The Brief:
UniMelb has surged back into the global top 10 for law, rising three places to #8 in the 2026 Times rankings.
Monash, UNSW and UTS jumped up, while ANU, QUT and UQ slid backwards.
The Times Higher Education law rankings are out for 2026, and one result stands out.
The University of Melbourne has clawed its way back into the global top 10, jumping from #11 to #8. That move puts UniMelb back among the world’s elite law faculties, driven by a strong research environment score.
Our performance in the THE World University Rankings by Subject is a testament to the dedication of our staff and their world-leading expertise across the breadth of our disciplines.
UNSW rose six places to #29. Monash jumped 18 spots to #56. UTS broke into the top 100 at #89 after sitting in the 101–125 band last year.
Not everyone shared the momentum. ANU slipped eight places to #39. QUT fell eight spots to #62. The UQ dropped back into the 101–125 band, down six places.
University | 2026 Ranking | 2025 Ranking | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
University of Melbourne | #8 | #11 | +3 |
UNSW Sydney | #29 | #35 | +6 |
Australian National University | #39 | #31 | -8 |
University of Sydney | #46 | #47 | +1 |
Monash University | #56 | #74 | +18 |
Queensland University of Technology | #62 | #54 | -8 |
University of Technology Sydney | #89 | #101-125 | +12 |
University of Queensland | #101-125 | #95 | -6 |
Adelaide University | #126-150 | #151-175 | +25 |
Griffith University | #126-150 | #126-150 | - |
Times assessed 425 universities from 53 countries, evaluating performance across core areas of law including constitutional and administrative law, international law, commercial and corporate law, criminal justice, legal theory and other topics.
The rankings use 18 performance indicators, all grouped within five core pillars: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook and industry income.