UK University League Table 2024 And Rankings
UK University League Tables offer a comprehensive overview of various universities and their respective courses, serving as a valuable tool for prospective students. These tables rank institutions by factors such as academic reputation, research quality, student satisfaction, and graduate employability, providing a holistic snapshot of each institution’s performance. In this guide, we explore some of the popular league tables and subject league tables to help you find the best universities tailored to your academic and career aspirations.
How To Use This Guide
In this guide, we’ve curated a comprehensive resource of UK university league tables by subject, recommended universities by courses, QS world ranking league tables and more. Feel free to browse around and explore the guides that you fancy. If you have any questions or require any advice, feel free to contact us for a free consultation.
Table of Contents
Our Ranking Methodology
Our UK University League Table ranking methodology is based on the following data sources:
- QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024
- The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) which provides data for entry standards, student-staff ratios, spending on academic services, facilities spending, good honours degrees, graduate prospects, completion and international student enrolments.
- Individual university reported data.
Recommended Universities For Different Subjects
1) Business Studies
The University of Bath certainly needs no introduction. Ranking number three in the UK for business studies, their four-year Bachelor of Science in Business programme includes professional placements which bolster graduate employability and enrich the students’ learning experience.
In just over a decade, the University of Exeter’s Business school has already established itself as one of the top UK institutions for business studies. Their programme offers a three-year degree with flexible module options and students may opt to study a year abroad or complete a professional placement. Do take note that the University of Exeter’s Bachelor of Science in Business programme is conducted at their campus in Cornwall.
Check out our league table and guide to the Top UK Universities for Business Studies here.
2) Engineering
Looking to become an Engineer? The University of Cambridge is a great choice for any prospective engineer as it ranks number one for many engineering specialisations such as Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Electrical & Electronic Engineering. In their 4-year courses, you will be taught the fundamentals in engineering in your first and second years, and you will be studying subjects that train you for your chosen discipline in your third and fourth years. They offer degrees in nine areas of specialisation and their Master’s programme is accredited by various professional institutions.
You could read more about the University of Cambridge’s engineering courses on their website or read more about the application process via UCAS here.
Our article Top UK Universities for Engineering has league tables and more.
We also go in depth into Engineering specialties in our league table guides below:
Top Universities For Electrical And Electronic Engineering
Top Universities For Aerospace Engineering
Top Universities For Mechanical Engineering
3) Psychology
A notable mention, the University of Bath sits among top universities like Oxford and Cambridge (who rank number 1 and number 3, respectively). Bath ranks at number 5 in subject ranking for Psychology in the UK. The course is a 3-year program designed to equip you with everything you need to become a fully certified psychologist.
Coming in at number 3 is none other than London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London. LSE’s excellence in social science allows for this BSc programme to take a unique approach to psychology that emphasises interdisciplinary connections with, for example, economics, management, anthropology and policy.
If you prefer the hustle and bustle of the city, check out University College London and experience studying and making connections in this well-known metropolis, also a melting pot of cultures from different walks of life.
Our article Top UK Universities for Psychology goes into more detail about the subject.
4) Law
The University of Oxford and Cambridge have ranked consistently in the top 3 for many years and entry to these law programmes are extremely competitive. In these programmes, students to critically analyse legal situations, and encourage you to confidently present and debate your interpretations. Nonetheless, The Oxford law and Cambridge law faculties are highly regarded across the legal profession. They both also consistently rank as the top universities for law across academic league tables worldwide.
In 2024, University College London (UCL) ranked 3rd place in the UK for Law degrees. Being near the city area, students get to experience the hustle and bustle of a Londoner’s life as well as the rich culture and exciting social scene London has to offer. UCL also happens to be England’s 3rd oldest university.
The Scottish University of Glasgow ranked 5th for Law in the UK. Based in scenic Scotland, students get to experience a beautiful olden-style castle-like backdrop: The Glasgow University campus. Perfect if you’d like to experience the rich cultural experience the Scots have to offer.
For more information, check out our article Top UK Universities for Law.
5) Computer Science
The University of Cambridge is a great choice for any prospective software engineer as it ranks number one for Computer Science. In their 3-year course, you will be taught the fundamentals of computer science in your first year, while your second year is focused on application of theories and programming. Then, you will work on your thesis in your third year. They also offer a Master’s programme in computer science should you want to undertake advanced studies in computer science.
Coming in at a close second place on some university league tables, the University of Oxford’s programme in Computer Science is an outstanding choice for computer science studies. Oxford offers four different Master’s programmes for computer science – Mathematics and Computer Science, which is a theoretical computer science degree; Information Engineering; Computer Science; and Computer Science and Philosophy, which is a focused study on artificial intelligence.
Cambridge and Oxford are known to have extremely high requirements for applicants – typically a minimum of one A* will be required for most of their courses.
Find more information about computer science courses in our article Top UK Universities for Computer Science.
6) Medicine
Scottish Universities are dominating the UK university medicine league table in 2021, with 4 prestigious institutions in the top 5. University of Glasgow and Dundee University are tied in the top 10 for the 2023 rankings. Experience a blend of quality education and historic northern culture when you study at one of these universities.
Holding the fort for England is the University Of Oxford, which ranks no.2 in the UK for medical degrees. Oxford is one of the top-ranking universities globally, and strict and difficult entry requirements ensure only the top students are accepted.
Looking for medical courses in the UK? Take a look at our article Top UK Universities for Medicine here.
Video Reviews Playlist: Top UK Universities By Subject
Are you doing research on the top UK universities for your application? Check out our video reviews on the top UK universities for each courses. The video player below contains our complete YouTube playlist of the Top UK Universities for 2024.
QS World Rankings And League Tables
The QS Rankings is an annual ranking of the world’s universities. It is one of the most popular lists for comparing university performance. We’ll take a look at QS’s 2023/2024 rankings for UK universities for the following subjects:
- Art and Humanities
- Engineering and Technology
- Life Sciences and Medicine
QS World University Rankings League Table - UK Art & Humanities Courses
Take a look at this league table of the world’s top Art and Humanities universities in the UK. Out of six metrics used by QS, we’ve included scores for three metrics with the highest weightage.
QS World University Rankings League Table - UK Engineering & Technology Courses
Take a look at this league table of the world’s top Engineering & Technology universities in the UK. Out of six metrics used by QS, we’ve included scores for three metrics with the highest weightage.
QS World University Rankings League Table - UK Life Sciences & Medicine Courses
Take a look at this league table of the world’s top Life Sciences and Medicine universities in the UK. Out of six metrics used by QS, we’ve included scores for three metrics with the highest weightage.
2024 UK University League Table and Rankings
The 2024 UK University League Table is compiled based on data on 130 universities and 74 subject areas, giving you a comprehensive view of how the universities performed. Sort the 2024 University League Table by the measures most important to you and compare universities to find the one that is right for you.
Source: Complete University Guide
Frequently Asked Questions About The UK University League Tables
The rankings are based on the National Student Survey and the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) which provides data for entry standards, student-staff ratios, spending on academic services, facilities spending, good honours degrees, graduate prospects, completion and international student enrolments. Also included are individual university reported data.
The first step is to look for popular and high-ranking Universities in the UK that offer courses you are interested in. Here are some things to consider when applying: Location, employability and graduate prospects, fees, entry requirements, as well subject ranking.
You can refer to our UK Universities section, where you can discover UK universities which rank high for specific degrees or courses.
Depending on the subject and university of choice, you need to apply before the stipulated deadlines. Refer to our UCAS deadline article for more information and specific deadlines for the upcoming intakes.
Additional Reading: Top Universities For Popular Subjects
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