Trinity climbs to 75th place in 2026 QS World University Rankings

Trinity College Dublin has achieved its highest ranking in a decade in the QS World University Rankings 2026.  

Trinity is ranked 75th in the world in the 2026 report, up 12 places from last year (when it was 87th) and remains by some margin the highest ranked university in Ireland.  

The increase is due in large part to a strong performance in the Academic Reputation category and the Employer Reputation category.  

The QS World University Rankings measure the performance of the world’s top 1,501 universities by weighting their performance across several categories.  

Trinity’s Provost and President Dr Linda Doyle said: “The rankings news encourages us to be even bolder in our ambition for Trinity and, indeed, for Ireland - an ambition that should be championed and defended regardless of the rankings.  

A sustainable funding model for higher education in Ireland is key to helping us to thrive. While increased core funding helps us to achieve our ambitions on the national and international stage, we need to see an absolute step-change in how universities and research are funded in Ireland.”  

Trinity’s Dean of Research Prof. Sinéad Ryan said “While it is always heartening to see Trinity’s reputation as a top research institution and place of excellent teaching recognised internationally, we also acknowledge that rankings do not capture the full range of our activities, impact, and ambition. It is notable that Irish universities have performed strongly this year.   

For Ireland to now fully unlock the potential of its excellent universities for the benefit of society, a sustainable funding model for the sector is essential.” 

Media Contact:

Catherine O’Mahony | Media Relations | catherine.omahony@tcd.ie