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Rankings: The 108 best universities in the United Kingdom for 2023/2024

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Rankings: The 108 best universities in the United Kingdom for 2023/2024

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.

Featured universities:
Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
London, United Kingdom
33 study programmes
University of Derby
University of Derby
Derby, United Kingdom
298 study programmes

Top ranked universities in the United Kingdom

University QS Ranking 2023 THE Ranking 2022 ARWU Ranking 2022
University of Cambridge 2 5 4
University of Oxford 4 1 7
Imperial College London 6 12 23
University College London 8 18 18
University of Edinburgh 15 30 35
University of Manchester 28 50 38
King's College London 37 35 48
London School of Economics and Political Science 56 27 101
University of Bristol 61 92 81
University of Warwick 64 78 101
University of Southampton 78 124 151
University of Glasgow 81 86 101
University of Leeds 86 127 151
University of Birmingham 91 105 101
Durham University 92 162 301
University of St Andrews 96 201 301
University of Sheffield 96 110 101
University of Nottingham 114 141 101
Newcastle University 122 146 201
Queen Mary University of London 125 117 201
Lancaster University 146 122 301
University of York 162 169 401
University of Exeter 163 143 101
Cardiff University 166 189 151
University of Bath 179 201 401
University of Liverpool 190 178 101
University of Aberdeen 220 158 201
University of Reading 229 201 301
Queen's University Belfast 233 201 301
University of Sussex 240 151 151
Loughborough University 256 351 701
University of Leicester 279 185 301
Heriot-Watt University 281 501 801
University of Surrey 305 201 301
University of Strathclyde 325 401 401
University of East Anglia 342 182 201
Birkbeck, University of London 343 351 –
University of Dundee 354 201 301
City, University of London 355 351 –
University of Kent 375 351 401
Royal Holloway, University of London 402 351 601
Brunel University London 412 351 601
Swansea University 425 251 501
Oxford Brookes University 438 601 –
SOAS University of London 443 401 –
University of Essex 465 301 401
University of Stirling 501 301 801
Goldsmiths, University of London 511 401 –
Aston University 561 401 –
Ulster University 601 601 901
Bangor University 601 401 601
Kingston University 601 801 –
University of Hull 651 601 701
University of Huddersfield 651 601 –
Coventry University 651 601 –
Aberystwyth University 651 501 –
University of Plymouth 651 401 501
Northumbria University 651 401 601
University of Bradford 701 601 –
University of Portsmouth 701 501 801
University of Westminster 701 801 –
Keele University 751 501 701
Middlesex University London 751 401 –
Robert Gordon University (RGU) 801 1001 –
University of Hertfordshire 801 601 901
University of Greenwich 801 601 601
University of Brighton 801 601 –
Manchester Metropolitan University 801 601 801
De Montfort University 801 601 –
University of Lincoln 801 501 901
Nottingham Trent University 801 501 601
Edinburgh Napier University 801 501 –
University of the West of England, Bristol 801 401 –
Liverpool John Moores University 801 401 601
Bournemouth University 801 351 801
University of Salford 801 801 –
University of East London 801 801 –
University of Central Lancashire 801 801 –
London South Bank University 801 801 –
Queen Margaret University 801 – –
London Metropolitan University 801 – –
University of Wolverhampton 1001 1001 –
Canterbury Christ Church University 1001 1001 –
University of Derby 1001 601 –
Glasgow Caledonian University 1001 601 –
Birmingham City University 1001 501 –
Sheffield Hallam University 1001 801 –
Leeds Beckett University 1001 801 –
Harper Adams University 1001 – –
University of Northampton 1001 – –
University of Chester – 1201 –
University of South Wales – 1001 –
Teesside University – 1001 –
Staffordshire University – 1001 –
Cardiff Metropolitan University – 1001 –
The Open University – 601 601
University of the West of Scotland – 501 –
Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) – 401 –
Royal Veterinary College – 401 801
Anglia Ruskin University – 301 –
St George's, University of London – 201 501
Brighton and Sussex Medical School – 201 –
University of Roehampton – 801 –
University of Bedfordshire – 801 –
Edge Hill University – 801 –
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine – – 701
Cranfield University – – 801
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine – – 151

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 United Kingdom - Flag

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

Find the right study programme for yourself:

Bachelors degrees in the United Kingdom
Masters degrees in the United Kingdom
PhD programmes in the United Kingdom

Relevant links

  • Studying abroad in the United Kingdom: Basic information for international students
  • Study programmes in the United Kingdom
  • Visit the website of the QS World University Rankings
  • Visit the website of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings
  • Visit the website of the Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic Ranking of World Universities

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