2021 UK University Rankings - Top Choices for Postgraduate Study

The UK is the most popular destination for postgraduate study abroad in Europe - and the second most popular in the world. It's no surprise then, that British universities are regarded as being some of the best, internationally.

But how do you choose the best university for your Masters in the UK?

One method is to consult international ranking tables. These can tell you which UK universities are the most internationally respected and renowned.

On this page we've looked at the top UK universities in the three most important world rankings - allowing you to make an easy comparison of the top institutions overall.

The following table gives the 50 top universities in the UK, according to global university rankings. It can show you which British universities are amongst the best in the world - and help you compare institutions on an international level.

This information is based on the latest rankings tables, researched and published by Times Higher Education, QS and the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU).

Each ranking system uses its own methodology, with different factors having more or less influence on a university's result.

For more information on using international rankings as a postgraduate, see our guide.

Pretty good! With 18 universities in the top 100 of the QS ranking, 11 in the top 100 of the THE ranking and eight in the top 100 of the Shanghai (ARWU) ranking, the UK has more top-ranked universities than any other European country.

In fact, the only country to beat the UK in global university league tables is the USA.

Unlike the USA, however, all of the UK's top universities are publicly funded. Their place in global rankings reflects substantial ongoing investment in higher education.

Of course, these are global rankings, not postgraduate rankings. This means they reflect the broad performance and reputation of universities, rather than their specific expertise in the areas you might be considering for a Masters.

There isn't currently a global ranking of universities for postgraduate study. But there are ways to look more closely at the factors that matter most to Masters students. . .

Academic specialism is vital to postgraduate study. As a Masters student you'll be working at a much more advanced level. This means that you'll need access to the best facilities and the expertise of instructors who are leaders in their field.

One way to check this is to see how well a university does in rankings for your subject. Universities at the top of these leagues will be the best at producing high quality research and attracting top academics. This will be reflected in the quality of their postgraduate courses. Times Higher Education produces a series of international league tables based on subject expertise, and it’s worth taking a look at their World University Rankings by Subject.

The global rankings discussed above are great if you want to see which UK universities are amongst the best in the world. But there are also several rankings that look specifically at universities within the UK.

Many are published by media organisations including the Telegraph, Times, Sunday Times and Guardian newspapers.

Most of these rankings aren't postgraduate specific. They include criteria such as a student ratios, satisfaction and completion rates that are important, but may not reflect the specific experiences of Masters students.

Last updated 08/09/2020