The 17 best universities

 in the world to study math

Those wanting to achieve a prestigious degree in mathematics should head to the USA.

 Oli Scarff/Getty Images

• When undertaking mathematics, the establishment you choose for your studies can have a considerable impact. 
• To produce its Global Ranking of Mathematics 2018, ShanghaiRanking looked at factors including how many Field Medalists had studied at each institution. 
• The ranking shows that the majority of the best universities for mathematics are in the US. 

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If you're hoping to study maths and one day hope to get a Fields Medal of your own, the establishment you select for your studies can make all the difference. 

After looking at over 1600 universities across 83 countries, ShanghaiRanking's has produced its  Global Ranking of Mathematics 2018  — to qualify, universities needed a minimum number of research publications between 2012 and 2016. 

In order to produce the mathematics ranking, the number of former students and teachers who had received either a Nobel Prize or Fields Medal — a prize awarded to up to four mathematicians below 40 years of age at the International Congress of the International Mathematical Union (IMU) every four years — was counted, as well as the number of researchers most cited within their own fields and those whose work had been published in select scientific reviews. 

Here are the 17 best universities to study math according to the ranking. 

17. Kyoto University, Japan — 218.9

Kyoto is the second oldest university in Japan.

 Via Wikimedia Commons

16. Rutgers University, United States — 228.4

Founded in 1766, Rutgers is the eighth oldest college in the US.

 Brian Tholl

15. Stony Brook University, United States — 229.5

Stony Brook University was founded in 1957.

 Facebook/Stony Brook University

14. University of Wisconsin–Madison, United States — 230.6

Vitamin D production started at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and led to the use of vitamin D in milk.

Flickr/Richard Hurd

13. The University of Texas at Austin, United States — 232.6

Matthew McConaughey and Kevin Durant were students at the University of Texas at Austin.

 Via Wikimedia Commons

12. Harvard University, United States — 237

Harvard University was originally called 'the college at New Towne', or 'New College'.

 Paul Marotta/Getty

11. University of Warwick, United Kingdom — 243.2

The University of Warwick isn't actually in Warwick; it's approximately three miles from Coventry.

 Facebook / University of Warwick

10. University of California, Berkeley (UCB), United States — 243.9

At 307 feet tall, the Campanile (pictured) is the third tallest bell and clock tower in the world.

 Shutterstock

9. Paris-Sorbonne University, France — 254.4

The chapel at the Sorbonne is all that is left of the original college.

 Sorbonne University / Facebook

8. University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), United States — 264

UCLA's colours 'True Blue' and gold were chosen to symbolise the state's wildflowers and ocean.

 Via Flickr

7. University of Cambridge, United Kingdom — 266.7

The University of Cambridge is the world's third oldest surviving university.

 Facebook / Aleksandra Majak / University of Cambridge

6. MIT, United States — 274.4

MIT was founded April 10, 1861, two days before the start of the Civil War.

 William B. Plowman/Getty Images

5. New York University, United States — 276.4

While NYU is primarily located in Manhattan, the university also has campuses in Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, and other international locations.

 Andrew Burton/Getty Images

4. Oxford University, United Kingdom — 278.4

The Radcliffe Camera, a building of Oxford University, England.

 Wikimedia Commons

3. Stanford University, United States — 283.7

The motto of Stanford University "Die Luft der Freiheit weht" translates from German as "The wind of freedom blows".

 Kazuhisa OTSUBO/flickr

2. University of Paris-Sud, France — 291.1

The University of Paris-Sud XI was founded in 1970.

 Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images

1. Princeton University, United States — 349.5

Princeton is the fourth-oldest university in the United States.

 Flickr / James Loesch