100 Best universities for Creative Writing in the United Kingdom

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the United Kingdom ranked based on their research performance in Creative Writing. A graph of 640K citations received by 54.6K academic papers made by 121 universities in the United Kingdom was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For Creative Writing

#1 in Europe

#2 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University College London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#2 in Europe

#3 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

3. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Creative Writing

#3 in Europe

#5 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

4. King's College London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#4 in Europe

#6 in the World

Founded: 1829

5. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Creative Writing

#5 in Europe

#11 in the World

Founded: 1824

6. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Creative Writing

#6 in Europe

#20 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

7. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Creative Writing

#7 in Europe

#22 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

8. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Creative Writing

#8 in Europe

#29 in the World

Founded: 1905

9. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Creative Writing

#9 in Europe

#31 in the World

Founded: 1900

10. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Creative Writing

#10 in Europe

#32 in the World

Founded: 1948

11. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Creative Writing

#11 in Europe

#33 in the World

Founded: 1904

12. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Creative Writing

#12 in Europe

#41 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Enrollment: 27,513
Founded: 1909

13. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Creative Writing

#13 in Europe

#44 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

14. Durham University

England | Durham

For Creative Writing

#14 in Europe

#47 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

15. University of York

For Creative Writing

#15 in Europe

#49 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

16. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Creative Writing

#16 in Europe

#50 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

17. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Creative Writing

#17 in Europe

#52 in the World

Founded: 1451

18. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Creative Writing

#19 in Europe

#60 in the World

Founded: 1997

19. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Creative Writing

#20 in Europe

#61 in the World

Enrollment: 17,319
Male:Female: 44:56
Founded: 1961

20. University of London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#21 in Europe

#63 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

21. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Creative Writing

#22 in Europe

#65 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 9,218
Founded: 1895

22. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Creative Writing

#25 in Europe

#72 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

23. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#26 in Europe

#73 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

24. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Creative Writing

#28 in Europe

#76 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

25. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Creative Writing

#30 in Europe

#82 in the World

Founded: 1849

26. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Creative Writing

#31 in Europe

#83 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

27. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Creative Writing

#33 in Europe

#94 in the World

Founded: 1963

28. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Creative Writing

#36 in Europe

#106 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

29. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Creative Writing

#37 in Europe

#111 in the World

Enrollment: 24,409
Male:Female: 46:54
Founded: 1957

30. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Creative Writing

#41 in Europe

#123 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

31. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Creative Writing

#42 in Europe

#125 in the World

Founded: 1965

32. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Creative Writing

#45 in Europe

#130 in the World

Founded: 1892

33. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#47 in Europe

#142 in the World

Founded: 1904

34. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#48 in Europe

#150 in the World

Founded: 1823

35. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Creative Writing

#50 in Europe

#155 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

36. Keele University

England | Keele

For Creative Writing

#53 in Europe

#166 in the World

Founded: 1962

37. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Creative Writing

#54 in Europe

#167 in the World

Founded: 1964

38. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Creative Writing

#55 in Europe

#171 in the World

Founded: 1992

39. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Creative Writing

#58 in Europe

#177 in the World

Founded: 1495

40. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Creative Writing

#59 in Europe

#185 in the World

Founded: 1968

41. University of Bath

For Creative Writing

#63 in Europe

#192 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Enrollment: 18,857
Male:Female: 53:47
Founded: 1966

42. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Creative Writing

#67 in Europe

#201 in the World

Founded: 1992

43. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Creative Writing

#72 in Europe

#217 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

44. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Creative Writing

#73 in Europe

#219 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

45. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Creative Writing

#75 in Europe

#221 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 14,000
Founded: 1967

46. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Creative Writing

#77 in Europe

#230 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

47. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Creative Writing

#81 in Europe

#238 in the World

Founded: 1954

48. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Creative Writing

#84 in Europe

#242 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

49. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Creative Writing

#85 in Europe

#243 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

50. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Creative Writing

#92 in Europe

#257 in the World

Founded: 1992

51. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#93 in Europe

#259 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 44%
Enrollment: 6,295
Founded: 1916

52. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Creative Writing

#95 in Europe

#263 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

53. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Creative Writing

#96 in Europe

#265 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

54. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Creative Writing

#98 in Europe

#269 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

55. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Creative Writing

#99 in Europe

#272 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

56. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Creative Writing

#100 in Europe

#273 in the World

Founded: 1964

57. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Creative Writing

#102 in Europe

#278 in the World

Founded: 1967

58. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Creative Writing

#103 in Europe

#282 in the World

Founded: 1992

59. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Creative Writing

#104 in Europe

#284 in the World

Founded: 1992

60. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Creative Writing

#110 in Europe

#292 in the World

Founded: 1893

61. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Creative Writing

#111 in Europe

#293 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

62. University of East London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#112 in Europe

#296 in the World

Founded: 1992

63. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Creative Writing

#114 in Europe

#298 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

64. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Creative Writing

#115 in Europe

#300 in the World

Founded: 1967

65. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Creative Writing

#116 in Europe

#302 in the World

Founded: 1920

66. City, University of London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#121 in Europe

#312 in the World

Founded: 1966

67. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Creative Writing

#123 in Europe

#317 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

68. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Creative Writing

#125 in Europe

#321 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

69. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Creative Writing

#130 in Europe

#351 in the World

Founded: 1992

70. Middlesex University

England | London

For Creative Writing

#137 in Europe

#367 in the World

Founded: 1973

71. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Creative Writing

#140 in Europe

#375 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

72. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Creative Writing

#147 in Europe

#387 in the World

Founded: 1858

73. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Creative Writing

#149 in Europe

#392 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

74. Bangor University

For Creative Writing

#158 in Europe

#412 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

75. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Creative Writing

#164 in Europe

#422 in the World

Founded: 2006

76. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Creative Writing

#166 in Europe

#427 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1992

77. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Creative Writing

#170 in Europe

#435 in the World

Founded: 2005

78. Imperial College London

England | London

For Creative Writing

#171 in Europe

#438 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

79. University of Westminster

England | London

For Creative Writing

#175 in Europe

#448 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

80. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Creative Writing

#177 in Europe

#464 in the World

Founded: 1872

81. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Creative Writing

#188 in Europe

#481 in the World

Founded: 1848

82. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Creative Writing

#199 in Europe

#504 in the World

Founded: 1992

83. London South Bank University

England | London

For Creative Writing

#200 in Europe

#506 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

84. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Creative Writing

#205 in Europe

#524 in the World

Founded: 1890

85. University of Winchester

England | Winchester

For Creative Writing

#208 in Europe

#530 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

86. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Creative Writing

#209 in Europe

#532 in the World

Founded: 1992

87. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Creative Writing

#212 in Europe

#536 in the World

Founded: 1895

88. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Creative Writing

#215 in Europe

#541 in the World

Founded: 1992

89. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Creative Writing

#220 in Europe

#552 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Enrollment: 25,000
Founded: 1992

90. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Creative Writing

#223 in Europe

#562 in the World

Founded: 1841

91. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Creative Writing

#228 in Europe

#572 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

92. University of the West of Scotland

Scotland | Paisley

For Creative Writing

#238 in Europe

#592 in the World

Enrollment: 15,555
Founded: 1897

93. University of Chester

England | Chester

For Creative Writing

#248 in Europe

#616 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

94. University of West London

England | Ealing

For Creative Writing

#251 in Europe

#624 in the World

Founded: 1990

95. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Creative Writing

#257 in Europe

#634 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

96. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Creative Writing

#260 in Europe

#644 in the World

Founded: 1966

97. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Creative Writing

#261 in Europe

#648 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

98. University of Gloucestershire

England | Cheltenham

For Creative Writing

#262 in Europe

#650 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 2001

99. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Creative Writing

#265 in Europe

#655 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

100. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Creative Writing

#283 in Europe

#699 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

The best cities to study Creative Writing in the United Kingdom based on the number of universities and their ranks are Oxford, London, Cambridge, and Manchester.