100 Best universities for History 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 History. A graph of 30.5M citations received by 1.16M 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

#1 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

2. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For History

#2 in Europe

#6 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

3. University College London

England | London

For History

#3 in Europe

#8 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

4. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For History

#4 in Europe

#29 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

5. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For History

#5 in Europe

#30 in the World

Founded: 1824

6. King's College London

England | London

For History

#7 in Europe

#50 in the World

Founded: 1829

7. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For History

#8 in Europe

#51 in the World

Founded: 1904

8. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For History

#9 in Europe

#53 in the World

Founded: 1451

9. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For History

#10 in Europe

#54 in the World

Founded: 1900

10. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For History

#11 in Europe

#60 in the World

Founded: 1948

11. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For History

#12 in Europe

#61 in the World

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

12. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For History

#14 in Europe

#64 in the World

Founded: 1905

13. Imperial College London

England | London

For History

#15 in Europe

#66 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

14. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For History

#18 in Europe

#71 in the World

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

15. Durham University

England | Durham

For History

#20 in Europe

#81 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

16. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For History

#22 in Europe

#84 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

17. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For History

#23 in Europe

#86 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

18. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For History

#26 in Europe

#98 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

19. University of York

England | York

For History

#27 in Europe

#99 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

20. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For History

#29 in Europe

#102 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

21. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For History

#30 in Europe

#104 in the World

Founded: 1963

22. University of London

England | London

For History

#31 in Europe

#105 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

23. University of Reading

England | Reading

For History

#38 in Europe

#119 in the World

Founded: 1892

24. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For History

#39 in Europe

#122 in the World

Founded: 1997

25. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For History

#41 in Europe

#126 in the World

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

26. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For History

#48 in Europe

#141 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

27. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For History

#53 in Europe

#153 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

28. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For History

#56 in Europe

#163 in the World

Founded: 1495

29. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For History

#64 in Europe

#182 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

30. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For History

#65 in Europe

#184 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

31. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For History

#68 in Europe

#188 in the World

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

32. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For History

#75 in Europe

#212 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

33. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For History

#78 in Europe

#223 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

34. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For History

#82 in Europe

#233 in the World

Founded: 1965

35. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For History

#85 in Europe

#247 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

36. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For History

#89 in Europe

#258 in the World

Founded: 1849

37. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For History

#95 in Europe

#275 in the World

Founded: 1964

38. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For History

#96 in Europe

#277 in the World

Founded: 1893

39. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For History

#101 in Europe

#283 in the World

Founded: 1968

40. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For History

#110 in Europe

#302 in the World

Founded: 1964

41. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For History

#111 in Europe

#303 in the World

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

42. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For History

#121 in Europe

#331 in the World

Founded: 1920

43. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For History

#126 in Europe

#341 in the World

Founded: 1823

44. University of Bath

England | Bath

For History

#129 in Europe

#348 in the World

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

45. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For History

#133 in Europe

#358 in the World

Founded: 1967

46. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For History

#141 in Europe

#373 in the World

Founded: 1954

47. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For History

#142 in Europe

#379 in the World

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

48. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For History

#157 in Europe

#408 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

49. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For History

#170 in Europe

#447 in the World

Founded: 1992

50. Bangor University

Wales | Bangor

For History

#171 in Europe

#450 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

51. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For History

#177 in Europe

#456 in the World

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

52. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For History

#179 in Europe

#461 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

53. Keele University

England | Keele

For History

#187 in Europe

#475 in the World

Founded: 1962

54. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For History

#190 in Europe

#480 in the World

Founded: 1872

55. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For History

#192 in Europe

#486 in the World

Founded: 1992

56. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For History

#200 in Europe

#501 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

57. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For History

#204 in Europe

#521 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

58. University of Salford

England | Salford

For History

#215 in Europe

#538 in the World

Founded: 1967

59. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For History

#222 in Europe

#551 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

60. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For History

#224 in Europe

#554 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

61. City, University of London

England | London

For History

#225 in Europe

#555 in the World

Founded: 1966

62. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For History

#226 in Europe

#556 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

63. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For History

#227 in Europe

#557 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

64. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For History

#229 in Europe

#559 in the World

Founded: 1992

65. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For History

#231 in Europe

#566 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

66. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For History

#249 in Europe

#621 in the World

Founded: 1904

67. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For History

#254 in Europe

#635 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

68. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For History

#258 in Europe

#651 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

69. University of Westminster

England | London

For History

#264 in Europe

#659 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

70. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For History

#274 in Europe

#682 in the World

Founded: 1992

71. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For History

#283 in Europe

#706 in the World

Founded: 1895

72. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For History

#285 in Europe

#712 in the World

Founded: 1966

73. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For History

#287 in Europe

#715 in the World

Founded: 1992

74. University of Greenwich

England | London

For History

#289 in Europe

#719 in the World

Founded: 1890

75. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For History

#294 in Europe

#730 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

76. St George's, University of London

England | London

For History

#299 in Europe

#747 in the World

Founded: 1733

77. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For History

#300 in Europe

#748 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

78. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For History

#304 in Europe

#769 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

79. Middlesex University

England | London

For History

#307 in Europe

#774 in the World

Founded: 1973

80. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For History

#320 in Europe

#811 in the World

Founded: 1992

81. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For History

#325 in Europe

#823 in the World

Founded: 1848

82. London Business School

England | London

For History

#348 in Europe

#884 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

83. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For History

#361 in Europe

#930 in the World

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

84. University of East London

England | London

For History

#362 in Europe

#935 in the World

Founded: 1992

85. University of Roehampton

England | London

For History

#365 in Europe

#940 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

86. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For History

#367 in Europe

#947 in the World

Founded: 1841

87. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For History

#379 in Europe

#989 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

88. University of Wales Trinity Saint David

Wales | Carmarthen

For History

#380 in Europe

#991 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 91%
Founded: 2010

89. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For History

#391 in Europe

#1021 in the World

Founded: 1992

90. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For History

#404 in Europe

#1071 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

91. London South Bank University

England | London

For History

#416 in Europe

#1106 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

92. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For History

#424 in Europe

#1133 in the World

Founded: 1858

93. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For History

#426 in Europe

#1137 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

94. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For History

#430 in Europe

#1147 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

95. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For History

#440 in Europe

#1204 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

96. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For History

#447 in Europe

#1222 in the World

Founded: 2005

97. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For History

#449 in Europe

#1230 in the World

Founded: 1992

98. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For History

#452 in Europe

#1235 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

99. University of Winchester

England | Winchester

For History

#453 in Europe

#1236 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

100. University of Derby

England | Derby

For History

#475 in Europe

#1297 in the World

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

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