Rankings: The 112 best universities in the United Kingdom for 2024/2025
by Manish Prabhune, , modified
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 2024 | THE Ranking 2024 | ARWU Ranking 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Cambridge | 2 | 5 | 4 |
| University of Oxford | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| Imperial College London | 6 | 8 | 23 |
| University College London | 9 | 22 | 17 |
| University of Edinburgh | 22 | 30 | 38 |
| University of Manchester | 32 | 51 | 41 |
| King's College London | 40 | 38 | 59 |
| London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | 45 | 46 | 151 |
| University of Bristol | 55 | 81 | 88 |
| University of Warwick | 67 | 106 | 101 |
| University of Leeds | 75 | 129 | 151 |
| University of Glasgow | 76 | 87 | 101 |
| Durham University | 78 | 174 | 301 |
| University of Southampton | 81 | 97 | 151 |
| University of Birmingham | 84 | 101 | 151 |
| University of St Andrews | 95 | 193 | 301 |
| University of Nottingham | 100 | 130 | 101 |
| University of Sheffield | 104 | 105 | 151 |
| Newcastle University | 110 | 168 | 201 |
| Lancaster University | 122 | 155 | 301 |
| Queen Mary University of London | 145 | 135 | 201 |
| University of Bath | 148 | 251 | 401 |
| University of Exeter | 153 | 177 | 151 |
| Cardiff University | 154 | 190 | 151 |
| University of York | 167 | 147 | 301 |
| University of Reading | 169 | 201 | 301 |
| University of Liverpool | 176 | 168 | 101 |
| Queen's University Belfast | 202 | 201 | 301 |
| University of Aberdeen | 208 | 201 | 201 |
| Loughborough University | 212 | 251 | 601 |
| University of Sussex | 218 | 201 | 201 |
| Heriot-Watt University | 235 | 351 | 901 |
| University of Surrey | 244 | 251 | 301 |
| University of Leicester | 272 | 201 | 301 |
| University of Strathclyde | 276 | 301 | 501 |
| University of East Anglia | 295 | 251 | 201 |
| Swansea University | 307 | 251 | 401 |
| City, University of London | 328 | 351 | 901 |
| University of Kent | 336 | 401 | 401 |
| Brunel University London | 343 | 351 | 701 |
| Birkbeck, University of London | 374 | 301 | – |
| Oxford Brookes University | 413 | 601 | – |
| Royal Holloway, University of London | 413 | 301 | 801 |
| University of Stirling | 431 | 401 | 701 |
| University of Dundee | 441 | 301 | 401 |
| Aston University | 446 | 401 | – |
| University of Essex | 459 | 301 | 401 |
| Bangor University | 481 | 401 | 601 |
| Ulster University | 498 | 601 | – |
| University of Portsmouth | 502 | 401 | 901 |
| SOAS University of London | 511 | 401 | – |
| University of Hull | 523 | 401 | 701 |
| Northumbria University | 548 | 501 | 801 |
| University of Plymouth | 561 | 401 | 601 |
| University of Huddersfield | 567 | 501 | – |
| Coventry University | 571 | 601 | – |
| Manchester Metropolitan University | 590 | 501 | 901 |
| Goldsmiths, University of London | 593 | 401 | – |
| Nottingham Trent University | 595 | 501 | 701 |
| Kingston University | 601 | 801 | – |
| University of Bradford | 641 | 501 | – |
| Aberystwyth University | 661 | 501 | – |
| Middlesex University London | 661 | 501 | – |
| University of Greenwich | 671 | 501 | 601 |
| University of Westminster | 711 | 801 | – |
| Bournemouth University | 731 | 401 | 801 |
| University of the West of England, Bristol | 741 | 501 | – |
| Liverpool John Moores University | 751 | 501 | 601 |
| University of Brighton | 771 | 801 | – |
| Keele University | 781 | 501 | 801 |
| De Montfort University | 801 | 601 | – |
| Edinburgh Napier University | 801 | 501 | – |
| London South Bank University | 851 | 601 | – |
| Queen Margaret University | 851 | – | – |
| University of East London | 851 | 1001 | – |
| University of Hertfordshire | 851 | 601 | 901 |
| University of Lincoln | 851 | 501 | 901 |
| University of Salford | 851 | 801 | – |
| London Metropolitan University | 901 | – | – |
| Robert Gordon University (RGU) | 901 | 801 | – |
| University of Central Lancashire | 901 | 1001 | 901 |
| Birmingham City University | 1001 | 601 | – |
| Canterbury Christ Church University | 1001 | 1001 | – |
| Glasgow Caledonian University | 1001 | 601 | – |
| Harper Adams University | 1001 | – | – |
| Leeds Beckett University | 1001 | 801 | – |
| Sheffield Hallam University | 1001 | 801 | – |
| University of Derby | 1001 | 601 | – |
| University of Northampton | 1001 | – | – |
| University of Wolverhampton | 1001 | 601 | – |
| Anglia Ruskin University | – | 501 | – |
| Brighton and Sussex Medical School | – | 501 | – |
| Cardiff Metropolitan University | – | 1201 | – |
| Edge Hill University | – | 1001 | – |
| Royal Veterinary College | – | 401 | 701 |
| Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) | – | 601 | – |
| St George's, University of London | – | 301 | 501 |
| Staffordshire University | – | 1001 | – |
| Teesside University | – | 1001 | – |
| The Open University | – | 601 | 701 |
| University of Bedfordshire | – | 1001 | – |
| University of Chester | – | 1201 | – |
| University of Gloucestershire | – | 801 | – |
| University of Roehampton | – | 801 | – |
| University of South Wales | – | 1001 | – |
| University of Sunderland | – | 1201 | – |
| University of the West of Scotland | – | 601 | – |
| University of West London | – | 1001 | – |
| University of Winchester | – | 1001 | – |
| London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine | – | – | 151 |
| Cranfield University | – | – | 801 |
| London Business School | – | – | 901 |
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 universitys 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
