Best Universities for Literature in Europe

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Europe ranked based on their research performance in Literature. A graph of 9.3M citations received by 703K academic papers made by 1,036 universities in Europe 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

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#1 in the United Kingdom

#1 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University of Cambridge

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#2 in the United Kingdom

#2 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

3. University College London

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#3 in the United Kingdom

#7 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

4. University of Manchester

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#4 in the United Kingdom

#21 in the World

Founded: 1824

5. University of Edinburgh

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Literature

#5 in the United Kingdom

#24 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

6. King's College London

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#6 in the United Kingdom

#34 in the World

Founded: 1829

7. University of Birmingham

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#7 in the United Kingdom

#38 in the World

Founded: 1900

8. University of Leeds

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#8 in the United Kingdom

#40 in the World

Founded: 1904

9. University of Glasgow

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Literature

#9 in the United Kingdom

#43 in the World

Founded: 1451

10. University of Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Literature

#1 in the Netherlands

#45 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 41,000
Founded: 1632

11. Catholic University of Leuven

Belgium | Leuven

For Literature

#48 in the World

Enrollment: 62,693
Founded: 1425

12. University of Bristol

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#10 in the United Kingdom

#51 in the World

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

13. University of Warwick

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#11 in the United Kingdom

#52 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

14. University of Sheffield

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#12 in the United Kingdom

#56 in the World

Founded: 1905

15. University of Nottingham

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#13 in the United Kingdom

#59 in the World

Founded: 1948

16. Utrecht University

Netherlands | Utrecht

For Literature

#2 in the Netherlands

#60 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1636

17. Durham University

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#14 in the United Kingdom

#64 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

18. Pierre and Marie Curie University

France | Ile-de-France

For Literature

#1 in France

#68 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Enrollment: 35,114
Founded: 1150

19. Lund University

For Literature

#1 in Sweden

#70 in the World

Enrollment: 40,000
Founded: 1666

20. University of Exeter

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#15 in the United Kingdom

#72 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

21. University of Helsinki

Finland | Helsinki

For Literature

#76 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 31,312
Founded: 1640

22. Imperial College London

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#16 in the United Kingdom

#77 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

23. Lancaster University

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#17 in the United Kingdom

#80 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

24. University of Sussex

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#18 in the United Kingdom

#82 in the World

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

25. University of Southampton

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#19 in the United Kingdom

#86 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

26. University of Copenhagen

Denmark | Copenhagen

For Literature

#90 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 37%
Founded: 1479

27. Aarhus University

Denmark | Aarhus

For Literature

#91 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,020
Founded: 1928

28. University of Oslo

For Literature

#1 in Norway

#92 in the World

Enrollment: 26,650
Founded: 1811

29. London School of Economics and Political Science

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#20 in the United Kingdom

#93 in the World

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

30. University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#21 in the United Kingdom

#96 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

31. University of Liverpool

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#22 in the United Kingdom

#98 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

32. University of York

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#23 in the United Kingdom

#100 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

33. Queen Mary University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#24 in the United Kingdom

#109 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

34. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Literature

#1 in Switzerland

#112 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 8%
Enrollment: 23,420

35. Radboud University

Netherlands | Nijmegen

For Literature

#3 in the Netherlands

#119 in the World

Founded: 1923

36. University of Groningen

Netherlands | Groningen

For Literature

#4 in the Netherlands

#120 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 34,000
Founded: 1614

37. Newcastle University

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#25 in the United Kingdom

#123 in the World

Founded: 1963

38. University of St Andrews

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Literature

#26 in the United Kingdom

#124 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

39. Cardiff University

United Kingdom | Wales

For Literature

#27 in the United Kingdom

#128 in the World

Founded: 1997

40. Leiden University

Netherlands | Leiden

For Literature

#5 in the Netherlands

#129 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 27,713
Founded: 1575

41. University of Bologna

Italy | Emilia-Romagna

For Literature

#1 in Italy

#131 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Enrollment: 79,999
Founded: 1088

42. Uppsala University

Sweden | Uppsala

For Literature

#2 in Sweden

#132 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 35,556
Founded: 1477

43. Stockholm University

Sweden | Stockholm

For Literature

#3 in Sweden

#133 in the World

Enrollment: 37,484
Founded: 1878

44. University of Vienna

Austria | Vienna

For Literature

#134 in the World

Enrollment: 93,628
Founded: 1365

45. University of Liege

Belgium | Liege

For Literature

#135 in the World

Enrollment: 25,421
Founded: 1817

46. Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne

Switzerland | Lausanne

For Literature

#2 in Switzerland

#136 in the World

Enrollment: 12,576

47. Sapienza University of Rome

For Literature

#2 in Italy

#137 in the World

Enrollment: 100,155
Founded: 1303

48. Ghent University

Belgium | Ghent

For Literature

#141 in the World

Enrollment: 41,669
Founded: 1817

49. Complutense University of Madrid

For Literature

#1 in Spain

#144 in the World

Enrollment: 71,806
Founded: 1508

50. Heidelberg University - Germany

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Literature

#145 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Enrollment: 28,413
Male:Female: 45:55
Founded: 1386

51. University of Zurich

Switzerland | Zurich

For Literature

#3 in Switzerland

#147 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 19%
Enrollment: 25,732

52. University of Milan

Italy | Lombardy

For Literature

#3 in Italy

#152 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 65,234
Founded: 1924

53. University of Leicester

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#28 in the United Kingdom

#155 in the World

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

54. University of Reading

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#29 in the United Kingdom

#158 in the World

Founded: 1892

55. Loughborough University

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#30 in the United Kingdom

#166 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

56. Free University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Literature

#167 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 15%
Enrollment: 37,608
Founded: 1948

57. University of Padua

For Literature

#4 in Italy

#168 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 62,876
Founded: 1222

58. University of Barcelona

Spain | Barcelona

For Literature

#2 in Spain

#169 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 64,236
Male:Female: 86:14

59. University of Kent

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#31 in the United Kingdom

#170 in the World

Founded: 1965

60. University of Pisa

Italy | Tuscany

For Literature

#5 in Italy

#171 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 49,108
Founded: 1343

61. University of East Anglia

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#32 in the United Kingdom

#173 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

62. University of Gothenburg

Sweden | Gothenburg

For Literature

#4 in Sweden

#174 in the World

Enrollment: 36,003
Founded: 1891

63. Goethe University of Frankfurt am Main

Germany | Hesse

For Literature

#177 in the World

Enrollment: 43,461
Founded: 1914

64. University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Literature

#178 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Enrollment: 52,418
Founded: 1472

65. Royal Holloway, University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#33 in the United Kingdom

#183 in the World

Founded: 1849

66. Delft University of Technology

Netherlands | Delft

For Literature

#6 in the Netherlands

#185 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Enrollment: 24,703
Founded: 1842

67. University of Geneva

Switzerland | Geneva

For Literature

#4 in Switzerland

#188 in the World

Enrollment: 17,744

68. Technical University of Munich

Germany | Bavaria

For Literature

#189 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 46%
Enrollment: 44,000
Male:Female: 63:37
Founded: 1868

69. Free University Amsterdam

Netherlands | Amsterdam

For Literature

#7 in the Netherlands

#190 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Founded: 1880

70. University of Turin

Italy | Piedmont

For Literature

#6 in Italy

#191 in the World

Founded: 1404

71. Moscow State University

Russia | Moscow

For Literature

#1 in Russia

#192 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Founded: 1755

72. Autonomous University of Barcelona

Spain | Cerdanyola del Valles

For Literature

#3 in Spain

#195 in the World

Enrollment: 30,926

73. University of Warsaw

Poland | Warsaw

For Literature

#1 in Poland

#205 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Enrollment: 42,700
Founded: 1816

74. University of Cologne

Germany | North Rhine-Westphalia

For Literature

#207 in the World

Enrollment: 52,204
Male:Female: 39:61
Founded: 1388

75. University of Florence

Italy | Tuscany

For Literature

#7 in Italy

#208 in the World

Founded: 1321

76. Queen's University Belfast

United Kingdom | Northern Ireland

For Literature

#34 in the United Kingdom

#211 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

77. National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Greece | Athens

For Literature

#1 in Greece

#212 in the World

Enrollment: 70,461
Founded: 1837

78. Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Literature

#213 in the World

Enrollment: 20,430
Founded: 1592

79. University of Aberdeen

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Literature

#35 in the United Kingdom

#215 in the World

Founded: 1495

80. University of Hamburg

Germany | Hamburg State

For Literature

#217 in the World

Enrollment: 43,957
Founded: 1919

81. University of Tubingen

Germany | Baden-Wurttemberg

For Literature

#221 in the World

Enrollment: 27,770
Male:Female: 41:59
Founded: 1477

82. KTH Royal Institute of Technology

Sweden | Stockholm

For Literature

#5 in Sweden

#224 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 14,278
Founded: 1827

83. University College Dublin

Ireland | Dublin

For Literature

#227 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 42%
Enrollment: 33,321
Founded: 1854

84. University of Lisbon

Portugal | Lisbon

For Literature

#232 in the World

Enrollment: 49,769
Founded: 1911

85. University of Surrey

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#36 in the United Kingdom

#233 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

86. University of Wales

United Kingdom | Wales

For Literature

#37 in the United Kingdom

#237 in the World

Founded: 1893

87. Linkoping University

Sweden | Linkoping

For Literature

#6 in Sweden

#238 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 41%
Enrollment: 22,441
Founded: 1975

88. Birkbeck, University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#38 in the United Kingdom

#239 in the World

Founded: 1823

89. Keele University

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#39 in the United Kingdom

#241 in the World

Founded: 1962

90. Tilburg University

Netherlands | Tilburg

For Literature

#8 in the Netherlands

#242 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 57%
Enrollment: 17,378
Founded: 1927

91. Goldsmiths, University of London

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#40 in the United Kingdom

#243 in the World

Founded: 1904

92. Erasmus University Rotterdam

Netherlands | Rotterdam

For Literature

#9 in the Netherlands

#245 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Founded: 1913

93. Humboldt University of Berlin

Germany | Brandenburg

For Literature

#249 in the World

Enrollment: 36,378
Founded: 1809

94. University of Stirling

United Kingdom | Scotland

For Literature

#41 in the United Kingdom

#250 in the World

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

95. Aalborg University

Denmark | Aalborg

For Literature

#252 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 40%
Enrollment: 20,353
Founded: 1974

96. University of Granada

Spain | Granada

For Literature

#4 in Spain

#253 in the World

Founded: 1531

97. University of Bergen

Norway | Bergen

For Literature

#2 in Norway

#254 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1946

98. University of Essex

United Kingdom | England

For Literature

#42 in the United Kingdom

#256 in the World

Founded: 1964

99. Autonomous University of Madrid

For Literature

#5 in Spain

#258 in the World

Founded: 1968

100. University of Valencia

Spain | Valencia

For Literature

#6 in Spain

#260 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Enrollment: 58,390