API features

QS ranking search

Search ranked universities by name through a structured API.

Ranking indicators

Review available overall ranks and published indicator scores.

University profiles

Receive institution, country, city, region, and logo fields when available.

Stable pagination

Browse large result sets using predictable page controls and totals.

Nullable source values

Handle unavailable ranking fields explicitly instead of treating them as zero.

Education research

Build ranking comparisons, discovery tools, and higher-education research workflows.

API Document

HTTP Protocol:HTTPS

HTTP Method:GET

HTTP Endpoint:https://api.gugudata.io/v1/metadata/qs-global-university-ranking

Response Type:application/json; charset=utf-8

DEMO Endpoint:https://api.gugudata.io/v1/metadata/global-university-ranking/demo

Live Demo:Try Interactive Demo

Postman Collection:Run in Postman

API Request Parameters

Name	Type	Is Required	Default Value	Remark
appkey	string	true	YOUR_APPKEY	API key used to authenticate the request.
name	string	false		Optional university name used for case-insensitive partial matching.
pageIndex	integer	false	1	One-based page number. Defaults to the first page.
pageSize	integer	false	10	Number of university records to return per page.

API Response Parameters

Name	Type	Remark
dataStatus	object	Response metadata returned by the current v1 contract.
dataStatus.requestParameter	string	Privacy-safe summary of the normalized request.
dataStatus.statusCode	integer	Application-level status code.
dataStatus.status	string	Application-level result status.
dataStatus.statusDescription	string	Human-readable application status message.
dataStatus.responseDateTime	string	Time at which the response was generated.
dataStatus.dataTotalCount	integer	Number of matching or returned records for this request.
data	object	Primary response payload returned by the endpoint.
data.id	string	Unique university identifier in Gugudata system.
data.universityName	string	Official university name.
data.region	string	Geographic region.
data.country	string	Country name.
data.city	string	City location.
data.logoUrl	string	URL to university logo image.
data.rank	string	Overall QS world ranking position.
data.academicReputationRank	string	Academic reputation ranking position.
data.academicReputationScore	string	Academic reputation score (0-100).
data.citationsPerFacultyRank	string	Citations per faculty ranking position.
data.citationsPerFacultyScore	string	Citations per faculty score (0-100).
data.facultyStudentRatioRank	string	Faculty-to-student ratio ranking position.
data.facultyStudentRatioScore	string	Faculty-to-student ratio score (0-100).
data.employerReputationRank	string	Employer reputation ranking position.
data.employerReputationScore	string	Employer reputation score (0-100).
data.employmentOutcomesRank	string	Employment outcomes ranking position.
data.employmentOutcomesScore	string	Employment outcomes score (0-100).
data.internationalStudentRatioRank	string	International student ratio ranking position.
data.internationalStudentRatioScore	string	International student ratio score (0-100).
data.internationalResearchNetworkRank	string	International research network ranking position.
data.internationalResearchNetworkScore	string	International research network score (0-100).
data.internationalFacultyRatioRank	string	International faculty ratio ranking position.
data.internationalFacultyRatioScore	string	International faculty ratio score (0-100).
data.sustainabilityRank	string	Sustainability ranking position.
data.sustainabilityScore	string	Sustainability score (0-100).

API Response Status Codes

Status Code	Explanation of Status Code	Remarks
200	Request processed successfully.	Some endpoints expose a separate application-level status field in the response body, such as `dataStatus.statusCode`.
400	Invalid request parameters or request format.	Check required fields, data types, and request body format.
401	Missing or unknown application key.	Provide a valid `appkey` with the request.
403	The application key is recognized but access is not allowed.	The key may be expired, inactive, or not permitted for the requested API.
429	Request rate or trial usage limit exceeded.	Reduce request frequency and retry with backoff. If a trial allowance is exhausted, check Trial Keys for remaining requests and subscribe to continue.
500	Internal service error.	Retry later or contact support if the error persists.
503	Upstream service unavailable.	Retry later; the requested upstream dependency is temporarily unavailable.

Remote MCP

AI client access

Use this API through GuGuData Remote MCP

Connect your AI client once, authorize in the browser, and the client can use the GuGuData API tools available to your account. You do not need to paste an appkey into the MCP client.

Endpoint https://mcp.gugudata.io/mcp

Open MCP Guide

Generic MCP configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gugudata": {
      "url": "https://mcp.gugudata.io/mcp",
      "transportType": "streamable-http"
    }
  }
}

Code Snippets

Run in Postman Open LLM Page

QS World University Rankings

Search university ranking records by name and build paginated result views.

Input and coverage: Use one-based pageIndex; pageSize is capped at 20. Confirm the dataset edition and coverage before using ranks for comparisons.

Example request

Replace YOUR_APPKEY with your own API key. This request uses the normal API endpoint.

curl --fail-with-body 'https://api.gugudata.io/v1/metadata/qs-global-university-ranking?appkey=YOUR_APPKEY&name=Massachusetts&pageIndex=1&pageSize=5'

View sample Demo response

This is a fixed Demo sample, shortened for readability. It is not the response to your example request. Your results depend on the input and dataset. File URLs are temporary and have been removed.

{
  "dataStatus": {
    "statusCode": 100,
    "status": "SUCCESS",
    "statusDescription": "请求成功。",
    "dataTotalCount": 1503
  },
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "ed333a3b-d3e9-433a-8d8a-2afff9bd78f5",
      "universityName": "Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)",
      "region": "North America",
      "country": "United States",
      "city": "Cambridge",
      "logoUrl": "https://api.gugudata.io/v1/metadata/global-university-logo/ed333a3b-d3e9-433a-8d8a-2afff9bd78f5.jpg",
      "rank": "1",
      "academicReputationRank": "4",
      "academicReputationScore": "100",
      "citationsPerFacultyRank": "9",
      "citationsPerFacultyScore": "100",
      "facultyStudentRatioRank": "11",
      "facultyStudentRatioScore": "100",
      "employerReputationRank": "2",
      "employerReputationScore": "100",
      "employmentOutcomesRank": "8",
      "employmentOutcomesScore": "100",
      "internationalStudentRatioRank": "143",
      "internationalStudentRatioScore": "86.8",
      "internationalResearchNetworkRank": "58",
      "internationalResearchNetworkScore": "96",
      "internationalFacultyRatioRank": "100",
      "internationalFacultyRatioScore": "99.3",
      "sustainabilityRank": "15",
      "sustainabilityScore": "99"
    }
  ]
}

API documentation Try Demo

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about request limits, trials, renewal, and cancellation.

What does the 5 requests per second limit mean?

It is a request-rate limit, not a concurrency allowance. Keep your request rate at or below 5 per second. If the service returns a rate-limit response, reduce the frequency and retry with backoff.

Is total paid usage limited?

There is no total request cap during an active paid subscription and no usage-based overage charge.

How does the free trial work?

Each account can receive a limited trial key. Requests are shared across APIs in the same category. Check Trial Keys for the exact allowance and remaining requests.

How do renewal and cancellation work?

The plan renews annually until canceled. Manage or cancel the renewal from Dashboard → Orders & Billing. Access continues through the paid period after cancellation. See the Terms of Service for the current refund policy. If the billing portal is unavailable, contact support.

Technical support

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