Every year, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) publishes a ranking of the world's best universities, which ranks universities based on their academic reputation, faculty and student reviews, employer reviews, and academic publication rankings.
List of the best universities in the UK, and in brackets - place in the world ranking:
18 (globally - 93). University of Leeds. The university, located in the largest county in the country, received the highest rating from employers and scored a total of 61.8 points.
17 (87). University of Southampton. The university is located on the southern coast of the country, received 63.3 points for academic reputation, and a total of 65.6 points.
16 (84). University of Sheffield (Sheffield). QS gave this university a score of 66.9, but the university fell 4 places in the world rankings.
15 (82). University of Birmingham (Birmingham). Employers gave this university a whopping 88.7 points, which greatly raised it in the world rankings.
14 (77). University of St. Andrew. This university, with a score of 68.2, dropped 9 points this year.
13 (75). University of Nottingham (Nottingham). Having received a record 91.3 points from employers, this university scored a total of 68.7 points.
12 (74). University of Durham. The university is located in the north-west of the country. Such famous people as actor Sir Peter Ustinov studied here. This year it fell 13 places in the world rankings.
11 (63). University of Glasgow. The university received 80 points for its academic reputation, and scored a total of 71.7 points.
10 (51). University of Warwick. Employers gave the university almost the highest possible score - 98.9 points, which brought the university a place in the TOP-10.
9 (41). University of Bristol. The best university in southwest England received 85.5 points for its academic reputation, but fell 4 places in the world rankings.
8 (37). London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). The school is located in central London, this university received 100 points from employers, and scored a total of 81.7.
7 (29). Manchester University. Employers - 99.7 points, for academic reputation - 97.9 points. This is the best university in northern England.
6 (21). London King's College. This university is firmly established in the top ten universities in the UK. In London he is in 4th place, and in the world rankings he has moved to 21.
5 (19). Edinburgh University. Scotland's best university is located in the capital. He received 99.2 points from employers, and rose two places in world rankings.
4 (9). London Imperial College. Known for its scientific achievements, the college has surpassed such US “stars” as Princeton, Yale and Cornell in world rankings. And he missed out on only three UK universities.
3 (7). London University College. The best London university scored 95.6 points, and even 98 points in three indicators.
2 (6). Oxford University. Probably no one will be surprised by the second place of this university, which also holds high places in world rankings - this year it is in 6th place.
14). Cambridge university. This is the best university in the UK. In total, he scored 97.2 points, and in the world rankings he was only ahead of Harvard, Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Education received at prestigious universities in Great Britain is highly regarded in scientific, educational, cultural and literary circles and, in general, in society. One can recall many names of great people who, with their achievements, highly raised the authority of British universities: Swift, Carroll, Thatcher, Hawking - this list can be continued endlessly. We have prepared an overview of the best three universities in the UK.
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Oxford is known in history as one of the first English-language universities, the exact opening date of which is difficult to determine. The first mention of the city was found in written monuments in 912, when there was a convent in its place. In 1117, the first university in Great Britain for clergy was organized there. Oxford is 90 km away. from London, it is now home to about 154,000 people, 30,000 of whom are students. The name of the city sounds very prosaic when translated into Russian - “bull ford”.
Notable Oxford faculty and alumni
The teaching staff consists of 4,000 highly educated, smartest scientists who have more than one academic degree, winners of prestigious awards and honorary titles of which Great Britain is proud. The university has a Russian Society, founded at the beginning of the 19th century by Oxford graduate Felix Yusupov in order to ensure closer ties between Russia and the prestigious university.
Outstanding personalities emerged from the walls of Oxford, glorifying it with their brilliant creations in different eras. Everyone knows the author of the famous "Gulliver's Travels" - Jonathan Swift, a brilliant satirist and allegorist who ridiculed the vices of English society in the 17th century.
Not inferior to him in his deep satirical portrayal is the famous Oxford graduate Oscar Wilde with the immortal “The Picture of Dorian Gray” about the dead end in life to which excessive human vanity and narcissism leads. Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland, was also a student at Oxford University.
The English kings Edward VII and Edward VIII, famous for their progressive power, were educated at Oxford.
The world-famous prime ministers of England W. Gladstone, G. Wilson, Tony Blair, David Cameron, Margaret Thatcher are also graduates of the famous educational institution. Russia is proud that talented Russian writers and poets: V.A. Zhukovsky, I.S. Turgenev, I. Brodsky, K. Chukovsky, A. Akhmatova were awarded honorary academic degrees from Oxford.
Cambridge university
Cambridge can be called a rival of Oxford in age and social and scientific significance. The educational institution, founded in 1209, is an example of a high-quality educational institution, imbued with the spirit of the Middle Ages, innovative progress and the preservation of purely English traditions.
Since the 13th century, the humanitarian, theological, medical, and law faculties have trained qualified specialists whose names are associated with the oldest university: Thomas More, Erasmus of Rotterdam, Charles Darwin, I. Newton, E. Rutherford and other luminaries of science.
The territory of Cambridge is huge: in addition to a large number of educational buildings, there are 8 reputable museums that invariably attract the attention of not only students, but also ordinary tourists. The beautiful botanical garden is another popular attraction for everyone who comes to Cambridge. The university is proud of its traditions and sacredly honors them, so no one is surprised by students dressed in black robes and caps.
The university is striking in its scale: it has more than 150 faculties, departments, various scientific schools and associations, dozens of creative clubs, and more than a hundred libraries. Cambridge can figuratively be called a huge forge of scientific and professional personnel, a bright center of spiritual, intellectual and aesthetic culture, a beacon of collective intelligence.
Edinburgh University
It was founded in 1583 and is now, along with Oxford and Cambridge, a reputable and popular university in many countries around the world, where thousands of applicants strive to enroll. Taking this fact into account, the university is actively opening branches of some faculties in other countries, including Russia.
Notable faculty and alumni of the University of Edinburgh
The history of the university is associated with the names of great scientists and inventors who gave the world the telephone, television, and steam engine: A. Bell, James Watt, John Bayle and others.
For some time, the future British Prime Minister Winston Churchill led the university, noting the extraordinary talent of the Scots.
Graduates of the University of Edinburgh included classics of world literature Walter Scott, Conan Doyle, Robert Stevenson, who made her name famous with “Harry Potter” by JK Rowling. Famous British politicians Gordon Brown and Robin Cook received an excellent education here.
The Russian pioneer of studying at the University of Edinburgh was the son of Princess Ekaterina Dashkova, one of the most enlightened women of the 18th century, who led the Russian Academy of Sciences. Nowadays Russian students also study here; among the many departments in the educational institution there is a Russian language department.
The academic basis of a modern university is made up of 3 large colleges with a huge number of faculties in different fields. Research institutes and centers have been opened at the university, where every talented student or graduate can engage in scientific activities, according to the results of which the educational institution ranks 5th among all universities in the UK.
Etc.) can certainly serve as a guide for choosing a place to study. But you still need to start 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 field from the ranking of specialties. And then you should study the entrance requirements of different universities and compare 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 increasingly applied in nature and closely connected with production and business, and the level of employment of graduates has become a criterion for the success of a university. However, staying in the UK to work for a graduate with a Russian passport is not so easy. The country’s immigration laws allow you to apply for a work visa for up to 5 years with the right to extend, but to obtain it, you must meet many conditions: be hired, have a sponsorship certificate from your employer and a salary of at least 20.3 thousand pounds per year, In addition, it will still be necessary to prove that there were no worthy local candidates for this vacancy.
Another type of work visa - Tier 1 - is designed for foreign graduates of universities in England who are planning their own 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.
Taking into account the above, it may be much more promising for a future career to obtain or complete higher education at universities in the USA, Canada, Australia, and Singapore, where highly qualified foreign graduates are welcomed.
How to proceed
An A-level diploma or equivalent is required to enter a British university. Since the Russian certificate of complete secondary education is not such an equivalent, our graduate must undergo one-year or two-year 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 included in 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, to get into a prestigious university, top A-level scores are no longer enough; you also need to pass an interview and entrance tests in specialized subjects, and demonstrate why you are better than others (for example, what additional skills you have). For foreigners, knowledge of English is also an important factor (IELTS no lower than 6.5). Additional rules exist for admission to creative, medical and legal professions. In the first case, a portfolio of work will be required; for medicine, the BMAT or UCKAT exams are taken; some law faculties require the LNAT test.
Applications for first-year studies at a British university are accepted centrally - 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 allocated before 15 January, and in Oxbridge and in medical specialties until 15 October. Based on intermediate assessments, you can receive a conditional offer. To turn it into an unconditional offer, final exam results and/or an interview are required. Universities in England also have a procedure for the summer selection of students for 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 into anywhere, but also an opportunity to reconsider their decision by choosing a more prestigious university (in most 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, every year about 70 thousand applicants from the total number of enrolled students (more than 400 thousand) receive places at British universities.
From bachelor to doctor
Bachelor's programs at universities in England last only three years for most specialties. Therefore, when applying, the student must clearly understand what he wants to do in the future. And also clearly explain in a personal statement why he wants to study at this particular university and in this specialty, and how he can be useful to the university.
For those who have not yet decided on their 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 until the 3rd year. Sandwich courses that combine study and practice are also popular at Scottish universities.
A more accessible and economical option for us, foreigners, is to study at the best universities in England - a master's degree or any other postgraduate course. The study lasts, as a rule, a year and a half, the cost of the 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 specialist's diploma 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 subjects completed in the bachelor's program. Documents are submitted directly to the selected universities. The best universities in England and individual faculties may also add entrance exams and interviews. For foreigners whose level of preparation is below the required level, UK universities offer a pre-master's program (pre-masters), which prepares them for studying at the second stage of higher education in the same way as the Foundation does at the first.
And finally, the last stage of higher education is doctoral studies. This is another three to four years of preparing a dissertation and participating in research projects. In addition to the classic Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), 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 Education). 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 their dissertation to look for work.
UK universities regularly rank among the world's best educational institutions. As of 2017, 4 universities in the United Kingdom were included in the top ten best universities in the world according to the authoritative consulting company Quacquarelli Symonds (hereinafter referred to as QS). When compiling the rating, the following parameters were taken into account:
- level of international communication of education;
- research activities of the university;
- quality of training of teaching staff.
Cambridge university
This higher education institution is one of the most famous universities in the UK. According to QS, it ranks first in the ranking of the best universities in the kingdom and 4th in the international ranking. It was founded in 1209. At the moment, the university employs more than 5 thousand teachers and approximately 17.5 thousand students study, a third of whom are foreigners.
The university consists of 31 colleges, which are divided into “old” and “new”. The first group includes colleges founded before 1596, and the second those that opened between 1800 and 1977. New Hall, Newnham and Lucy Cavendish are three all-girl colleges. Peterhouse is the first college of the University of Cambridge. It was opened in 1284. The youngest is Robinson College, founded in 1979. Tuition fees range from £11,829 to £28,632 per year.
The University of Cambridge is ranked 4th in the ranking of the most influential universities in the world. It is second only to Harvard and Stanford University. 92 are Cambridge graduates. The most famous of them: Charles Darwin, Oliver Cromwell, Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking.
University of Oxford
This university is the oldest university in the UK. Education has been conducted there since 1096. In the British QS ranking it takes 2nd place, and in the international ranking it is in 6th place. Along with Cambridge, it is part of the Russell Group, which unites 24 of the best higher education institutions in the UK.
In 1249, the first college, the University College, was founded. The latest to open is Templeton, which was founded in 1995 and merged with Green College 13 years later. In total, the university has 36 colleges and 6 dormitories in which religious orders study.
In many respects, this higher educational institution is the best university in the UK. The cost of one year of study for foreigners ranges from 15 to 23 thousand pounds sterling. Students who have studied at any UK college for three years or spent their last three years at a UK school will have to pay approximately £9,000 for their studies. The most expensive program is clinical medicine, which costs over 21 thousand pounds. There is also an annual contribution to the college of £7,000.
University College London
This educational institution ranks 3rd in the UK university rankings. The university is located in the capital of England and is very young when compared with Cambridge and Oxford. University College was founded in 1826. At first it was called the University of London, and received its modern name in 1836. The college ranks 7th in international rankings. According to statistics, 9 out of 10 graduates find a job within 6 months after graduation.
The college consists of 7 faculties. As of 2014, the Department of Economics was the best economics department in Britain. The cost of a year of undergraduate study is almost 16 thousand pounds. Applicants aged 18 can enroll in college. For admission, you must submit a bachelor's diploma with an average score of 4.5, two letters of recommendation and one motivation letter. The applicant must also pass IELTS with a score of 6.5 points or higher and a TOEFL score of at least 92 points.
The cost of a year's master's degree at University College London is about 17 thousand pounds sterling. In addition to the above information, upon admission, the applicant is required to submit his resume.
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is in 4th place in the British ranking and 9th in the international ranking. The educational institution was founded in 1907. The college is part of the Golden Triangle group along with the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford and is one of the most elite universities in the UK.
The cost of a bachelor's degree is almost 28 thousand pounds. In addition to the TOEFL, the applicant must complete the International Baccaulaureate program. To enroll in a master's program, you need to pay from 13 thousand pounds.
Edinburgh University
This establishment was founded in 1583. In terms of seniority, the Scottish university is in 6th place among British universities; in the 20th century, its rector was the British Prime Minister Sir
International students wishing to obtain a bachelor's degree must pay $23,500 a year in tuition, while those planning to enroll in a master's degree will have to shell out approximately $18,000. For UK residents, tuition prices are slightly lower. The cost of a master's degree is 17.5 thousand dollars per year, and a bachelor's degree is 12.5 thousand dollars. You also need to pay an additional $664 to $1,265 per month for accommodation.
King's College London
This institution is one of the most famous universities in the world. The college was founded in 1829 by order of King George IV.
The cost of undergraduate education is almost 24 thousand dollars per year for foreigners and 12.5 thousand per year for citizens of the United Kingdom. For master's studies, foreigners and British citizens must pay $25,740 and $7,500 per year, respectively. The cost of training does not include accommodation fees, which range from 1 to 2 thousand dollars per month.
University of Manchester
In 7th place in the ranking of the best higher education institutions in the UK according to QS, it is located. It was founded in 1824 and is classified as a “red brick” university. The university in its current form began to exist in 2004 after the merger of the Victoria University of Manchester and its Institute of Science and Technology.
Tuition costs range from 19 to 22 thousand pounds. Accommodation and transport costs are approximately £11,000 per year. There is also a preparatory program costing 11,940 pounds and 15,140 pounds for 3 and 4 semesters, respectively.
University of Bristol
Like Manchester, the University of Bristol is a red brick university. It was founded in 1909. Part of the Russell group. At the moment, the university has 2.5 thousand teachers and almost 19 thousand students, a quarter of whom are citizens of other states.
The cost of a year of study for international students is almost 20 thousand US dollars. For UK passport holders, prices are lower - 9 thousand US dollars. Living and transportation expenses are approximately one and a half thousand dollars monthly. In order to enroll in the 1st year of a bachelor's degree, a Russian student must have a diploma equivalent to A-Level and complete the 1st year of a higher educational institution in Russia. You also need to confirm your English level and pass the LNAT exam.
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is located in Coventry. It was founded in 1965 and is also part of the Russell group. The university consists of 4 faculties: medical, social sciences, humanities and scientific and technical. In total, more than 20 thousand students study at the University of Warwick.
To be admitted, the applicant must confirm his level of English language proficiency by passing the IELTS and TOEFL tests. You must also submit your UCAS form between 1 September and 15 October. Tuition costs range from 15 to 30 thousand pounds per year. Annual living expenses - from 10 thousand pounds.
UK Open University
This higher education institution of open education was founded in 1969 by decree of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The Open University (hereinafter referred to as OU) was created with the aim of providing people who seek higher education with the opportunity to study in any place convenient for them. OU is one of the largest universities in the Kingdom. More than 200 thousand people are trained there.
The university uses a large number of methods that allow students to study remotely. One of the British agencies that assesses the quality of education gave the OU an excellent rating. In the mid-2000s, the educational institution ranked first in the ranking of the best universities in the UK.
Higher education in Great Britain has a rich history, starting with the founding of the University of Oxford in the 12th century, and a little later of Cambridge University. Today there are over 300 universities in England. You can get an education in higher schools in the United Kingdom in any specialty.
Modern British education provides international qualifications and is renowned for its excellence in a wide range of subjects. Centuries-old traditions are combined with the latest methodological pedagogical developments and excellent technical equipment of educational buildings - this is how the famous English quality is achieved. An English university degree is recognized in more than 180 countries around the world and opens up excellent career opportunities.
The structure of higher education is represented by three degrees: bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. There is also a separate business education - MBA.
Despite the fact that all UK universities are supervised by the Department of Education and Research, there are slight differences in educational systems. Thus, in England it takes three years to obtain a bachelor's degree, in Scotland - four. Many universities provide the opportunity to undergo practical training during their studies. In this case, the total duration of study increases by a year. Some specialties related to medicine, dentistry and architecture will require longer bachelor's studies - up to 7 years. The master's program lasts 1-2 years, depending on the specialty.
Top Universities in England
From year to year, UK universities occupy first places in world rankings. Thus, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2019, the top 500 universities in the world include 58 British universities. The top ten traditionally includes Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial College London. Most schoolchildren, dreaming of studying at an English university, most often imagine themselves as students of these famous educational institutions. In practice, getting into them is not just difficult, but very difficult - the competition, depending on the faculty, is up to 12 people per place. But before applying to any English university, a Russian student will also need to level out the differences between the school certificates of the Russian Federation and the UK.
How can Russians enter a British university?
Unfortunately for Russian applicants, it is impossible to get into a British university after graduating from a Russian school. The reason lies in the inadequacy of educational systems: English schoolchildren spend 13 years at a school desk, while our compatriots spend 11.
In order to compensate for the “gap”, you can:
- Study for 1 year at a Russian university, and then enter the British one. This option can be called the riskiest - such applicants have a low chance of being accepted.
- Pass the training in Foundation program, which lasts 1 year and allows you to improve your knowledge of English, as well as “pull up” your core disciplines. The Foundation Certificate is accepted by most UK universities, but not all. So before choosing this program, it is better to make sure that the university you are interested in considers applications from applicants with this type of certificate.
- Enter a British high school and study there for 2 years by program Advanced Level (A-level) Program or International Baccalaureate Program (IB). The first program is more narrowly focused and is suitable for those who have already decided on their future specialty. IB provides training in a wider range of subjects. Both certificate options are accepted by all UK higher education institutions. In fact, you become an English school student and will enter university on the same basis as the English.
Enrollment in a British university
The admission process to UK universities is unified and carried out centrally through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). All applicants, including Russians, fill out a special form that contains the following data:
- The final exam score or the score a student expects to achieve on exams.
- A short essay (personal statement), in which the student talks about his professional plans, justifying the need to study in this field.
- A list of universities, no more than 6 institutions, that the applicant would like to enroll in.
Universities receive applications from applicants and communicate their decision. Since applications are submitted no later than January, when final exams have not yet been taken, admission is usually “conditional”. After the applicant receives the results of the final exams, we can talk about actual admission.
As a rule, applicants calculate their strengths in advance - every year in the UK a ranking of universities is published, which indicates the passing scores. For Oxford and Cambridge, they traditionally amount to 100 points (the maximum possible result), but for admission you also need to pass exams at the university itself and undergo a personal interview. By the way, applications to these educational giants should be sent no later than September of the previous year.
Cost of higher education in the UK
The cost of higher education in the UK is the highest in Europe. However, studying at British universities is considered so prestigious that this does not stop foreigners. It is also worth considering the opportunity to obtain a bachelor's degree in 3 years: reducing the total training time allows you to significantly save on education. Prices for a year of study range from 10,000 to 22,000 pounds sterling (depending on the university and department). The most affordable faculties are the humanities: the price rarely exceeds £12,000. Technical specialties will cost about £17,000. For business specialties (economics, political science, law, management) in leading universities the price tag reaches £20,000. They are on par with them doctors. 17,000-22,000 pounds sterling per year - this is the cost of higher medical education in England.
An important expense item is accommodation: most English universities provide dormitories only to first-year students. After that, students will have to decide the issue of living on their own, which can be very expensive. Thus, renting an apartment in London will cost about £900.
You can reduce the cost of higher education in England with the help of scholarships and grants, which you can find out about on the website of the same UCAS admissions committee. Often, there are separate programs for students from Russia and the CIS countries.
5 categories of British universities
When choosing a British university, it is important to know which category it belongs to. All universities in the UK can be divided into 5 categories, depending on when they were founded. Universities in England, created around the same time, have many common features, although, of course, each university is unique and has its own advantages.
Ancient Universities- created before the beginning of the 17th century, in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
- University of Oxford - founded in 1167
- University of Cambridge - founded in 1209
- University of St Andrews - founded in 1413
- University of Glasgow - founded in 1451
- University of Aberdeen - founded 1495
- University of Edinburgh - founded in 1583
Red Brick Universities— initially, this group included only 6 “civilian” universities, founded in large industrial cities of Great Britain, which received the status of universities before the start of the Second World War. The main difference between these universities and Ancient Universities was their practical rather than academic focus.
- University of Birmingham
- University of Bristol
- University of Leeds
- University of Lebanon
- University of Manchester
- University of Sheffield
Currently, all universities that are members of the so-called Russell Group, which was a collaboration of 20 UK universities (the previous 6 and the 14 below) receiving government grants and government support. The community of these universities took its name from the hotel where their first informal meetings took place - the Russel Hotel in Russel Square in London.
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Plate Glass Universities- English universities created between 1963 and 1992 (mainly in the 60s). The name of this category reflects their contemporary architecture, contrasting with universities in the previous categories - Red Brick and Ancient.
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New Universities- former polytechnic institutes in England, which received university status in 1992 in accordance with the Further and Higher Education Act 1992.
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Recently Created Universities- former colleges that received university status in 2005.
- Canterbury Christ Church University
- University of Chester
- University of Chichester
- Queen Margaret University
- University of Winchester
- York St John University
- University of Cumbria
