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Rankings: The 111 best universities in the United Kingdom for 2025/2026

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Rankings: The 111 best universities in the United Kingdom for 2025/2026

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:
University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
Cambridge, United Kingdom
54 study programmes
Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
London, United Kingdom
31 study programmes

Top ranked universities in the United Kingdom

University QS Ranking 2025 THE Ranking 2025 ARWU Ranking 2024
Imperial College London 2 9 25
University of Oxford 3 1 6
University of Cambridge 5 5 4
University College London 9 22 16
University of Edinburgh 27 29 40
University of Manchester 34 53 52
King's College London 40 36 53
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) 50 50 151
University of Bristol 54 78 97
University of Warwick 69 106 101
University of Glasgow 78 87 101
University of Birmingham 80 93 151
University of Southampton 80 115 151
University of Leeds 82 123 151
Durham University 89 172 301
University of St Andrews 104 185 301
University of Sheffield 105 98 151
University of Nottingham 108 136 101
Queen Mary University of London 120 141 201
Newcastle University 129 157 201
Lancaster University 141 168 301
University of Bath 150 251 501
University of Liverpool 165 160 101
University of Exeter 169 172 151
University of Reading 172 201 401
University of York 184 146 301
Cardiff University 186 201 151
Queen's University Belfast 206 201 301
Loughborough University 224 301 701
University of Aberdeen 236 201 201
University of Sussex 246 201 201
Heriot-Watt University 256 401 801
University of Strathclyde 281 351 501
University of Leicester 285 191 301
University of Surrey 285 201 401
Swansea University 298 301 501
University of East Anglia 332 251 201
Brunel University London 342 351 701
City, University of London 352 351 –
University of Kent 380 351 401
Birkbeck, University of London 408 301 801
Oxford Brookes University 416 601 –
University of Dundee 418 301 401
Aston University 423 351 –
University of Stirling 452 401 801
University of Essex 472 351 501
Bangor University 474 401 601
Royal Holloway, University of London 477 401 801
University of Huddersfield 501 501 –
SOAS University of London 508 401 –
University of Hull 516 401 701
Coventry University 526 601 –
University of Bradford 531 501 901
Northumbria University 535 401 701
Ulster University 559 601 701
Nottingham Trent University 592 601 801
Kingston University 601 801 –
Manchester Metropolitan University 601 601 601
University of Portsmouth 631 401 901
Aberystwyth University 661 601 –
University of Plymouth 661 501 701
Goldsmiths, University of London 681 501 –
University of Greenwich 691 501 701
De Montfort University 711 601 –
Middlesex University London 721 501 –
University of the West of England, Bristol 741 601 –
University of Westminster 741 801 –
Bournemouth University 771 401 –
Keele University 791 501 –
Edinburgh Napier University 801 501 –
Liverpool John Moores University 801 601 601
London South Bank University 801 601 –
University of Brighton 801 601 –
University of Hertfordshire 851 601 901
University of Lincoln 851 601 –
Robert Gordon University (RGU) 901 801 –
University of East London 901 1001 –
University of Salford 901 801 –
Queen Margaret University 951 – –
University of Central Lancashire 951 801 901
Birmingham City University 1001 801 –
Canterbury Christ Church University 1001 1201 –
Glasgow Caledonian University 1001 801 –
Leeds Beckett University 1001 801 –
London Metropolitan University 1001 601 –
Sheffield Hallam University 1001 801 –
University of Northampton 1001 1201 –
University of Derby 1001 601 –
University of Wolverhampton 1001 801 –
Harper Adams University 1201 – –
St George's, University of London – 301 701
Anglia Ruskin University – 501 –
Royal Veterinary College – 501 801
Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) – 601 –
University of the West of Scotland – 601 –
Teesside University – 801 –
The Open University – 801 701
University of Roehampton – 801 –
Cardiff Metropolitan University – 1001 –
Edge Hill University – 1001 –
University of Bedfordshire – 1001 –
University of Gloucestershire – 1001 –
University of West London – 1001 –
University of South Wales – 1201 –
University of Sunderland – 1201 –
University of Winchester – 1201 –
University of Staffordshire – 1201 –
University of Worcester – 1201 –
University of Chester – 1501 –
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine – – 151
Cranfield University – – 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 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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