UK is one of the fastest growing countries in the world and also a peaceful country you may ever glad to study in. You may like to study in any of the following top 30 prestigious universities in UK.
As a matter of fact, universities in UK are uncountable, but we have brought to you in this current post the top best, prestigious and recommended ones to choose from if you want to go university or send your child to university.
Read this also: how to apply for admission in Nigeria to study in Harvard University.
Top 30 best and prestigious universities in UK in 2022
The good news about all UK best universities which we are going to discuss here is that their admission application is free of charge and always open for national and international prospective students to apply.
If you are reading this from Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe or any country you may know, note that you can study your dream course in any best UK university you wish if you are fully eligible and determined.
Now, the list of top 30 best prestigious universities in UK with their Times Higher Education (THE) ranking and US. News and World Report ranking in 2022 are discussed below:
| S/N | Universities | Times Higher Education Ranking (2022) | U.S. News & World Report Ranking (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Oxford | 1 | 5 |
| 2 | University of Cambridge | 5 | 9 |
| 3 | Imperial College London | 12 | 20 |
| 4 | University College London (UCL) | 18 | 19 |
| 5 | London School of Economics and Political Science | 27 | 244 |
| 6 | The University of Edinburgh | 30 | 30 |
| 7 | King’s College London | 35 | 34 |
| 8 | The University of Manchester | 50 | 64 |
| 9 | University of Warwick | 78 | 135 |
| 10 | University of Glasgow | 86 | 86 |
| 11 | University of Bristol | 92 | 62 |
| 12 | University of Birmingham | 105 | 90 |
| 13 | University of Sheffield | 110 | 95 |
| 14 | Queen Mary University of London | 117 | 117 |
| 15 | Lancaster University | 122 | 132 |
| 16 | University of Southampton | 124 | 77 |
| 17 | University of Leeds | 127 | 92 |
| 18 | University of Nottingham | 141 | 103 |
| 19 | The University of Exeter | 143 | 149 |
| 20 | Newcastle University | 146 | 134 |
| 21 | University of Sussex | 151 | 152 |
| 22 | University of Aberdeen | 158 | 238 |
| 23 | Durham University | 162 | 238 |
| 24 | University of York | 169 | 264 |
| 25 | University of Liverpool | 178 | 146 |
| 26 | University of East Anglia | 182 | 306 |
| 27 | University of Leicester | 185 | 232 |
| 28 | Cardiff University | 189 | 168 |
| 29 | Brighton and Sussex Medical School | 201 | – |
| 30 | Queen’s University Belfast | 201 | 306 |
Read this also: list of all social media platforms in the world with their establishment year, CEO and founder(s).
How we rank university
When discussing top best university in terms of anything, we don’t discuss with only mouth, hence, we use some tools or other websites.
The following tools are useful in determining university’s ranking.
- World University Rankings
This website was created by Times Higher Education to take into account the reputation of research done by universities and how often papers produced by universities were quoted around the world.
- Academic Ranking of World Universities
Academic Ranking of World Universities was created by Shanghai Jiao Tong University to focuse on the number of award-winning scientists, most cited researchers from the listed universities, and their contribution to the scientific community.
- QS World University Rankings
This was created by TopUniversities to surveys a large number of academic experts about the reputation of universities and also measures the quality of teaching.
- Best Global Universities Rankings
Created by U.S. News & World Report purposely to analyse university graduation rates and how many students remain enrolled in their second year of studies.
It also surveys university representatives on the performance of universities.
Top 30 best universities in UK and their ranking
Best universities in the UK are some of the most highly regarded in the world and for some good reasons.
Some of the world’s most highly regarded research takes place in British universities which are regularly featured in international rankings.
While studying in the UK, you will be able to develop in a highly multicultural environment with high chances of pursuing lucrative careers after graduation.
The teaching in the UK is designed to encourage new idea generation, encouraging individual research and group cooperation through class discussions and creative assignments.
Top 30 best and prestigious universities in UK you may know are listed and explained below:
1. University of Oxford
University of Oxford is the number one best and prestigious university in UK in 2022.
According to Times Higher Education (THE) and World Report Ranking in 2022, it ranked first and fifth respectively.
The University of Oxford continues its domination as the top university in the UK for 2022.
2. University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge is one of the best and prestigious universities in UK ever located in Cambridge, UK.
The Times Higher Education ranked it number 5 while World Report Ranking ranked it number 9 in 2022 which is a very good news.
3. Imperial College London
Taking the bronze medal position in the UK is Imperial College London, the highest-ranked university in the capital. It moves up one position globally this year to eighth place and takes ninth place globally for academic reputation
4. University College London (UCL)
Just missing out on a spot in the UK top three is UCL (University College London), which drops two places in the global rankings this year to 10th.
Its highest score can be found in the academic reputation indicator where it places 13th in the world.
5. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
In eighth place in the UK is the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), which drops five places this year to rank 49th globally – the first UK university in our top 10 to make it into the global top 50.
LSE is ranked seventh in the world for international students, making it the most diverse UK university in Times Higher Education ranking.
6. University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh ranks sixth in the UK and still maintaining 20th position in the best university in the world.
Top best universities in the world? University of Edinburgh is the one and it is the only Scottish institution in the UK as well.
It scores particularly high for academic reputation and employer reputation, ranking 25th and 31st in the world respectively for these indicators.
7. King’s College London
King’s College London (KCL) has ranked seventh position in the UK again this year which climbs two places in the global rankings to joint 31st.
One of our top 30 UK-based universities in 2022 is King’s College London (also known as, KCL) which achieves impressive scores in all indicators, particularly academic reputation where it ranks among the top 50 universities in the world.
8. University of Manchester
The University of Manchester ranks eight in UK this year, taking joint 27th place in the global rankings.
Manchester graduates are looked on particularly favorably by employers. It ranks 21st in the world for the employer reputation indicator.
9. University of Warwick
Remaining in 10th place in the UK this year is the University of Warwick, which is also ranked 62nd globally for another year.
Their success in the rankings is largely due to the global outlook of the university, which achieves near perfect scores in the international faculty and international students ranking indicators.
10. University of Glasgow
More specifically, the University of Glasgow ranked 53rd and 67th globally in the 2021 CWTS Leiden and 2020 QS World University Ranking respectively.
University of Glasgow is as well as placing nationally among the top 30 UK prestigious universities
11. University of Bristol
Eleventh in the UK is the University of Bristol, which nonetheless drops nine spots in the global rankings this year to 58th place.
The university achieves high scores across all ranking indicators, particularly for academic reputation where it ranks 74th globally.
12. University of Birmingham
Birmingham is ranked 90th in the QS World University Rankings 2022, maintaining our position in the top 100 universities globally and placing us as 14th amongst UK universities.
13. University of sheffield
The University is rated 95th in the world, 17th in the UK and second in Yorkshire and the Humber in the 2022 QS World University Rankings.
14. Queen Mary of University
Queen Mary, University of London is ranked #110 in Best Global Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
15. Lancaster University
Lancaster is 132nd out of more than 1,000 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2022.
It is ranked as 122nd in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022, up from 136th in 2021 making it 15th out of the 101 UK universities included in the table.
16. University of Southampton
University of Southampton is ranked #97 in Best Global Universities. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
17. University of Leeds
Leeds is ranked 91st in the world (and 15th in the UK) in the 2021 QS World University Rankings.
Leeds has also been named University of the Year 2017 by The Times and The Sunday Times’ Good University Guide.
In 2019, it ranked 150th among the universities around the world by SCImago Institutions Rankings.
18. University of Nottingham
Nottingham is ranked 103rd in the world and 18th in the UK in the QS World University Rankings 2022.
It is also ranked as a UK top 20 university in The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022, and is the Sports University of the Year in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2021.
The University of Nottingham is ranked in the world top 70 universities for employability by the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022.
19. The University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is one of the top Public universities in Exeter, United Kingdom.
It is ranked 143rd in the latest (2022) Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the most influential global league table.
The University of Exeter is ranked 149th in the latest (2022) QS World University Rankings.
20. Newcastle University
Currently, Newcastle University is according to Europe Teaching Rankings published in 2021 ranked as:
- 134th in the QS World Ranking published 2021
- 66th in the Leiden Ranking 2021
- 23rd in the Times Higher Education
Newcastle University is one of the top 30 prestigious Public universities in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, UK. It is ranked number 134 in QS Global World Rankings 2022.
21. University of Sussex
The University of Sussex was ranked 20th in the UK and 160th in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021.
In 2021, the Sunday Times placed the University of Susses in 19th place nationally in terms of best universities in UK.
| Location | Brighton, England, UK |
| Year of Establishment | 1961 |
| International Fees | £16,750-19,200 |
| Famous Courses | Development Studies, Business Studies, History, etc. |
22. University of Aberdeen
Aberdeen is now ranked 158th in the world, 22nd in the UK and is one of three Scottish universities within the world top 200.
| Location | Aberdeen, Scotland, UK |
| International Fees | £14,300-18,000 |
| Famous Courses | Science, Engineering, Computer Science, Medicine, Business Administration, etc. |
| Establishment year | 1932 |
| UK rank | 30 |
| World rank | 310 |
23. Durham University
Durham is one of the world’s leading Universities as shown by our World Top 100 position in the QS World University Rankings 2022, where we are ranked 82nd.
16 Durham subjects are in the World Top 100 of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021, including 8 in the World Top 50.
They’ve been ranked 6th in the UK in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.
| Campus | 257 hectares (640 acres) |
| Students belonging to | 130 Countries |
| Students | 20,520 as of 2021/2022 session |
| Established | 1832 |
| Student newspaper | Palatinate |
| Motto in English | Her foundations are set upon the holy hills |
The UK-based Durham University is a public research university situated in the North East of England, UK, founded in 1832.
24. University of York
University of York is ranked number 260 in Best Global Universities. It is also ranked 151 in QS World University Rankings by TopUniversities and has an overall score of 4.3 stars, according to student reviews.
Please note that schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence.
The University of York founding principles of equality and opportunity for all are anchored by the highest academic standards.
| Vice-Chancellor | Charlie Jeffery |
| Chancellor | Sir Malcolm Grant |
| Main Campus | Heslington West, Heslington East |
| Established | 1963 |
| Students as of 2021/2022 | 21,790 |
| Location | York, England, UK |
25. University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool is one of the top 30 prestigious Public universities in Liverpool, UK.
In 2022, it is ranked #189 in QS Global World Rankings.
| Institution Name | University of Liverpool |
| Location | Liverpool, England, UK |
| World Rank | 134 |
| National Rank | 14 |
| Chancellor | Colm Tóibín |
| Vice-Chancellor | Dame Janet Beer |
| Quality of Education Rank | 135 |
| Alumni Employment Rank | 470 |
26. University of East Anglia
University of East Anglia is ranked #320 in Best Global Universities.
The University of East Anglia (UEA) is consistently ranked in the top 25 or 26 of UK university league tables such as The Times/Sunday Times.
27. University of Leicester
University of Leicester is ranked #212 in Best Global. It is one of the top Public universities in Leicester, United Kingdom.
Ranking and Reputation?
In 2021, the university of Leicester ranked 70th in Reuters top 100 of Europe’s most innovative universities.
28.
Cardiff University is ranked 150-200 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2021, an influential league table of global institutions.
Listing the top 500 universities in the world, the ranking of Cardiff University is recognized as a benchmark of international university performance.
International Fees: £15,080-18,980 Location: Cardiff, Wales Famous Courses: Psychology, Law, MBA
| Location | Cardiff, Wales, UK |
| Famous Courses | Psychology, Law, MBA, etc. |
| Established | 24 October 1883 |
| International Fees | £15,080-18,980 |
| Motto in English | The Best Inspiration is Truth |
29. Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS)
As a matter of fact, Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) is the highest-ranked UK institution in the latest Times Higher Education Young University World Rankings.
BSMS is also the only UK institution in the global top 50, coming in at number 44 on a list of 475 universities spread around 68 countries.
Searching for the top best medical universities to study Medicine in United Kingdom? Brighton and Sussex Medical School is a highly prestigious medical school in UK!!
30. Queen’s University
Queen’s University is ranked 43 in the world in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2021. We have 10 subjects in the top 200 in the world (QS World University Rankings 2021).
Conclusion
If you know that this article has helped you know the list and explanation of top 30 best universities in UK, please share it with your friends and remember to subscribe to our newsletter for more important updates.
Read this also: list of all fifty (50) states in USA and their postal or zip code.
WBcT