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Top Universities in the United Kingdom

Imperial College London tops our list of 195 universities in the United Kingdom at #2 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. University of Oxford (QS World #4) and University of Cambridge (QS World #6) complete the top three. Across the whole list there are 2,574 courses to choose from.

195 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
122Ranked
SM St Mary's University logo
#122 in United Kingdom United Kingdom
#122 in United Kingdom · by research impact
55,625 citations · h-index 106
123Ranked
SS Southampton Solent University logo
#123 in United Kingdom United Kingdom
#123 in United Kingdom · by research impact
51,530 citations · h-index 96
125Ranked
UA University of the Arts London logo
#125 in United Kingdom United Kingdom
#125 in United Kingdom · by research impact
48,285 citations · h-index 92
126Ranked
MC Middlesbrough College logo
#126 in United Kingdom United Kingdom

Middlesbrough College

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#126 in United Kingdom · by research impact
45,020 citations · h-index 97
127Ranked
LT Leeds Trinity University logo
#127 in United Kingdom United Kingdom
#127 in United Kingdom · by research impact
37,401 citations · h-index 90
132Ranked
WS West Suffolk College logo
#132 in United Kingdom United Kingdom

West Suffolk College

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#132 in United Kingdom · by research impact
12,733 citations · h-index 64
136Ranked
HB HULT Business School logo
#136 in United Kingdom United Kingdom
#136 in United Kingdom · by research impact
6,493 citations · h-index 45
137Ranked
BC British College of Osteopathic Medicine logo
#137 in United Kingdom United Kingdom

British College of Osteopathic Medicine

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#137 in United Kingdom · by research impact
5,581 citations · h-index 36
139Ranked
HC Heythrop College, University of London logo
#139 in United Kingdom United Kingdom

Heythrop College, University of London

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#139 in United Kingdom · by research impact
3,634 citations · h-index 31
141Ranked
WC Wakefield College logo
#141 in United Kingdom United Kingdom

Wakefield College

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#141 in United Kingdom · by research impact
2,713 citations · h-index 27
142Ranked
AU The American University in London logo
#142 in United Kingdom United Kingdom
#142 in United Kingdom · by research impact
2,300 citations · h-index 25
143Ranked
WH West Herts College logo
#143 in United Kingdom United Kingdom

West Herts College

Public University · 0 courses

No course listed yet for this search — see the university's full profile.

—Tuition (indicative)
—Founded
—Students
—International
Admissions open
#143 in United Kingdom · by research impact
2,137 citations · h-index 20

By university type

How these universities are ranked

54 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #2 (Imperial College London) 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 67,859,442 citations and an h-index of 2,079. 50 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 195 public to 0 private institutions. By location, England (5) and Scotland (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of Oxford, founded in 1096. University College London is the largest, with 46,000 students.

Levels, lengths and start dates

By level: 1,457 bachelor's, 719 master's, 66 phd / doctorate and 53 diploma. The most common subjects are Business & Management (353), Medicine & Health Sciences (275), Arts, Design & Architecture (223) and Social Sciences & Psychology (223). The usual length is 4 years and 3 years. 97% are full-time and 46 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (92% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (69% of courses with a stated intake). University of Manchester offers the widest choice, with 254 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 6 of these universities. University of Manchester is the least expensive at USD 34,000 a year and Imperial College London the most at USD 47,000; the middle of the range is about USD 43,000. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in the United Kingdom?

Imperial College London (QS World #2), University of Oxford (QS World #4) and University of Cambridge (QS World #6) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university 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 universities in the United Kingdom are public?

195 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a course take in the United Kingdom?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 3 years the next most common.

When do courses start in the United Kingdom?

Fall is the main intake — 92% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Which university has the most courses in the United Kingdom?

University of Manchester, with 254, ahead of Bath Spa University (129).

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