The United Kingdom is a popular destination for university students as it hosts some of the best universities in the world. Welcoming over 2.3 million students per year (both local and international), Great Britain is appealing for its great student life, its variety of sports and cultural opportunities, and its historical cities. From an academic perspective, the UK is ranked 2nd worldwide for the high quality of its university system.
If studying in the UK is one of your options and you’d like to find out which university is the best fit for you, you have come to the right place. Here is a compilation of the top universities in the UK, according to the annual QS World University Rankings. You will also find an extensive list of all British Universities below.
The Top 5 UK Universities
1. The University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is one of the oldest universities in the world, with some evidence of teaching dating back to 1096. It is renowned on a global scale and always ranks in the top 5 of the best universities in the world.
Oxford is notably famous for its collegiate system. Students can choose from more than 30 different colleges where they receive a first-class education in the form of tutorials.
The university is very competitive and welcomes more than 24,000 students every year, 43% of whom are international students. This international perspective combined with the outstanding quality of classes and the high employability of graduates is what makes Oxford a great place to study.
2. The University of Cambridge
Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the second oldest university in the UK. It is highly ranked both worldwide and nationwide, being in the top 10 and top 3 respectively. The university offers a great variety of courses but it is well-known for its degrees in English Language and Literature, Geography and History.
Cambridge is home to over 18,000 students and offers 30 undergraduate courses and over 300 postgraduate courses. Students benefit from the collegiate system which provides them with high-quality classes with a small student to professor ratio. On top of the academics, the university provides students with numerous social, cultural, sports and professional opportunities.
3. Imperial College London
Imperial College London specialises in science, engineering, medicine and business, and is consistently ranked in the top 10 universities worldwide. It was founded in 1901 and is located in South Kensington, in London.
Welcoming 17,000 students every year, Imperial prides itself with an international environment, with undergraduates from 125 different nationalities.
Imperial is notably known to hold the greatest concentration of high-impact research in a UK university. 14 members of the College have received Nobel prizes.
4. University College London
Established in 1826, University College London (UCL) was the first university in the UK to welcome women to university education, and to welcome students of any religion. It is consistently ranked in the top 20 of the world’s best universities and is known as a world-leader in research.
UCL is famous for its multidisciplinary approach and programmes, which distinguish it from other UK universities. On top of its excellent academics, UCL is known for its multiculturalism, as 48% of the students and 35% of the staff are international. The university welcomes around 42,000 students per year and combined with more than 13,000 staff, they come from 150 different countries.
Within 6 months after graduation, around 90% of UCL students enter the workforce or further studies.
5. University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh is the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland’s most ancient universities. It was founded in 1582 by the Edinburgh Town Council.
It is a highly recognised university and welcomes more than 43,000 students each year. The majority of the students study a degree in humanities or social sciences.
Besides its academic merit, one of the benefits of studying at the University of Edinburgh is the location, which enables students to benefit from the rich history and culture.
