2025 - 2026 SAA Rankings for Best Value Universities In Sri Lanka For International Students

20 Best Value Institutions in Sri Lanka for International Students

Here are the 20 best-value institutions in Sri Lanka for international students. Here, you’ll learn more about their rankings, international student population, and their background.

The University of Colombo is the oldest institution in the country. For more than 100 years, the university has been offering excellent academic training that resulted in thousands of professional graduates every year. At present, the university has a lot of faculties to offer and is known for its strong external alliances all over Sri Lanka. With a lot of international students in its population, the university advocates for diversity and inclusion in higher education.

Originally established as the University of Ceylon, the University of Peradeniya has a deep history of more than 60 years. It is located in Peradeniya, in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is the largest and among the top educational institutes in Sri Lanka.

The institute is also known for its strict entry requirements, especially for domestic students. However, all students are assured of a standard education of high value.

The University of Moratuwa is a highly reputed institute of higher education in Sri Lanka. Since its establishment, it has been striving to produce graduates of high caliber. Hence it has been successfully nurturing highly employable individuals to date.

The university further aspires to actively contribute to the economic development of the country while also making significant research and technological advancements.

The University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka can be traced back to the historic Vidyalankara Pirivena, which was a learning institute established for Buddhist monks in 1875. Kelaniya University aspires to create and disseminate academia for sustainable development. The institute aims to contribute to the development of the country by cultivating professional individuals who have innovation and creativity at their core. 

The Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka offers a distinct teaching style that allows students to receive continuous feedback throughout their studies. Regardless of their chosen program, every student experiences practical training on and off campus through internships and research collaborations with other institutions. Other than academic-centered activities, the university also highly encourages students to participate in extracurricular activities, which is why it supports various organizations and passion projects.

The University of Sri Jayewardenepura is situated close to Sri Lanka’s industrial hotspot, Colombo. The institute is the second oldest educational institute in Sri Lanka and is a crucial player in Sri Lanka’s education system.

In addition to providing a standard education, the institute is also a forerunner in Sri Lanka’s research and technological advancements.

The University of Ruhuna is the only university located in the southern part of the country. It actively participates in different organizations and research projects, allowing its students to gain valuable experience in science-based studies. The university also puts heavy emphasis on practical training in order to instill lifelong teachings toward its students upon graduation.

The Buddist and Pali University of Sri Lanka was established to propagate Buddhism in the country as well as contribute to the development of Pali and Buddist studies both nationally and globally.
Over the years, the institute has nurtured many scholars and missionaries of dhamma who have mastered various subjects, including the Buddhadhamma and the Pali language. These students have also been trained in cultivating and promoting the philosophy of life as taught in Buddhism.

The University of Jaffna is situated in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. Starting from very humble beginnings, the institute has seen much development over the years and now consists of up to 8 faculties and more than 50 departments.

The institute aims to nurture competent professionals per the emerging current needs of the international and national community and further hopes to play a leading role in Sri Lanka’s academic and technological development.

Rajarata University is located in one of Sri Lanka’s most ancient cities, Anuradhapura, a land filled with the most spectacular of Sri Lanka’s ancient architecture.

It is the 11th national higher educational institution established in Sri Lanka and has since then made immense contributions to Sri Lanka’s tertiary education sector.

The institute aspires to become a key player in the country’s research and higher education field.

The Bhiksu University of Sri Lanka is an ancient educational institution that upholds the Buddhist culture. Its objective is to enrich talented students and guide them to become future professionals in their respective industries. The university heavily seeks to train the critical thinking and skills of its students by offering practical courses.

Eastern University was preceded by Batticaloa University College, which was founded in 1981. The University currently has 2 branch campuses in Trincomalee and  Swami Vipulananda, and the main campus in Vantharumoolai.

Eastern University aspires to be a globally recognized educational center with quality research and education that directly contributes to the well-being of its community.

They, therefore, aim to nurture competent graduates and sustainably develop their research culture.

Uva Wellassa University overseas was built in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka as a move to enhance the development of its community.

It is the first university in Sri Lanka that is all-entrepreneurial. It was constructed to provide students with general education and basic skills, alongside the necessary training to construct practical solutions for value addition to Sri Lanka’s national resource base.

The Wayamba University of Sri Lanka is a leading research university in the country that seeks to provide innovative solutions to society through breakthrough discoveries. The university’s ultimate goal is to serve the people, which is why it hones students that are passionate about leading. More than that, the university also connects with various external companies and enterprises, enabling its students to gather multiple associations during their studies.

The University of the Visual and Performing Arts is one of the few institutes in Sri Lanka that specializes in fashion, art, design, and the performing arts. It is also the only higher education institute in Sri Lanka that offers special degree programs in visual and performing arts.

The Institute aspires to nourish the cultural roots of communities, as well as develop into a reputed and financially independent institution purely dedicated to the creative arts.

The University of Vocational Technology was established to provide university education in engineering technology and industrial training systems, according to the aptitude and educational abilities of the students.

Degrees awarded at the institute hold just as much value as those awarded by any other standard university in Sri Lanka. The institute aspires to produce skilled human resources who would have no problem fitting into the job market.

The Gampaha Wickramarachchi University of Indigenous Medicine was newly established in 2021. However, it can be traced back to 1928, when a pioneering ayurvedic professional opened up a center of learning dedicated to providing competence and knowledge to general physicians on herbal drug preparation.

The institute aspires to incorporate innovative research techniques with indigenous medical sciences and nurture competent graduates to serve global and national needs.

The Ocean University of Sri Lanka was previously known as the National Institute of Fisheries and Nautical Engineering. It was established with the idea of providing vocational training, along with academic education in nautical engineering, fisheries, and marine. Ocean University hopes to develop and serve the needs of Sri Lanka’s fisheries industry.

The University of Vavuniya was established when the Vavuniya branch of the University of Jaffna was elevated as a separate institute in 2021.

As a relatively new institute of higher education, the University of Vavuniya plans to increase student intake by introducing new programs and establishing a wide range of new facilities in the future.

The institute aspires to evolve into a leading educational center in Sri Lanka.

Despite Sri Lanka’s goal of expanding its higher education centers to less developed areas of the country, the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka was founded for another purpose too. It was initially established to take in displaced staff and students from the North and Eastern areas of Sri Lanka during the period of civil unrest. The institute went on to develop into a fully-fledged university that has gained much esteem in Sri Lanka over the years.

The university aims to offer a quality and standard higher education through successful development and dissemination of knowledge.