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.
University | QS Ranking 2021 | THE Ranking 2021 | ARWU Ranking 2020 |
---|---|---|---|
University of Oxford | 5 | 1 | 9 |
University of Cambridge | 7 | 6 | 3 |
Imperial College London | 8 | 11 | 25 |
University College London | 10 | 16 | 16 |
University of Edinburgh | 20 | 30 | 42 |
University of Manchester | 27 | 51 | 36 |
King's College London | 31 | 35 | 47 |
London School of Economics and Political Science | 49 | 27 | 151 |
University of Bristol | 58 | 91 | 64 |
University of Warwick | 62 | 77 | 101 |
University of Glasgow | 77 | 92 | 151 |
Durham University | 86 | 149 | 201 |
University of Birmingham | 87 | 107 | 101 |
University of Southampton | 90 | 127 | 101 |
University of Leeds | 91 | 160 | 101 |
University of Sheffield | 93 | 121 | 101 |
University of St Andrews | 96 | 201 | 301 |
University of Nottingham | 99 | 158 | 101 |
Queen Mary University of London | 114 | 110 | 201 |
Lancaster University | 135 | 136 | 301 |
University of York | 150 | 133 | 201 |
Newcastle University | 152 | 178 | 201 |
Cardiff University | 159 | 191 | 151 |
University of Exeter | 164 | 174 | 151 |
University of Bath | 173 | 201 | 301 |
University of Liverpool | 181 | 163 | 101 |
University of Reading | 205 | 201 | 201 |
University of Aberdeen | 207 | 178 | 201 |
Queen's University Belfast | 209 | 200 | 401 |
Loughborough University | 226 | 351 | 501 |
University of Leicester | 242 | 170 | 301 |
University of Sussex | 246 | 160 | 151 |
University of Surrey | 267 | 251 | 301 |
University of Strathclyde | 300 | 401 | 401 |
Heriot-Watt University | 301 | 351 | 701 |
Royal Holloway, University of London | 308 | 301 | 701 |
University of Dundee | 319 | 201 | 301 |
University of East Anglia | 333 | 200 | 201 |
Birkbeck, University of London | 344 | 351 | 901 |
SOAS University of London | 346 | 501 | – |
City, University of London | 350 | 351 | 701 |
Brunel University London | 368 | 351 | 501 |
University of Kent | 380 | 301 | 501 |
Oxford Brookes University | 383 | 601 | – |
University of Essex | 411 | 301 | 501 |
Goldsmiths, University of London | 416 | 401 | – |
Swansea University | 474 | 251 | 601 |
Aberystwyth University | 485 | 401 | 901 |
University of Stirling | 485 | 301 | 901 |
Aston University | 511 | 401 | 701 |
Coventry University | 541 | 601 | 901 |
Kingston University | 581 | 801 | – |
University of Portsmouth | 601 | 501 | 501 |
University of Bradford | 601 | 601 | – |
Ulster University | 601 | 601 | – |
University of Hull | 601 | 501 | 701 |
Bangor University | 601 | 401 | 701 |
University of Westminster | 651 | 801 | – |
Northumbria University | 651 | 351 | 901 |
University of Plymouth | 651 | 401 | 501 |
University of Huddersfield | 701 | 601 | – |
Keele University | 701 | 501 | 601 |
University of Greenwich | 701 | 601 | 801 |
Middlesex University London | 701 | 401 | – |
Nottingham Trent University | 751 | 601 | 701 |
Bournemouth University | 751 | 401 | – |
London South Bank University | 751 | 1001 | – |
University of Hertfordshire | 801 | 801 | 801 |
Queen Margaret University | 801 | – | – |
Manchester Metropolitan University | 801 | 601 | – |
De Montfort University | 801 | 601 | – |
University of Salford | 801 | 801 | – |
Robert Gordon University (RGU) | 801 | 1001 | – |
Liverpool John Moores University | 801 | 401 | 701 |
London Metropolitan University | 801 | – | – |
University of the West of England, Bristol | 801 | 401 | – |
Birmingham City University | 801 | 601 | – |
University of East London | 801 | 801 | – |
Sheffield Hallam University | 801 | 801 | – |
University of Lincoln | 801 | 501 | 901 |
Glasgow Caledonian University | 801 | 601 | – |
University of Brighton | 801 | 601 | – |
Edinburgh Napier University | 801 | 601 | – |
University of Central Lancashire | 801 | 801 | – |
University of Derby | – | 801 | – |
University of Chester | – | 1001 | – |
University of Bedfordshire | – | 801 | – |
The Open University | – | 601 | 701 |
Teesside University | – | 801 | – |
Staffordshire University | – | 1001 | – |
St George's, University of London | – | 201 | 501 |
Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) | – | 401 | – |
Royal Veterinary College | – | 401 | 801 |
Leeds Beckett University | – | 801 | – |
Edge Hill University | – | 1001 | – |
University of Wolverhampton | – | 801 | – |
University of the West of Scotland | – | 501 | – |
University of South Wales | – | 1001 | – |
University of Roehampton | – | 801 | – |
Cardiff Metropolitan University | – | 801 | – |
Canterbury Christ Church University | – | 1001 | – |
Brighton and Sussex Medical School | – | 251 | – |
Anglia Ruskin University | – | 301 | – |
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine | – | – | 201 |
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine | – | – | 801 |
London Business School | – | – | 801 |
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.
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.
Read more about studying in the United Kingdom