39 Best universities for Illustration and Concept Art in the United Kingdom

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the United Kingdom ranked based on their research performance in Illustration and Concept Art. A graph of 39.3K citations received by 4.34K academic papers made by 39 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. Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

England | London

For Illustration and Concept Art

#1 in Europe

#1 in the World

Founded: 1932

2. University College London

England | London

For Illustration and Concept Art

#2 in Europe

#2 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

3. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For Illustration and Concept Art

#3 in Europe

#3 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

4. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Illustration and Concept Art

#6 in Europe

#8 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

5. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Illustration and Concept Art

#9 in Europe

#16 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

6. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Illustration and Concept Art

#21 in Europe

#42 in the World

Founded: 1824

7. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Illustration and Concept Art

#28 in Europe

#56 in the World

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

8. Durham University

England | Durham

For Illustration and Concept Art

#30 in Europe

#58 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

9. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Illustration and Concept Art

#36 in Europe

#70 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

10. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Illustration and Concept Art

#37 in Europe

#73 in the World

Founded: 1948

11. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Illustration and Concept Art

#38 in Europe

#75 in the World

Founded: 1823

12. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Illustration and Concept Art

#39 in Europe

#77 in the World

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

13. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Illustration and Concept Art

#41 in Europe

#81 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

14. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Illustration and Concept Art

#42 in Europe

#83 in the World

Founded: 1451

15. University of York

For Illustration and Concept Art

#44 in Europe

#87 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

16. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Illustration and Concept Art

#45 in Europe

#89 in the World

Founded: 1900

17. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Illustration and Concept Art

#47 in Europe

#92 in the World

Founded: 1892

18. Imperial College London

England | London

For Illustration and Concept Art

#56 in Europe

#110 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

19. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Illustration and Concept Art

#59 in Europe

#114 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

20. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Illustration and Concept Art

#62 in Europe

#118 in the World

Founded: 1992

21. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Illustration and Concept Art

#64 in Europe

#122 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

22. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Illustration and Concept Art

#70 in Europe

#131 in the World

Founded: 1495

23. University of the Arts London

England | London

For Illustration and Concept Art

#71 in Europe

#132 in the World

Founded: 1986

24. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Illustration and Concept Art

#72 in Europe

#133 in the World

Founded: 1904

25. King's College London

England | London

For Illustration and Concept Art

#73 in Europe

#135 in the World

Founded: 1829

26. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Illustration and Concept Art

#78 in Europe

#151 in the World

Founded: 1904

27. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Illustration and Concept Art

#86 in Europe

#171 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

28. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Illustration and Concept Art

#90 in Europe

#179 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

29. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Illustration and Concept Art

#91 in Europe

#180 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

30. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Illustration and Concept Art

#96 in Europe

#191 in the World

Founded: 1965

31. University of Bath

For Illustration and Concept Art

#98 in Europe

#196 in the World

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

32. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Illustration and Concept Art

#103 in Europe

#206 in the World

Founded: 1849

33. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Illustration and Concept Art

#107 in Europe

#215 in the World

Founded: 1992

34. University of Westminster

England | London

For Illustration and Concept Art

#112 in Europe

#234 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

35. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Illustration and Concept Art

#113 in Europe

#238 in the World

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

36. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Illustration and Concept Art

#118 in Europe

#243 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

37. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Illustration and Concept Art

#121 in Europe

#249 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

38. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Illustration and Concept Art

#126 in Europe

#254 in the World

Founded: 1905

39. University of London

England | London

For Illustration and Concept Art

#128 in Europe

#257 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

The best cities to study Illustration and Concept Art in the United Kingdom based on the number of universities and their ranks are London, Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh.