The United Kingdom is home to 90 of the universities on this year’s QS World University Rankings making a great place to study. Four of these institutions rank in the global top 10 and a further 20 universities rank in the global top 50.
The rankings this year were attained using a methodology that looks at several indicators such as academic reputation, employer reputation, international research network and sustainability.
Read on as we discover the top 10 universities in the United Kingdom UK.
10. The University of Warwick
The University of Warwick, which is ranked 67th worldwide, is still in 10th place in the UK this year. The university’s success in the rankings can be attributed, in large part, to its worldwide perspective; it ranks 17th in the UK for its international research network and tops the metrics of international faculty and student ratios.
Founded in 1965, the university is very new, with only about 29,000 students enrolled now, 10,000 of them are studying abroad in 150 different countries. 42.9 percent of the university’s employees and students are foreign nationals.
Additionally, the university expands its global outreach by providing study abroad opportunities to all students at any of its more than 200 partner universities in 40 nations.
9. University of Bristol
The University of Bristol, which climbed six places to 58th place in the global rankings this year, is ranked ninth in the United Kingdom. The university performs well in every rating metric, but it stands out in the employer reputation category the most, placing 10th in the United Kingdom and 60th worldwide.
Being the first institution in the United Kingdom to admit male and female students equally in 1876, institution of Bristol prioritises its students above all else.
Employers also view it highly because of its Bristol Futures initiative, which offers opportunities for students to engage and network with businesses in Bristol and beyond while also encouraging them to work on their personal development plans and build a portfolio of work that will help them advance in their careers.
8. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is ranked ninth in the United Kingdom and has moved nine spots to 45th place globally this year, making it the first United Kingdom university in our countdown to be in the top 50. One of the most varied locations to study in the United Kingdom and the world is LSE, which received flawless scores in the metrics for international faculty and international student ratios.
Of the 11,000 students at LSE, sixty percent are international. Its alumni comprise 62,000 people from the United Kingdom, 30,000 people from other European Nations, 27,000 people from North America, and 25,000 people from east and south-east Asia.
7. King’s College London (KCL)
King’s College London is ranked seventh in the United Kingdom this year, down three spots to 40th in the global rankings. KCL, the first of four London-based universities in the United Kingdom top 10, scores highly across the board, especially when it comes to its worldwide research network, which ranks 14th in the world.
KCL is home to the HR Excellence in Research award from the European Commission, which aims to promote a feeling of community within the global research community. The goal of this award is to encourage the careers of academics who are making the biggest contributions to their fields while also elevating the work being done by the institution and their worldwide peers.
6. The University of Manchester
The University of Manchester ranks sixth in the United Kingdom again this year, taking 40th place in the global rankings. Manchester graduates are looked on particularly favourably by employers – the university ranks 21st in the world and fourth in the United Kingdom for the employer reputation indicator.
The University of Manchester was England’s first civic university and closely linked to the city’s industrial heritage. Today the university prioritises the employability of their graduates by placing a higher focus on skills that can be transferred to the workplace as well as offering career services such as counselling, CV workshops, internships, career mentorship and job vacancy emails. Their Manchester Leadership Programme also allows students to combine volunteer work with their course.
5. University of Edinburgh
One of the only Scottish universities in the top 10, The University of Edinburgh is ranked fifth in the United Kingdom and 22nd worldwide. The institution receives special recognition for two areas: sustainability, where it ranks sixth in the world and is named the most sustainable university in the United Kingdom, and its worldwide research network, which indicates the calibre of international academic activity the university engages in.
By aiming to be totally carbon neutral by 2040, the University of Edinburgh is advancing its quest for sustainability.
4. University College London (UCL)
University College London (UCL) dips one spot to ninth place globally this year, just missing out on a slot in the top three in the United Kingdom. As a result, it becomes the first university from the United Kingdom to be in the top 10 globally. It ranks second in the world and in the United Kingdom for its international research network, which receives the highest score.
3. Imperial College London
The top-ranked university in England’s capital city, Imperial College London, wins the bronze medal in the United Kingdom. It continues to be ranked sixth globally and has an excellent workplace reputation.
The focus of Imperial College London is on world-class innovative research and high-quality teaching practises. The college specialises in science, engineering, medicine, and business. In recognition of the university’s efforts to advance women’s careers in science, technology, math, engineering, and medicine, it is the recipient of the Silver Athena Swan award.
UCL recently opened a new Research Innovation and Global Engagement office to expand its global research efforts. The office’s goal is to enhance the university’s research outreach to the public and have a greater, more lasting influence on people’s lives.
2. University of Oxford
The race for the top spot in the United Kingdom rankings is, as usual, between Oxford University and Cambridge University. Oxford is ranked third globally this year and in second position. That said, it ranks third globally and top in the UK for employer outcomes.
In the English-speaking world, Oxford is regarded as the oldest university. Oxford’s teaching traditions stretch back to 1096, despite the university’s unclear founding date. Eventually, in 1249, the first residence halls and colleges were constructed. Oxford now consists of three organisations and thirty-six colleges.
1. University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge, which is ranked second in the world university rankings, is once again in first place in the United Kingdom. Cambridge is the best employer in the UK and fourth globally for employer reputation, having attained high marks across all categories.
Cambridge University was founded in 1209 and has 31 colleges, just like Oxford. With students and alumni primarily from Europe, North America, Asia, and other continents, Cambridge boasts an extraordinarily diversified student body. 210 Olympic medalists, 47 international leaders, and 121 Nobel Laureates have all come from this university.