UFMG ranked as Brazil's top federal university

The Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) has been named the best federal university in Brazil according to the 2026 Folha University Ranking (RUF). In the overall ranking, which evaluates 203 public and private institutions, UFMG secured third place with a score of 97.22, trailing only the University of São Paulo (USP) and the University of Campinas (Unicamp).

This marks the first time UFMG has reached the top position among federal universities, climbing from fifth place in 2024. The RUF methodology, developed by the Folha de São Paulo group, assesses institutions based on five indicators: teaching, research, market, innovation, and internationalization.

USP led the general ranking with a score of 99.10, performing strongest in teaching, research, and market. Unicamp followed in second place with a score of 97.69, distinguished by its performance in innovation. For UFMG, the strongest indicators were market and teaching, while internationalization was its lowest-ranked category.