100 Best universities for History 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 History. A graph of 21.1M citations received by 1.03M academic papers made by 149 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 Oxford

England | Oxford

For History

#1 in Europe

#3 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University College London

England | London

For History

#2 in Europe

#6 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

3. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For History

#3 in Europe

#7 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

4. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For History

#4 in Europe

#29 in the World

Founded: 1824

5. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For History

#5 in Europe

#30 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

6. King's College London

England | London

For History

#7 in Europe

#48 in the World

Founded: 1829

7. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For History

#8 in Europe

#50 in the World

Founded: 1904

8. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For History

#9 in Europe

#54 in the World

Founded: 1900

9. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For History

#10 in Europe

#56 in the World

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

10. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For History

#11 in Europe

#58 in the World

Founded: 1948

11. Imperial College London

England | London

For History

#12 in Europe

#61 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

12. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For History

#13 in Europe

#62 in the World

Founded: 1905

13. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For History

#16 in Europe

#70 in the World

Founded: 1451

14. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For History

#18 in Europe

#75 in the World

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

15. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For History

#21 in Europe

#85 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

16. Durham University

England | Durham

For History

#22 in Europe

#86 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

17. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For History

#24 in Europe

#88 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

18. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For History

#25 in Europe

#92 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

19. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For History

#26 in Europe

#93 in the World

Founded: 1963

20. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For History

#31 in Europe

#104 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

21. University of London

England | London

For History

#33 in Europe

#107 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

22. University of Reading

England | Reading

For History

#35 in Europe

#113 in the World

Founded: 1892

23. University of York

England | York

For History

#37 in Europe

#119 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

24. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For History

#39 in Europe

#126 in the World

Founded: 1997

25. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For History

#41 in Europe

#129 in the World

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

26. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For History

#44 in Europe

#132 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

27. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For History

#51 in Europe

#151 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

28. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For History

#52 in Europe

#153 in the World

Founded: 1495

29. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For History

#63 in Europe

#181 in the World

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

30. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For History

#65 in Europe

#185 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

31. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For History

#66 in Europe

#187 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

32. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For History

#74 in Europe

#210 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

33. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For History

#79 in Europe

#227 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

34. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For History

#80 in Europe

#228 in the World

Founded: 1965

35. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For History

#81 in Europe

#229 in the World

Founded: 1893

36. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For History

#85 in Europe

#241 in the World

Founded: 1849

37. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For History

#88 in Europe

#250 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

38. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For History

#98 in Europe

#269 in the World

Founded: 1964

39. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For History

#99 in Europe

#274 in the World

Founded: 1968

40. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For History

#106 in Europe

#287 in the World

Founded: 1964

41. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For History

#117 in Europe

#321 in the World

Founded: 1920

42. University of Bath

England | Bath

For History

#124 in Europe

#337 in the World

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

43. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For History

#126 in Europe

#342 in the World

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

44. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For History

#131 in Europe

#352 in the World

Founded: 1823

45. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For History

#134 in Europe

#363 in the World

Founded: 1967

46. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For History

#146 in Europe

#384 in the World

Founded: 1954

47. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For History

#155 in Europe

#405 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

48. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For History

#160 in Europe

#420 in the World

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

49. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For History

#163 in Europe

#425 in the World

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

50. Bangor University

Wales | Bangor

For History

#165 in Europe

#428 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

51. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For History

#168 in Europe

#434 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

52. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For History

#174 in Europe

#447 in the World

Founded: 1992

53. Keele University

England | Keele

For History

#177 in Europe

#458 in the World

Founded: 1962

54. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For History

#183 in Europe

#476 in the World

Founded: 1872

55. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For History

#184 in Europe

#477 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

56. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For History

#189 in Europe

#488 in the World

Founded: 1992

57. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For History

#199 in Europe

#506 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

58. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For History

#201 in Europe

#512 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

59. University of Salford

England | Salford

For History

#203 in Europe

#522 in the World

Founded: 1967

60. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For History

#215 in Europe

#540 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

61. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For History

#219 in Europe

#547 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

62. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For History

#220 in Europe

#549 in the World

Founded: 1992

63. City, University of London

England | London

For History

#223 in Europe

#559 in the World

Founded: 1966

64. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For History

#226 in Europe

#574 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

65. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For History

#237 in Europe

#594 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

66. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For History

#239 in Europe

#600 in the World

Founded: 1904

67. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For History

#250 in Europe

#628 in the World

Founded: 1992

68. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For History

#257 in Europe

#648 in the World

Founded: 1966

69. University of Westminster

England | London

For History

#259 in Europe

#654 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

70. St George's, University of London

England | London

For History

#262 in Europe

#658 in the World

Founded: 1733

71. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For History

#264 in Europe

#660 in the World

Founded: 1895

72. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For History

#267 in Europe

#664 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

73. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For History

#275 in Europe

#685 in the World

Founded: 1992

74. University of Greenwich

England | London

For History

#284 in Europe

#706 in the World

Founded: 1890

75. Middlesex University

England | London

For History

#289 in Europe

#726 in the World

Founded: 1973

76. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For History

#290 in Europe

#727 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

77. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For History

#293 in Europe

#732 in the World

Founded: 1992

78. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For History

#294 in Europe

#735 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

79. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For History

#300 in Europe

#750 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

80. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For History

#307 in Europe

#765 in the World

Founded: 1992

81. London Business School

England | London

For History

#323 in Europe

#809 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

82. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For History

#334 in Europe

#832 in the World

Founded: 1848

83. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For History

#346 in Europe

#864 in the World

Founded: 1841

84. University of Roehampton

England | London

For History

#351 in Europe

#882 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

85. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For History

#362 in Europe

#918 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Founded: 1992

86. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For History

#363 in Europe

#921 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

87. University of East London

England | London

For History

#381 in Europe

#978 in the World

Founded: 1992

88. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For History

#390 in Europe

#1002 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

89. University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Wales | Carmarthen

For History

#397 in Europe

#1025 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2010

90. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For History

#399 in Europe

#1029 in the World

Founded: 1992

91. London South Bank University

England | London

For History

#406 in Europe

#1045 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

92. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For History

#415 in Europe

#1072 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

93. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For History

#424 in Europe

#1126 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

94. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For History

#428 in Europe

#1144 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

95. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For History

#434 in Europe

#1165 in the World

Founded: 1858

96. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For History

#436 in Europe

#1168 in the World

Founded: 2005

97. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For History

#437 in Europe

#1169 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

98. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For History

#455 in Europe

#1248 in the World

Founded: 1992

99. University of the West of Scotland

Scotland | Paisley

For History

#474 in Europe

#1308 in the World

Enrollment: 15,555
Founded: 1897

100. University of Gloucestershire

England | Cheltenham

For History

#489 in Europe

#1342 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 2001

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