If you’re visiting MrKremerScience.com, you’re probably looking for environmental science info.

Maybe you’re an IB Environmental Systems and Societies student or teacher. Perhaps you love the outdoors. You care about climate change. Maybe you just think ecosystems are fascinating. If so, “environmental science” has probably crossed your mind as a college major.

Here’s the good news: Environmental science is one of the most flexible, useful degrees you can study. It can take you into rainforests for research and fieldwork. It can put you in a government office writing policy. It can land you a job in a lab studying pollution. It can even lead to a career helping companies go green.

The harder question is where to study it.

Over the past few months, I’ve been working on a research guide for students and families. It covers about 50 universities spanning the US, the UK, Canada, continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and mainland China. I used the QS World University Rankings for Environmental Sciences, the QS Sustainability Rankings, and each school’s own program pages. Why so many sources? Because a ranking by itself only tells part of the story.

Over the next several posts, I’m going to walk you through what I found, region by region. But first, I want to explain how to actually read a university ranking. Many students get this wrong. It can lead to some expensive mistakes.

A ranking is only one data point

Search for “best university for environmental science” and you’ll get a list of names and numbers. What you don’t get is an explanation. What did that ranking actually measure? That matters a lot.

Here’s an example. Look up top environmental law programs in the United States. You’ll see schools like UCLA and NYU near the top. A student skimming that list might think, “Great, I should apply to UCLA for environmental science.” But that ranking is for a law degree, which is a graduate program. You can only get into it if you already have a bachelor’s degree. There’s no environmental law major for a high schooler to apply to – it doesn’t exist. UCLA might still be a fine school for undergraduate environmental science, but it’s not on that list because of its undergraduate program. It’s a different beast with a similar name.

This kind of mix-up happens with graduate schools too. Yale’s School of the Environment is fabulous, but it doesn’t admit undergrads at all. You could apply as a high school senior to Yale College instead and major in Environmental Studies there. It’s a separate program with its own requirements. Same university, two very different doors.

Because of this, I’ve sorted every school in my guide into a clear category.

Undergrad means the ranking is directly about the program you’d apply to as a high school senior or 12th grade student.

Undergraduate plus graduate means a strong undergraduate option exists, and there’s also a separate graduate program at the same school that earned a ranking. As an IB, AP, or A-level student, you’ll only apply to one of the two.

Primarily graduate (law) means the school made the list mostly because it offers a well-regarded law degree. That degree only admits students who already finished college. Treat these as solid universities overall, rather than as top environmental science picks specifically.

Graduate or professional only means there is no undergraduate program at all. A current high school student can’t apply here yet.

Fit is more important than any ranking

No ranking anywhere can tell you if a school fits you. A ranking won’t tell you if you’ll do real fieldwork. It doesn’t say whether a program leans toward biology, policy, or engineering. And it definitely can’t tell you if you’ll thrive at a huge research university or a small, close-knit liberal arts college.

Fit also includes what your family can afford. Some of the well-known programs I researched have sticker prices well above US$90,000 a year, once you add housing and meals. Other excellent programs, especially some in continental Europe, cost a small fraction of that. Cost isn’t a side issue. It’s part of choosing well.

One more thing to know right away: cost figures, including the ones in my guide, are estimates based on current (2026) rates published by the schools themselves. Universities raise prices most years. The exact amount a family pays depends on financial aid, scholarships, and each student’s situation. Treat every number as a starting point, never the final answer. Before applying anywhere, always check that school’s own Net Price Calculator (NPC) to get a far more personal estimate. The US Department of Education has a searchable NPC database, as does the College Board.

What’s coming next

Over the next several posts, I’ll walk you through the strongest environmental science programs, region by region. I’ll start with the United States, then move to the United Kingdom, Canada, continental Europe, Asia, and Australia and New Zealand. For each region, I’ll point out which programs are outstanding majors or courses for undergraduates, and I’ll flag which schools need a language check before you get your hopes up.

I’ll even show you which institutions offer surprisingly good value for your money.

Are you a student who loves IB ESS or AP Environmental Science? Are you a parent helping your child sort through dozens of unfamiliar university names? Either way, this series is meant to give you a clear, honest starting point. And if you’d rather skip the research and talk through your specific situation, that’s exactly what I help families do. Reach out any time – the first consultation is always free!

P.S. If Environmental Law is in your future, I think these US-based schools have the best dedicated environmental-law specializations:

• University of California, Davis School of Law – excellent combination of environmental, agricultural, water, and natural-resources law, with many graduates working internationally.
• University of California, Berkeley – strong environmental law curriculum with a policy orientation and access to California’s climate-law ecosystem.
• Lewis & Clark Law School – widely regarded as one of the strongest dedicated environmental law programs in the US, with extensive clinics and practical training.
• University of Vermont – the Environmental Law Program includes several specializations and excellent experiential opportunities.
• University of Colorado, Boulder – If you plan on living in the US, they’re particularly strong in Western land, water, energy, and public lands issues.
• Yale Law School – Outstanding interdisciplinary environmental policy program with a strong public-interest orientation; great post-graduate network, too.

P.P.S. – There are plenty of places outside the USA to earn a degree in environmental law, too. These schools are especially strong in international environmental and climate law:

• Oxford (UK) – exceptional interdisciplinary environmental-policy resources and influential scholarship on climate change, energy, and international environmental law
• Cambridge (UK) – strong global reputation with excellent scholarship in international environmental law, climate law, biodiversity, and natural resources.
• Leiden (Netherlands) – well established tradition in international and European law, especially regarding environmental governance and climate issues.
• University of British Columbia, UBC (Canada) – one of the best global locations for studying Indigenous rights, forestry, fisheries, water, biodiversity, and natural resources governance.
• University of Copenhagen (Denmark) – great for European environmental regulation, climate law, energy, agriculture, biodiversity, and EU environmental governance.
• Australian National University, ANU (Australia) – well regarded for environmental governance, international environmental law, climate policy, and public law.
• London School of Economics, LSE (UK) – particularly strong if you’re interested in the intersection of law, economics, climate policy, finance, and regulation.

Photo by Polina Tankilovitch