London was crowned the world's best student city, in spite of languishing close to the bottom of the list for affordability.
The UK capital topped the QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2023 for a fourth year in a row.
Seoul, Munich, Zurich and Melbourne rounded out the top five, while the Scottish capital Edinburgh broke into the top 10.
Dubai ranked best student city in the Middle East
In the Middle East, Dubai was the highest ranked and came 51st overall.
The rankings, compiled by education consultancy QS Quacquarelli Symonds, said that the cost of student life has risen significantly.
“Worryingly, cities are broadly becoming less affordable for students by QS’ measures, with just under 90 per cent declining in our Affordability metric,” said Ben Sowter, senior vice president of QS.
London ranked highest around the world
London was placed top for its score in six factors, including student mix, employer activity and the range of highly ranked universities in a single city.
It scored 98.5/100 for “student view” — whether students would recommend it to others — a result bettered only by Berlin.
Mr Sowter said London had garnered an “outstanding opinion of students who have studied there and the exceptional quality of its universities — both of which translate to an outstanding student experience”.
“However, with the cost of living a growing concern across the UK, the potentially diminishing affordability of studying and living in the city and Britain more broadly is at the forefront of the public and policymakers’ consciousness.”
London School of Economics' guide for prospective students says they should allow for £1,200-£1,300 per month for living expenses, including accommodation, food and travel.
Other guides warn it can be much higher for those socialising regularly, with the cost of living soaring in the UK.
Further notable highlights included Canada boasting three top-20 student cities, while US, Japan and Switzerland have two each.
The highest-ranking cities in the US are Boston (11th) and New York (18th).
China's top entry was Beijing at 29th place.
The fastest rising cities were Almaty in 75th, which rose 30 places in one year, Abu Dhabi in 71st and Ankara in 77th.
QS Quacquarelli Symonds ranks 110 cities around the world. Of these, 58 improved, six remained stable and 46 declined.
It includes cities with a population more than 250,000.
The results are based on the opinions of 98,426 students regarding their time spent in a given city.
Best student cities in the world 2022
- London
- Seoul
- Munich
- Zurich
- Melbourne
- Berlin
- Tokyo
- Paris
- Sydney
- Edinburgh
The specs
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From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
The five pillars of Islam
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
%3Cp%3EMATA%0D%3Cbr%3EArtist%3A%20M.I.A%0D%3Cbr%3ELabel%3A%20Island%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
