Auckland University of Technology (AUT) sits in Auckland, New Zealand and is the country’s youngest university to break into the QS top 500 within two decades of its 2000 founding. AUT ranks #431 in QS World University Rankings 2027 and earns its strongest subject placement at #27 globally for Sports-Related Studies.
- QS World University Rankings 2027: #431 globally, #8 in New Zealand
- Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026: #427 globally, #7 in New Zealand
- Times Higher Education 2026: 501-600 band globally, #4 in New Zealand
- U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026: #524 globally, #4 in New Zealand
Reading the rank pattern: AUT’s QS rank sits within 5 places of its Collegedunia Study Abroad rank, a tight overlap that signals both bodies read the same employer-facing strengths. Its Sports-Related subject rank of #27 is over 400 positions ahead of its overall world rank, the widest subject-to-overall gap of any New Zealand university. For Indian applicants chasing applied masters in sport, hospitality or nursing, AUT’s subject ranks matter far more than the overall position.
Table of Contents
- Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Overall Rankings 2026
- Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students
- Auckland University of Technology (AUT) QS World University Rankings 2027
- Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
- Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings
- Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Other Global Rankings
- Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Subject Rankings
- Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Impact and Sustainability Rankings
- Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Rankings: Indian Student Outlook
- Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Ranking FAQs
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Overall Rankings 2026
Four global ranking bodies place Auckland University of Technology (AUT) within the top 25% of the world’s universities, with QS and Collegedunia Study Abroad falling within 5 positions of each other. The widest gap is between QS at #431 and the THE 501-600 band, a spread of about 70 places.
| Ranking Body and Edition | Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Rank |
|---|---|
| Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 | #427 |
| QS World University Rankings 2027 | #431 |
| Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 | 501-600 |
| U.S. News Best Global Universities 2025-2026 | #524 |
The QS to THE spread of nearly 100 positions reflects a methodology split, since QS scores employer reputation and faculty-student ratio heavily while THE leans on research and citations. For Indian applicants prioritising employability and applied learning, the QS reading is the closer fit to what AUT actually delivers.
Key insight: Three of AUT’s four overall ranks fall inside a 100-position band (#427 to #524), a stability signal that means a 2026 Indian admit will graduate with a degree whose global rank stays inside the same tier band.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Rankings: Bottom Line for Indian Students
AUT’s subject ranks for Indian-popular tracks outperform its overall position by 200 to 400 places, so the degree label carries more weight than the school’s headline rank suggests. The Indian comparison anchor below uses verified QS 2027 ranks for IIT Bombay.
| Signal | Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Data | What it means for Indian applicants |
|---|---|---|
| QS World 2027 rank | #431 | Sits in the same QS tier band for the last 4 editions, a stable global signal |
| QS Sports-Related Subject 2026 | #27 | Top-30 global stamp for sports science, kinesiology and sports management masters |
| QS Hospitality and Leisure Management 2026 | 51-100 | India-recognised credential for hotel, tourism and event management careers |
| QS Nursing 2026 | 101-150 | Supports nursing council pathways for India trained nurses planning NZ migration |
| AUT vs IIT Bombay (QS 2027) | #431 vs #134 | Indian applicants without an IIT seat still access a top-500 global brand with subject strength |
| Acceptance rate | Around 91% | Open-door access compared to IIT’s sub-1% entry rate widens the applicant pool |
Key insight
- Subject-vs-overall gap: AUT’s #27 sports rank beats its overall #431 by 404 places, the largest gap among the country’s 8 ranked universities.
- India-relevance: The Collegedunia Study Abroad rank of #427 sits 4 places above the QS rank, a small India-specific lift driven by employer demand and post-study work visa value.
- Peer positioning: AUT trails IIT Bombay by 297 QS positions but pairs that gap with a 91% acceptance rate, a trade Indian applicants who miss IIT cut-offs may welcome.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) QS World University Rankings 2027
AUT is ranked #431 in the QS World University Rankings 2027 edition released June 2026, and has stayed inside the same QS band for 4 of the last 5 editions. QS, which ranks universities based on academic reputation, employer opinion and research, is widely treated as the most India-relevant global ranking.
| Year | Auckland University of Technology (AUT) QS World Rank |
|---|---|
| 2027 | #431 |
| 2026 | #410 |
| 2025 | #412 |
| 2024 | #407 |
| 2023 | #486 |
The 5-year average sits at #429, almost identical to the current rank, which signals a steady plateau rather than drift in either direction. The 79-place climb from 2023 to 2024 remains the sharpest single-year shift, and the 21-place dip in 2027 is too small to break the plateau pattern.
What it signals: A 4-edition cluster within a 24-place window (#407 to #431) means an Indian student starting in 2026 graduates with a QS degree label inside the same tier the application year promised.
Read More: Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Courses and Fees 2026 for Indian Students
Collegedunia Study Abroad Rankings of Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
Collegedunia Study Abroad places Auckland University of Technology (AUT) at #427 overall in its 2026 edition, with separate subject ranks for Engineering and Medicine. The Engineering rank sits 95 places above the overall reading.
| Category | Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 Rank |
|---|---|
| Overall | #427 |
| Engineering | #336 |
| Medicine | #216 |
The Medicine rank of #216 outperforms the overall rank by 211 places, the strongest signal in AUT’s Collegedunia profile and a clear nudge for Indian students looking at health science masters or nursing pathways. Engineering at #336 sits closer to the overall reading, so the brand value for an Indian engineer is solid but not exceptional.
India-relevance: AUT’s Collegedunia Medicine rank beats its QS overall rank by 215 places, a gap that maps directly to Indian student demand for nursing and allied health programmes at AUT.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings
Times Higher Education, which weighs research output and citations more than QS does, places AUT in the 501-600 band in its 2026 edition, the country’s #4 university by THE methodology. The 5-year trend shows a clear slide from a 2022 peak.
| Year | Auckland University of Technology (AUT) THE Rank |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 501-600 |
| 2025 | 401-500 |
| 2024 | 401-500 |
| 2023 | 251-300 |
| 2022 | 201-250 |
AUT has moved across 4 different THE bands in 5 years, a research-citation pattern that contrasts sharply with the stable QS line. Industry data shows THE rewards bibliometric depth, so the slide reflects citation density not employer demand. For Indian students looking at applied masters, this trend changes nothing about employability outcomes.
What it signals: The 3-band slide between THE 2023 (251-300) and THE 2026 (501-600) is the most volatile pattern in AUT’s rank profile, yet it sits alongside a flat QS line which carries more weight for an Indian applicant choosing a vocational masters.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Other Global Rankings
Two further global bodies place AUT within a 50-position band of one another, both of them weighted toward research output and academic reputation. U.S. News, which uses bibliometric depth from Clarivate data, is the more conservative reading.
| Ranking Body | 2025-2026 Rank | 2024-2025 Rank |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. News Best Global Universities | #524 | #519 |
The 5-place drift between U.S. News editions confirms the same plateau pattern QS shows, so the 2 most India-watched aggregators agree on AUT’s stable mid-tier global standing. ARWU and FT lists do not feature AUT in their current editions, which is normal for a non-research-intensive university with no full-time MBA in the FT bracket.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Subject Rankings
AUT appears in 4 QS subject lists and 9 THE subject lists in their 2026 editions, with Sports-Related Studies its standout result globally. The QS subject ranks are the data points Indian applicants should weigh most heavily.
Key insight
- Sports-Related Studies (QS 2026): #27 globally, AUT’s flagship subject rank and over 400 places above its overall rank.
- Hospitality and Leisure Management (QS 2026): 51-100, a top-100 global stamp that lifts AUT’s brand value for Indian hospitality and tourism applicants.
- Nursing (QS 2026): 101-150, the strongest health subject rank and aligned with NZ nursing council registration pathways.
- Communication and Media Studies (QS 2026): 101-150, a useful India-relevance signal for applied media masters.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) QS Subject Rankings 2026
The 4 QS subjects below all sit ahead of AUT’s overall world rank, a sign that subject-level brand recognition is the real currency a degree from AUT carries.
| Subject | QS 2026 Rank |
|---|---|
| Sports-Related Studies | #27 |
| Hospitality and Leisure Management | 51-100 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 101-150 |
| Nursing | 101-150 |
All 4 QS subjects beat AUT’s overall #431 rank by at least 280 places, a subject-vs-overall lift that is the largest in New Zealand. For an Indian student picking a sport science, hospitality or nursing masters, the degree label carries top-150 weight regardless of AUT’s world position.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) THE Subject Rankings 2026
THE 2026 places AUT inside the 301-400 band for 3 of its strongest subjects, a tier match with its 501-600 overall rank that signals reputation-led lift rather than research depth.
| Subject | THE 2026 Rank |
|---|---|
| Business and Economics | 301-400 |
| Medical and Health | 301-400 |
| Education Studies | 301-400 |
| Arts and Humanities | 401-500 |
| Life Sciences | 401-500 |
| Social Sciences | 401-500 |
| Psychology | 501-600 |
| Computer Science | 601-800 |
| Engineering | 601-800 |
Business, Medical and Health and Education sit 1 to 2 bands above the overall 501-600 line, while Computer Science and Engineering trail by 1 band. The reading aligns with AUT’s positioning as a teaching-strong applied university, not a research-intensive STEM school.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Impact and Sustainability Rankings
AUT’s sharpest top-100 results sit in sustainability and SDG-linked rankings, not in the world ranking lists. The university breaks into the global top 35 for 2 Sustainable Development Goal categories.
| Ranking | Edition | AUT Rank |
|---|---|---|
| THE Impact Rankings, Overall | 2025 | 101-200 |
| THE Impact, Gender Equality (SDG 5) | 2025 | =26 |
| THE Impact, Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8) | 2025 | =33 |
| THE Impact, Quality Education (SDG 4) | 2025 | 68 |
| THE Impact, Responsible Consumption (SDG 12) | 2025 | =82 |
| THE Impact, Partnership for the Goals (SDG 17) | 2025 | =94 |
| QS Sustainability, Equality | 2026 | #35 |
| QS Sustainability, Governance | 2026 | #123 |
| QS Sustainability, Overall | 2026 | #277 |
| THE Young University Rankings | 2025 | Top 100 |
The Gender Equality #26 and Decent Work #33 ranks sit over 400 positions ahead of AUT’s overall world rank, a contrast that signals strong policy and graduate outcomes data. Indian students who care about equitable career outcomes, paid internships and an inclusive campus get a measurable signal from these numbers.
What it signals: AUT’s Top 100 placement in the THE Young University Rankings is its 3rd top-100 stamp alongside Sports-Related Studies (#27) and Gender Equality (=26), all 3 of which carry direct relevance to Indian applicant decisions.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Rankings: Indian Student Outlook
For Indian students, AUT’s ranking story is a subject-led one and not a world-rank one. The 4 QS subjects where AUT cracks the top 150 line up directly with the masters programmes Indian students most often choose at the university.
Popular programmes Indian students choose at AUT:
- Master of Computer and Information Sciences: Aligned with India’s IT pipeline; THE Computer Science rank of 601-800 sits below average but the post-study work visa carries the value.
- Master of Engineering Project Management: Popular among Indian engineers transitioning to management; THE Engineering 601-800 plus a 3-year post-study visa is the real draw.
- Master of Business Administration: Backed by THE Business and Economics 301-400, a 2-band lift above AUT’s overall rank.
- Master of Hospitality Management: Tied to the QS Hospitality and Leisure Management 51-100 result, AUT’s most-cited applied strength.
- Master of Health Science and Nursing: Anchored by QS Nursing 101-150 and a Collegedunia Medicine rank of #216 plus NZ registration pathways for Indian nurses.
| India-relevance Signal | Data Point | What it means for the Indian applicant |
|---|---|---|
| QS overall stability 2023-2027 | #486 to #431 | Degree value protected across the 5-year decision window |
| Strongest QS subject | Sports-Related #27 | Top-30 global brand on transcript, regardless of overall rank |
| Closest Indian comparator (QS 2027) | IIT Bombay #134 | 297-place gap, but acceptance rate gap of 90+ percentage points |
| CD Study Abroad vs QS | #427 vs #431 | Indian-context lift of 4 places, signals stable India-relevance |
| Equity ranks (THE Impact 2025) | Gender Equality =26 | Inclusive campus data backed by independent ranking |
Key insight
- Subject brand beats overall brand: Indian students in sport, hospitality or nursing graduate with a top-150 global subject label even though AUT’s world rank sits at #431.
- Stability over drift: The 24-place QS band over 4 editions means a 2026 admit graduates with the same global tier the application year promised.
- India-recognition signal: Collegedunia Study Abroad’s #427 ranking sits ahead of the QS reading, the strongest signal that Indian employer and admissions networks treat AUT at par with mid-400 QS peers.
- Inclusion stamp: A THE Gender Equality rank of =26 ahead of most NZ peers signals an equitable campus that matters for Indian women applicants.
Across QS, Collegedunia Study Abroad, THE and U.S. News, Auckland University of Technology (AUT) returns 4 results within a 100-place band, a stability pattern that protects the degree value for Indian students enrolling between 2026 and 2028. The 4 QS subject ranks that beat the overall world rank by 280 to 404 places carry more weight on an Indian applicant’s transcript than the #431 headline.
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) Ranking FAQs
Ques. What is the QS ranking of Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in 2027?
Ans. Auckland University of Technology (AUT) is ranked #431 in QS World University Rankings 2027, the edition released in June 2026. It places #8 among New Zealand’s 8 ranked universities. The rank dipped 21 places from #410 in 2026 but stays inside the same band AUT has held for 4 editions.
Ques. Has the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) ranking improved or declined over the last 5 years?
Ans. The Auckland University of Technology (AUT) QS rank has moved from #486 in 2023 to #431 in 2027, a net improvement of 55 places. The pattern is a plateau, not a climb, since 4 of the 5 editions sit between #407 and #431. THE shows a different story, sliding from the 201-250 band in 2022 to 501-600 in 2026.
Ques. Where does Auckland University of Technology (AUT) stand in Times Higher Education rankings?
Ans. Auckland University of Technology (AUT) sits in the 501-600 band of THE World University Rankings 2026 and ranks #4 in New Zealand on the THE methodology. In the THE Impact Rankings 2025, AUT places at =26 globally for Gender Equality (SDG 5) and =33 for Decent Work (SDG 8).
Ques. What is Auckland University of Technology (AUT) best subject ranking?
Ans. The strongest subject result is #27 globally for Sports-Related Studies in QS 2026, AUT’s only top-30 placement. Hospitality and Leisure Management sits in the 51-100 band, Nursing and Communication and Media Studies both sit in the 101-150 band.
Ques. What is the Collegedunia Study Abroad ranking of Auckland University of Technology (AUT)?
Ans. Collegedunia Study Abroad ranks Auckland University of Technology (AUT) at #427 globally in 2026 and #7 among the 8 New Zealand universities tracked. Two subject ranks are also recorded: #336 for Engineering and #216 for Medicine, with the Medicine rank outperforming the overall by 211 places.
Ques. How does Auckland University of Technology (AUT) compare with IIT Bombay in QS World Rankings?
Ans. IIT Bombay sits at #134 in QS World University Rankings 2027 while Auckland University of Technology (AUT) sits at #431, a 297-place gap. The trade-off is access. AUT runs a 91% acceptance rate and offers a 3-year post-study work visa, while IIT admits run under 1% of applicants.
Ques. Is Auckland University of Technology (AUT) a good university for Indian students based on rankings?
Ans. Auckland University of Technology (AUT) is a strong subject-rank choice for Indian students in sport, hospitality, nursing or applied business. The QS overall rank of #431 is matched by a Collegedunia Study Abroad rank of #427, while 4 QS subjects beat the overall rank by 280 to 404 places.










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