Academic Index Last updated: June 23, 2026

85 Best Universities in England

Our data-driven ranking evaluates 85 elite institutions across England to determine true academic prominence. By assessing 3.79M research papers and their 131.67M citations, we reveal the most impactful research centers.

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1

Cambridge

University of Cambridge

#2 in United Kingdom #2 in Europe

21% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1209 Founded

2

London

University College London

#3 in United Kingdom #3 in Europe

36% Acceptance

42,000 Enrollment

1826 Founded

3

Manchester

University of Manchester

#6 in United Kingdom #8 in Europe

40% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1824 Founded

4

London

King’s College London

#7 in United Kingdom #11 in Europe

43% Acceptance

42,000 Enrollment

1829 Founded

5

Bristol

University of Bristol

#9 in United Kingdom #20 in Europe

63% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1909 Founded

6

Leeds

University of Leeds

#10 in United Kingdom #22 in Europe

48% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1904 Founded

7

Nottingham

University of Nottingham

#13 in United Kingdom #38 in Europe

32% Acceptance

27,513 Enrollment

1948 Founded

8

Coventry

University of Warwick

#15 in United Kingdom #43 in Europe

23% Acceptance

27,278 Enrollment

1965 Founded

9

London

London School of Economics and Political Science

#16 in United Kingdom #48 in Europe

8% Acceptance

9,218 Enrollment

1895 Founded

10

Liverpool

University of Liverpool

#18 in United Kingdom #55 in Europe

24% Acceptance

28,693 Enrollment

1881 Founded

11

Exeter

University of Exeter

#22 in United Kingdom #75 in Europe

73% Acceptance

11,270 Enrollment

1955 Founded

12

Durham

Durham University

#23 in United Kingdom #97 in Europe

46% Acceptance

19,520 Enrollment

1832 Founded

13

Leicester

University of Leicester

#24 in United Kingdom #101 in Europe

39% Acceptance

24,409 Enrollment

1957 Founded

14

London

University of London

#30 in United Kingdom #120 in Europe

36% Acceptance

50,000 Enrollment

1836 Founded

15

Guildford

University of Surrey

#31 in United Kingdom #124 in Europe

32% Acceptance

16,900 Enrollment

1966 Founded

16

Norwich

University of East Anglia

#32 in United Kingdom #131 in Europe

22% Acceptance

24,409 Enrollment

1963 Founded

17

Lancaster, ENG

Lancaster University

#33 in United Kingdom #134 in Europe

22% Acceptance

15,555 Enrollment

1964 Founded

18

Bath

University of Bath

#34 in United Kingdom #136 in Europe

67% Acceptance

18,857 Enrollment

1966 Founded

19

Loughborough

Loughborough University

#36 in United Kingdom #144 in Europe

44% Acceptance

19,449 Enrollment

1966 Founded

20

Canterbury

University of Kent

#38 in United Kingdom #177 in Europe

50% Acceptance

17,319 Enrollment

1965 Founded

21

Colchester

University of Essex

#39 in United Kingdom #195 in Europe

52% Acceptance

29,000 Enrollment

1964 Founded

22

Uxbridge

Brunel University London

#40 in United Kingdom #200 in Europe

54% Acceptance

19,449 Enrollment

1966 Founded

23

London

City, University of London

#42 in United Kingdom #204 in Europe

55% Acceptance

22,980 Enrollment

1966 Founded

24

Egham

Royal Holloway, University of London

#44 in United Kingdom #222 in Europe

55% Acceptance

17,319 Enrollment

1849 Founded

25

Plymouth

University of Plymouth

#47 in United Kingdom #239 in Europe

77% Acceptance

11,270 Enrollment

1992 Founded

26

Manchester

Manchester Metropolitan University

#50 in United Kingdom #244 in Europe

53% Acceptance

22,980 Enrollment

1992 Founded

27

Newcastle upon Tyne

Northumbria University

#52 in United Kingdom #251 in Europe

50% Acceptance

22,980 Enrollment

1992 Founded

28

Keele

Keele University

#54 in United Kingdom #256 in Europe

52% Acceptance

24,409 Enrollment

1962 Founded

29

Cranfield

Cranfield University

#55 in United Kingdom #263 in Europe

59% Acceptance

4,825 Enrollment

1993 Founded

30

Birmingham

Aston University

#57 in United Kingdom #273 in Europe

44% Acceptance

16,900 Enrollment

1895 Founded

31

Nottingham

Nottingham Trent University

#58 in United Kingdom #279 in Europe

22% Acceptance

19,710 Enrollment

1992 Founded

32

Bristol

University of the West of England

#60 in United Kingdom #284 in Europe

57% Acceptance

30,732 Enrollment

1992 Founded

33

Hatfield

University of Hertfordshire

#61 in United Kingdom #286 in Europe

70% Acceptance

27,278 Enrollment

1992 Founded

34

London

Goldsmiths, University of London

#64 in United Kingdom #312 in Europe

64% Acceptance

6,863 Enrollment

1904 Founded

35

Bradford

University of Bradford

#66 in United Kingdom #319 in Europe

63% Acceptance

27,278 Enrollment

1966 Founded

36

Oxford

Oxford Brookes University

#67 in United Kingdom #328 in Europe

62% Acceptance

16,900 Enrollment

1865 Founded

37

London

University of Greenwich

#72 in United Kingdom #355 in Europe

55% Acceptance

22,980 Enrollment

1890 Founded

38

London

University of Westminster

#73 in United Kingdom #357 in Europe

56% Acceptance

19,000 Enrollment

1838 Founded

39

Poole

Bournemouth University

#74 in United Kingdom #364 in Europe

55% Acceptance

14,293 Enrollment

1992 Founded

40

London

London Business School

#78 in United Kingdom #376 in Europe

25% Acceptance

4,000 Enrollment

1964 Founded

41

Cambridge

Anglia Ruskin University

#79 in United Kingdom #403 in Europe

57% Acceptance

30,732 Enrollment

1858 Founded

42

Lincoln

University of Lincoln

#80 in United Kingdom #407 in Europe

78% Acceptance

19,710 Enrollment

1992 Founded

43

Kingston upon Thames

Kingston University

#81 in United Kingdom #418 in Europe

68% Acceptance

22,980 Enrollment

1992 Founded

44

Leeds

Leeds Beckett University

#84 in United Kingdom #438 in Europe

68% Acceptance

4,270 Enrollment

1992 Founded

45

London

University of East London

#86 in United Kingdom #444 in Europe

70% Acceptance

19,000 Enrollment

1992 Founded

46

Birmingham

Birmingham City University

#89 in United Kingdom #456 in Europe

75% Acceptance

25,000 Enrollment

1992 Founded

47

London

London Metropolitan University

#90 in United Kingdom #490 in Europe

74% Acceptance

19,000 Enrollment

1848 Founded

48

Stoke-on-Trent

Staffordshire University

#91 in United Kingdom #496 in Europe

73% Acceptance

25,000 Enrollment

1992 Founded

49

Derby

University of Derby

#92 in United Kingdom #499 in Europe

76% Acceptance

25,000 Enrollment

1992 Founded

50

Middlesbrough

Teesside University

#93 in United Kingdom #500 in Europe

76% Acceptance

19,290 Enrollment

1992 Founded

51

London

University of Roehampton

#95 in United Kingdom #530 in Europe

72% Acceptance

6,863 Enrollment

2004 Founded

52

Luton

University of Bedfordshire

#96 in United Kingdom #537 in Europe

82% Acceptance

30,732 Enrollment

2006 Founded

53

Sunderland

University of Sunderland

#101 in United Kingdom #571 in Europe

83% Acceptance

19,090 Enrollment

1992 Founded

54

Ormskirk

Edge Hill University

#103 in United Kingdom #594 in Europe

87% Acceptance

10,798 Enrollment

2006 Founded

55

Chester

University of Chester

#104 in United Kingdom #608 in Europe

95% Acceptance

10,798 Enrollment

2005 Founded

56

Ealing

University of West London

#105 in United Kingdom #619 in Europe

88% Acceptance

30,732 Enrollment

1990 Founded

57

London

Royal College of Art

#106 in United Kingdom #624 in Europe

85% Acceptance

1,500 Enrollment

1896 Founded

58

Canterbury

Canterbury Christ Church University

#107 in United Kingdom #627 in Europe

82% Acceptance

10,798 Enrollment

2005 Founded

59

Northampton

University of Northampton

#110 in United Kingdom #649 in Europe

73% Acceptance

10,798 Enrollment

2005 Founded

60

Worcester

University of Worcester

#111 in United Kingdom #666 in Europe

89% Acceptance

10,798 Enrollment

2005 Founded

61

Winchester

University of Winchester

#114 in United Kingdom #709 in Europe

69% Acceptance

6,863 Enrollment

2005 Founded

62

Bolton

University of Bolton

#116 in United Kingdom #720 in Europe

83% Acceptance

22,980 Enrollment

2004 Founded

63

Bath

Bath Spa University

#117 in United Kingdom #723 in Europe

83% Acceptance

6,863 Enrollment

1975 Founded

64

Liverpool

Liverpool Hope University

#119 in United Kingdom #739 in Europe

96% Acceptance

6,863 Enrollment

2005 Founded

65

Buckingham

University of Buckingham

#123 in United Kingdom #789 in Europe

78% Acceptance

19,000 Enrollment

1973 Founded

66

Cirencester

Royal Agricultural University

#124 in United Kingdom #806 in Europe

69% Acceptance

1,100 Enrollment

2013 Founded

67

London

School of Advanced Study, University of London

#127 in United Kingdom #814 in Europe

76% Acceptance

6,863 Enrollment

1994 Founded

68

Chichester

University of Chichester

#129 in United Kingdom #850 in Europe

73% Acceptance

11,340 Enrollment

2005 Founded

69

London

Royal Academy of Music, University of London

#137 in United Kingdom #975 in Europe

13% Acceptance

1,000 Enrollment

1822 Founded

70

London

Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

#139 in United Kingdom #1049 in Europe

40% Acceptance

1,000 Enrollment

1906 Founded

71

Manchester

Royal Northern College of Music

#141 in United Kingdom #1096 in Europe

60% Acceptance

1,000 Enrollment

1973 Founded

72

London

Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

#142 in United Kingdom #1103 in Europe

63% Acceptance

1,000 Enrollment

2005 Founded

73

Leeds

Leeds Arts University

#145 in United Kingdom #1245 in Europe

63% Acceptance

6,863 Enrollment

1846 Founded

74

Norwich

Norwich University of the Arts

#148 in United Kingdom #1336 in Europe

66% Acceptance

1,000 Enrollment

1845 Founded

75

Leeds

Leeds College of Music

#149 in United Kingdom #1351 in Europe

77% Acceptance

1,000 Enrollment

1965 Founded

76

Lincoln

Bishop Grosseteste University

#150 in United Kingdom #1380 in Europe

95% Acceptance

6,863 Enrollment

1862 Founded

77

Poole

Arts University Bournemouth

#151 in United Kingdom #1406 in Europe

76% Acceptance

1885 Founded

78

London

Rose Bruford College

#154 in United Kingdom #1475 in Europe

65% Acceptance

1950 Founded

79

Plymouth

Plymouth College of Art

#155 in United Kingdom #1483 in Europe

57% Acceptance

2,000 Enrollment

1856 Founded

80

London

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London

#158 in United Kingdom #1604 in Europe

20% Acceptance

1899 Founded

81

Guildford

University of Law

#159 in United Kingdom #1661 in Europe

39% Acceptance

1962 Founded

82

London

#160 in United Kingdom #1667 in Europe

48% Acceptance

2,400 Enrollment

1962 Founded

83

Birmingham

University College Birmingham

#161 in United Kingdom #1860 in Europe

78% Acceptance

7,500 Enrollment

1957 Founded

84

Leeds

Northern School of Contemporary Dance

#162 in United Kingdom #1932 in Europe

8% Acceptance

500 Enrollment

1985 Founded

85

London

European School of Economics

#163 in United Kingdom #2153 in Europe

34% Acceptance

1989 Founded