What are the largest universities in the world in terms of student numbers?

Have you ever wondered which are the largest universities in the world in terms of student numbers? We did some research to find the answer to that question and I guarantee you will be surprised. To begin, it is important to note that we only consider on-site teaching institutions. If we were to consider universities with mixed teaching (face-to-face and distance), the largest of all would be, by far, the National Open University Indira Gandhi (IGNOU), in India, which has more than 4 million students enrolled!

Also not included in the list are university systems that comprise more than one independent or semi-independent university. This is the case, for example, with the California University System and the Texas A&M University System, both in the United States; and the University of London, UK.

But before checking the final result, discover some curiosities on this subject. Sources: Countryaah.com

Of the 35 largest universities in the world in number of students:

• 13 are in Asia
• 7 are in Europe
• 7 are in North America
• 4 are in South America
• 2 are in Africa
• 2 are in Central America

Of the 35 largest universities in the world in number of students:

• 31 are public
• 4 are private

Of the 35 largest universities in the world in number of students:

• 8 are in India
• 5 are in Mexico
• 2 are in Argentina
• 2 are in Pakistan
• 2 are in Egypt
• The following countries have 1 university among the 40 largest: Saudi Arabia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Spain, United States, Greece, Guatemala, Italy, Nepal, Dominican Republic, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Thailand and Uruguay

Now that you have this information, get to know the TOP 10 worldwide:

10th University of Buenos Aires – Argentina (316,050 students)

9th National Autonomous University of Mexico (356,530 students)

8th Sikkim Manipal University – India (390 thousand students)

7th University of Delhi – India (400 thousand students)

6th University of Punjab – Pakistan (450 thousand students)

5th Savitribai Phule Pune University – India (500 thousand students)

4th Ramkhamhaeng University – Thailand (525 thousand students)

3rd University of Mumbai – India (549,432 students)

2nd Chaudhary Charan Sing University – India (560 thousand students)

1st Tribhuvan University – Nepal (604,437 students)

Which are the largest in Europe?

The largest universities in Europe in terms of enrolled students are far from the numbers of institutions in the TOP 10. Check out:

7th Complutense University of Madrid – Spain (83 thousand students)

6th University of Vienna – Austria (91,715 students)

5th University of Belgrade – Serbia (97,696 students)

4th University of Athens – Greece (104 thousand students)

3rd University of Rome “La Sapienza” – Italy (147 thousand students)

2nd Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration – Russia (180 thousand students)

1st Spiru Haret University – Romania (311,928 students)

Which are the largest in the Americas?

13th University of Toronto – Canada (88,766 students)

12th Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Studies – Mexico (91,200 students)

11th National University of Córdoba – Argentina (113,558 students)

10th University of San Carlos de Guatemala – Guatemala (124 thousand students)

9th University of the Republic – Uruguay (144,108 students)

8th Autonomous University of Santo Domingo – Dominican Republic (170,530 students)

7th National Polytechnic Institute – Mexico (171,581 students)

6th University of Guadalajara – Mexico (209,406 students)

5th Autonomous University of Nuevo León – Mexico (206 thousand students)

4th Estácio de Sá University – Brazil (215 thousand students)

3rd New York City University – United States (274,357 students)

2nd University of Buenos Aires – Argentina (316,050 students)

1st National Autonomous University of Mexico (356,530 students)

Which are the largest in Africa?

Africa only has two representatives in the TOP 40, both in Egypt:

2nd Ain Shams University (170 thousand students)

1st University of Cairo (257,200 students)

Which are the largest in Asia?

13th Abdul Kalam Technical University – India (150 thousand students)

12th University of Karachi – Pakistan (174 thousand students)

11th King Abdulaziz University – Saudi Arabia (177,234 students)

10th Madhya Pradesh University of Technology – India (260 thousand students)

9th Osmania University – India (300 thousand students)

8th Sikkim Manipal University – India (390 thousand students)

7th University of Delhi – India (400 thousand students)

6th University of Punjab – Pakistan (450 thousand students)

5th Savitribai Phule Pune University – India (500 thousand students)

4th Ramkhamhaeng University – Thailand (525 thousand students)

3rd University of Mumbai – India (549,432 students)

2nd Chaudhary Charan Sing University – India (560 thousand students)

1st Tribhuvan University – Nepal (604,437 students)

Which of these universities appear in the QS Ranking?

The QS World Univerties Ranking is one of the most respected in the world in the field of Education and assesses, based on various criteria, which are the best educational institutions on the planet. Check now which of these universities appear in the top 500 of this ranking and the positions they occupy, from the lowest to the highest.

• Toronto University– Canada: 25th
• University of Buenos Aires – Argentina: 66th
• National AutonomousUniversity of Mexico: 100th
• King Abdulaziz University – Saudi Arabia: 143rd
• Vienna University – Austria: 150th
• Technological and Higher Studies Institute of Monterrey – Mexico: 155th
• University of Rome “La Sapienza” – Italy: 171st
• Complutense University of Madrid – Spain: 206th
• Belgrade University – Serbia: 465th