100 Best universities for Literature 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 Literature. A graph of 5.25M citations received by 262K academic papers made by 147 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 Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Literature

#1 in Europe

#1 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

2. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For Literature

#2 in Europe

#2 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. University College London

England | London

For Literature

#3 in Europe

#10 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

4. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Literature

#4 in Europe

#20 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

5. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Literature

#5 in Europe

#22 in the World

Founded: 1824

6. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Literature

#6 in Europe

#33 in the World

Founded: 1900

7. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Literature

#7 in Europe

#37 in the World

Founded: 1904

8. King's College London

England | London

For Literature

#8 in Europe

#38 in the World

Founded: 1829

9. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Literature

#13 in Europe

#54 in the World

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

10. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Literature

#14 in Europe

#56 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

11. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Literature

#15 in Europe

#57 in the World

Founded: 1451

12. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Literature

#16 in Europe

#60 in the World

Founded: 1948

13. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Literature

#17 in Europe

#62 in the World

Founded: 1905

14. Durham University

England | Durham

For Literature

#19 in Europe

#71 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

15. Imperial College London

England | London

For Literature

#22 in Europe

#77 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

16. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Literature

#23 in Europe

#78 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

17. University of York

For Literature

#24 in Europe

#80 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

18. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Literature

#26 in Europe

#86 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

19. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Literature

#27 in Europe

#89 in the World

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

20. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Literature

#28 in Europe

#90 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

21. University of London

England | London

For Literature

#30 in Europe

#92 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

22. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Literature

#31 in Europe

#100 in the World

Founded: 1997

23. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Literature

#32 in Europe

#102 in the World

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

24. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Literature

#33 in Europe

#105 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

25. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Literature

#41 in Europe

#120 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

26. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Literature

#42 in Europe

#121 in the World

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

27. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Literature

#44 in Europe

#125 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

28. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Literature

#47 in Europe

#142 in the World

Founded: 1963

29. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Literature

#51 in Europe

#149 in the World

Founded: 1892

30. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Literature

#60 in Europe

#172 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

31. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Literature

#62 in Europe

#177 in the World

Founded: 1965

32. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Literature

#65 in Europe

#183 in the World

Founded: 1849

33. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Literature

#66 in Europe

#185 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

34. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Literature

#74 in Europe

#199 in the World

Founded: 1495

35. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Literature

#80 in Europe

#220 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

36. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#83 in Europe

#223 in the World

Founded: 1823

37. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Literature

#86 in Europe

#229 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

38. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#94 in Europe

#249 in the World

Founded: 1904

39. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Literature

#97 in Europe

#260 in the World

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

40. Keele University

England | Keele

For Literature

#99 in Europe

#263 in the World

Founded: 1962

41. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Literature

#103 in Europe

#274 in the World

Founded: 1964

42. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Literature

#121 in Europe

#311 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

43. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Literature

#122 in Europe

#312 in the World

Founded: 1967

44. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Literature

#127 in Europe

#317 in the World

Founded: 1893

45. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Literature

#135 in Europe

#330 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

46. University of Bath

For Literature

#136 in Europe

#332 in the World

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

47. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Literature

#138 in Europe

#337 in the World

Founded: 1920

48. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Literature

#144 in Europe

#347 in the World

Founded: 1964

49. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Literature

#148 in Europe

#355 in the World

Founded: 1992

50. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Literature

#152 in Europe

#375 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

51. City, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#157 in Europe

#383 in the World

Founded: 1966

52. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Literature

#168 in Europe

#408 in the World

Founded: 1968

53. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Literature

#169 in Europe

#411 in the World

Founded: 1954

54. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#172 in Europe

#416 in the World

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

55. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Literature

#174 in Europe

#419 in the World

Founded: 1967

56. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Literature

#177 in Europe

#424 in the World

Founded: 1992

57. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Literature

#181 in Europe

#435 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

58. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Literature

#195 in Europe

#469 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

59. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Literature

#199 in Europe

#476 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

60. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Literature

#201 in Europe

#480 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

61. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Literature

#202 in Europe

#485 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

62. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Literature

#205 in Europe

#493 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

63. Bangor University

For Literature

#213 in Europe

#509 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

64. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Literature

#214 in Europe

#511 in the World

Founded: 1872

65. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Literature

#224 in Europe

#535 in the World

Founded: 1992

66. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Literature

#226 in Europe

#538 in the World

Founded: 1992

67. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Literature

#227 in Europe

#539 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

68. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Literature

#231 in Europe

#547 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

69. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Literature

#232 in Europe

#549 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

70. University of Westminster

England | London

For Literature

#234 in Europe

#554 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

71. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Literature

#240 in Europe

#561 in the World

Founded: 1992

72. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Literature

#245 in Europe

#574 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

73. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Literature

#252 in Europe

#597 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

74. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Literature

#258 in Europe

#614 in the World

Founded: 1992

75. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Literature

#271 in Europe

#638 in the World

Founded: 1895

76. Middlesex University

England | London

For Literature

#273 in Europe

#643 in the World

Founded: 1973

77. University of East London

England | London

For Literature

#292 in Europe

#695 in the World

Founded: 1992

78. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Literature

#296 in Europe

#701 in the World

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

79. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Literature

#300 in Europe

#721 in the World

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

80. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Literature

#308 in Europe

#745 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

81. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Literature

#312 in Europe

#751 in the World

Founded: 1858

82. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Literature

#320 in Europe

#771 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

83. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Literature

#323 in Europe

#784 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

84. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Literature

#338 in Europe

#851 in the World

Founded: 1992

85. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Literature

#348 in Europe

#871 in the World

Founded: 1841

86. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Literature

#353 in Europe

#880 in the World

Founded: 2005

87. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Literature

#358 in Europe

#895 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

88. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Literature

#361 in Europe

#911 in the World

Founded: 1992

89. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Literature

#368 in Europe

#931 in the World

Founded: 1890

90. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Literature

#374 in Europe

#953 in the World

Founded: 1848

91. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Literature

#377 in Europe

#970 in the World

Founded: 1966

92. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Literature

#378 in Europe

#975 in the World

Founded: 2006

93. University of Winchester

England | Winchester

For Literature

#382 in Europe

#985 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

94. University of Worcester

England | Worcester

For Literature

#390 in Europe

#1023 in the World

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

95. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#396 in Europe

#1040 in the World

Founded: 1733

96. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Literature

#397 in Europe

#1041 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

97. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Literature

#398 in Europe

#1042 in the World

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

98. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Literature

#400 in Europe

#1053 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

99. University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Wales | Carmarthen

For Literature

#401 in Europe

#1054 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2010

100. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Literature

#404 in Europe

#1061 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

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