Top universities in the UK

The University of Warwick's success in the rankings is largely due to the university’s global outlook as they score highly in the international faculty and international student ratio indicators, as well as for their international research network. 

One of the younger universities, founded only around fifty years ago in 1965, today the university is attended by almost 29,000 students 10,000 of which are studying internationally from 150 countries. Nearly half of the people, students and staff at the university come from another country.  

Furthermore, the university strengthens its international work by offering all students study abroad placements in one of over 200 partner institutions in 40 countries worldwide. 

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) achieved a top score in both the international faculty and international student ratio indicators, making it one of the most diverse places to study in the UK and the world. 

60 percent of LSE’s 11,000 students are from overseas. In terms of its alumni, 62,000 are from the UK with 30,000 from other European countries, 27,000 are from North America and 25,000 are from east and south-east Asia. 

The University of Bristol achieves high scores across all ranking indicators, particularly for employer reputation.

University of Bristol places its students at the centre of its operations, being the first university in the UK to admit male and female students on an equal basis in 1876.

It is also viewed so favourably by employers as a result of its Bristol Futures initiative which encourages students to work on their personal development planning and create a portfolio of work that acts as an asset to their career progression but also offers engagement opportunities so that students may start networking with businesses within the city of Bristol and beyond. 

The University of Manchester's graduates are looked on particularly favourably by employers – the university is one of the best in the UK for employer reputation. 

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 mentorships and job vacancy emails.

Their Manchester Leadership Programme also allows students to combine volunteer work with their course. 

King’s College London achieves impressive scores in all indicators, particularly for their international research network.

To foster a sense of community in the international research field, KCL hosts a European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research award. This award aims to uplift the work that is being done by the university and their international colleagues and support the careers of researchers who are making the most significant contributions to their fields. 

The University of Edinburgh is a leading Scottish university, scoring particularly highly for its international research network, suggesting the level of international academic work that the university partake in, and also for sustainability. 

Th University of Edinburgh is furthering their pursuit of sustainability by setting the goal to be completely carbon neutral by 2040. 

University College London (UCL) earns one of its highest scores is for its international research network. In order to further develop their international research work, UCL has recently established a new Research Innovation and Global Engagement office which aims to improve the way the research conducted at the university reaches the public in order to make a more substantial impact on people’s lives. 

The University of Cambridge achieves high scores across all indicators, in particular employer reputation.

Cambridge University was established in 1209 and, similarly to Oxford, is made up of 31 colleges. The student body of Cambridge is incredibly diverse with students and alumni predominantly from Europe, North America, Asia and beyond. The university has produced 121 Nobel Laureates, 47 world leaders and 210 Olympic medalists. 

Oxford University is considered the oldest university in the English-speaking world. Though no clear date of establishment can be found, teaching practices in Oxford date back to 1096. Later, in 1249, the first colleges and halls of residence were built. Today, Oxford is made up of 36 colleges and three societies. 

Imperial College London specialises in the subjects of science, engineering, medicine, and business with a focus on high-quality educational practices and world-leading innovative research. It holds a Silver Athena Swan award which celebrates the university’s efforts to enhance the careers of women in the fields of science, technology, maths, engineering, and medicine. 

Outside of the top 10, there are plenty of universities all across the country which provide excellent teaching, have great facilities and lead to abundant employment opportunities. In Scotland, Edinburgh Napier University offers students the same access to the beautiful Scottish city as the higher-ranked University of Edinburgh. It scores highly for both international student and international faculty ratios, indicating a diverse community of people who study and work abroad.

In the north of England, University of Central Lancashire could be a great option whereas in the Midlands, universities such as Loughborough University and De Montfort University score highly for their international research network and international student ratio respectively. Their broad curriculum and wide range of study options allow students to really make the most of their studies as well as their university experience. In the south of England there are some great options such as The University of Brighton.

Furthermore, Wales also has some top universities such as Cardiff University which ranks highest in the country and Northern Ireland contains entries such as Queen's University Belfast.