100 Best universities for Literature in the United Kingdom

Updated: March 02, 2025

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 4.92M citations received by 255K 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

#21 in the World

Founded: 1824

6. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Literature

#6 in Europe

#34 in the World

Founded: 1900

7. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Literature

#7 in Europe

#36 in the World

Founded: 1904

8. King's College London

England | London

For Literature

#9 in Europe

#39 in the World

Founded: 1829

9. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Literature

#11 in Europe

#52 in the World

Founded: 1451

10. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Literature

#12 in Europe

#54 in the World

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

11. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Literature

#13 in Europe

#55 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

12. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Literature

#14 in Europe

#59 in the World

Founded: 1948

13. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Literature

#15 in Europe

#60 in the World

Founded: 1905

14. Durham University

England | Durham

For Literature

#17 in Europe

#67 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

15. Imperial College London

England | London

For Literature

#20 in Europe

#75 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

16. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Literature

#21 in Europe

#77 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

17. University of York

For Literature

#22 in Europe

#78 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

18. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Literature

#24 in Europe

#83 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. University of London

England | London

For Literature

#28 in Europe

#90 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

21. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Literature

#29 in Europe

#91 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

22. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Literature

#31 in Europe

#101 in the World

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

23. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Literature

#32 in Europe

#104 in the World

Founded: 1997

24. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Literature

#33 in Europe

#105 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

25. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Literature

#41 in Europe

#120 in the World

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

26. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Literature

#42 in Europe

#121 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

27. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Literature

#44 in Europe

#127 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

#173 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

31. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Literature

#61 in Europe

#174 in the World

Founded: 1965

32. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Literature

#66 in Europe

#183 in the World

Founded: 1849

33. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Literature

#67 in Europe

#184 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

34. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Literature

#70 in Europe

#195 in the World

Founded: 1495

35. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#79 in Europe

#216 in the World

Founded: 1823

36. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Literature

#81 in Europe

#219 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

37. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Literature

#86 in Europe

#228 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

38. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#96 in Europe

#255 in the World

Founded: 1904

39. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Literature

#97 in Europe

#256 in the World

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

40. Keele University

England | Keele

For Literature

#98 in Europe

#260 in the World

Founded: 1962

41. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Literature

#104 in Europe

#273 in the World

Founded: 1964

42. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Literature

#114 in Europe

#301 in the World

Founded: 1893

43. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Literature

#121 in Europe

#311 in the World

Founded: 1967

44. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Literature

#126 in Europe

#317 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

45. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Literature

#132 in Europe

#329 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

46. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Literature

#134 in Europe

#332 in the World

Founded: 1920

47. University of Bath

For Literature

#138 in Europe

#339 in the World

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

48. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Literature

#139 in Europe

#342 in the World

Founded: 1964

49. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Literature

#148 in Europe

#362 in the World

Founded: 1992

50. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Literature

#151 in Europe

#372 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

51. City, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#155 in Europe

#377 in the World

Founded: 1966

52. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Literature

#164 in Europe

#399 in the World

Founded: 1968

53. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Literature

#170 in Europe

#407 in the World

Founded: 1954

54. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Literature

#174 in Europe

#416 in the World

Founded: 1967

55. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#177 in Europe

#420 in the World

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

56. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Literature

#185 in Europe

#445 in the World

Founded: 1992

57. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Literature

#191 in Europe

#460 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

58. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Literature

#192 in Europe

#461 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

59. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Literature

#200 in Europe

#473 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

60. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Literature

#201 in Europe

#475 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

61. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Literature

#202 in Europe

#487 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

62. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Literature

#204 in Europe

#491 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

63. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Literature

#212 in Europe

#503 in the World

Founded: 1872

64. Bangor University

For Literature

#214 in Europe

#508 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

65. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Literature

#225 in Europe

#534 in the World

Founded: 1992

66. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Literature

#226 in Europe

#536 in the World

Founded: 1992

67. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Literature

#228 in Europe

#540 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

68. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Literature

#232 in Europe

#546 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

69. University of Westminster

England | London

For Literature

#235 in Europe

#554 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

70. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Literature

#239 in Europe

#561 in the World

Founded: 1992

71. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Literature

#240 in Europe

#564 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

72. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Literature

#248 in Europe

#584 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

73. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Literature

#251 in Europe

#589 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

74. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Literature

#257 in Europe

#613 in the World

Founded: 1992

75. Middlesex University

England | London

For Literature

#266 in Europe

#630 in the World

Founded: 1973

76. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Literature

#273 in Europe

#643 in the World

Founded: 1895

77. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Literature

#294 in Europe

#708 in the World

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

78. University of East London

England | London

For Literature

#295 in Europe

#710 in the World

Founded: 1992

79. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Literature

#303 in Europe

#724 in the World

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

80. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Literature

#305 in Europe

#728 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

81. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Literature

#318 in Europe

#768 in the World

Founded: 1858

82. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Literature

#322 in Europe

#782 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

83. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Literature

#330 in Europe

#802 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

84. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Literature

#334 in Europe

#841 in the World

Founded: 1992

85. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Literature

#350 in Europe

#873 in the World

Founded: 1841

86. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Literature

#351 in Europe

#874 in the World

Founded: 2005

87. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Literature

#359 in Europe

#902 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

88. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Literature

#367 in Europe

#928 in the World

Founded: 1848

89. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Literature

#368 in Europe

#929 in the World

Founded: 1890

90. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Literature

#372 in Europe

#942 in the World

Founded: 1992

91. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Literature

#376 in Europe

#956 in the World

Founded: 1966

92. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Literature

#381 in Europe

#973 in the World

Founded: 2006

93. University of Winchester

England | Winchester

For Literature

#385 in Europe

#998 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

94. University of Worcester

England | Worcester

For Literature

#390 in Europe

#1014 in the World

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

95. University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Wales | Carmarthen

For Literature

#392 in Europe

#1025 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2010

96. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Literature

#394 in Europe

#1033 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

97. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Literature

#395 in Europe

#1036 in the World

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

98. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Literature

#401 in Europe

#1053 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

99. University of Northampton

England | Northampton

For Literature

#406 in Europe

#1068 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

100. University of Chester

England | Chester

For Literature

#411 in Europe

#1080 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

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.