Top universities in the UK By subject

There are 23 UK universities featured in the rankings for development studies, with 10 of these in the global top 50. The University of Sussex takes first place worldwide, achieving a perfect score for academic reputation. 

The earth and marine sciences ranking features 28 UK schools, including 10 in the global top 50. The top spot in the UK is claimed by the University of Oxford in fourth place globally. 

An impressive 53 UK institutions are featured in the rankings for economics and econometrics this year, including seven in the global top 50. Unsurprisingly, the London School of Economics and Political Science is the highest-ranked UK institution for the subject, in seventh place worldwide. 

46 education institutions in the UK feature in the global rankings this year, with 10 of these in the world top 50. The highest-ranked institution in the UK, and the world, is found at UCL Institute of Education at University College London and the school earns a perfect score in the academic reputation indicator this year. 

One of the largest rankings, 37 UK universities feature in the electrical and electronic engineering table this year. The highest-ranked of these is the University of Cambridge which retains its global position of fifth in the global rankings. 

Unsurprisingly, the UK performs very well for english language and literature, with 45 schools in the rankings, including 15 in the global top 50. The University of Oxford is in first place globally with a perfect score for academic reputation, closely followed by its rival, the University of Cambridge in second. 

There are 40 UK institutions featured in the environmental science ranking this year, including eight in the global top 50. The highest-ranked university in the UK is the University of Oxford, in third place globally. 

The UK performs very well for geography this year, with 32 universities featured, including 15 in the global top 50. The top three places in the world are taken up by UK institutions: the University of Oxford in first, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in second and the University of Cambridge in third. 

The UK claims 26 of the top 231 schools in the world for geology. The University of Oxford claims the first place in the UK and fifth globally. 

25 schools offering geophysics courses are found in the UK this year. The best UK school to study geophysics is the University of Cambridge, in fourth place globally, which receives an almost perfect score for employer reputation and citations per paper. 

History is another strong ranking for UK institutions, with 32 universities featured and 10 in the global top 50. The highest-ranked history programme in the UK can be found at The University of Oxford, in second place globally and achieving a perfect score in academic reputation. 

22 UK schools feature in the rankings for hospitality and leisure management, including three in the global top 25. The highest ranked of these is the University of Surrey, in 15th place worldwide. 

UK law schools make up 37 of the 352 schools featured worldwide. There are eight UK schools featured in the global top 50, including the UK’s highest-ranked school the University of Oxford, in second place globally. 

The library and information management ranking is small with only 70 universities featured across the world. The UK claims seven of these, including the highest ranked university globally, The University of Sheffield, which earns a perfect score for academic reputation. 

There are 29 linguistic programmes in the UK featured in the 2023 rankings, including seven in the global top 50. The highest-ranked programme in the UK can be found at the University of Cambridge which places second in the world. 

Of the 20 universities in the marketing ranking this year, three are found in the UK: University of Cambridge (fourth), London Business School (10th) and The London School of Economics and Political Science (15th). 

27 material science programmes in the UK feature in the rankings this year, including five in the global top 50. The University of Cambridge takes the top spot in the UK, placing second globally.  

One of the largest subject rankings, with 531 schools featured globally, an impressive 38 UK schools are in the mathematics rankings, including seven in the global top 50. The highest-ranked UK mathematics programme can be found at the University of Cambridge, in fourth place globally. 

40 UK institutions feature in the rankings for mechanical, aeronautical and manufacturing engineering this year, including six in the global top 50. The highest-ranked school in the UK is the University of Cambridge, ranked fourth worldwide. 

An impressive 47 UK universities feature in the rankings for medicine this year including nine in the global top 50. The highest-ranked programme can be found at the University of Oxford, in second place globally. 

There are three UK universities in the rankings for mineral and mining engineering rankings this year: University of Exeter (15th), University of Aberdeen (33rd) and University of Birmingham (51-70). 

Of the 339 modern language schools globally, 32 are in the UK. The University of Cambridge is the best university in the UK for modern languages, in first place globally. In total, six UK schools feature in the global top 50. 

The UK performs well for nursing this year with six out of the 21 British schools featured in the ranking making it into the global top 50. The highest-ranked nursing programme in the UK can be found at King’s College London which ranks second worldwide. 

An impressive 25 schools feature in the performing arts rankings this year, including a staggering 13 in the global top 50. The highest-ranked programme can be found at the Royal College of Music which retains the top spot globally. 

The petroleum engineering rankings feature the top 162 schools globally for the subject. 14 of these schools are in the UK, with the highest-ranking UK university Imperial College London in sixth place worldwide.  

There are 28 UK institutions featured in the pharmacy and pharmacology rankings this year, including four in the global top 10. The highest-ranked university this year is the University of Oxford which ranks third worldwide which receives an almost perfect score in H-index citations. 

23 UK universities feature in the rankings for philosophy this year, with 10 of these in the global top 50. The highest-ranked philosophy programme in the UK can be found at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in third place globally. 

There are 39 UK universities featured in the physics and astronomy rankings this year, including six in the global top 50. The University of Oxford is home to the country’s top-ranked programme, ranked third out of 621 universities globally. 

The UK performs well in the politics ranking, with 30 programmes featured including eight in the global top 50. The highest-ranked programme in the UK can be found at the University of Oxford, which ranks second globally this year. 

An impressive 35 UK schools feature in the rankings for psychology this year, including seven in the global top 50. The highest-ranked programme in the country can be found at the University of Oxford which also places second globally. 

There are 17 social policy and administration programmes in the UK featured in the rankings with over half of these in the global top 50. The highest-ranked programme can be found at the University of Oxford, in second place globally. 

41 UK institutions feature in the rankings for sociology this year, including eight in the global top 50. Once again, the University of Oxford is the highest-ranked university in the UK, in second place globally. 

Loughborough University remains the best school in the UK – and the world. A further 22 schools feature in the sports rankings, including eight in the global top 50. 

There are 25 UK universities in the statistics and operational research rankings, with nine of these featuring in the global top 50. The highest-ranked programme in the UK can be found at the University of Cambridge, in fourth place globally. 

Out of the 140 schools globally offering theology, divinity and religious studies courses, 16 are found in the UK. Eight of these schools place within the global top 50. The highest ranked programme can be found at the University of Oxford which falls one place this year to second in the world. 

Eight UK institutions feature in the rankings for veterinary science this year, including five in the global top 20. The Royal Veterinary College at the University of London is the world’s highest ranked university for the subject this year. It also earns a perfect score for academic reputation. 

Which part of the UK is best to study?

There are many excellent universities that can be found all over the UK. The two that are consistently the highest-ranked in the country are University of Oxford and University of Cambridge, both located in the south of England. There are also many great universities in London which has been ranked the best student city in the world and is also in the south of England. 

However, there are many highly-ranked universities throughout the country. The University of Edinburgh in Scotland ranks fifth in the country and 22nd in the world. The University of Manchester in the North of England ranks just behind it in sixth and places 32nd in the world. Cardiff University is a high-ranking university in Wales at 24th nationally and Queen’s University Belfast in Northern Ireland ranks 28th. 

What is the most prestigious university in the UK?

Both the University of Cambridge, which ranks first in the country overall this year, and the University of Oxford are equally regarded as the most prestigious universities in the UK. However, these and many other UK universities are included in the Russell Group, a self-selected association of universities which prioritise cutting edge research which are also considered very prestigious and are held in high esteem by employers. The Russell Group universities are: 

• University of Oxford 

• University of Cambridge 

• Imperial College London 

• University College London (UCL) 

• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) 

• King’s College London 

• University of Bristol 

• University of Warwick 

• University of Nottingham 

• University of Leeds 

• University of Sheffield 

• University of Birmingham 

• University of Southampton 

• University of Liverpool 

• University of York 

• University of Exeter 

• Queen’s University Belfast 

• Newcastle University 

• Durham University 

• Cardiff University 

• Queen Mary University of London 

• University of Edinburgh 

• University of Manchester 

• University of Glasgow 

Which university is best for international students in the UK?

All our top-ranked universities in the UK are great options for international students. Institutions such as London School of Economics and Political Science, Imperial College London, UCL, London Metropolitan University, Kings College London, Coventry University, University of Westminster, University of St Andrews, University of Greenwich and University of East London all receive a perfect score for their international student ratio. 

What is the toughest university to get into in the UK?

The two universities with the most complex application processes are University of Oxford and University of Cambridge. They also tend to have the highest volume of applicants given their reputation nationally and internationally and so receiving an offer to study tends to be more difficult for these universities.