University of London - League Table, Entry Requirements and Guide

Everything you need to know about the University of London.
University of London

In this article, we address some common questions about the University of London. We also have a list of the University of London member institutions and a league table comparing university rankings and sizes.

Table of Contents

List of University of London Member Institutions and Rankings

We’ve put together the league table below that lists the University of London member institutions along with its respective 2024 rankings in the country. The size refers to the total student population of the university.

UniversityUK RankingTEF ratingSize
The London School of Economics and Political Science3Bronze11,000
University College London (UCL)9Silver41,180
King's College London24Silver27,600
Royal Holloway, University of London37Silver10,593
Queen Mary University of London53Silver26,000
SOAS University of London58Bronze5,200
City, University of London42Silver‎20,210
St George's, University of London78Bronze4,690
Goldsmiths, University of London74Bronze10,410
Birkbeck, University of London-Silver11,390
Courtauld Institute of Art-Silver‎495
London Business School--‎2,075
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine--4,000
Royal Academy of Music-Gold‎880
School of Advanced Study--<500
The Institute of Cancer Research, London--340
The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama-Gold1,055
The Royal Veterinary College-Gold‎2,525
University of London Institute in Paris--170

What is the University of London?

The University of London (UoL) is a federal research institution that consists of 17 member institutions. Students at any of its 17 member institutions are also students and alumni of the University of London – this makes UoL the largest university in the UK, with over 240,000 students based on campus.

The University of London was founded in 1836 as a degree-awarding body for colleges such as University College London, King’s College London, and any other college in the UK that had yet to receive its Royal Charter to gain university status.

Today, the federal university considers itself a loose federation of its constituent universities. The member institutions of the University of London largely operate independently and award its own degrees. 

Why are some University of London member institutions not ranked?

Many of the UoL member institutions do not have rankings. This may be due to ineligibility as universities that are too specialised are excluded from league tables. Some universities may also withdraw from league tables. Despite ranking among the top 40 universities in the UK according to some league tables, Birkbeck has withdrawn from rankings as the university has decided that its strengths are not well-represented in rankings.

Not ranking in league tables may not necessarily mean that the university is underperforming. Some universities may rank for subjects but are excluded from overall university rankings. For example, the London Business School is not ranked in UK league tables for overall performance, however, in 2018, it was rated the fourth-best institution for business and economics programmes in the world by Times Higher Education.

Is the University of London Part of the Russell Group?

The Russell Group is a collective of 24 research-intensive universities in the UK. Four member institutions from the University of London are part of the Russell Group. These are the London School of Economics and Political Science, University College London, King’s College, and Queen Mary University of London. The University of London, the research institution, is not a part of the Russell Group.

Is UCL the Same as the University of London?

University College London is a part of University of London and students of UCL will also be considered as students of the University of London, but it is not the same thing.

University College London was one of two founding colleges of the University of London. As a secular university, UCL encountered resistance from the Church of England for obtaining its Royal Charter to be a university. The University of London was then established in 1836 as the degree-awarding body for UCL and a number of other educational institutions that have not yet gained its university status. While its histories are closely related, UCL is a university today while the University of London is a federation of universities as well as the degree-awarding body for its member institutions.

University of London Entry Requirements

Member institutions of the University of London vary greatly in terms of entry requirements and acceptance rates. Some member institutions of UoL are also part of the Russell Group – as these are research-intensive universities and popular among applicants, these universities tend to set higher entry requirements compared to most other UK universities.

Therefore, the entry requirements for the University of London largely depends on the course you’re applying for. Medical programmes and universities in the Russell Group will have higher requirements.

University of London Acceptance Rates

Acceptance rates will depend from course to course. Programmes that are popular among applicants will have a lower acceptance rate. Certain programmes such as medicine are highly competitive, which means that there will be a large volume of applicants for very limited places. This explains why St. George’s University of London, a specialist in medicine and healthcare education, has an acceptance rate of around 10%.

Other universities in the University of London are among the top universities in the world, such as London Business School and UCL. Similarly, these universities may receive a large volume of applications every year, which puts the acceptance rate much lower.

Applying early to the right university will ensure that you maximise your chances of receiving an offer.

Interested to learn more about the University of London? Book an appointment for a free consultation with us today!

How to Apply to a University of London Member Institution

Step 1: Choose A University

The first step is to choose universities that offer courses you are interested in. Refer to the table above to start your search. Here are some things to consider when applying:

  • Employability/Graduate prospects
  • Fees
  • Entry requirements
  • University ranking
  • Speciality of the institution

Many UoL universities lack rankings in league tables, but some of them are specialised in certain fields. If you’re interested in enrolling at a UoL member institution, it is wise to prioritise your subject of choice over other criteria such as rankings.

Step 2: Preparations

Once you have narrowed down the search to your top five universities, the first step is to prepare necessary documents and forms. This includes school leaving certificates, exam results, the UCAS application form and a written Personal Statement, among other documents that may be required.

Step 3: Submit UCAS Application

The application process for UK universities is different from other countries as applications go through an organisation known as UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. UCAS handles all admission applications to UK universities, including those submitted by international candidates like you.

To ensure a better chance of getting accepted, it is important that you prepare all the necessary documents and fill out all forms correctly. We also recommend that you apply for multiple universities simultaneously to ensure that you get your preferred offers. Read our full guide on UCAS here

More about UCAS

The entire application process might be daunting and lengthy for some, so let us help you. Make a free appointment with us today for professional assistance in submitting applications to your prefered UK universities.

Entry Requirements for University of London

Here are some of the common entry requirements and tests a student has to pass before being accepted at a UK university.

  1. English Language Test requirement – such as IELTS or TOEFL.
  2. Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland for Scottish Universities)
  3. Health checks.
  4. Entrance interviews.
  5. Personal statement. This is a supporting document and part of your application to a UK university. Usually, you will write about what you hope to achieve studying at the course, what you plan to do after graduating and why you are applying for this specific university.

Frequently Asked Questions

The University of London is a federation of its 17 constituent universities. The member institutions of the University of London largely operate independently and award its own degrees. Students at any of its member institutions are also students and alumni of UoL.

The research institution is not part of the Russell Group, but four member institutions of the University of London are part of the Russell Group. These are LSE, UCL, King’s College, and Queen Mary University of London.

The top university in the University of London is the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Other top universities in UoL include: UCL, King’s College London, Royal Holloway UoL, Queen Mary UoL.

University College London is a part of University of London and students of UCL will also be considered as students of the University of London, but it is not the same.

This largely depends on the course you’re applying for. Medical programmes and universities in the Russell Group will have higher requirements.

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