Discover the Top 100 Universities in the UK in 2024

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 at the crème de la crème of the UK. In fact, these universities are not only the top 100 universities in the UK but also 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 of the 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 this 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 10,000 students from over 100 countries. St. Andrews is different from the aforementioned institutes because it offers students a four-year undergraduate programme 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 specialising 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 the Teaching Excellence Framework, ranked as one of the best in student experience, and was also recognised 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 programmes 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 third place in the league tables for 2024 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 and 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 59 in the local rankings and comfortably in the top 100 universities in the world. This UK university, which is found in the Midlands, is home to more than 46,000 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.

In addition, the University of Nottingham is one of the foremost UK universities for employers around the world too. At 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 29 is Cardiff University, which is located in the capital of Wales. This UK university is called home by more than 7,000 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 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 St Andrews	Fife	Apply Now
2	University of Oxford	Oxford	Apply Now
3	University of Cambridge	Cambridge	Apply Now
4	London School of Economics and Political Science	London	Apply Now
5	Imperial College London	London	Apply Now
6	University of Bath	Bath	Apply Now
7	Durham University	Durham	Apply Now
8	University College London	London	Apply Now
9	University of Warwick	Coventry	Apply Now
10	Loughborough University	Loughborough	Apply Now
11	Lancaster University	Lancaster	Apply Now
12	University of Aberdeen	Aberdeen	Apply Now
13	University of Glasgow	Glasgow	Apply Now
14	University of Edinburgh	Edinburgh	Apply Now
15	University of the Arts London	London	Apply Now
16	University of Strathclyde	Glasgow	Apply Now
17	University of Bristol	Bristol	Apply Now
18	University of Exeter	Exeter	Apply Now
19	University of York	York	Apply Now
20	University of Southampton	Southampton	Apply Now
21	University of Sheffield	Sheffield	Apply Now
21	University of Surrey	Guildford	Apply Now
23	King’s College London	London	Apply Now
24	University of Manchester	Manchester	Apply Now
25	Aston University	Birmingham	Apply Now
25	Swansea University	Swansea	Apply Now
27	University of Leeds	Leeds	Apply Now
28	Ulster University	Northern Ireland	Apply Now
29	Cardiff University	Cardiff	Apply Now
30	University of Bolton	Bolton	Apply Now
30	University of Essex	Colchester	Apply Now
32	University of West London	London	Apply Now
33	University of Portsmouth	Portsmouth	Apply Now
33	University of East Anglia	Norwich	Apply Now
35	Edge Hill University	Lancashire	Apply Now
36	University of Liverpool	Liverpool	Apply Now
37	University of Birmingham	Birmingham	Apply Now
38	Northumbria University	Newcastle Upon Tyne	Apply Now
38	University of Chichester	Chichester	Apply Now
40	Glasgow Caledonian University	Glasgow	Apply Now
41	University of Lincoln	Lincoln	Apply Now
42	Nottingham Trent University	Nottingham	Apply Now
43	UWE Bristol	Bristol	Apply Now
44	University of Reading	Reading	Apply Now
45	Aberystwyth University	Aberystwyth	Apply Now
46	Coventry University	Coventry	Apply Now
47	Royal Holloway, University of London	London	Apply Now
48	University of Leicester	Leicester	Apply Now
49	University of Sunderland	Sunderland	Apply Now
50	Queen’s University Belfast	Belfast	Apply Now
51	Oxford Brookes University	Oxford	Apply Now
52	SOAS University of London	London	Apply Now
53	University of Chester	Chester	Apply Now
54	Bangor University	Bangor	Apply Now
55	University of Derby	Derby	Apply Now
56	University of Kent	Kent	Apply Now
57	Liverpool John Moores University	Liverpool	Apply Now
58	Kingston University	London	Apply Now
59	Manchester Metropolitan University	Manchester	Apply Now
59	University of Nottingham	Nottingham	Apply Now
61	City, University of London	London	Apply Now
61	University of Stirling	Stirling	Apply Now
63	Staffordshire University	Stafford	Apply Now
63	Queen Margaret University	Edinburgh	Apply Now
65	University of Sussex	Brighton	Apply Now
66	University of Dundee	Dundee	Apply Now
67	Newcastle University	Newcastle	Apply Now
68	University of Suffolk	Ipswich	Apply Now
69	University of Plymouth	Plymouth	Apply Now
70	University of Brighton	Brighton	Apply Now
71	University for the Creative Arts	Farnham	Apply Now
72	University of South Wales	Cardiff	Apply Now
73	Queen Mary, University of London	London	Apply Now
74	Keele University	Keele	Apply Now
75	St Mary’s University, London	London	Apply Now
76	Falmouth University	Cornwall	Apply Now
77	Buckinghamshire New University	High Wycombe	Apply Now
78	York St John University	York	Apply Now
79	University of Huddersfield	Huddersfield	Apply Now
80	Teesside University	Middlesborough	Apply Now
81	London South Bank University	London	Apply Now
82	Liverpool Hope University	Liverpool	Apply Now
83	Sheffield Hallam University	Sheffield	Apply Now
84	Abertay University	Dundee	Apply Now
85	London Metropolitan University	London	Apply Now
85	Heriot-Watt University	Edinburgh	Apply Now
87	University of Hertfordshire	London	Apply Now
88	University of Salford	Manchester	Apply Now
89	University of Hull	Hull	Apply Now
90	Arts University Bournemouth	Bournemouth	Apply Now
90	University of Bradford	Bradford	Apply Now
92	Edinburgh Napier University	Edinburgh	Apply Now
93	Solent University	Southampton	Apply Now
94	Bath Spa University	Bath	Apply Now
95	Birmingham City University	Birmingham	Apply Now
96	University of East London	London	Apply Now
97	Leeds Trinity University	Leeds	Apply Now
98	Robert Gordon University	Aberdeen	Apply Now
99	Bournemouth University	Poole	Apply Now
100	Cardiff Metropolitan University	Cardiff	Apply Now
101	University of Wolverhampton	Wolverhampton	Apply Now
102	Anglia Ruskin University – ARU	Cambridge	Apply Now
103	Leeds Beckett University	Leeds	Apply Now
104	University of Gloucestershire	Cheltenham	Apply Now
105	University of Wales Trinity Saint David	Swansea	Apply Now
106	University of Central Lancashire	Preston	Apply Now
107	University of Northampton	Northampton	Apply Now
107	University of Worcester	Worcester	Apply Now
109	University of Winchester	Winchester	Apply Now
109	Wrexham Glyndwr University	Wrexham	Apply Now
111	Goldsmiths, University of London	London	Apply Now
111	University of Roehampton	Roehampton	Apply Now
113	Newman University, Birmingham	Birmingham	Apply Now
114	University of Cumbria	London	Apply Now
115	Middlesex University	London	Apply Now
116	University of Greenwich	London	Apply Now
117	De Montfort University	Leicester	Apply Now
117	University of Westminster	London	Apply Now
119	University of the West of Scotland	Scotland	Apply Now
120	Canterbury Christ Church University	Kent	Apply Now
121	Brunel University London	London	Apply Now
122	University of Bedfordshire	Luton	Apply Now

To learn more about admissions in top ranking UK universities, reach out to AHZ Associates for help.

FAQs

What is the lowest-ranked university in the UK?

According to the Complete University Guide, Wrexham University is the worst in the UK. Beds University was ranked 130th out of 130 UK universities in the 2024 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