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.
| 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 |
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
