89 Best universities for Physical chemistry in England

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in England ranked based on their research performance in Physical chemistry. A graph of 9.27M citations received by 241K academic papers made by 89 universities in England 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.

1. University of Cambridge

For Physical chemistry

#1 in the United Kingdom

#2 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

2. Imperial College London

For Physical chemistry

#2 in the United Kingdom

#3 in Europe

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

3. University of Oxford

For Physical chemistry

#3 in the United Kingdom

#6 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

4. University of Manchester

For Physical chemistry

#4 in the United Kingdom

#9 in Europe

Founded: 1824

5. University College London

For Physical chemistry

#5 in the United Kingdom

#18 in Europe

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

6. University of Leeds

For Physical chemistry

#6 in the United Kingdom

#23 in Europe

Founded: 1904

7. University of Southampton

For Physical chemistry

#7 in the United Kingdom

#28 in Europe

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

8. University of Bristol

For Physical chemistry

#8 in the United Kingdom

#31 in Europe

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

9. University of Nottingham

For Physical chemistry

#9 in the United Kingdom

#34 in Europe

Founded: 1948

10. University of Sheffield

For Physical chemistry

#10 in the United Kingdom

#42 in Europe

Founded: 1905

11. University of Birmingham

For Physical chemistry

#11 in the United Kingdom

#43 in Europe

Founded: 1900

12. University of Liverpool

For Physical chemistry

#12 in the United Kingdom

#47 in Europe

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

13. University of Bath

For Physical chemistry

#15 in the United Kingdom

#74 in Europe

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

14. University of Warwick

For Physical chemistry

#17 in the United Kingdom

#82 in Europe

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

15. Newcastle University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Physical chemistry

#18 in the United Kingdom

#83 in Europe

Founded: 1963

16. Loughborough University

For Physical chemistry

#20 in the United Kingdom

#100 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

17. Durham University

For Physical chemistry

#23 in the United Kingdom

#119 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

18. University of Surrey

For Physical chemistry

#24 in the United Kingdom

#133 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

19. University of York

For Physical chemistry

#25 in the United Kingdom

#149 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

20. Queen Mary University of London

For Physical chemistry

#26 in the United Kingdom

#172 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

21. University of Reading

For Physical chemistry

#27 in the United Kingdom

#175 in Europe

Founded: 1892

22. Cranfield University

For Physical chemistry

#28 in the United Kingdom

#176 in Europe

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

23. King's College London

For Physical chemistry

#29 in the United Kingdom

#181 in Europe

Founded: 1829

24. University of Sussex

For Physical chemistry

#30 in the United Kingdom

#190 in Europe

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

25. Brunel University London

For Physical chemistry

#31 in the United Kingdom

#210 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

26. University of East Anglia

For Physical chemistry

#33 in the United Kingdom

#223 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

27. University of Exeter

For Physical chemistry

#34 in the United Kingdom

#225 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

28. University of Leicester

For Physical chemistry

#35 in the United Kingdom

#226 in Europe

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

29. University of Hull

Kingston upon Hull

For Physical chemistry

#36 in the United Kingdom

#228 in Europe

Founded: 1954

30. University of London

For Physical chemistry

#39 in the United Kingdom

#247 in Europe

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

31. Lancaster University

For Physical chemistry

#41 in the United Kingdom

#270 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

32. Aston University

For Physical chemistry

#43 in the United Kingdom

#280 in Europe

Founded: 1895

33. University of Salford

For Physical chemistry

#45 in the United Kingdom

#304 in Europe

Founded: 1967

34. University of Bradford

For Physical chemistry

#46 in the United Kingdom

#307 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

35. Manchester Metropolitan University

For Physical chemistry

#48 in the United Kingdom

#313 in Europe

Founded: 1992

36. University of Kent

For Physical chemistry

#49 in the United Kingdom

#324 in Europe

Founded: 1965

37. University of the West of England

For Physical chemistry

#50 in the United Kingdom

#342 in Europe

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

38. Keele University

For Physical chemistry

#51 in the United Kingdom

#355 in Europe

Founded: 1962

39. University of Greenwich

For Physical chemistry

#52 in the United Kingdom

#360 in Europe

Founded: 1890

40. University of Essex

For Physical chemistry

#53 in the United Kingdom

#361 in Europe

Founded: 1964

41. University of Plymouth

For Physical chemistry

#54 in the United Kingdom

#377 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

42. London School of Economics and Political Science

For Physical chemistry

#55 in the United Kingdom

#379 in Europe

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

43. Nottingham Trent University

For Physical chemistry

#56 in the United Kingdom

#380 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

44. University of Hertfordshire

For Physical chemistry

#57 in the United Kingdom

#394 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

45. City, University of London

For Physical chemistry

#58 in the United Kingdom

#402 in Europe

Founded: 1966

46. University of Portsmouth

For Physical chemistry

#59 in the United Kingdom

#405 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

47. Sheffield Hallam University

For Physical chemistry

#60 in the United Kingdom

#406 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

48. Royal Holloway, University of London

For Physical chemistry

#61 in the United Kingdom

#408 in Europe

Founded: 1849

49. Coventry University

For Physical chemistry

#62 in the United Kingdom

#411 in Europe

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

50. Northumbria University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Physical chemistry

#63 in the United Kingdom

#421 in Europe

Founded: 1992

51. Birkbeck, University of London

For Physical chemistry

#64 in the United Kingdom

#426 in Europe

Founded: 1823

52. University of Brighton

For Physical chemistry

#65 in the United Kingdom

#429 in Europe

Founded: 1992

53. University of Huddersfield

For Physical chemistry

#66 in the United Kingdom

#439 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

54. Liverpool John Moores University

For Physical chemistry

#67 in the United Kingdom

#440 in Europe

Founded: 1992

55. De Montfort University

For Physical chemistry

#68 in the United Kingdom

#456 in Europe

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

56. University of Central Lancashire

For Physical chemistry

#70 in the United Kingdom

#511 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

57. University of Bolton

For Physical chemistry

#73 in the United Kingdom

#528 in Europe

Founded: 2004

58. Kingston University

Kingston upon Thames

For Physical chemistry

#77 in the United Kingdom

#579 in Europe

Founded: 1992

59. London South Bank University

For Physical chemistry

#78 in the United Kingdom

#581 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

60. Oxford Brookes University

For Physical chemistry

#79 in the United Kingdom

#582 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

61. Royal Agricultural University

For Physical chemistry

#80 in the United Kingdom

#588 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Enrollment: 1,100
Founded: 2013

62. Teesside University

For Physical chemistry

#81 in the United Kingdom

#593 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

63. University of Wolverhampton

For Physical chemistry

#82 in the United Kingdom

#594 in Europe

Founded: 1992

64. University of Lincoln

For Physical chemistry

#85 in the United Kingdom

#617 in Europe

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

65. Middlesex University

For Physical chemistry

#86 in the United Kingdom

#627 in Europe

Founded: 1973

66. St George's, University of London

For Physical chemistry

#87 in the United Kingdom

#628 in Europe

Founded: 1733

67. University of Sunderland

For Physical chemistry

#88 in the United Kingdom

#636 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

68. London Metropolitan University

For Physical chemistry

#89 in the United Kingdom

#667 in Europe

Founded: 1848

69. Staffordshire University

For Physical chemistry

#90 in the United Kingdom

#668 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

70. University of Westminster

For Physical chemistry

#91 in the United Kingdom

#669 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

71. University of Bedfordshire

For Physical chemistry

#92 in the United Kingdom

#671 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

72. Bournemouth University

For Physical chemistry

#94 in the United Kingdom

#713 in Europe

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

73. Goldsmiths, University of London

For Physical chemistry

#95 in the United Kingdom

#724 in Europe

Founded: 1904

74. University of Derby

For Physical chemistry

#96 in the United Kingdom

#735 in Europe

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

75. Leeds Beckett University

For Physical chemistry

#97 in the United Kingdom

#755 in Europe

Founded: 1992

76. Anglia Ruskin University

For Physical chemistry

#98 in the United Kingdom

#779 in Europe

Founded: 1858

77. University of East London

For Physical chemistry

#99 in the United Kingdom

#814 in Europe

Founded: 1992

78. University of Northampton

For Physical chemistry

#100 in the United Kingdom

#817 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

79. Royal Veterinary College University of London

For Physical chemistry

#101 in the United Kingdom

#819 in Europe

Founded: 1791

80. Birmingham City University

For Physical chemistry

#102 in the United Kingdom

#823 in Europe

Founded: 1992

81. Canterbury Christ Church University

For Physical chemistry

#103 in the United Kingdom

#850 in Europe

Founded: 2005

82. University of Chester

For Physical chemistry

#104 in the United Kingdom

#858 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

83. Edge Hill University

For Physical chemistry

#105 in the United Kingdom

#861 in Europe

Founded: 2006

84. University of West London

For Physical chemistry

#106 in the United Kingdom

#877 in Europe

Founded: 1990

85. Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

For Physical chemistry

#107 in the United Kingdom

#884 in Europe

Founded: 1932

86. London Business School

For Physical chemistry

#109 in the United Kingdom

#905 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

87. University of Cumbria

For Physical chemistry

#112 in the United Kingdom

#933 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Founded: 2007

88. University of Worcester

For Physical chemistry

#113 in the United Kingdom

#934 in Europe

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

89. University of Roehampton

For Physical chemistry

#115 in the United Kingdom

#994 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

Closest to England states to learn Physical chemistry

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Wales	9	21
Scotland	15	13

Chemistry subfields in England

Biochemical Engineering50

Biochemistry107

Chemical Engineering90

Computational Chemistry56

Environmental Chemistry75

Inorganic Chemistry68

Materials Science106

Nanotechnology83

Nutrition and Food Science87

Organic Chemistry105

Petrology and Geochemistry80

Polymer science and Plastics engineering43

Radiochemistry63