As previous research has not addressed the relationship between university autonomy and university rankings within countries where the state control model is used, this study explores universities' strategies to achieve top university rankings in accordance with their autonomous rights and financial as well as political support. Specifically, this article examines the similarities and differences in university autonomy across Germany, France, and China. The results provide a clarified picture for university leaders in other countries to comprehensively understand these elite universities' effective strategies. The findings also reveal that the strategies to obtain a high position in the university league tables differ across the three countries, due to differences in cultural and national characteristics. Despite these differences, the selected countries broadened their procedural and substantive autonomy, used financial incentives to attract outstanding scholars and researchers to improve research capacities, and obtained political and financial support from their governments.