 12,819
Founded: 1918

4. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#3 in the United Kingdom

#26 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

5. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#4 in the United Kingdom

#30 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

6. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Ecology

#1 in Switzerland

#35 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

7. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Ecology

#47 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

8. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Ecology

#2 in the Netherlands

#50 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

9. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Ecology

#53 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

10. Lund University

For Ecology

#1 in Sweden

#60 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

11. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Ecology

#61 in the World

Enrollment: 41,669
Founded: 1817

12. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Sweden | Uppsala

For Ecology

#2 in Sweden

#62 in the World

Enrollment: 5,675
Founded: 1977

13. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Ecology

#66 in the World

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

14. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Ecology

#5 in the United Kingdom

#69 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

15. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#6 in the United Kingdom

#73 in the World

Founded: 1824

16. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Ecology

#75 in the World

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

17. Technical University of Denmark

Denmark | Kongens Lyngby

For Ecology

#77 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Founded: 1829

18. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#7 in the United Kingdom

#78 in the World

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

19. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Ecology

#1 in France

#79 in the World

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

20. Stockholm University

Sweden | Stockholm

For Ecology

#3 in Sweden

#81 in the World

Enrollment: 37,484
Founded: 1878

21. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Ecology

#3 in the Netherlands

#82 in the World

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

22. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Ecology

#4 in the Netherlands

#85 in the World

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

23. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Ecology

#2 in Switzerland

#86 in the World

Enrollment: 12,576

24. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#8 in the United Kingdom

#87 in the World

Founded: 1905

25. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Ecology

#3 in Switzerland

#89 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

26. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#9 in the United Kingdom

#92 in the World

Founded: 1904

27. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Ecology

#4 in Sweden

#95 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1477

28. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Ecology

#101 in the World

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

29. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#10 in the United Kingdom

#103 in the World

Founded: 1948

30. University of Gottingen

Germany | Lower Saxony

For Ecology

#108 in the World

Enrollment: 31,619
Founded: 1734

31. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Ecology

#5 in the Netherlands

#114 in the World

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

32. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#11 in the United Kingdom

#115 in the World

Founded: 1900

33. University of Reading

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#12 in the United Kingdom

#119 in the World

Founded: 1892

34. University of Exeter

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#13 in the United Kingdom

#121 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

35. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#14 in the United Kingdom

#123 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

36. University of East Anglia

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#15 in the United Kingdom

#128 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

37. University of Oslo

For Ecology

#1 in Norway

#132 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

38. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Ecology

#135 in the World

Enrollment: 27,678
Founded: 1817

39. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Ecology

#136 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

40. University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Ecology

#137 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

41. Sapienza University of Rome

For Ecology

#1 in Italy

#140 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

42. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Ecology

#2 in Italy

#141 in the World

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

43. University of Gothenburg

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Ecology

#5 in Sweden

#142 in the World

Enrollment: 36,003
Founded: 1891

44. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#16 in the United Kingdom

#149 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

45. University of Padua

For Ecology

#3 in Italy

#152 in the World

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

46. University of Hamburg

Germany | Hamburg State

For Ecology

#154 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

47. Newcastle University

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#17 in the United Kingdom

#155 in the World

Founded: 1963

48. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Ecology

#1 in Spain

#158 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 64,236
Male:Female: 86:14

49. Free University Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Ecology

#6 in the Netherlands

#162 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1880

50. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Ecology

#18 in the United Kingdom

#163 in the World

Founded: 1451

51. Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Norway | Trondheim

For Ecology

#2 in Norway

#164 in the World

Enrollment: 42,031
Founded: 1996

52. University of Aberdeen

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Ecology

#19 in the United Kingdom

#166 in the World

Founded: 1495

53. University of Bern

Switzerland | Bern

For Ecology

#4 in Switzerland

#172 in the World

Enrollment: 18,576

54. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#20 in the United Kingdom

#175 in the World

Founded: 1829

55. Federico II University of Naples

Italy | Campania

For Ecology

#4 in Italy

#179 in the World

Enrollment: 73,553
Founded: 1224

56. University of Porto

Portugal | Porto

For Ecology

#180 in the World

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

57. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Greece | Thessaloniki

For Ecology

#1 in Greece

#182 in the World

Enrollment: 92,090
Founded: 1925

58. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Ecology

#2 in Spain

#183 in the World

Enrollment: 30,926

59. University of Bonn

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Ecology

#184 in the World

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

60. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Ecology

#7 in the Netherlands

#187 in the World

Founded: 1923

61. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

France | Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes

For Ecology

#2 in France

#196 in the World

Enrollment: 38,007
Founded: 1809

62. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Ecology

#5 in Italy

#197 in the World

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

63. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Ecology

#200 in the World

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

64. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#21 in the United Kingdom

#204 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

65. Aalborg University

Denmark | Aalborg

For Ecology

#205 in the World

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

66. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Ecology

#216 in the World

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

67. Complutense University of Madrid

For Ecology

#3 in Spain

#219 in the World

Enrollment: 71,806
Founded: 1508

68. Cardiff University

United Kingdom | Wales

For Ecology

#22 in the United Kingdom

#221 in the World

Founded: 1997

69. Lancaster University

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#23 in the United Kingdom

#223 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

70. University of Montpellier

France | Occitanie

For Ecology

#3 in France

#225 in the World

Enrollment: 46,578
Founded: 1289

71. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Ecology

#226 in the World

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

72. Kiel University

Germany | Schleswig-Holstein

For Ecology

#228 in the World

Enrollment: 27,468
Founded: 1665

73. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Ecology

#1 in Russia

#229 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

74. Leiden University

Netherlands | Leiden

For Ecology

#8 in the Netherlands

#232 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 27,713
Founded: 1575

75. Polytechnic University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Ecology

#6 in Italy

#237 in the World

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

76. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#24 in the United Kingdom

#238 in the World

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

77. University of Bergen

Norway | Bergen

For Ecology

#3 in Norway

#239 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1946

78. KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Sweden | Stockholm

For Ecology

#6 in Sweden

#241 in the World

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

79. University of Florence

Italy | Tuscany

For Ecology

#7 in Italy

#242 in the World

Founded: 1321

80. University of Freiburg

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Ecology

#246 in the World

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

81. RWTH Aachen University

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Ecology

#10 in Germany

#247 in the World

Enrollment: 47,521
Founded: 1870

82. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#25 in the United Kingdom

#249 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

83. Free University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Ecology

#11 in Germany

#251 in the World

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

84. Catholic University of Louvain

Belgium | Louvain-la-Neuve

For Ecology

#252 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1425

85. University College Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Ecology

#255 in the World

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

86. Umea University

For Ecology

#7 in Sweden

#257 in the World

Enrollment: 34,237
Founded: 1965

87. University of Antwerp

Belgium | Antwerp

For Ecology

#258 in the World

Founded: 2003

88. University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Ecology

#4 in Spain

#265 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 58,390

89. University of Granada

Spain | Granada

For Ecology

#5 in Spain

#266 in the World

Founded: 1531

90. University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#26 in the United Kingdom

#268 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

91. Technical University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Ecology

#12 in Germany

#273 in the World

Enrollment: 34,842
Founded: 1946

92. University of St Andrews

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Ecology

#27 in the United Kingdom

#278 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

93. University of Pisa

Italy | Tuscany

For Ecology

#8 in Italy

#281 in the World

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

94. Technical University of Catalonia

Spain | Barcelona

For Ecology

#6 in Spain

#284 in the World

Enrollment: 29,812

95. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Ecology

#28 in the United Kingdom

#286 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

96. University of Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Ecology

#5 in Switzerland

#287 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 16,908

97. Chalmers University of Technology

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Ecology

#8 in Sweden

#291 in the World

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

98. University of Bayreuth

Germany | Bavaria

For Ecology

#13 in Germany

#292 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 12,773
Founded: 1972

99. University of Turin

Italy | Piedmont

For Ecology

#9 in Italy

#294 in the World

Founded: 1404

100. University of Tubingen

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Ecology

#14 in Germany

#295 in the World

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

Environmental Science subfields in Europe

Agricultural Science984

Earth science and Geophysics912

Environmental Chemistry846

Environmental Engineering726

Environmental Management1078

Geography and Cartography1426

Geotechnical Engineering849

Hydrology and Water resources management245

Meteorology and Atmospheric Science1118

Mining Engineering286

Oceanography1101

Paleontology1354

Petrology and Geochemistry781

Urban and Regional planning658

Wildlife and Fisheries Management & Conservation760