All in all, the United Kingdom is home to more than a hundred universities. However, if you’re looking for the top universities in the UK, then you have the usual suspects such as the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. In the following passages, we will look into the crème de la crème of the UK. In fact, these universities are not only the top 100 universities in the UK but some of the best universities worldwide.
We will select random UK universities from the top 130 and examine their credentials. Every year rankings are released for the best-ranked universities in the United Kingdom. Not only do the relevant bodies compile an overall list but institutes are also judged on individual subjects as well. We will look into the most significant subjects and specify which universities come out on top.
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UK Universities’ Top Subjects
Here are some top courses for study in the UK:
Medicine
According to the latest rankings, The University of Cambridge is ranked in first place for medicine. Established some eight centuries ago in 1209, Cambridge is a prestigious university in the UK that is consistently at the top in not just the UK but the world as well. A member of the illustrious Russell Group (a group of 24 top research-intensive universities in the UK), Cambridge has more than thirty autonomous colleges and they are known for their accomplishments in the field of medicine.
Mathematics
The University of Cambridge is the second oldest university in the UK, the oldest being The University of Oxford, which is numero uno in mathematics. In fact, Oxford has become synonymous with producing excellent results in the field. Created in 1096 (11th century), Oxford is home to 38 independent colleges and is also a member of the Russell Group like Cambridge. The illustrious institute is almost always among the top universities in the world. The University of Oxford was also rated gold according to the Teaching Excellent Framework and students can expect to be employed within months of graduating from the wonderful university.
Computer Science
The best UK University for studying computer science in accordance with the latest rankings is St. Andrews in Scotland. Its origins can be traced back to 1413 and it is renowned for its work in computer science. Based in the intimate town of St. Andrews, the university has over 10000 students from over 100 countries. St. Andrews is different from the aforementioned institutes because it offers students a four-year undergraduate program instead of the customary three-year duration.
This is the modus operandi for Scottish universities. Typically, students can select one of four disciplines and begin specializing in their chosen subject in the final two years of their degree. St. Andrews also boasts some prominent alumni, such as Prince William (Duke of Cambridge), Alex Salmond (First Minister of Scotland), and Chris Hoy (the most successful Olympian cyclist in British history).
Accounting and Finance
For accounting and finance, the best place to study in the UK is the University of Bath. Unlike the esteemed universities mentioned above, Bath was only established in 1966, which means it is only 55 years old. All in all, The University of Bath has an excellent student body, and wonderful teaching resources, and provides a delightful experience for those who enrol. Besides being a top-ranked UK university overall and in several subjects, Bath has also been felicitated in other areas. For instance, it was awarded Gold in Teaching Excellence Framework, ranked as one of the best in student experience, and was also recognized by professionals for job prospects post-graduation.
Law
LLB Law degrees at UK institutions provide a thorough and critical understanding of fundamental legal principles as well as practical skills. Students will receive experience in mooting, arguing, and negotiating while learning the topic of law and legal analysis. Mock courtrooms will aid in the learning process by providing you with vital experience in a real-world scenario.
Almost all UK legal degrees provide students the opportunity to complete a year of professional placement at a firm, and students can also study abroad. Law students can also combine it with other disciplines such as business, politics, or media. All LLB programs at UK law schools are explicitly accredited as qualifying law by the Law Society of England and Wales and the Bar Council of England and Wales.
Best 4 Universities in the UK:
1. University of Cambridge
In first place in the league tables for 2020 was The University of Cambridge, which narrowly beat another prestigious UK university in the process: The University of Oxford. Founded in 1209, Cambridge is an outstanding institute that accepts the most brilliant local and international students. The gold standard university (according to Teaching Excellence Framework), Cambridge has a total student body in the 10000 to 25000 bracket. 92% of those students are enrolled full time and the percentage of undergraduate to postgraduate students is split 61 to 39. Even the male-to-female ratio is almost evenly matched at 53 to 47. Cambridge further comprises 31 colleges and over 150 departments.
2. University of Nottingham
Another Russell Group university, Nottingham is ranked at number 19 in the local rankings. It is comfortably in the top 100 universities in the world as well. This UK university, which is found in the Midlands, is home to more than 46000 students from over 150 countries! Some of these students may be fortunate to study a year abroad as well since Nottingham has established campuses in Ningbo, China, and Selangor, Malaysia as well.
In addition, the University of Nottingham is one of the foremost UK universities for employers around the world too. A Teaching Excellence Framework-approved university, 18% of the students enrolled at Nottingham are international. More interestingly, there are more female students than males, which is an anomaly for UK universities.
3. Cardiff University
Number 26 is Cardiff University, which is located in the capital of Wales. This UK university is called home by more than 7000 students hailing from over 140 countries. The multicultural city has an excellent vibe and the university is known for its research-intensive studies. Cardiff was also awarded the silver standard in the Teaching Excellence Framework. Typically, students require a 6.5 in their IELTS exam and Cardiff also offers pre-sessional English language courses, which allow non-English speakers to acclimatize to their new surroundings and gain more confidence in the process.
4. City University London
City University London is placed at number 57 according to the latest rankings. Being in the capital means that the institute has a multicultural feel. Like the aforementioned Cardiff University, City is also a silver-TEF university. Nearly half of the student population is from abroad (43%), and even 27% of the faculty are also international! City University London is also part of the WC2, which aims to combat cultural, environmental, and political concerns that arise around the world.
The City offers international students a number of scholarships, such as the President’s International Scholarship, the Global Leader’s Scholarship, and the Chevening Scholarship, which is an independent proposition. The United Kingdom has more than a hundred universities, which makes a discussion about the top 100 universities worthwhile. We will select random UK universities from the top 100 and examine their credentials.
Top 100 Universities in the UK:
Rank | University Name | City/Town | Application |
---|---|---|---|
1 | University of Cambridge | Cambridge | |
2 | University of Oxford | Oxford | |
3 | University of St Andrews | Fife | |
4 | Imperial College London | London | |
5 | Loughborough University | Loughborough | |
6 | London School of Economics and Political Science | London | |
7 | Durham University | Durham | |
8 | Lancaster University | Lancaster | |
9 | University College London | London | |
10 | University of Warwick | Coventry | |
11 | University of Bath | Bath | |
12 | University of Exeter | Exeter | |
13 | University of Leeds | Leeds | |
14 | University of Birmingham | Birmingham | |
15 | University of Bristol | Bristol | |
16 | University of Glasgow | Glasgow | |
17 | Harper Adams University | Newport | |
18 | University of Manchester | Manchester | |
19 | Royal Holloway, University of London | London | |
20 | University of Southampton | Southampton | |
21 | University of Nottingham | Nottingham | |
22 | University of York | York | |
23 | University of East Anglia (UAE) | Norwich | |
24 | University of Dundee | Dundee | |
25 | University of Edinburgh | Edinburgh | |
26 | University of Sheffield | Sheffield | |
27 | University of Aberdeen | Aberdeen | |
28 | Newcastle University | Newcastle | |
29 | University of Liverpool | Liverpool | |
30 | King’s College London | London | |
31 | Swansea University | Swansea | |
32 | University of Surrey | Guildford | |
33 | Heriot-Watt University | Edinburgh | |
34 | Cardiff University | Cardiff | |
35 | Queen’s University Belfast | Belfast | |
36 | University of Strathclyde | Glasgow | |
37 | University of Essex | Colchester | |
38 | University of Reading | Reading | |
39 | University of Sussex | Brighton | |
40 | Nottingham Trent University | Nottingham | |
41 | University of Leicester | Leicester | |
42 | University for the Creative Arts | Farnham | |
43 | Arts University Bournemouth | Bournemouth | |
44 | SOAS University of London | London | |
45 | Aberystwyth University | Aberystwyth | |
46 | Keele University | Keele | |
47 | University of Stirling | Stirling | |
48 | Aston University | Birmingham | |
49 | Queen Mary, University of London | London | |
50 | Coventry University | Coventry | |
51 | University of Lincoln | Lincoln | |
52 | University of West London | London | |
53 | Staffordshire University | Stafford | |
54 | University of Kent | Kent | |
55 | Edge Hill University | Lancashire | |
56 | Leeds Arts University | Leeds | |
57 | University of Portsmouth | Portsmouth | |
58 | UWE Bristol | Bristol | |
59 | Ulster University | Northern Ireland | |
60 | Liverpool Hope University | Liverpool | |
61 | University of Huddersfield | Huddersfield | |
62 | Manchester Metropolitan University | Manchester | |
63 | Norwich University of the Arts | Norwich | |
64 | Oxford Brookes University | Oxford | |
65 | Northumbria University | Newcastle Upon Tyne | |
66 | Sheffield Hallam University | Sheffield | |
67 | St George’s, University of London | London | |
68 | Goldsmiths, University of London | London | |
69 | University of Roehampton | Roehampton | |
70 | Bangor University | Bangor | |
71 | University of Chichester | Chichester | |
72 | Falmouth University | Cornwall | |
73 | City, University of London | London | |
74 | De Montfort University | Leicester | |
75 | University of Central Lancashire | Preston | |
76 | University of Plymouth | Plymouth | |
77 | University of Hull | Hull | |
78 | Liverpool John Moores University | Liverpool | |
79 | University of the Arts London | London | |
80 | University of Chester | Chester | |
81 | York St John University | York | |
82 | Queen Margaret University | Edinburgh | |
83 | Robert Gordon University | Aberdeen | |
84 | University of Greenwich | London | |
85 | St Mary’s University, London | London | |
86 | London South Bank University | London | |
87 | Teesside University | Middlesborough | |
88 | University of Hertfordshire | London | |
89 | Solent University | Southampton | |
90 | Royal Agricultural University | Cirencester | |
91 | University of Derby | Derby | |
92 | University of Buckingham | Buckingham | |
93 | University of Worcester | Worcester | |
94 | Bournemouth University | Poole | |
95 | University of Gloucestershire | Cheltenham | |
96 | Glasgow Caledonian University | Glasgow | |
97 | Birmingham City University | Birmingham | |
98 | Abertay University | Dundee | |
99 | University of Winchester | Winchester | |
100 | Brunel University London | London | |
101 | Edinburgh Napier University | Edinburgh | |
102 | University of Wales Trinity Saint David | Swansea | |
103 | Bishop Grosseteste University | Lincoln | |
104 | Plymouth Marjon University | Plymouth | |
105 | University of Bradford | Bradford | |
106 | Kingston University | London | |
107 | Middlesex University | London | |
108 | University of the West of Scotland | Scotland | |
109 | University of Sunderland | Sunderland | |
110 | Bath Spa University | Bath | |
111 | University of Salford | Manchester | |
112 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | Cardiff | |
113 | Bucks New University | Wycombe | |
114 | University of South Wales | Cardiff | |
115 | Newman University, Birmingham | Birmingham | |
116 | University of Northampton | Northampton | |
117 | Leeds Trinity University | Leeds | |
118 | Canterbury Christ Church University | Kent | |
119 | University of Westminster | London | |
120 | Anglia Ruskin University – ARU | Cambridge | |
121 | University of Cumbria | London | |
122 | University of Brighton | Brighton | |
123 | Leeds Beckett University | Leeds | |
124 | University of Wolverhampton | Wolverhampton | |
125 | University of Bolton | Bolton | |
126 | London Metropolitan University | London | |
127 | University of East London | London | |
128 | University of Bedfordshire | Luton | |
129 | University of Suffolk | Ipswich | |
130 | Wrexham Glyndwr University | Wrexham |
FAQs
What is the lowest-ranked university in the UK?
According to the Complete University Guide, the University of Bedfordshire is the worst in the UK. Beds University was ranked 130th out of 130 UK universities in the 2023 rankings, a seven-place drop from the previous year.
Does university ranking matter in the UK?
When you graduate, the ranking of your university is more important than the rest of your CV, and it remains so as long as you have a job. By far the most important consideration when selecting a university to attend is the university ranking.
Do employers care about university rankings?
Many employers, it is true, do not consider University rankings when making hiring decisions. Some employers, however, prefer applicants who graduated from specific schools, including prestigious ones. What exactly is this? Large corporations are notorious for preferring applicants from prestigious schools with high rankings.
Which UK universities do employers like?
Manchester, Nottingham, Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Warwick, Sheffield, and Edinburgh, are the top ten universities targeted by employers in 2023-2024. High Flyers Research has produced an independent assessment of the graduate job market for the seventeenth year.
What is the biggest UK University?
University College London had the most students in the United Kingdom in 2020/21, with 45,715 students, while the University of Manchester had the second most, with 44,635 students.
What is the top 30 university in the UK?
Here are the top 30 universities in the UK-
1. University of Oxford
2. University of Cambridge
3. Imperial College London
4. University College London
5. University of Edinburgh
6. University of Manchester
7. King’s College London
8. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
9. The University of Warwick
10. University of Bristol
11. University of Glasgow
12. University of Southampton
13. Durham University
14. University of Birmingham
15. University of St Andrews
16. University of Leeds
17. The University of Sheffield
18. University of Nottingham
19. Queen Mary University of London
20. Lancaster University
21. Newcastle University
22. The University of Exeter
23. Cardiff University
24. University of York
25. University of Bath
26. University of Liverpool
27. University of Reading
28. University of Aberdeen
29. Queen’s University Belfast
30. University of Sussex
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