What are the best universities in the UK?

The Best Universities in the UK

Are you currently planning to go to one of the best universities in the United Kingdom, but you don’t know which one? Whatever your problem, look no further! Here are the best 10 universities in the UK, and plenty of other information to answer any questions. Let’s go!

Ranking of the top 10 most prestigious universities in the UK

Imagine living and studying in the UK! That includes England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so with four whole different countries, these top universities must be amazing. Here is the ranking!

1. University of Cambridge
2. University of Oxford
3. University of St. Andrews
4. London School of Economics (LSE)
5. Imperial College London (Imperial)
6. Durham University
7. Lancaster University
8. Loughborough University
9. University of Bath
10. University College London (UCL)

Now, let’s find out what makes these top British universities so good!

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is the second oldest university in the English speaking world. The 31 colleges and 150 departments and faculties are beautiful to look at because of their old architecture. The capital city of the UK, London, is only an hour away. Cambridge is well known for its maths and science departments. The acceptance rate is very high, as only 25% of students get accepted. This means they set a lot of work, but the terms are shorter than any other university in Britain.

Whilst most of the students at Cambridge are British, 25% of the students at Cambridge are from outside the UK, from nearly 90 different countries. And there are over 500 societies and clubs you can join, not including sports teams. And if the notable alumni of this university doesn’t encourage you to come here, I don’t know what will! The past sporty students have collectively won nearly two hundred Olympic medals!

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English speaking world, as it was built in the 11th century. The standards to get into Oxford are high: only 1 of every 5 applicants gets a place. The further-study and employment rate after graduation is at 95%. There are also over 250 specific degrees, as Oxford offers joint honours courses which include years abroad or years in placement. Also, this top university is the reason the University of Cambridge itself exists. Because of some disagreements between some students and citizens of Oxford in the 13thcentury, several of the students went and established Cambridge University! Oxford also has numerous colleges and beautiful buildings which are spread through the city. The university has its own museum, and the Oxford library is used worldwide. Also, 28 of the United Kingdom’s prime ministers went to the University of Oxford!

University of St. Andrews

The University of St. Andrews is the third oldest university in the UK, which makes it the first ever university to open in Scotland. There are nearly 9, 000 students at St. Andrews. There are high entry standards and a competitive application process for the students, however the acceptance rate is only at 52%. By studying here, you will have the opportunity to do part of your degree in Europe, North America, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Middle East, Uruguay or Australia. There are many old traditions at the University of St. Andrews that the students still do. One consists of third and fourth year students “adopting” first year students to become their “children” to introduce them to university life. So you’ll definitely make friends by going to the University of St. Andrews!

London School of Economics

The London School of Economics is located in the capital of the UK, London, and it opened in the late 19th century. LSE as it’s more commonly known as, is part of what’s known as the Golden Triangle of universities in England. Also, it’s part of the famous Russell Group universities which are perceived to be the 24 best universities in the UK. The London School of Economics is based in Central London. Some notable past students are Mick Jagger from the band the Rolling Stones and David Attenborough, the broadcaster, natural historian and documentary producer.

Imperial College London

If you want to study science, technology, engineering, business or medicine, Imperial is the best university for you. It only opened in 1907, but the university has been consistently been one of the top 10 UK universities ever since. Its student body also consists of more than 150 different nationalities. Many Nobel prizewinners and Fields medalists went to this university, as well as prestigious government advisers and members of parliament. Due to its impressive research in medicine, ICL has a collection that makes up the world’s biggest brain collection with nearly 1, 700 organs being kept to use in more than 100 research projects worldwide.

Durham University

Durham is located in the north of England, and only a 3 hour drive from Edinburgh, Scotland. Despite only having been established in 1832, it has consistently been one of the top universities in Britain. The university itself is part of Durham’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, which includes its cathedral and castle. According to the 2020 “Complete University Guide” subject rankings, the top two subjects to study at Durham University are English and Music. Also, Durham is one of only four universities in the UK to have 90% of their subjects in the top 10 in the country! Durham University receives nearly 30, 000 applicants per year, but only accepts almost 5, 000. It’s tough competition, but you can do this!

Lancaster University

Lancaster University is one of the several new universities made during the 1960s by the “royal charter”, which means it was ordered by the Queen in 1964. These new universities began to create more educational opportunities for the population of Britain and the new technology in the UK since the Second World War. Lancaster University is separated into nine different colleges which are all named after places in the county of Lancashire, where Lancaster is found. And they accept nearly 90% of their applicants, even though their acceptance grades at A-level usually have to be either AAA or AAB. Whilst Lancaster University doesn’t offer a lot of year abroad options, they have connections to foreign universities such as ones in Ghana and Malaysia. They are currently planning to open one in Leipzig, Germany. If you like sports, Lancaster is a good place to go. From swimming to darts, they have it all!

Loughborough University

Loughborough University is a public research university based in Leicestershire. Loughborough University has one of the best employment rates in Britain, as they focus on academic strengths and transferable skills that are recognised by employers. As well as being internationally recognised for their sports-related achievements, it was named University of the Year in 2019 by The Times newspaper. In the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, 120 students from Loughborough University competed in 10 different sports and won 35 medals altogether. Also, in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, 80 people, being students, graduates and those somehow linked to Loughborough University competed and won 12 medals, and 5 of them were gold. So, this is another sporty university to add to your list!

University of Bath

In 2014, the University of Bath won the Best University Campus in the UK because of its beautiful buildings and nature all over campus. Bath, the city itself, is filled with golden Georgian-style buildings. Something to definitely do when you begin your university journey at the University of Bath is planning to go to the Bath Christmas Markets. Every year there are Christmas stalls and shops all over the town centre, and people travel from all over Britain just to experience it. Engineering, physical sciences, mathematics and technology are some of the top subjects to study at the University of Bath. Also, management, humanities and architecture are highly recommended subjects here. This university also encourages vocational education, meaning they suggest that students have a year in work experience. Bath is ranked 12th out of 128 universities in Britain in the Good University Guide mostly for its student satisfaction rate. If you want to be satisfied, get yourself to Bath!

University College London

This is yet another London-based university. UCL was established and previously named London University in 1826. University College London was the first London university to accept female students. It also has a 840 professors currently at the university, which is the largest number of staff at any university in the UK. UCL was one of the first universities to include A* in their acceptance grade levels, meaning the competition is tough for British students planning to go there. However, if the grades are not achieved but your department would still like to accept you, they offer a foundation year as part of their courses. One of UCL’s notable alumni helped discover the structure of DNA. Some clever cookies went here! Join them!

Which are the best universities in England?

In fact, 9 out of the 10 best universities listed already in this post are based in England. However, there are two more than stand out. These are the University of Bristol, and the University of Manchester. The University of Bristol is the 12th best university in the UK and 47thin the world. It’s difficult to get accepted into Bristol, especially into the departments Medicine and Dentistry, and the Sciences faculty. This university was the first to admit women in exactly the same way as men! The University of Manchester frequently falls into the top 10 universities in the UK, and is 35thin the world. It’s known for being a mainly public research university and currently has 25 Nobel prizewinning past students. Despite its prestige as a university, the acceptance rate is 42% which gives you a good chance of getting in!

What about the best universities in Scotland?

The University of St. Andrews is a Scottish university, but this doesn’t mean it’s the only one! There are 15 universities in Scotland all together. Aside from the University of St. Andrews, the others in the top five universities in Scotland are the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Dundee.

What are the best universities for studying Law in the United Kingdom?

The top 5 universities for studying law in the UK are: Glasgow University, the London School of Economics, the University of York, King’s College London and the University of Dundee. There are a huge number of law degrees to choose from, but these top 5 law universities offer every single law degree combination you can think of!

What are the best universities for studying Medicine in the UK?

In the UK, training to be a doctor can take between 5 and 10 years. 26 of the medical universities in Britain ask you to take the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test before you are accepted. This test focuses on verbal, quantitative and abstract reasoning, situational judgement and decision analysis. Aside from Oxford and Cambridge once again, the top 5 British universities for medicine are Cardiff University (in Wales), UCL, Queen Mary University of London, Imperial College London and the University of Edinburgh.

Which are the top universities for studying Engineering in the United Kingdom?

An engineering degree is very employable. Most of the engineering degrees in the UK have a year abroad included which means you spend a year abroad or in business. The top five universities for engineering are: Imperial College London, University of Warwick, University of Manchester, University of Edinburgh and the University of Bristol.

Which are the best UK universities for studying Business? And is it better to go to a university or a Business School for this degree?

A Business School is an institution at university standard that offers degrees in management and business. They specialise in many different aspects of business. These degrees usually take 2 years so the student can immediately go into a job in business. But, studying business at university means you will be studying various business courses for 3 or 4 years. At university, business students are usually encouraged to further their education by doing a Masters or PhD afterwards. It depends on what kind of degree you are looking for. If you would prefer to get a job straight away, you should go for a Business School. However, if you aren’t sure which section of the business world you would prefer, then university is the option for you. The top 3 Business Schools in the UK are: London Business School, IESE Business School and ESSEC Business School. And the top 3 universities for studying business in the UK are: the University of St. Andrews, the University of Bath and the University of Loughborough.

Is it a good idea to study Economics in the UK?

The first place I’ll mention is the London School of Economics! It’s one of the 10 best universities in the UK. LSE offers three single honours degrees in Economics and there are also joint honours degrees that they offer which include other subjects with Economics such as Environment Policy, Geography, Government, Philosophy and Mathematics.

Which UK universities are best known for their Psychology Department?

The best universities in the UK for Psychology are: The University of Bath, the University of Surrey and the University of York. A lot of the courses balance coursework and exams equally. There are often experiments that psychology students need to do, meaning the degree is very enjoyable. Almost exactly half of the students with a psychology degree go into a Masters or PhD, and the other half go directly into professional jobs. It’s a very employable degree.

What are the best universities for studying Architecture in the UK?

Studying architecture in the UK means studying for 5 years or more. Although this may sound like a lot, the starting salary for an architect can be up to £35, 000 per year. Adding to this, there are an infinite amount of jobs in the UK and abroad for architects, there’s always a need for new buildings! To study architecture, the courses usually expect you to have A-level Maths and Science, but the course requirements will change depending on the university. So, the top three universities in the UK for an architecture degree are: University College London, Manchester School of Architecture and the University of Sheffield.

Where can I study Computer Science in the United Kingdom?

A computer science degree offers many opportunities to go into loads of jobs, such as a computer engineer, software developer, information security analyst, and many more. Also, there are thousands of companies worldwide that always need employees or interns. The need for people who know computers really well is at an all time high all over the world. This degree will allow you to travel or live abroad for work too. The top universities for computer science degrees in Britain are Imperial College London, Swansea University and the University of Surrey.

Which university should I choose to go to study Mathematics?

The best 3 universities in the UK for a Maths degree are: Oxford, Cambridge and St. Andrews University. Every maths degree balances between maths courses and general education. The students will then usually go into further education or employment. In fact, the majority of maths degrees are actually only 2 years long as they need to carry on studying to focus on one subject in particular.

Are public universities better than private universities in the United Kingdom?

There is a simple difference between public and private universities. Private universities depend on student tuition fees. But, public universities are usually funded by the government. This means that private universities are normally smaller, and there are only three in the UK. They are: The University of Buckingham, Regent’s University London and St. Mary’s University.

For any other courses that you are interested that haven’t been listed so far, here is some more information on where to study them in the United Kingdom:

The best universities for physics:

1. University of Durham
2. University of Edinburgh
3. Imperial College London

The best art universities:

1. University College London
2. University of the Arts London
3. Goldsmiths, London

The best universities for nursing:

1. University of Liverpool
2. University of Bradford
3. University of Glasgow

The best sports universities:

1. University of Glasgow
2. Kingston University
3. Loughborough University

The best universities for criminology:

1. Swansea University
2. University of Portsmouth
3. University of Leeds

The best graphic design universities:

1. Leeds Arts University
2. Kingston University
3. University of Lincoln

The best universities for biology:

1. University of Dundee
2. Cardiff University
3. University of York

The best universities for chemistry:

1. University of Warwick
2. University College London
3. University of Nottingham

The best universities for studying geography:

1. University of Bristol
2. Lancaster University
3. University of Exeter

I really hope you've found this article interesting and helpful, and I wish you the best of luck on the most exciting stage of your life - university! Whether you decide to study in any of the many universities listed in this post or whether you're just interested in the British quality and standard of education, I hope you have had a great read.

You can use our advice to apply to any university, not just in the UK, but also the best universities in the United States!

Or if you are a keen traveller, check out the best universities in the world.

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