100 Best universities for Engineering 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 Engineering. A graph of 98.2M citations received by 2.85M academic papers made by 150 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.

1. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Engineering

#1 in Europe

#9 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

2. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For Engineering

#2 in Europe

#17 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. Imperial College London

England | London

For Engineering

#3 in Europe

#20 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

4. University College London

England | London

For Engineering

#5 in Europe

#33 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

5. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Engineering

#8 in Europe

#47 in the World

Founded: 1824

6. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Engineering

#14 in Europe

#101 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

7. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Engineering

#18 in Europe

#112 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

8. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Engineering

#19 in Europe

#115 in the World

Founded: 1905

9. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Engineering

#22 in Europe

#122 in the World

Founded: 1948

10. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Engineering

#23 in Europe

#125 in the World

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

11. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Engineering

#24 in Europe

#127 in the World

Founded: 1904

12. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Engineering

#31 in Europe

#139 in the World

Founded: 1900

13. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Engineering

#41 in Europe

#165 in the World

Founded: 1451

14. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Engineering

#50 in Europe

#180 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

15. King's College London

England | London

For Engineering

#62 in Europe

#219 in the World

Founded: 1829

16. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Engineering

#70 in Europe

#245 in the World

Founded: 1963

17. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Engineering

#71 in Europe

#246 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

18. Durham University

England | Durham

For Engineering

#74 in Europe

#253 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

19. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Engineering

#88 in Europe

#278 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

20. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Engineering

#90 in Europe

#281 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

21. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Engineering

#93 in Europe

#286 in the World

Founded: 1964

22. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Engineering

#97 in Europe

#300 in the World

Founded: 1997

23. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Engineering

#101 in Europe

#310 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

24. University of Bath

England | Bath

For Engineering

#103 in Europe

#315 in the World

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

25. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Engineering

#108 in Europe

#328 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

26. University of York

England | York

For Engineering

#112 in Europe

#334 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

27. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Engineering

#121 in Europe

#356 in the World

Founded: 1892

28. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Engineering

#123 in Europe

#361 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

29. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Engineering

#131 in Europe

#379 in the World

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

30. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Engineering

#137 in Europe

#388 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

31. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Engineering

#148 in Europe

#407 in the World

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

32. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Engineering

#149 in Europe

#409 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

33. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Engineering

#153 in Europe

#419 in the World

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

34. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Engineering

#168 in Europe

#446 in the World

Founded: 1495

35. University of London

England | London

For Engineering

#171 in Europe

#455 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

36. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Engineering

#178 in Europe

#481 in the World

Founded: 1920

37. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Engineering

#183 in Europe

#489 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

38. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Engineering

#187 in Europe

#497 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

39. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Engineering

#194 in Europe

#529 in the World

Founded: 1966

40. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Engineering

#198 in Europe

#540 in the World

Founded: 1893

41. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Engineering

#199 in Europe

#541 in the World

Founded: 1967

42. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Engineering

#217 in Europe

#590 in the World

Founded: 1968

43. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Engineering

#232 in Europe

#641 in the World

Founded: 1895

44. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Engineering

#233 in Europe

#651 in the World

Founded: 1964

45. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Engineering

#236 in Europe

#659 in the World

Founded: 1965

46. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Engineering

#238 in Europe

#662 in the World

Founded: 1954

47. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Engineering

#242 in Europe

#674 in the World

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

48. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Engineering

#249 in Europe

#696 in the World

Founded: 1967

49. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Engineering

#259 in Europe

#725 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

50. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Engineering

#271 in Europe

#776 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

51. City, University of London

England | London

For Engineering

#272 in Europe

#777 in the World

Founded: 1966

52. Bangor University

Wales | Bangor

For Engineering

#282 in Europe

#805 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

53. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Engineering

#309 in Europe

#875 in the World

Founded: 1849

54. Keele University

England | Keele

For Engineering

#311 in Europe

#878 in the World

Founded: 1962

55. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Engineering

#317 in Europe

#893 in the World

Founded: 1992

56. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Engineering

#320 in Europe

#908 in the World

Founded: 1992

57. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Engineering

#325 in Europe

#927 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

58. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Engineering

#331 in Europe

#947 in the World

Founded: 1992

59. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Engineering

#364 in Europe

#1031 in the World

Founded: 1823

60. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Engineering

#371 in Europe

#1048 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

61. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Engineering

#372 in Europe

#1056 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

62. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Engineering

#378 in Europe

#1069 in the World

Founded: 1733

63. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For Engineering

#379 in Europe

#1070 in the World

Founded: 1872

64. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Engineering

#392 in Europe

#1116 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

65. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Engineering

#394 in Europe

#1122 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

66. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Engineering

#400 in Europe

#1144 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

67. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Engineering

#403 in Europe

#1156 in the World

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

68. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Engineering

#415 in Europe

#1202 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

69. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Engineering

#425 in Europe

#1243 in the World

Founded: 1890

70. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Engineering

#426 in Europe

#1245 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

71. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Engineering

#443 in Europe

#1308 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

72. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Engineering

#445 in Europe

#1314 in the World

Founded: 1992

73. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Engineering

#461 in Europe

#1362 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

74. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Engineering

#464 in Europe

#1375 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

75. London South Bank University

England | London

For Engineering

#470 in Europe

#1411 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

76. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Engineering

#479 in Europe

#1451 in the World

Founded: 1841

77. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Engineering

#487 in Europe

#1495 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

78. Middlesex University

England | London

For Engineering

#489 in Europe

#1497 in the World

Founded: 1973

79. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Engineering

#500 in Europe

#1537 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

80. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Engineering

#510 in Europe

#1574 in the World

Founded: 1992

81. University of Westminster

England | London

For Engineering

#515 in Europe

#1604 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

82. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Engineering

#520 in Europe

#1626 in the World

Founded: 1992

83. Royal Veterinary College University of London

England | London

For Engineering

#534 in Europe

#1685 in the World

Founded: 1791

84. Robert Gordon University

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Engineering

#550 in Europe

#1767 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

85. London Business School

England | London

For Engineering

#551 in Europe

#1768 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

86. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Engineering

#566 in Europe

#1827 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

87. University of the West of Scotland

Scotland | Paisley

For Engineering

#577 in Europe

#1870 in the World

Enrollment: 15,555
Founded: 1897

88. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Engineering

#578 in Europe

#1871 in the World

Founded: 1904

89. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Engineering

#579 in Europe

#1873 in the World

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

90. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Engineering

#599 in Europe

#1961 in the World

Founded: 1992

91. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For Engineering

#600 in Europe

#1971 in the World

Founded: 1848

92. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Engineering

#601 in Europe

#1975 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

93. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Engineering

#602 in Europe

#1976 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

94. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Engineering

#625 in Europe

#2064 in the World

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

95. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Engineering

#654 in Europe

#2251 in the World

Founded: 1858

96. University of East London

England | London

For Engineering

#659 in Europe

#2285 in the World

Founded: 1992

97. University of Bolton

England | Bolton

For Engineering

#669 in Europe

#2324 in the World

Founded: 2004

98. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Engineering

#674 in Europe

#2359 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

99. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For Engineering

#705 in Europe

#2547 in the World

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

100. Royal Agricultural University

England | Cirencester

For Engineering

#706 in Europe

#2549 in the World

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

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