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43 Best Public Master's Universities in the United Kingdom

University of Cambridge tops our list of 43 Public Master's universities in the United Kingdom at #6 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. University College London (QS World #9) and University of Edinburgh (QS World #34) complete the top three. Across the whole list there are 505 courses to choose from.

43 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
25Ranked
UB University of Brighton logo
#80 in United Kingdom United Kingdom
#80 in United Kingdom · by research impact
775,411 citations · h-index 283
26Ranked
AR Anglia Ruskin University logo
#82 in United Kingdom United Kingdom
#82 in United Kingdom · by research impact
648,152 citations · h-index 264
31Ranked
UC University of Cumbria logo
#112 in United Kingdom United Kingdom
#112 in United Kingdom · by research impact
110,805 citations · h-index 142

By university type

How these universities are ranked

18 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #6 (University of Cambridge) to #662 (University of Portsmouth); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. University College London has the largest research record in this group, with 67,811,539 citations and an h-index of 2,079. 5 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

The split is 43 public to 0 private institutions. By location, England (3) and Scotland (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of Cambridge, founded in 1209. University College London is the largest, with 46,000 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

The most common subjects are Medicine & Health Sciences (82), Business & Management (62), Computer Science & IT (61) and Engineering (47). The usual length is 1–2 years and 4 years. 82% are full-time and 35 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (94% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (68% of courses with a stated intake). University of Manchester offers the widest choice, with 239 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 4 of these universities. University of Manchester is the least expensive at USD 34,000 a year and University of Cambridge the most at USD 43,000; the middle of the range is about USD 42,000. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Public Master's in the United Kingdom?

University of Cambridge (QS World #6), University College London (QS World #9) and University of Edinburgh (QS World #34) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Public Master's in the United Kingdom?

Of those with published fees, University of Manchester is the least expensive at about USD 34,000 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Public Master's in the United Kingdom?

43 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Public Master's course take in the United Kingdom?

Most listed courses run 1–2 years, with 4 years the next most common.

When do Public Master's courses start in the United Kingdom?

Fall is the main intake — 94% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Can I study Public Master's online with a university in the United Kingdom?

35 of these courses are listed as online.

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