2026 Rankings for Indian Students
Best universities for arts, film, journalism, media, psychology, and humanities for Indian students. Creative portfolio guidance, funding options, and industry outcomes.
🇺🇸Manhattan, New York City, USA
NYC location, Core Curriculum, CBS MBA
🇺🇸New Haven, CT, USA
Residential colleges, strong humanities/law, Yale SOM MBA
🇺🇸Pittsburgh, PA, USA
#1 CS worldwide, Tepper MBA, strong AI/Robotics
🇺🇸Los Angeles, CA, USA
Top public, LA location, Anderson MBA, Film/Theatre
🇺🇸Evanston, Illinois, USA
Kellogg MBA, Medill #1 Journalism, interdisciplinary excellence, Chicago access
🇦🇺Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Australia's top university, Melbourne Model, 2-year post-study visa
🇺🇸New York, NY, USA
NYC integration, Stern MBA, global campuses
🇺🇸Los Angeles, CA, USA
LA entertainment hub, Marshall MBA, #1 Film school
🇺🇸Nashville, TN, USA
Elite private, collaborative culture, Owen MBA, strong Pre-Med and HOD
🇺🇸Boston, MA, USA
Urban campus, strong pre-med/law, Questrom MBA
🇺🇸Boston, MA, USA
#1 co-op program, 6-month paid internships, global campuses
🇬🇧Loughborough, Leicestershire, England, UK
Ranked #1 globally for sports science with outstanding engineering and student satisfaction
🇪🇸Barcelona, Spain, Spain
Research-Focused Excellence
🇬🇧Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK
Top UK university for AI research and development studies, in one of Britain's most creative cities
🇬🇧Bloomsbury, Central London, UK
The world's leading university for the study of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East
🇬🇧Islington, Central London, UK
Home to Bayes Business School (formerly Cass), one of Europe's top business schools
🇬🇧Egham, Surrey (Greater London), UK
A Russell Group university with one of the most beautiful campuses in the UK
🇬🇧Bloomsbury, Central London, UK
London's specialist evening university — ideal for working professionals, University of London degree
🇬🇧New Cross, South East London, UK
A world-leading creative university known for art, design, media, and cultural studies
Arts, media, and humanities are the fields where Indian families panic the most — and often for the wrong reasons. The assumption that a humanities degree abroad is a waste of money is outdated. Psychology is now one of the highest-demand fields in healthcare. Film production graduates from USC, NYU Tisch, and UCLA work at studios earning six figures. Journalism from Northwestern Medill or Columbia opens doors that no Indian journalism school can. The question is not whether these fields have careers — they do — but whether the specific program justifies the investment.
The US dominates for film (USC SCA, NYU Tisch, UCLA TFT), journalism (Medill, Columbia), and psychology (top research universities with APA-accredited clinical programs). The UK is strong for drama (RADA, LAMDA, and university programs at Bristol and Warwick), English literature (Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh), and media studies. For Indian students, the creative portfolio or writing sample is what makes or breaks your application — grades and test scores are secondary.
The hard truth about arts and humanities: career outcomes are bimodal. Graduates from top programs do exceptionally well. Graduates from mediocre programs struggle. There is very little middle ground. If you are not getting into a top-20 program in your specific field, reconsider the investment. Also, many of these fields do not qualify for STEM OPT in the US, which means you get only 1 year of work authorization instead of 3. Plan your visa strategy before committing.
Disclaimer: Dr. Karan Gupta is the Managing Director of IE University (India & South Asia). Hence, IE University is not included in these rankings.
Dr. Karan Gupta has placed thousands of students in arts & media programs worldwide. Get a personalized shortlist based on your profile, budget, and goals.