91 Best Acting (Performing arts/Drama theatre) schools 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 Performing arts. A graph of 267K citations received by 15.7K academic papers made by 91 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 Performing arts

#1 in Europe

#4 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University College London

England | London

For Performing arts

#2 in Europe

#9 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

3. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Performing arts

#3 in Europe

#10 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

4. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Performing arts

#4 in Europe

#17 in the World

Founded: 1824

5. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Performing arts

#5 in Europe

#21 in the World

Founded: 1904

6. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Performing arts

#6 in Europe

#26 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

7. King's College London

England | London

For Performing arts

#7 in Europe

#33 in the World

Founded: 1829

8. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Performing arts

#8 in Europe

#34 in the World

Founded: 1451

9. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Performing arts

#9 in Europe

#35 in the World

Founded: 1905

10. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Performing arts

#11 in Europe

#38 in the World

Founded: 1892

11. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Performing arts

#12 in Europe

#39 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

12. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Performing arts

#14 in Europe

#47 in the World

Founded: 1948

13. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Performing arts

#15 in Europe

#48 in the World

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

14. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Performing arts

#16 in Europe

#49 in the World

Founded: 1900

15. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Performing arts

#17 in Europe

#50 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

16. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Performing arts

#24 in Europe

#66 in the World

Founded: 1849

17. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Performing arts

#25 in Europe

#67 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

18. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Performing arts

#26 in Europe

#68 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

19. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Performing arts

#29 in Europe

#72 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

20. Durham University

England | Durham

For Performing arts

#30 in Europe

#73 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

21. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Performing arts

#32 in Europe

#77 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

22. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Performing arts

#34 in Europe

#84 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

23. University of London

England | London

For Performing arts

#37 in Europe

#93 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

24. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Performing arts

#38 in Europe

#94 in the World

Founded: 1963

25. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Performing arts

#41 in Europe

#105 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

26. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Performing arts

#44 in Europe

#108 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

27. University of York

For Performing arts

#45 in Europe

#109 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

28. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Performing arts

#46 in Europe

#112 in the World

Founded: 1997

29. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Performing arts

#54 in Europe

#124 in the World

Founded: 1992

30. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Performing arts

#57 in Europe

#127 in the World

Founded: 1965

31. Imperial College London

England | London

For Performing arts

#60 in Europe

#132 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

32. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Performing arts

#63 in Europe

#140 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

33. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Performing arts

#64 in Europe

#142 in the World

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

34. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Performing arts

#66 in Europe

#146 in the World

Founded: 1904

35. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Performing arts

#68 in Europe

#152 in the World

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

36. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Performing arts

#77 in Europe

#183 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

37. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Performing arts

#78 in Europe

#184 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

38. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Performing arts

#80 in Europe

#186 in the World

Founded: 1893

39. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Performing arts

#82 in Europe

#191 in the World

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

40. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Performing arts

#87 in Europe

#207 in the World

Founded: 1920

41. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Performing arts

#91 in Europe

#216 in the World

Founded: 1954

42. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Performing arts

#92 in Europe

#218 in the World

Founded: 1992

43. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Performing arts

#93 in Europe

#219 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

44. Keele University

England | Keele

For Performing arts

#94 in Europe

#224 in the World

Founded: 1962

45. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Performing arts

#96 in Europe

#231 in the World

Founded: 1992

46. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Performing arts

#98 in Europe

#237 in the World

Founded: 1495

47. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Performing arts

#105 in Europe

#253 in the World

Founded: 1823

48. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Performing arts

#106 in Europe

#255 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

49. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Performing arts

#110 in Europe

#264 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

50. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Performing arts

#115 in Europe

#282 in the World

Founded: 1967

51. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Performing arts

#116 in Europe

#283 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

52. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Performing arts

#120 in Europe

#291 in the World

Founded: 1967

53. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Performing arts

#123 in Europe

#297 in the World

Founded: 1872

54. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Performing arts

#124 in Europe

#298 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

55. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Performing arts

#127 in Europe

#301 in the World

Founded: 1968

56. Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

England | London

For Performing arts

#131 in Europe

#311 in the World

Founded: 1932

57. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Performing arts

#142 in Europe

#331 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

58. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Performing arts

#146 in Europe

#340 in the World

Founded: 1964

59. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Performing arts

#147 in Europe

#346 in the World

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

60. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Performing arts

#151 in Europe

#351 in the World

Founded: 1964

61. University of Winchester

England | Winchester

For Performing arts

#154 in Europe

#355 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

62. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Performing arts

#157 in Europe

#363 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

63. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Performing arts

#158 in Europe

#365 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

64. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Performing arts

#160 in Europe

#372 in the World

Founded: 1992

65. City, University of London

England | London

For Performing arts

#162 in Europe

#376 in the World

Founded: 1966

66. University of Bath

For Performing arts

#165 in Europe

#381 in the World

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

67. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Performing arts

#172 in Europe

#398 in the World

Founded: 1858

68. Bangor University

For Performing arts

#192 in Europe

#431 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

69. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Performing arts

#198 in Europe

#443 in the World

Founded: 2006

70. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Performing arts

#202 in Europe

#451 in the World

Founded: 1992

71. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Performing arts

#212 in Europe

#472 in the World

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

72. Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

England | London

For Performing arts

#219 in Europe

#496 in the World

Enrollment: 1,000
Founded: 1906

73. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Performing arts

#220 in Europe

#497 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

74. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Performing arts

#232 in Europe

#528 in the World

Founded: 1992

75. Middlesex University

England | London

For Performing arts

#238 in Europe

#537 in the World

Founded: 1973

76. University of the Arts London

England | London

For Performing arts

#244 in Europe

#546 in the World

Founded: 1986

77. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Performing arts

#246 in Europe

#550 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

78. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Performing arts

#247 in Europe

#551 in the World

Founded: 1992

79. London South Bank University

England | London

For Performing arts

#253 in Europe

#561 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

80. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Performing arts

#257 in Europe

#566 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

81. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Performing arts

#261 in Europe

#580 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

82. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Performing arts

#267 in Europe

#590 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

83. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Performing arts

#268 in Europe

#598 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

84. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Performing arts

#274 in Europe

#616 in the World

Founded: 2005

85. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Performing arts

#275 in Europe

#619 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

86. University of Westminster

England | London

For Performing arts

#278 in Europe

#625 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

87. University of East London

England | London

For Performing arts

#283 in Europe

#633 in the World

Founded: 1992

88. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Performing arts

#284 in Europe

#639 in the World

Founded: 1992

89. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Performing arts

#296 in Europe

#668 in the World

Founded: 1841

90. Cardiff Metropolitan University

Wales | Cardiff

For Performing arts

#300 in Europe

#678 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Founded: 2011

91. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Performing arts

#304 in Europe

#691 in the World

Founded: 1848

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