Best Universities in the UK
Top 20 Universities in the UK
The following list is a list of universities that are ranked among the top universities in the United Kingdom. Many of the members on the list are "Russel Group" Universities, and belong to the United Kingdom version of the Ivy League in the U.S. Russel Group universities receive a large amount of research funding from the government. There are many different critria which can be used to select a university and ranking can be just one of them. Other factors include quality of life, subject ranking a many other factors. Choosing a university in the UK is a difficult decision however our counsellors are trained to help you find the one which is most suitable for you. Our counselling is free so please contact us now!
1. University of Oxford
The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is also regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. The University of Oxford has 38 independent Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls.
The University of Oxford traces its roots back to at least the end of the 12th century and has been teaching since 1096. It gained more numbers when Englishmen were forbidden fr...Read the full profile for University of Oxford
2. University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge, located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is regarded as one of the world's top 5 Universities, and is by the far the best university for science in the UK. Stephen Hawking did most of his work there.
The University of Cambridge grew out of an association of scholars in the city of Cambridge that was formed, early records suggest, in 1209 by scholars leaving Oxford after a disput...Read the full profile for University of Cambridge
3. Imperial College London
Imperial College London (officially The Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine as given in its Royal Charter) is a British university in London. Consistently ranked among the best in the world, it forms part of the 'Golden Triangle' of elite 6 British universities. Renowned for science, its main campus is based in one of the smartest areas of London, South Kensington. In the 2011 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Imperial was ranked 8th overall...Read the full profile for Imperial College London
4. University of St Andrews
St Andrews is a unique combination of ancient and modern, local and global. Founded in 1413 we are the third oldest university in the English-speaking world. Once the centre of Scottish political and religious life, St Andrews retains many marvellous mediaeval buildings, juxtaposed with modern cutting-edge Science and Arts facilities. The city is quite small – the University accounts for approximately half the population – but it has a distinctly cosmopoli...Read the full profile for University of St Andrews
5. London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science (informally the London
School of Economics or LSE) specialises in the social sciences and is located
in London, United Kingdom, and is a constituent college of the federal University
of London. It is one of the foremost social science universities in the world.
Founded in 1895 by Beatrice and Sidney Webb, the LSE has an outstanding
reputation for academic excellence, and is probably the best university to have
gone ...Read the full profile for London School of Economics
6. University of Durham
Durham University was established in 1832, making it the third oldest in England. Since then Durham University has grown in size and prestige to its current position as one of the UK's leading universities, regularly placed in the top 10 UK universities by league tables. Durham University is a world-class university engaged in:
high-quality teaching and learning
advanced research and partnership with business
regional and community partner...Read the full profile for University of Durham
7. University College London
University
College London (UCL) is the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal
University of London. It was ranked 4th in the world (and 2nd in Europe)
in the 2012 QS World University Rankings. Founded in 1826, UCL was the
first university institution to be founded in London and the first in England
to be established on an entirely secular basis, to admit students regardless of
their religion and to admit women on equal terms with men. UCL bec...Read the full profile for University College London
8. University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a British campus university located on the outskirts of Coventry, West Midlands, England and is regarded as one of the country's leading universities. The University of Warwick was established in 1965 and in 2000 Warwick Medical School was opened as part of an initiative to train more doctors in Britain. In the last Research Assessment Exercise the University was the 5th highest-ranked research institution in the UK.
The University of W...Read the full profile for University of Warwick
9. University of York
The University of York is a campus university in the city of York, England. Established in 1963, York has expanded to more than 30 departments and centres, covering a wide range of subjects. In the last Research Assessment Exercise York was named the 6th best research institution in the United Kingdom.
Situated on the outskirts of the city, the University of York campus is approximately 200 acres (0.81 km2) in size, incorporating the York Science Park and the Natio...Read the full profile for University of York
10. Lancaster University
Lancaster University is located in the north west of England near the major cities of Manchester and Liverpool. It was established in the 1960s as a collegiate university with an early reputation for innovation. At the time, the campus model of university was a fairly new concept in the UK. Students at Lancaster University were, and still are expected to take three subjects during their first year. This highly flexible scheme enables new undergraduate students to study thr...Read the full profile for Lancaster University
11. University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh was founded in 1582 and is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. The University of Edinburgh was the sixth university to be established in the British Isles, making it one of the ancient universities of Scotland and Britain. The University of Edinburgh is amongst the largest and most prestigious in the world and currently ranks in the world top 25, ahead of some of the Ivy League institutions.
The Univer...Read the full profile for University of Edinburgh
12. University of Exeter
According to a survey conducted in Summer 2007 by the Graduate Insight Group, i-graduate, over 80 per cent of our international students would recommend the University of Exeter, the highest rate amongst students at the prestigious 94 Group of Universities.
The University of Exeter warmly welcomes international students and ensures that you have all the support you need, both before you arrive and whilst you are studying with us, to help you make the most of your ...Read the full profile for University of Exeter
13. University of Bath
As one of the UK's leading universities, the University of Bath has an international reputation for research and teaching at the highest academic standard. Located 170km west of London, the University is home to 10,000 full-time students, of which, 2500 are international students from more than 120 different countries. The University of Bath is located on 200 acres of parkland, 2km from the city of B...Read the full profile for University of Bath
14. University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a traditional university, founded in 1876, and received its Royal Charter in 1909. The University is internationally distinguished and one of the very best in the UK. It is also: a thriving international community dedicated to learning, discovery and enterprise; situated in the heart of Bristol; a major force in the life and economy of south-west England; a world leader in research and a member of the Russell Group of universities. Internationa...Read the full profile for University of Bristol
15. University of Leicester
The University of Leicester, founded as a university college in 1921 and granted its Royal Charter in 1957, is a government-financed institution with a leading international reputation for teaching and research. It has over 17,000 students. Of the 8,500 full-time students, 10% come from outside the European Union, from a total of more than 60 countries. The University of Leicester is one of the UK’s fastest growing universities and recently instigated a GBP300 million cam...Read the full profile for University of Leicester
16. King's College London
King’s College London is England’s third oldest universities having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829. In 1836 King's became one of the two founding colleges of the University of London. It is ranked 27th in the world (7th in Europe) and has 10 Noble Prize laureates among its alumni and current and former faculty.
King’s has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the st...Read the full profile for King's College London
16. Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a campus university located in the town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England, about 1.5 hours north of London. As an educational institution, Loughborough University’s roots date back to 1909. Loughborough University has nearly 16,000 students, of whom almost 15 per cent are international from over 100 countries. Loughborough University’s campus is close to the town centre and a short bus ride from the railway stati...Read the full profile for Loughborough University
18. University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a world famous university, located in Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. Ranked within the World's top 100 Universities, the University of Sheffield is one of the original 'red brick' universities and a member of the elite Russell Group. The University of Sheffield is a premier-league, research-led institution with a population of over 25,000 students including more than 3,700 international students from 120 countries. The University of Sh...Read the full profile for University of Sheffield
19. University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a university situated in the city of Southampton, on the south coast of England. The University of Southampton is a member of the Russell Group and of the Worldwide Universities Network.
In the most recent RAE assessment (2008), the University of Southampton has the only engineering faculty in the country to receive the highest rating (5*) across all disciplines.[2] According to The Times Higher Education Supplement, the University ...Read the full profile for University of Southampton
20. University of Nottingham
The University of Nottingham is a leading research focussed University in the British city of Nottingham. The University of Nottingham is truly global and has campuses in the UK and Asia. It is the fifth largest university in the UK and is a member of the Russell Group, Universitas 21, the Association of Commonwealth Universities, and the European University Association. The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 70 universities by the Aca...Read the full profile for University of Nottingham