100 Best universities for Literature in the United Kingdom

Updated: February 29, 2024

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 3.31M citations received by 224K 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 Oxford

England | Oxford

For Literature

#1 in Europe

#1 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Literature

#2 in Europe

#2 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

3. University College London

England | London

For Literature

#3 in Europe

#7 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

4. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Literature

#4 in Europe

#21 in the World

Founded: 1824

5. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Literature

#5 in Europe

#24 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

6. King's College London

England | London

For Literature

#6 in Europe

#34 in the World

Founded: 1829

7. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Literature

#7 in Europe

#38 in the World

Founded: 1900

8. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Literature

#8 in Europe

#40 in the World

Founded: 1904

9. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Literature

#9 in Europe

#43 in the World

Founded: 1451

10. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Literature

#12 in Europe

#51 in the World

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

11. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Literature

#13 in Europe

#52 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

12. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Literature

#14 in Europe

#56 in the World

Founded: 1905

13. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Literature

#15 in Europe

#59 in the World

Founded: 1948

14. Durham University

England | Durham

For Literature

#17 in Europe

#64 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

15. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Literature

#20 in Europe

#72 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

16. Imperial College London

England | London

For Literature

#22 in Europe

#77 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

17. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Literature

#23 in Europe

#80 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

18. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Literature

#24 in Europe

#82 in the World

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

19. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Literature

#25 in Europe

#86 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

20. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Literature

#29 in Europe

#93 in the World

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

21. University of London

England | London

For Literature

#30 in Europe

#96 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

22. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Literature

#31 in Europe

#98 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

23. University of York

For Literature

#32 in Europe

#100 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

24. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Literature

#33 in Europe

#109 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

25. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Literature

#37 in Europe

#123 in the World

Founded: 1963

26. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Literature

#38 in Europe

#124 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

27. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Literature

#39 in Europe

#128 in the World

Founded: 1997

28. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Literature

#53 in Europe

#155 in the World

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

29. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Literature

#54 in Europe

#158 in the World

Founded: 1892

30. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Literature

#55 in Europe

#166 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

31. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Literature

#59 in Europe

#170 in the World

Founded: 1965

32. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Literature

#61 in Europe

#173 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

33. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Literature

#65 in Europe

#183 in the World

Founded: 1849

34. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Literature

#76 in Europe

#211 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

35. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Literature

#79 in Europe

#215 in the World

Founded: 1495

36. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Literature

#85 in Europe

#233 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

37. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Literature

#86 in Europe

#237 in the World

Founded: 1893

38. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#88 in Europe

#239 in the World

Founded: 1823

39. Keele University

England | Keele

For Literature

#89 in Europe

#241 in the World

Founded: 1962

40. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#91 in Europe

#243 in the World

Founded: 1904

41. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Literature

#94 in Europe

#250 in the World

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

42. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Literature

#98 in Europe

#256 in the World

Founded: 1964

43. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Literature

#111 in Europe

#288 in the World

Founded: 1967

44. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Literature

#114 in Europe

#297 in the World

Founded: 1964

45. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Literature

#119 in Europe

#308 in the World

Founded: 1920

46. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Literature

#121 in Europe

#313 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

47. University of Bath

For Literature

#123 in Europe

#316 in the World

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

48. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Literature

#124 in Europe

#318 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

49. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Literature

#139 in Europe

#345 in the World

Founded: 1992

50. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Literature

#141 in Europe

#350 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

51. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Literature

#143 in Europe

#352 in the World

Founded: 1968

52. City, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#158 in Europe

#384 in the World

Founded: 1966

53. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Literature

#159 in Europe

#389 in the World

Founded: 1954

54. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Literature

#163 in Europe

#395 in the World

Founded: 1967

55. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For Literature

#166 in Europe

#402 in the World

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

56. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Literature

#167 in Europe

#407 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

57. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Literature

#168 in Europe

#408 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

58. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Literature

#174 in Europe

#419 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

59. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Literature

#183 in Europe

#436 in the World

Founded: 1992

60. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Literature

#187 in Europe

#449 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

61. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Literature

#196 in Europe

#473 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

62. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Literature

#199 in Europe

#477 in the World

Founded: 1992

63. Bangor University

For Literature

#206 in Europe

#492 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

64. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Literature

#209 in Europe

#498 in the World

Founded: 1872

65. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Literature

#214 in Europe

#508 in the World

Founded: 1992

66. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Literature

#216 in Europe

#510 in the World

Founded: 1992

67. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Literature

#221 in Europe

#526 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

68. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Literature

#225 in Europe

#535 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

69. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Literature

#229 in Europe

#544 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

70. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Literature

#235 in Europe

#557 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

71. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Literature

#245 in Europe

#579 in the World

Founded: 1992

72. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Literature

#249 in Europe

#587 in the World

Founded: 1992

73. University of Westminster

England | London

For Literature

#250 in Europe

#591 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

74. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Literature

#252 in Europe

#593 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

75. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Literature

#256 in Europe

#610 in the World

Founded: 1895

76. Middlesex University

England | London

For Literature

#257 in Europe

#611 in the World

Founded: 1973

77. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Literature

#280 in Europe

#656 in the World

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

78. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Literature

#290 in Europe

#672 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

79. University of East London

England | London

For Literature

#291 in Europe

#673 in the World

Founded: 1992

80. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Literature

#304 in Europe

#713 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1992

81. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Literature

#317 in Europe

#754 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

82. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Literature

#319 in Europe

#759 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

83. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Literature

#320 in Europe

#760 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

84. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Literature

#321 in Europe

#768 in the World

Founded: 1858

85. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Literature

#334 in Europe

#815 in the World

Founded: 2005

86. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Literature

#340 in Europe

#832 in the World

Founded: 1841

87. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Literature

#343 in Europe

#837 in the World

Founded: 1890

88. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Literature

#345 in Europe

#842 in the World

Founded: 1992

89. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Literature

#351 in Europe

#869 in the World

Founded: 1848

90. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Literature

#357 in Europe

#900 in the World

Founded: 1966

91. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Literature

#364 in Europe

#911 in the World

Founded: 2006

92. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Literature

#371 in Europe

#942 in the World

Founded: 1992

93. London South Bank University

England | London

For Literature

#372 in Europe

#953 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

94. University of Winchester

England | Winchester

For Literature

#379 in Europe

#977 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

95. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Literature

#385 in Europe

#988 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

96. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Literature

#390 in Europe

#997 in the World

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

97. University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Wales | Carmarthen

For Literature

#396 in Europe

#1007 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2010

98. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Literature

#397 in Europe

#1009 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

99. University of Chester

England | Chester

For Literature

#398 in Europe

#1022 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

100. University of Worcester

England | Worcester

For Literature

#408 in Europe

#1041 in the World

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

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