Here is a list of the top 10 universities in the UK compiled annually based on the quality of education, student feedback, the likelihood of a successful career after graduation and, finally, the cost per student of the university.

10. Loughborough University

Loughborough University ranked seventh in the top 10 universities in 2017. A year later, he slipped to 10th place, but still remains the leader among British universities. In addition, it is one of the leaders in terms of spending on maintaining a comfortable educational environment for students: £1056 is spent per person.

The university is known for its sporting achievements. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, students of this educational institution won 12 medals, including 5 gold medals.

9. Lancaster University

Lancaster University has been in 3rd place for the past three years, while constantly raising its overall ranking. The university is very popular with students, in particular because it spends at least £2860 per student: £1917 for the teaching and methodological department (library and computers) and £943 for sports.

In general, the university offers a very high quality education and a pleasant pastime, which is largely facilitated by the location of the university near the Lake District (Lake District).

8. University of Warwick

In the top ten universities in the UK, the place of the University of Warwick has not changed and it is consistently ranked 8th, but in the Midlands it is clearly in first place due to 23 different subjects available for students to study. Employers are happy to hire graduates of this university. In addition, the University of Warwick boasts the largest student union in the UK with over 300 student organizations and sports clubs.

7. University College London (University College London)

This year, University College London showed the highest rise. Polls show that students themselves are not always satisfied with the university, but it will be easy for a graduate of this university to find a job. University College London has an excellent research base. Most of the staff of the university takes part in the research. In addition, 29 Nobel Prize winners have studied here.

An interesting fact: if not for University College London, 4 Coldplay performers would never have met.

6. Durham University

Durham University is a university made up of several self-contained colleges. It includes one of the oldest university buildings in the world - Durham Castle. In addition to the opportunity to live in a famous UNESCO world heritage site, the university offers its students excellent opportunities for career development, including sports.

5. Imperial College London (Imperial College London)

Imperial College London focuses on science, engineering, medicine and mathematics. It is with this educational institution that the creation of penicillin and the birth of fiber optic technologies are associated. Therefore, it is not surprising that the university is leading in terms of indicators in the field of research work.

The university houses the world's largest "brain bank" with samples collected for the study of multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. There is also a large center dedicated to global warming and ecology.

4. London School of Economics and Political Science (London School of Economics and Political Science)

Over the past 10 years, this university has consistently been in the top five universities in the UK. He ranked 3rd for four years in a row, but in 2018 he fell to 4th in the rankings. The university is a leader in terms of indicators in the field of research work. It is in this university that the second largest library in the UK is located. Students from 160 countries of the world study at the university and the probability of getting a well-paid job after studying at this educational institution is very high. At the same time, the rating of reviews of the students themselves about the university is the lowest.

3. St. Andrews University (University of St Andrews)

The University of St Andrews moved up two positions in 2018 compared to last year. And all thanks to the reviews about this educational institution of the students themselves.

The university is famous for its traditions. For example, it is customary to wear academic gowns for important events. In addition, freshmen are required to receive "academic parents", whom they thank with a pound of raisins. Although nowadays a bottle of wine will do.

2. Oxford University (University of Oxford)

Thanks to its consistently high ranking, the university has been holding the second position for the past five years. The University of Oxford is known for its reputation in the field of education and the 38 subjects taught by students consistently score top marks for the quality of education. At this university, many well-known politicians, such as Theresa May, Tony Blair and Bill Clinton, have gnawed the granite of science.

1. University of Cambridge

For the seventh year in a row, this university has been ranked first in the ranking of the best universities in the UK, but it is not so easy to get into it due to high entrance requirements.

The University of Cambridge has a very strong research base, meaning almost all members of the staff are involved in research, and students can hope to follow in the footsteps of the naturalist David Attenborough or the writers Sandi Toksvig and A. S. Byatt, not not to mention the 96 Nobel Prize winners who studied at this university.

Top 10 universities in the UK. Rating 2018 updated: April 18, 2019 by: Elena Abdulaeva

Higher education in the UK is considered the best in Europe. Thanks to their impeccable reputation, British universities attract outstanding scientists and specialists. The highest level of English education is well known to employers around the world, and a British diploma allows you to build a successful international career. According to a 2013 QS study, employers rate the quality of higher education at the best universities in England as the highest in the world.

We bring to your attention an overview of UK universities by region, based on the TOP-200 of the QS World University Rankings® 2014.

Top Universities in Greater London

Greater London consists of the City and 32 urban administrative regions. In this smallest region of England, there are five universities included in the TOP-200 of the world ranking. One of them - Imperial College London - leads the ranking of universities in the UK.

The best in Greater London are:

• Imperial College London (#2 globally; #1 UK university rankings)
• University College London (#5 globally; #2 UK university rankings)
• King's College London (No. 16 in the world ranking; No. 3 in the UK university ranking)
• The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) (#71 in the world; #11 in the UK university rankings)
• Queen Mary University of London (No. 98 in the world rankings; No. 17 in the UK university rankings)

Top Universities in South East England

The South East England region borders on Greater London. It was here, in the city of Oxford, that the first British university appeared, the oldest English-speaking university in the world - Oxford University.

The best in South East England are:

• University of Oxford (No. 5 in the world rankings; No. 2 in the UK university rankings)
• The University of Southampton (#94 globally; #15 UK university rankings)
• The University of Sussex (#200 globally; #26 UK university rankings)

Top Universities in South West England

South West England is the country's largest region, centered on the city of Bristol, which is home to the region's best university. In addition to it, two more universities are included in the TOP-200 in the world.

The best in the South West of England are:

• University of Bristol (#29 globally; #5 UK university rankings)
• The University of Exeter (No. 161 in the world rankings; No. 23 in the UK university rankings)
• University of Bath (#179 globally; #25 UK university rankings)

Top Universities in the West Midlands

The West Midlands is a region located on the border with Wales. Its capital and largest city is Birmingham. The world TOP-200 includes two universities in this region.

The best in the West Midlands are:

• The University of Warwick (#61 globally; #8 UK university rankings)
• University of Birmingham (#64 globally; #9 UK university rankings)

Top Universities in North West England

North West England is a region bordering Scotland and Wales and washed to the west by the Irish Sea. The largest cities in the region are Liverpool and Manchester.

The best in the North West of England are:

• The University of Manchester (#30 in the world rankings; #6 in the UK university rankings)
• The University of Liverpool (#123 globally; #19 UK university rankings)
• Lancaster University (No. 160 in the world rankings; No. 22 in the UK university rankings)

Top Universities in North East England

Northeast England borders Scotland and is washed in the northeast by the North Sea. The administrative center of the region is the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The best in North East England are:

• Durham University (No. 92 in the world rankings; No. 14 in the UK university rankings)
• Newcastle University (No. 127 in the world rankings; No. 20 in the UK university rankings)

Top Universities in Yorkshire and the Humber

Yorkshire and the Humber is a region in the east of England, the capital of which is the city of Leeds. Three universities in this region are in the TOP-200 in the world.

The best in Yorkshire and the Humber are:

• The University of Sheffield (#69 globally; #10 UK university rankings)
• University of Leeds (No. 97 in the world rankings; No. 16 in the UK university rankings)
• The University of York (No. 120 in the world rankings; No. 18 in the UK university rankings)

East Midlands

The East Midlands is a region in the east of England. The largest city is Nottingham. It is in it that the best university in the region is located, which is also one of the hundred leading universities in the world.

Best University in the East Midlands:

• The University of Nottingham (#77 globally; #12 UK university rankings)

East England

East Anglia is a region bordering Greater London. The administrative center is the city of Cambridge, world famous thanks to the University of Cambridge, which is considered one of the leaders both in the UK and around the world. Along with the Imperial College London, he leads the ranking of universities in England.

Best University of East Anglia:

• University of Cambridge (#2 globally; #1 UK university rankings)

Top Universities in Scotland

Of the six original UK universities, four were based in Scotland. After Oxford and Cambridge (England), universities in the cities of St. Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh were opened in Scotland. It is these four universities that are now leading in Scotland and are among the top 200 in the world.

The best in Scotland are:

• The University of Edinburgh (No. 17 in the world ranking; No. 4 in the UK university ranking)
• The University of Glasgow (#55 globally; #7 UK university rankings)
• The University of St Andrews (#88 globally; #13 UK university rankings)
• University of Aberdeen (No. 137 in the world rankings; No. 21 in the UK university rankings)

Top Universities in Northern Ireland

The best university in Northern Ireland is located in the capital of the region. This is a public university, which is part of the Russell group. It includes 20 leading research universities in the UK, including Cambridge and Oxford.

Best University in Northern Ireland:

• Queen's University Belfast (No. 170 in the world ranking; No. 24 in the UK university ranking).

Wales

The leading and largest university in Wales, Cardiff University, is part of the Russell group. It includes three colleges - Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences; Biomedical and Biological Sciences; Physical Sciences and Technology.

Best University in Wales:

• Cardiff University (No. 123 in the world rankings; No. 19 in the UK university rankings)

The higher education system in the United Kingdom is one of the oldest, most developed and prestigious. Currently, there are dozens of well-known universities in the country and hundreds of less well-known ones. One way or another, they all provide a high level of education, with which only a few universities in the world can be compared. And in this article we will look at what higher education institutions are in England, what are the main features of the higher education system in the UK, and what our average person needs to do in order to become a student at a university or institute in Foggy Albion.

The main features of universities in the UK

Universities in England have a thousand-year history of origin. The first universities in the country were Oxford, founded in the 12th century, and Cambridge, which was founded a little later. Since then, the UK higher education system has been improving, and over the centuries, its own methodology of education has been developed, universities have received hundreds of regalia, and education in England has become a symbol of prestige.

How to enter an English university and what is needed for this?

The entire system of higher education in the UK is represented by several categories of educational institutions - these are universities, colleges and institutes. Upon admission to them, no concessions and discounts are given to either local applicants or foreign ones - equal conditions are created for everyone, and distribution advantages are given only to those future students who have the highest scores in their certificates.

To apply and enroll in universities in the UK, you need to have a GCSE certificate, which is an analogue of domestic high school and secondary education certificates. An important condition is the presence in the certificate of indicators in at least five subjects, two of which must be passed without fail with excellent marks. In a word, if you want to enter the universities of England, you will have to try on your own grades at school. For foreign applicants who have not been trained in English schools, it is necessary to take a two-year course of pre-university education in special international schools in the UK, the result of which will be passing exams and obtaining an A-levels diploma.

Another no less important condition is the perfect knowledge of the English language, which is fixed by the IELTS certificate. The certificate is obtained by the results of passing a special difficult test, which can only be passed if the study of English took place for more than one year (ideally, in the schools of Britain itself).

The collected documents (and this is the A-levels or GCSE certificate, the IELTS certificate, as well as the applicant's personal documents) are collected in advance. Each university in the UK sets its own requirements regarding the content of the full package of documents. Direct application is carried out at UCAS - a special University Admissions Service from September 1 to October 15. Applicants can submit a package of documents to six different educational institutions at once. For those applicants who want to enter the best universities in England (for example, Oxford or Cambridge), you need to independently come to these universities, submit documents, undergo an interview and pass difficult entrance exams. Complicated? Rather, it is natural, since studying at the most famous and prestigious universities in the world provides incredible opportunities.

What are the difficulties of studying in English universities?

The applicant passed all the necessary tests, exams, submitted documents, even passed interviews and can finally be considered a student of an English university. Is this the end of the difficulty? No, because all the difficulties are just ahead.

The first 3-4 years the student studies for a bachelor's degree. This is the first academic degree, and after training, the student can become a bachelor of law, medicine, technical, humanities and other sciences. In addition to the compulsory training program, the student must choose an additional one that best suits his needs and knowledge. For example, a required course of study in law schools may include an additional course in international law, tax law, or M&A. As in domestic universities, UK universities have lectures and seminars.

University education is very difficult. The author of this article had to communicate directly with a teacher from England and draw a similar conclusion based on the following information: no more than 4-5 basic disciplines are studied in one semester, while every 3 months a difficult control test is done for each of them and one comprehensive test for all disciplines. No usual cheat sheets - if they are found, then there will be no retakes, only expulsion from the university. English universities have earned their international prestige for centuries, so teachers carefully monitor the quality of their students' education. Of course, there can be no talk of any bribes.

After 4 years of study, the student is eligible to receive a Master of Science degree. And here, in addition to training, research and scientific work is connected. The difficulty in obtaining a master's degree is colossal, but after training a graduate becomes a highly qualified specialist, in demand in the labor market of almost any country.

The cost of studying at universities in England

The cost of studying at universities in England is different in all cases. If you calculate the average, then the student will have to pay at least 10-12 thousand pounds per year for education (this is about 20 thousand dollars). In the most prestigious universities in the UK and in medical specialties, the cost of education is already from 20 thousand pounds a year or more. The calculation does not take into account the cost of accommodation, food and other expenses.

Benefits of studying at universities in England

A diploma of a graduate of an English university is a real carte blanche that allows you to enter any organizations, institutions and companies in the world almost without any problems. Only some European universities and US universities can compete, and so the graduate is out of competition. And this is ensured not only by the diploma itself, but also by the highest level of knowledge. And if a student was able to graduate from a British university (and now we are not even talking about Oxford or Cambridge), then his level of knowledge will be so high that employers will have no doubts when choosing an applicant for a place. This is the most important advantage, in comparison with which the rest are simply leveled. However, we will also note the opportunity to get acquainted with the culture of one of the oldest countries in the world, and the possibility of perfect command of the English language, etc.

What are the universities in the UK?

To date, there are dozens of different universities in which hundreds of thousands of students are educated. We will consider only the most famous and significant both in terms of training qualified specialists, and in terms of prestige and opportunities for further employment.

And others), of course, can serve as a guideline for choosing a place of study. But it is necessary to start all the same not with the university, but with the choice of specialty. Try to understand what interests you and where it is best to study. You can find out which universities are strong in your chosen direction from the ranking of specialties. And then you should study the entrance requirements of different universities and correlate them with your capabilities. The best university for you may not be the first in the ranking, but the most optimal for solving your current educational problems.

One of which is the demand for a diploma. In recent years, British education has become more and more applied in nature and has a close relationship with production and business, and the criterion for the success of the university is the level of employment of graduates. Nevertheless, it is not so easy for a graduate with a Russian passport to stay in the UK to work. The immigration laws of the country allow you to apply for a work visa for up to 5 years with the right to extend, but to get it, you must meet many conditions: be hired, have a sponsorship certificate from the employer and a salary of at least 20.3 thousand pounds per year, besides, it will still be necessary to prove that there were no worthy candidates from among the locals for this vacancy.

Another type of work visa - Tier 1 - is designed for foreign graduates of universities in England who are planning their business in the country (Graduate Entrepreneur). The university must be registered in this program and have the right to provide visa support to the student. The visa is issued for a year with the possibility of extension for another year.

In view of the foregoing, it may be much more promising for a future career to receive or complete higher education at universities in the USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, where highly qualified foreign graduates are welcome.

How to proceed

For admission to a British university, an A-level diploma or its equivalent is required. Since the Russian certificate of complete secondary education is not such an equivalent, our graduate must complete one or two years of pre-university training, for example, as part of the Foundation program. Now this preparatory program is available in almost all universities and is recognized by almost all universities, including those that are part of the Russel Group.

It must be borne in mind that the best universities in England are very selective in choosing students. The level of preparation of applicants is growing every year. Increasingly, the highest A-level scores are no longer enough to enter a prestigious university, you still need to pass an interview and entrance tests in specialized subjects, demonstrate how you are better than others (for example, what additional skills you have). For foreigners, knowledge of English is also an important factor (IELTS not lower than 6.5). Additional rules exist for admission to creative, medical and legal specialties. In the first case, a portfolio of work is required, BMAT or UCKAT exams are taken for medicine, some law schools require the LNAT test.

Acceptance of applications for the first year at a British university is centralized - through a special service UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admission Service). Applications from foreigners are accepted from September 1 to June 30. In the best universities in the UK, places are usually distributed by January 15, and in Oxbridge and in medical specialties until October 15. Based on intermediate grades, you can get a preliminary enrollment (conditional offer). To turn it into a final decision (unconditional offer), it is required to submit the final results of the final exams and / or pass an interview. The universities of England also have a procedure for summer admission of students to the remaining unfilled places (clearing), and as the practice of recent years shows, this is not only the last chance for those who did not get anywhere, but also the opportunity to reconsider their decision by choosing a more prestigious university (in most of the Russell Group universities now participate in the clearing procedure) or a more interesting program (tens of thousands of courses are offered). Thanks to this procedure, annually about 70 thousand applicants from the total number of enrolled (more than 400 thousand) receive places in British universities.

From Bachelor to Doctor

Bachelor's programs at universities in England for most specialties last only three years. Therefore, when acting, the student must clearly understand what he wants to do in the future. And just as clearly explain in a motivation letter (personal statement) why he wants to study at this university and in this specialty, and how he can be useful to the university.

For those who have not yet decided on a specialization, it is better to go to Scotland. There, basic higher education lasts 4 years (as in the USA), and you can think about your future profession up to the 3rd year. Popular in Scottish universities and "sandwich courses", combining study and practice.

More accessible and economical for us, foreigners, the option of studying at the best universities in England is a master's degree or any other postgraduate course. Studying lasts, as a rule, a year and a half, the cost of a full course of study (excluding accommodation and living expenses) is from 15 to 40 thousand pounds, depending on the specialty and university. For admission, you need a bachelor's degree or a diploma of a specialist from a Russian university, IELTS 6.5 or more, a motivation letter, at least two recommendations (from a supervisor or employer) and a detailed curriculum of completed subjects for a bachelor's program. Documents are submitted directly to the selected universities. The best universities in England and individual faculties can also add entrance exams and an interview. For foreigners whose level of preparation is below the required level, UK universities offer a pre-master program (pre-masters), which prepares for studying at the second stage of higher education in the same way as Foundation at the first.

And finally, the last stage of higher education is doctoral studies. This is another three or four years of dissertation preparation and participation in research projects. In addition to the classic Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, more professionally oriented doctoral degrees can be obtained at UK universities: DEd (Doctor of Science in Education), DEng (Doctor of Engineering), DBA (Doctor of Business Administration), DClinPsych (Doctor of Science in clinical psychology), etc. The privilege of foreign doctoral students, unlike bachelors and masters, is the opportunity to stay in the country for a year after defending a dissertation to look for work.

A person who has received a higher education can safely call himself Homo educandus - an educated person. A feature of this type of individuals is that education is not an innate quality, but acquired in the process of development and visiting an institution that bears the proud name UNIVERSITY.

Medieval students very accurately called their educational institution - alma mater (nursing mother). Indeed, a successfully completed university opens up the opportunity for its graduate to get a well-paid job. But before thinking about future work and opening prospects, the problem arises of which university to go to study. As shown by a study on the theme "University of your dreams", conducted in different countries, the majority of respondents dream of studying in the country of beautiful castles in Great Britain. In 2009, a list of the most famous universities in Britain was compiled. Below are five of the "best of the best":

Oxford University (University of Oxford)

Oxford University (University of Oxford) rightfully takes the first place in the list. Founded in 1096, it is the oldest university in the UK.

The university trains students in the humanities, mathematics, physical, social and medical sciences. As for the structure of Oxford, this university includes 38 colleges, as well as 7 so-called dormitories - closed educational institutions that do not have the status of a college and belong, as a rule, to religious orders. Admission of applicants is held in October-November. Prospective students submit letters of recommendation, grades to a special commission, and pass interviews. Foreign applicants, among other things, must provide IELTS and TOEFL certificates.

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is the second oldest university in England, in no way inferior to Oxford University in importance. Interestingly, Cambridge was created by a collection of scholars who left the Oxford campus in 1209 due to disagreements with the locals. As the legend says, it is from this moment that the confrontation between the two centers of education in England begins.

At the moment, the University of Cambridge has 31 colleges, three of which accept only women. The remaining 28 colleges are mixed. The university has 2 directions: academic and humanitarian.

Imperial College London (Imperial College London)

Imperial College London was founded in 1907. It is an independent structural unit of the University of London. And although the college, compared with Cambridge and Oxford, can be called "young", it is considered the best technical university among technical universities in Britain.

Durham University

Durham University is the third largest university in the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. It was founded in 1832 and today includes 16 colleges. Applicants are enrolled in the faculties of art, social and technical sciences.

University of Edinburgh

The University of Edinburgh is the oldest university in Scotland, founded in 1583. It is known not only as one of the best universities in the UK, but also as a research center. Students and professors are proud that such famous personalities as Arthur Conan Doyle - the creator of Sherlock Holmes, novelist Walter Scott, inventor and founder of telephony Alexander Bell studied at their own university.

Of course, when choosing a foreign university, you need to remember that a well-known name is not always a guarantee of deep, fundamental knowledge. But, according to the list of the best universities in the UK for 2009, these five are not only the most famous, but also the best universities in Britain.