Top 100 Universities in the UK

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