41 best universities in Brazil in 2026
Ranking based on the average of the three main global rankings: Shanghai (ARWU), Times Higher Education and QS.
Universidade de São Paulo (USP)
Average rank: #125
No. 25Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso do Sul (UFMS)
A multicampus federal university in Campo Grande, known for health, agronomy and Pantanal research.
No. 26Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA)
A large Amazonian federal university in Belém, founded in 1957 and a reference for forest and Amazon sciences.
No. 27Universidade Federal do Piauí (UFPI)
A federal university in Teresina, founded in 1973, multicampus and present across Piauí.
No. 28Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS)
A federal university in São Cristóvão, founded in 1968 and Sergipe's largest higher education institution.
No. 29Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM)
A federal university in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, founded in 1953, renowned for medicine and health sciences.
No. 30Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (UFOP)
A federal university in Minas Gerais, heir to the School of Mines founded in 1876, in a UNESCO World Heritage town.
No. 31Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU)
A federal university in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, founded in 1969, a large multidisciplinary institution in the Triângulo Mineiro.
No. 32Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL)
A free public state university in Londrina, Paraná, founded in 1970, known for health and agronomy.
No. 33Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC)
An innovative federal university in Santo André, São Paulo, founded in 2005, dedicated to exact sciences and technology.
No. 34Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo (UFES)
A federal university in Vitória, founded in 1954, known for engineering, medicine and marine sciences.
No. 35Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos (Unisinos)
A Jesuit university in São Leopoldo, Rio Grande do Sul, founded in 1969, known for pedagogical innovation and industry ties.
No. 36Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (SP/RJ)
A private confessional university in São Paulo, heir to an institution founded in 1870, renowned for law, architecture and engineering.
No. 37Universidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM)
A free public state university in Maringá, Paraná, founded in 1969, known for research in health and agronomy.
No. 38Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ)
A major free public state university in Rio de Janeiro, multicampus, known for medicine and law.
No. 39Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA)
A federal university in São Luís, founded in 1966, present across Maranhão and devoted to eastern Amazonia.
No. 40Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana (UEFS)
A free public state university in Feira de Santana, Bahia, founded in 1978, vital to the state's northeast.
No. 41Universidade Católica de Brasília (UCB)
A Catholic university in Brasília offering fifty-plus programs, on campus, hybrid and online, from bachelor's to doctoral level.