Rankings: The 103 best universities in the United Kingdom for 2019/2020

The United Kingdom is famous for its universities: Every year, British institutions dominate the top places in international rankings. The best universities in the UK are also among the very best in the world: The University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge usually secure the foremost ranks, regularly followed by Imperial College, UCL, the University of Edinburgh, and the London School of Economics. With such a remarkable track record of academic excellence it is no wonder that the UK attracts so many international students every year.

While going to the UK for your studies may be expensive - tuition fees are higher than anywhere else in Europe - it’s a decision that will almost certainly benefit your academic or professional career, especially if you get a degree from one of the top-ranking universities.

Top ranked universities in the United Kingdom

University	QS Ranking 2020	THE Ranking 2019	ARWU Ranking 2019
University of Oxford	4	1	7
University of Cambridge	7	2	3
University College London	8	14	15
Imperial College London	9	9	23
University of Edinburgh	20	29	31
University of Manchester	27	57	33
King's College London	33	38	51
London School of Economics and Political Science	44	26	151
University of Bristol	49	78	64
University of Warwick	62	79	101
University of Glasgow	67	93	151
University of Sheffield	78	106	101
Durham University	78	114	201
University of Birmingham	81	116	101
University of Leeds	93	153	101
University of Nottingham	96	149	101
University of Southampton	97	118	101
University of St Andrews	100	165	301
Queen Mary University of London	126	130	151
Lancaster University	128	146	301
Newcastle University	146	171	201
University of York	148	119	301
Cardiff University	154	187	101
University of Exeter	163	141	151
University of Bath	172	201	401
Queen's University Belfast	173	201	301
University of Liverpool	181	181	101
University of Aberdeen	194	158	201
University of Reading	205	201	301
Loughborough University	222	401	701
University of Leicester	239	167	301
University of Sussex	246	161	151
University of Surrey	274	251	301
Royal Holloway, University of London	291	251	501
University of Strathclyde	296	401	601
University of Dundee	302	201	301
SOAS University of London	309	401	–
Heriot-Watt University	314	301	501
University of East Anglia	314	190	201
Birkbeck, University of London	328	301	901
City, University of London	349	351	901
Brunel University London	359	401	501
University of Kent	368	351	501
University of Essex	370	251	501
Oxford Brookes University	376	501	–
Goldsmiths, University of London	417	–	–
Aston University	442	351	–
Swansea University	462	251	401
University of Stirling	478	351	901
Aberystwyth University	484	351	801
Bangor University	521	401	601
Coventry University	531	601	–
Kingston University	591	601	–
University of Portsmouth	601	401	601
Keele University	601	501	801
University of Bradford	601	601	–
Ulster University	601	601	–
Plymouth University	651	401	501
University of Westminster	651	601	–
London South Bank University	701	1001	–
Northumbria University	701	401	901
University of Hull	701	501	901
Bournemouth University	701	501	–
University of Huddersfield	701	601	–
University of Greenwich	701	601	–
Nottingham Trent University	701	601	–
University of the West of England, Bristol	751	601	–
University of Hertfordshire	751	601	–
Manchester Metropolitan University	751	601	801
University of East London	751	801	–
London Metropolitan University	751	–	–
Birmingham City University	801	1001	–
Canterbury Christ Church University	801	1001	–
Middlesex University London	801	401	901
Liverpool John Moores University	801	501	701
University of Salford	801	601	–
University of Lincoln	801	601	–
Edinburgh Napier University	801	601	–
De Montfort University	801	601	–
University of Brighton	801	601	–
Glasgow Caledonian University	801	601	–
Sheffield Hallam University	801	801	–
University of Central Lancashire	801	801	–
Robert Gordon University (RGU)	801	801	–
University of Chester	–	1001	–
Brighton and Sussex Medical School	–	251	–
St George's, University of London	–	251	501
Anglia Ruskin University	–	301	–
University of the West of Scotland	–	401	–
Royal Veterinary College	–	401	701
The Open University	–	501	701
University of Wolverhampton	–	601	–
Leeds Beckett University	–	801	–
Staffordshire University	–	801	–
University of South Wales	–	801	–
University of Derby	–	801	–
Teesside University	–	801	–
University of Bedfordshire	–	801	–
Edge Hill University	–	801	–
University of Roehampton	–	801	–
London Business School	–	–	801
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine	–	–	801
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine	–	–	201

Explained: How do the university rankings work?

The QS World University Rankings are among the most important, most-referenced rankings. The QS ranking relies heavily on its academic survey, asking thousands of academics worldwide about the reputation of universities.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings (or the THE Rankings for short) compile a wide range of statistics. Equal weight is put on teaching quality, research excellence, and research impact through citations (meaning how often a university’s research is referenced elsewhere).

The Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai Jiao Tong University (often just Shanghai Ranking, or ARWU) focuses on research output and quality, for example measured by the number of published and cited scientific papers and the number of staff or alumni winning the Nobel Prize or Fields Medal.

Study in the United Kingdom

The UK is Europe’s most popular country for international students. At more than 100 universities, you can choose from literally tens of thousands of study programmes. British universities enjoy a reputation for cutting-edge research and world-class education. And there are plenty of exciting career opportunities for international graduates.