What would be the first destination that comes to your mind while you plan to study abroad? Most probably, it would be the United Kingdom. Well, let us tell you that every year, more than 5 million students from around the world study in the UK. The universities in UK are known for their different teaching pedagogy and supporting practical knowledge. This section sheds light on the best universities in UK and related pivotal details.
The majority of UK universities admit students between September and October. Other admission intakes for the leading universities in the UK occur in January. To learn more about universities in the UK, see the admission highlights listed below:
Parameter |
Statistics |
No. of Universities in UK |
167 |
Tuition fees of universities in UK |
Up to INR 10 L: 65 Up to INR 40 L: 167 |
Popular courses in UK |
Law, Business Management, Computer Science, Sociology, Communications / Media |
English language exams required |
IELTS / TOEFL / PTE / Duolingo |
Entrance exams required |
GMAT / GRE / SAT |
The UK is among the best destinations for international students to study. More than 130 universities accept international students' applications and are highly ranked globally. In addition, the country offers tremendous job opportunities for international students and attracts many international students worldwide, making it a culturally diverse place to live and enjoy.
After completing your course in the UK, you are allowed to work for up to 2 years under PSW. Graduate students with a PhD or other doctorate will be eligible for a three-year Graduate Visa. It is an excellent opportunity for international students to gain work experience in some of the top companies in the world. It also makes their CV more appealing and, thus, offers excellent career opportunities in the future.
The UK student visa allows international students to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week. As part-time workers in the UK, international students can earn around 10 to 15 pounds per hour. International students can do part-time jobs like servers, teaching assistants, tutors, dog walkers, babysitters, and retail workers.
The UK hosts some of the best universities in the world, which are highly ranked by various world-ranking organisations, such as QS Ranking and THE (The Higher Education). Below is a list of some of the best universities in UK.
Universities |
UK University Rankings (QS) 2025 |
THE Rankings 2024 |
Imperial College London |
2 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
|
5 |
5 |
|
9 |
22 |
|
27 |
30 |
|
The University of Manchester |
34 |
51 |
King's College London |
40 |
38 |
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) |
50 |
46 |
54 |
81 |
|
69 |
106 |
You can also find various arts and humanities-related courses in UK universities. Here is the UK University list for arts and humanities, ranked by the QS Rankings.
University Name |
QS Ranking |
University of Cambridge |
2 |
University of Oxford |
3 |
UCL |
10 |
The University of Edinburgh |
12 |
King's College London |
22 |
The University of Manchester |
27 |
42 |
|
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) |
43 |
51 |
|
56 |
According to QS Rankings, some of the top-ranked engineering and technology universities in UK include the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and the University of Manchester. Below, we have included the list of the best universities in UK for Engineering and Technology courses.
University Name |
QS Ranking |
University of Oxford |
3 |
University of Cambridge |
4 |
Imperial College London |
7 |
The University of Manchester |
27 |
UCL |
35 |
The University of Edinburgh |
51 |
University of Leeds |
93 |
97 |
|
100 |
|
106 |
UK universities are highly known for their life science and technology courses. You can easily find an array of courses related to this field, like Nursing, botonomy, Neuroscience, regenerative medicine, etc, to support your dream career. Below, we have mentioned the top 10 universities in uk listed for pursuing life sciences and medicine courses.
University Name |
QS Ranking |
University of Oxford |
2 |
University of Cambridge |
6 |
Imperial College London |
7 |
UCL |
9 |
King's College London |
12 |
The University of Edinburgh |
21 |
The University of Manchester |
30 |
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine |
40 |
50 |
|
University of Bristol |
62 |
To explore the top 10 universities in UK for Natural Sciences, students can check the table below:
University Name |
QS Ranking |
University of Oxford |
3 |
University of Cambridge |
4 |
Imperial College London |
9 |
The University of Edinburgh |
27 |
The University of Manchester |
33 |
UCL |
35 |
University of Bristol |
80 |
Durham University |
92 |
University of Southampton |
112 |
The University of Warwick |
113 |
According to the QS Ranking organisation, some of the top 10 universities to pursue social science and management studies in UK are listed below.
University Name |
QS Ranking |
University of Oxford |
2 |
University of Cambridge |
5 |
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) |
6 |
UCL |
19 |
London Business School |
25 |
The University of Manchester |
28 |
King's College London |
41 |
The University of Warwick |
41 |
Imperial College London |
48 |
The University of Edinburgh |
49 |
The majority of the best universities in the UK are located in London and the West Midlands. Other UK universities are located in cities such as Scotland, Hampshire, and West Yorkshire.
Particulars |
QS Best Student Cities 2025 |
London |
1 |
Edinburgh |
13 |
Manchester |
27 |
Glasgow |
33 |
Bristol |
45 |
Coventry |
43 |
No matter what career you choose to enter, UK universities offer various options to support your dream career. Below are some of the most popular courses international students plan to study in the UK.
Courses |
No. of Universities |
BBA |
142 |
MIM |
141 |
BE / BTech |
121 |
MS |
120 |
BSc |
117 |
MBA / PGDM |
101 |
BA |
96 |
BJMC |
80 |
LLB |
78 |
LLM |
78 |
Before enrolling at a UK university, international students must meet their admission criteria. Although different universities have different admission criterias, the basic eligibility criteria remain the same. So, now let’s explore the basic admission criteria for UK university.
International students might have to appear for certain entrance exams to get admitted to UK universities. These entrance exams, or standardised admission tests, allow the university’s admission committee to select students' applications on common grounds. Below, we have listed certain entrance exams along with the number of universities that accept them.
Since the UK is English-speaking, international students must take English proficiency tests to prove their language skills. Here are some popular English proficiency tests that UK universities accept.
Here is a list of important documents required to apply to a UK university and for a student visa:
Criteria |
Undergraduate |
Postgraduate |
Academic Transcript |
10th and 12th standard academic transcript |
10th and 12th standard academic transcript along with bachelor’s degree certificate |
English Proficiency test |
A minimum IELTS score of 5.5 bands or equivalent in any other proficiency test |
A minimum IELTS score of 6.0 bands or equivalent in any other proficiency test |
LOR |
1 from an academic institution |
2 (1 from an academic institution and 1 from employer) |
SOP |
Required |
Required |
Certificates |
Relevant certificates of extra-curricular activities is accepted |
Relevant certificates of extra-curricular activities is accepted |
Apart from the above documents, here are some other documents which are required:
Test scores of standardised exams like GMAT / GRE / SAT
Completed application form
Updated Resume
Portfolio (if required)
Passport-size photographs (if asked)
Copy of the passport
Basically, the UK universities offer three intakes for international students:
September intake in UK - September Intake UK is the main intake for admission to UK universities. Almost all universities accept applications for all courses during this intake. Maximum financial help and scholarships are available for UK admission in September intake.
January intake in UK - In UK universities, the January intake is considered the secondary intake. Although the January intake offers fewer courses than the September intake, it gives an opportunity for students who were not admitted to the main intake. Moreover, since the number of applications during this intake is less than that of the September intake, the chances of getting an offer letter increase.
May intake in UK - May intake in UK is the shortest intake. Although very few university options are available during this intake, getting an offer and a student visa is very easy due to limited applications.
The cost of studying in UK universities is quite affordable when compared with the quality of education and job opportunities they offer.
Range of 1st-Year Tuition Fees |
No. of Universities |
Max 10 Lakh |
65 |
Max 20 Lakh |
160 |
Max 30 Lakh |
165 |
Max 40 Lakh |
167 |
40 Lakh+ |
31+ |
The UK's average annual cost of living is around £12,000 (around INR 12 lakh) per year. Note that the average cost of living in London will be greater than in other UK cities. According to Numbeo, the average cost of living in the United Kingdom is 171% greater than in India. Here are some of the best cities to study in UK, along with their cost of living.
Cities |
Average Cost of Living |
London |
£1500 per month |
Cambridge |
£1250 per month |
Edinburgh |
£1,100 per month |
Sheffield |
£1000 per month |
Manchester |
£900 per month |
Glasgow |
£800 per month |
Birmingham |
£600 per month |
International students aiming to pursue higher education at some of the greatest colleges in the United Kingdom must get a UK Student Visa or Tier 4 Student Visa. The UK Student Visa charge is Pound 363 (about INR 37,000). To apply for a UK Student Visa, you should have a completed student visa application form, proof of parental or guardian consent, original mark sheets / provisional certificates, proof of funding, and more.
The UK is a hub of various top-notch MNCs (multinational companies), offering various job options to international students. Business, Accountancy, Consulting and Management, Banking and Finance, Energy and Utilities, Law, and Healthcare are some of the most common job areas in the UK. Here is the list of some of the best job opportunities in UK, along with their salaries.
Job Title |
Average Salary |
Principal Software Engineer |
64,189 GBP per year |
Doctor |
61,676 GBP per year |
Consultant |
53,805 GBP per year |
Data Engineer |
53,171 GBP per year |
Quantity Surveyor |
47,360 GBP per year |
Procurement Manager |
47,152 GBP per year |
Contract Manager |
46,327 GBP per year |
Project Manager |
45,593 GBP per year |
Private Client Solicitor |
45,435 GBP per year |
Finance Manager |
44,972 GBP per year |
Clinical Pharmacist |
44,331 GBP per year |
Human Resources Partner |
43,802 GBP per year |
Psychologist |
39,041 GBP per year |
Mechanical Designer |
38,880 GBP per year |
Operations Manager |
38,865 GBP per year |
Regional Sales Manager |
37,611 GBP per year |
Engineer |
37,199 GBP per year |
Management Accountant |
37,129 GBP per year |
Executive Assistant |
35,994 GBP per year |
Nurse Assessor |
35,866 GBP per year |
Scholarships offer a great source of financial relief for international students who want to study in the UK on a low budget. Below, we have mentioned some of the best scholarships for studying in the UK.
Scholarship Name |
Offered By |
Value |
GREAT Scholarships India |
The UK government’s GREAT Britain Campaign |
Each scholarship is worth a minimum of £10,000 towards tuition fees for a one-year postgraduate course. |
Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarships |
The Charles Wallace India Trust |
accommodation and living costs in the UK and a contribution of £700 towards the international travel costs. |
Commonwealth Masters Scholarships |
UK Government |
|
Chevening Scholarships
|
UK Government |
Cover tuition fees, living expenses, and other allowances for one year of study in the UK. |
Rhodes Scholarship |
Rhodes Trust |
|
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Scholarship |
Erasmus Mundus |
Covers the cost of students’ participation in the programme, travel and living expenses |
Read more: Check all scholarships
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