Rankings: The 102 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 2019	THE Ranking 2019	ARWU Ranking 2018
University of Oxford	5	1	7
University of Cambridge	6	2	3
Imperial College London	8	9	24
University College London	10	14	17
University of Edinburgh	18	29	32
University of Manchester	29	57	34
King's College London	31	38	56
London School of Economics and Political Science	38	26	151
University of Bristol	51	78	74
University of Warwick	54	79	101
University of Glasgow	69	93	151
Durham University	74	114	201
University of Sheffield	75	106	101
University of Birmingham	79	116	101
University of Nottingham	82	149	101
University of Leeds	93	153	101
University of Southampton	96	118	101
University of St Andrews	97	165	301
Queen Mary University of London	119	130	151
Lancaster University	131	146	301
University of York	134	119	301
Newcastle University	141	171	201
Cardiff University	145	187	101
University of Liverpool	151	181	101
University of Exeter	154	141	151
University of Bath	158	201	401
University of Aberdeen	172	158	201
University of Reading	195	201	201
Loughborough University	218	401	701
University of Leicester	223	167	201
University of Sussex	227	161	201
Royal Holloway, University of London	236	251	601
University of Surrey	248	251	301
University of Strathclyde	268	401	501
University of East Anglia	269	190	201
University of Dundee	272	201	301
SOAS University of London	288	401	–
Heriot-Watt University	302	301	401
Birkbeck, University of London	306	301	801
Brunel University London	332	401	401
City, University of London	351	351	901
University of Essex	355	251	501
University of Kent	355	351	401
Oxford Brookes University	363	501	–
Aston University	381	351	901
Goldsmiths, University of London	396	–	–
University of Stirling	417	351	901
Aberystwyth University	432	351	–
Bangor University	435	401	501
Swansea University	435	251	501
Coventry University	571	601	901
Kingston University	591	601	–
University of Bradford	591	601	–
University of Hull	591	501	601
Keele University	601	501	701
Plymouth University	601	401	801
Ulster University	601	601	–
University of Portsmouth	601	401	501
University of Westminster	601	601	–
Bournemouth University	701	501	–
Northumbria University	701	401	–
University of East London	701	801	–
University of Greenwich	701	601	–
University of Huddersfield	701	601	–
Middlesex University London	751	401	901
London Metropolitan University	751	–	–
London South Bank University	751	1001	–
University of Brighton	751	601	–
University of Hertfordshire	751	601	901
University of Salford	751	601	–
Edinburgh Napier University	801	601	–
Manchester Metropolitan University	801	601	–
Nottingham Trent University	801	601	–
Robert Gordon University (RGU)	801	801	–
University of Central Lancashire	801	801	–
The Open University	–	501	601
St George's, University of London	–	251	401
Royal Veterinary College	–	401	601
Queen's University Belfast	–	201	301
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine	–	–	151
London Business School	–	–	701
Liverpool John Moores University	–	501	701
Birmingham City University	–	1001	–
University of Chester	–	1001	–
Canterbury Christ Church University	–	1001	–
Brighton and Sussex Medical School	–	251	–
Anglia Ruskin University	–	301	–
University of the West of Scotland	–	401	–
University of the West of England, Bristol	–	601	–
University of Lincoln	–	601	–
De Montfort University	–	601	–
Glasgow Caledonian University	–	601	–
University of Wolverhampton	–	601	–
Leeds Beckett University	–	801	–
Staffordshire University	–	801	–
University of South Wales	–	801	–
Sheffield Hallam University	–	801	–
University of Derby	–	801	–
Teesside University	–	801	–
University of Bedfordshire	–	801	–
Edge Hill University	–	801	–
University of Roehampton	–	801	–

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.