The UK is home to top-notch higher education institutions that are recognized worldwide. Get complete details about the top universities in the UK, including rankings, eligibility requirements, fees, etc.
Some of the top universities in the UK offer a wide range of degree courses and programs to students from all over the world. The UK has some of the finest and most reputed universities offering world-class degrees. Learning from globally recognized universities with their innovative teaching methods and interacting with leading minds will help you reach your true potential.
The UK is one of the most preferred study abroad destinations among international students. Irrespective of whether you choose to do a UG course or a master's in the UK, you are sure to have a great career ahead of you. Along with getting an excellent education, you will also enjoy student life in the UK. In this article, we have compiled a list of the top universities in the UK for international students.
Table of Contents
- List of Best Universities in the UK
- Why Study in the UK?
- Top UK University Rankings
- Admission Requirements to Study in the UK
- Top Universities in the UK for Masters
- Top MBA Universities in the UK
List of Best Universities in the UK
The UK is home to some of the top-ranking universities in the world offering quality education at various levels of study. The University of Oxford leads in the list of top universities in the UK. Given below are the top 10 universities in the UK as per QS Rankings 2022:
- University of Oxford
- Cambridge University
- Imperial College London
- University College London
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Manchester
- King's College London
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- University of Warwick
- University of Bristol
University of Oxford
University of Oxford is one of the best universities in the UK. It is also the oldest and most prestigious research university located in Oxford, Oxfordshire. Oxford has a list of famous and notable alumni, which includes not only 28 prime ministers of the United Kingdom but also many heads of state and government across the globe.
Oxford offers a great student life, along with excellent academics. There are sports championships between different colleges and departments annually. There are independent student radio shows, magazines, and newspapers. You can choose to join various clubs and societies to make your student life more exciting and fun. An international student who plans to study at the University of Oxford will typically have to pay around 26,770 to 37,510 GBP a year.
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Cambridge University
Cambridge University is ranked second in the UK and third in the world. It is a research university located in Cambridge, founded in 1209. Cambridge University is the second-oldest English-speaking university and the fourth-oldest university in the world.
Apart from the 31 colleges, it consists of more than 150 departments, faculties, and schools. Some of the popular courses are Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Medicine, Physical Sciences and Technology. The annual tuition fee for domestic students is 9,250 GBP and 21,732 GBP for international students.
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Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a popular public research university located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of the most reputed academic institutions in the UK, offering a wide range of courses. It is the only college in the UK that focuses on Engineering, Science, Medicine, and Business. The Imperial College is ranked third in the UK and comes under the top 10 universities in the world.
An Imperial degree looks great on your portfolio and is also highly valued by employers. Students can expect to pay from £28,000 to £30,000 for undergraduate courses, and £35,000 to £35,000 for postgraduate courses. The UG acceptance rate at Imperial is 36%, making the admission process very competitive for the students.
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University College London (UCL)
University College London, also popularly known as UCL is a public research university located in London. The university was founded in 2005 and is a member of the federal university of London. UCL is also a member of various other academic organizations, like the Russell Group and League of European Research Universities. UCL has many notable alumni like Mahatma Gandhi and Alexander Graham Bell.
UCL is one of the top universities in the UK known for its degree programs in Arts, Humanities, Brain Sciences, Law, Life Sciences, etc. The approximate tuition fee for domestic students is 21,000 GBP and 35,000 for international students. With an acceptance rate of 63%, the admission process is slightly easier for the students.
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University of Edinburgh
It is one of the oldest universities in the United Kingdom. The university is presently ranked 34th in terms of graduate employability and is among the top 50 universities globally. Through its 20 academic schools, the University of Edinburgh offers over 800 undergraduate and graduate programs.
Over 13,000 students from 130 countries study at the university at the undergraduate or postgraduate levels. On average, international students need to pay 40,000 to 50,000 GBP per year to attend this university. Students from overseas must submit academic transcripts with at least 80% marks, along with scores of other standardized exams.
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University of Manchester
Ranked 27th as per the QS world rankings 2022, the University of Manchester welcomes students from more than 160 countries across the globe. There is a wide range of programs available at the university, including UG, PG, diploma, and certification programs..
Manchester's programs include more than 260 undergraduate courses and 200 postgraduate courses. Students from India can expect to pay between 18-25 lakhs per year for higher education at the university. As a result of the university's growth, it now ranks among the top 10 universities in the UK for graduate recruitment.
Read More: The University of Manchester
King's College London
There are more than 180 courses available to international undergraduate students at King's College London. In addition to this, a number of PG programs, diploma and certificate programs are also available at the university. Considering the college's acceptance rate of 31%, admissions are highly selective. Students from than 150 different countries attend King's College London every year.
For international students who plan to study in King's College London, the annual tuition fees, living costs and personal expenses add up to about 23,000-31,000 GBP. To apply to this renowned college, students must have at least 80-90% marks. Additionally, they myst have a statement of purpose, letter of recommendation, english proficiency scores, etc.
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London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
The London School of Economics is one of the top public research universities in the UK. It is located in London and one of the members of the federal University of London. The LSE is also a part of the Russel group and the European Universities.
LSE offers some of the best courses in a wide range of social science subjects and is known globally for studying real-world issues, economics, politics, law, sociology, accounting, and finance. For international students, the cost of attendance at the London School of Economics comes up to be 38,000-40,000 GBP per year.
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University of Warwick
A research-driven university in the UK, the University of Warwick is home to 27,278 students from 147+ countries. The university offers more than 220 UG, PG and doctoral courses across its 3 faculties. It is considered to be one of the top universities in the UK, revered for its research & teaching excellence.
At University of Warwick, the average tuition costs range from 7,700 to 46,610 GBP. To apply for admission, international students are required to submit a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 92.
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University of Bristol
University of Bristol is another top-ranked university in the UK. It offers over 600 courses through its six faculties. More than 20,000 undergraduate students and 7,000 postgraduate students attend the university.
The cost of attending the University of Bristol for Indian students will be around 30-40 lakhs per year. With a recent acceptance rate of 67.3%, the university appears to have a moderate admissions policy.
Read More: University of Bristol
Why Study in the UK?
The UK is known worldwide for its globally renowned institutes, exceptional research alternatives, diverse population, and impressive job opportunities. Following are some of the reasons why students from abroad must consider studying in the UK:
- Globally Recognised Universities: UK universities have a distinguished international reputation. As per the QS World University Rankings, four of the world’s top 6 universities are located in the UK.
- Two-year Stay Back: It is advantageous for international students to study in the UK since the British government allows them to stay back for a standard 2 year period, giving them ample time to explore different opportunities and apply for jobs post-graduation.
- Shorter Duration of Programs: Some of the best universities in the UK offer a wide range of courses to suit every individual’s needs. With the short duration courses in the UK, which are generally completed in six to eleven months, both tuition fees, as well as accommodation costs, can be reduced.
- Excellent Research Infrastructure: Recent Research Excellence Framework (REF) results show that 30% of UK university research is 'world-leading.' Nearly 46% is rated as 'internationally excellent.
- Scholarship and Financial Aid: The UK offers up to 100% scholarships on tuition fees at some of the most renowned institutes and enables international students to be a part of the educational system in the UK.
- Employment/Job Opportunities: A majority of UK universities have an employment rate of over 90%, thanks to their internationally renowned curriculum, research infrastructure, and effective teaching methodologies.
Top UK University Rankings
The UK has over 90 universities that have been named in the QS World University Rankings 2022. Four out of these universities make it into the global top 10 and another four are included in the global top 50. The top UK university rankings according to the QS University Rankings 2022 are given below:
| UK University Name | QS University Rankings 2022 |
| University of Oxford |
|
| University of Cambridge |
|
| Imperial College London |
|
| UCL (University College London) |
|
| University of Edinburgh |
|
| University of Manchester |
|
| King’s College London (KCL) |
|
| London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) |
|
| University of Warwick |
|
| University of Bristol |
|
Admission Requirements to Study in the UK
The general admission requirements across the top universities in the UK remain the same. In this section, we will discuss the eligibility requirements and important documentation required to apply to top UK universities.
Eligibility Crtieria
In order to be eligible to study in UK, applicants need to meet the following criteria:
- To be admitted to an undergraduate program, students should have at least a 50% average in 12th grade.
- Students applying to PG programs will need a degree equivalent to a British bachelor's degree. A second division bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement.
- Students from abroad need to demonstrate their proficiency in the English language by taking IELTS/TOEFL/PTE.
The following are the average ELP scores required:
- IELTS: 6.0 – 6.5
- TOEFL: 80 – 90
- PTE: 56 – 61
Documents Required
Following is a list of the important documents required for the application process of UK universities:
- Academic transcipts
- Valid passport
- UK student Visa
- Updated CV/Resume
- Portfolio (if required)
- GMAT/GRE scores
- Letters of Recommendation
- Statement of Purpose
- Research Proposal (for PG Research)
- Passport size photographs
Top Universities in the UK for Masters
The UK is one of the most popular study destinations offering master's degree programs in various specializations such as engineering, business, medicine, and more. Some of the top universities in the UK for masters are listed below:
- University of Oxford
- University of Cambridge
- Imperial College London
- University College London
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- University of Edinburgh
- King’s College London
- University of Manchester
- University of Warwick
- University of Bristol
Top MBA Universities in the UK
An MBA program in the UK is a 12-21 months program that costs around $31,450 to $87,900. Top MBA universities in the UK allow students to choose their own programs and subjects. Listed below are some of the best universities in the UK for MBA for international students:
- University of Oxford
- University of Cambridge
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- University of Warwick
- University College London
- University of Bristol
- University of Bath
- Lancaster University
- CITY, University of London
- Durham University
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