100 Best universities for Literature in England

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in England ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 4.42M citations received by 217K academic papers made by 117 universities in England 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 Cambridge

For Literature

#1 in the United Kingdom

#1 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

2. University of Oxford

For Literature

#2 in the United Kingdom

#2 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. University College London

For Literature

#3 in the United Kingdom

#3 in Europe

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

4. University of Manchester

For Literature

#5 in the United Kingdom

#5 in Europe

Founded: 1824

5. University of Birmingham

For Literature

#6 in the United Kingdom

#6 in Europe

Founded: 1900

6. University of Leeds

For Literature

#7 in the United Kingdom

#7 in Europe

Founded: 1904

7. King's College London

For Literature

#8 in the United Kingdom

#8 in Europe

Founded: 1829

8. University of Bristol

For Literature

#9 in the United Kingdom

#13 in Europe

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

9. University of Warwick

For Literature

#10 in the United Kingdom

#14 in Europe

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

10. University of Nottingham

For Literature

#12 in the United Kingdom

#16 in Europe

Founded: 1948

11. University of Sheffield

For Literature

#13 in the United Kingdom

#17 in Europe

Founded: 1905

12. Durham University

For Literature

#14 in the United Kingdom

#19 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

13. Imperial College London

For Literature

#15 in the United Kingdom

#22 in Europe

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

14. University of Exeter

For Literature

#16 in the United Kingdom

#23 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

15. University of York

For Literature

#17 in the United Kingdom

#24 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

16. University of Southampton

For Literature

#18 in the United Kingdom

#26 in Europe

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

17. University of Sussex

For Literature

#19 in the United Kingdom

#27 in Europe

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

18. Lancaster University

For Literature

#20 in the United Kingdom

#28 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

19. University of London

For Literature

#21 in the United Kingdom

#30 in Europe

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

20. London School of Economics and Political Science

For Literature

#23 in the United Kingdom

#32 in Europe

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

21. University of Liverpool

For Literature

#24 in the United Kingdom

#33 in Europe

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

22. Queen Mary University of London

For Literature

#25 in the United Kingdom

#41 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

23. University of Leicester

For Literature

#26 in the United Kingdom

#42 in Europe

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

24. Newcastle University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Literature

#28 in the United Kingdom

#47 in Europe

Founded: 1963

25. University of Reading

For Literature

#29 in the United Kingdom

#51 in Europe

Founded: 1892

26. Loughborough University

For Literature

#30 in the United Kingdom

#60 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

27. University of Kent

For Literature

#31 in the United Kingdom

#62 in Europe

Founded: 1965

28. Royal Holloway, University of London

For Literature

#32 in the United Kingdom

#65 in Europe

Founded: 1849

29. University of East Anglia

For Literature

#33 in the United Kingdom

#66 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

30. Birkbeck, University of London

For Literature

#36 in the United Kingdom

#83 in Europe

Founded: 1823

31. University of Surrey

For Literature

#37 in the United Kingdom

#86 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

32. Goldsmiths, University of London

For Literature

#38 in the United Kingdom

#94 in Europe

Founded: 1904

33. Keele University

For Literature

#40 in the United Kingdom

#99 in Europe

Founded: 1962

34. University of Essex

For Literature

#41 in the United Kingdom

#103 in Europe

Founded: 1964

35. Nottingham Trent University

For Literature

#42 in the United Kingdom

#121 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

36. University of Plymouth

For Literature

#45 in the United Kingdom

#135 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

37. University of Bath

For Literature

#46 in the United Kingdom

#136 in Europe

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

38. Manchester Metropolitan University

For Literature

#49 in the United Kingdom

#148 in Europe

Founded: 1992

39. Brunel University London

For Literature

#50 in the United Kingdom

#152 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

40. City, University of London

For Literature

#51 in the United Kingdom

#157 in Europe

Founded: 1966

41. University of Hull

Kingston upon Hull

For Literature

#53 in the United Kingdom

#169 in Europe

Founded: 1954

42. SOAS, University of London

For Literature

#54 in the United Kingdom

#172 in Europe

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

43. University of Salford

For Literature

#55 in the United Kingdom

#174 in Europe

Founded: 1967

44. Northumbria University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Literature

#56 in the United Kingdom

#177 in Europe

Founded: 1992

45. University of Portsmouth

For Literature

#57 in the United Kingdom

#181 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

46. University of Roehampton

For Literature

#58 in the United Kingdom

#195 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

47. De Montfort University

For Literature

#59 in the United Kingdom

#199 in Europe

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

48. University of the West of England

For Literature

#60 in the United Kingdom

#201 in Europe

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

49. Sheffield Hallam University

For Literature

#61 in the United Kingdom

#202 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

50. Oxford Brookes University

For Literature

#62 in the United Kingdom

#205 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

51. Leeds Beckett University

For Literature

#65 in the United Kingdom

#224 in Europe

Founded: 1992

52. University of Brighton

For Literature

#66 in the United Kingdom

#226 in Europe

Founded: 1992

53. University of Hertfordshire

For Literature

#67 in the United Kingdom

#227 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

54. Bournemouth University

For Literature

#68 in the United Kingdom

#231 in Europe

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

55. University of Huddersfield

For Literature

#69 in the United Kingdom

#232 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

56. University of Westminster

For Literature

#70 in the United Kingdom

#234 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

57. University of Wolverhampton

For Literature

#71 in the United Kingdom

#240 in Europe

Founded: 1992

58. Coventry University

For Literature

#72 in the United Kingdom

#245 in Europe

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

59. University of Bradford

For Literature

#73 in the United Kingdom

#252 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

60. Liverpool John Moores University

For Literature

#74 in the United Kingdom

#258 in Europe

Founded: 1992

61. Aston University

For Literature

#75 in the United Kingdom

#271 in Europe

Founded: 1895

62. Middlesex University

For Literature

#76 in the United Kingdom

#273 in Europe

Founded: 1973

63. University of East London

For Literature

#77 in the United Kingdom

#292 in Europe

Founded: 1992

64. Cranfield University

For Literature

#78 in the United Kingdom

#296 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Enrollment: 4,825
Founded: 1993

65. University of Lincoln

For Literature

#79 in the United Kingdom

#300 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Enrollment: 19,710
Founded: 1992

66. Teesside University

For Literature

#80 in the United Kingdom

#308 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

67. Anglia Ruskin University

For Literature

#81 in the United Kingdom

#312 in Europe

Founded: 1858

68. University of Central Lancashire

For Literature

#82 in the United Kingdom

#320 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

69. Kingston University

Kingston upon Thames

For Literature

#84 in the United Kingdom

#338 in Europe

Founded: 1992

70. Canterbury Christ Church University

For Literature

#86 in the United Kingdom

#353 in Europe

Founded: 2005

71. Staffordshire University

For Literature

#87 in the United Kingdom

#358 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

72. Birmingham City University

For Literature

#88 in the United Kingdom

#361 in Europe

Founded: 1992

73. University of Greenwich

For Literature

#89 in the United Kingdom

#368 in Europe

Founded: 1890

74. London Metropolitan University

For Literature

#90 in the United Kingdom

#374 in Europe

Founded: 1848

75. Edge Hill University

For Literature

#92 in the United Kingdom

#378 in Europe

Founded: 2006

76. University of Winchester

For Literature

#93 in the United Kingdom

#382 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

77. University of Worcester

For Literature

#94 in the United Kingdom

#390 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Enrollment: 10,798
Founded: 2005

78. St George's, University of London

For Literature

#95 in the United Kingdom

#396 in Europe

Founded: 1733

79. University of Bedfordshire

For Literature

#96 in the United Kingdom

#397 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

80. University of Derby

For Literature

#97 in the United Kingdom

#398 in Europe

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

81. University of Sunderland

For Literature

#98 in the United Kingdom

#400 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

82. University of Northampton

For Literature

#101 in the United Kingdom

#407 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

83. University of Chester

For Literature

#102 in the United Kingdom

#414 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

84. London South Bank University

For Literature

#103 in the United Kingdom

#416 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

85. University of the Arts London

For Literature

#104 in the United Kingdom

#431 in Europe

Founded: 1986

86. Bath Spa University

For Literature

#105 in the United Kingdom

#436 in Europe

Enrollment: 6,863
Founded: 1975

87. Liverpool Hope University

For Literature

#106 in the United Kingdom

#459 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Founded: 2005

88. University of West London

For Literature

#108 in the United Kingdom

#466 in Europe

Founded: 1990

89. York St John University

For Literature

#109 in the United Kingdom

#475 in Europe

Founded: 1841

90. University of Gloucestershire

For Literature

#111 in the United Kingdom

#477 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 2001

91. Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

For Literature

#113 in the United Kingdom

#496 in Europe

Founded: 1932

92. University of Chichester

For Literature

#115 in the United Kingdom

#519 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

93. University of Bolton

For Literature

#116 in the United Kingdom

#527 in Europe

Founded: 2004

94. London Business School

For Literature

#117 in the United Kingdom

#554 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

95. Solent University

For Literature

#118 in the United Kingdom

#558 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Enrollment: 11,340
Founded: 2004

96. Royal College of Music

For Literature

#119 in the United Kingdom

#586 in Europe

Founded: 1882

97. Royal Academy of Music, University of London

For Literature

#120 in the United Kingdom

#618 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Founded: 1822

98. Heythrop College

For Literature

#121 in the United Kingdom

#634 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Founded: 1614

99. School of Advanced Study, University of London

For Literature

#122 in the United Kingdom

#646 in Europe

Founded: 1994

100. St Mary's University, Twickenham

For Literature

#124 in the United Kingdom

#682 in Europe

Founded: 1850

Closest to England states to learn Literature

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Wales	10	22
Scotland	18	4