64 Best universities for International Relations and Diplomacy 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 International Relations and Diplomacy. A graph of 246K citations received by 13K academic papers made by 64 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. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#1 in Europe

#1 in the World

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

2. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#2 in Europe

#2 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#3 in Europe

#3 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

4. King's College London

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#4 in Europe

#4 in the World

Founded: 1829

5. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#5 in Europe

#11 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

6. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#8 in Europe

#17 in the World

Founded: 1900

7. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#9 in Europe

#18 in the World

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

8. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#10 in Europe

#23 in the World

Founded: 1965

9. University College London

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#11 in Europe

#28 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

10. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#12 in Europe

#29 in the World

Founded: 1904

11. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#13 in Europe

#32 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

12. University of London

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#14 in Europe

#34 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

13. Aberystwyth University

Wales | Aberystwyth

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#16 in Europe

#36 in the World

Founded: 1872

14. Keele University

England | Keele

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#18 in Europe

#43 in the World

Founded: 1962

15. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#19 in Europe

#44 in the World

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

16. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#20 in Europe

#48 in the World

Founded: 1824

17. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#21 in Europe

#51 in the World

Founded: 1905

18. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#25 in Europe

#61 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

19. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#27 in Europe

#64 in the World

Founded: 1948

20. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#28 in Europe

#65 in the World

Founded: 1893

21. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#30 in Europe

#70 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

22. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#31 in Europe

#71 in the World

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

23. SOAS, University of London

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#33 in Europe

#77 in the World

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

24. University of Reading

England | Reading

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#34 in Europe

#78 in the World

Founded: 1892

25. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#35 in Europe

#81 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

26. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#36 in Europe

#84 in the World

Founded: 1451

27. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#38 in Europe

#92 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

28. Durham University

England | Durham

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#40 in Europe

#108 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

29. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#41 in Europe

#109 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

30. University of Westminster

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#42 in Europe

#111 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

31. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#44 in Europe

#115 in the World

Founded: 1964

32. University of Bath

England | Bath

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#48 in Europe

#122 in the World

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

33. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#52 in Europe

#134 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

34. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#55 in Europe

#141 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

35. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#57 in Europe

#149 in the World

Founded: 1963

36. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#61 in Europe

#157 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

37. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#63 in Europe

#166 in the World

Founded: 1495

38. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#64 in Europe

#169 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

39. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#67 in Europe

#177 in the World

Founded: 1849

40. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#68 in Europe

#180 in the World

Founded: 1954

41. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#69 in Europe

#182 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

42. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#70 in Europe

#185 in the World

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

43. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#71 in Europe

#187 in the World

Founded: 1823

44. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#73 in Europe

#194 in the World

Founded: 1997

45. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#80 in Europe

#214 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

46. City, University of London

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#89 in Europe

#240 in the World

Founded: 1966

47. University of York

England | York

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#90 in Europe

#241 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

48. London Metropolitan University

England | London

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#93 in Europe

#247 in the World

Founded: 1848

49. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#100 in Europe

#272 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

50. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#104 in Europe

#278 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

51. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#113 in Europe

#292 in the World

Founded: 1992

52. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#115 in Europe

#300 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

53. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#120 in Europe

#314 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

54. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#121 in Europe

#316 in the World

Founded: 1920

55. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#123 in Europe

#320 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

56. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#128 in Europe

#329 in the World

Founded: 1964

57. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#135 in Europe

#350 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

58. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#139 in Europe

#358 in the World

Founded: 1968

59. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#140 in Europe

#359 in the World

Founded: 1967

60. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#144 in Europe

#365 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

61. University of Salford

England | Salford

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#146 in Europe

#369 in the World

Founded: 1967

62. University of Buckingham

England | Buckingham

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#154 in Europe

#396 in the World

Founded: 1973

63. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#155 in Europe

#398 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

64. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For International Relations and Diplomacy

#157 in Europe

#408 in the World

Founded: 1895

The best cities to study International Relations and Diplomacy in the United Kingdom based on the number of universities and their ranks are London, Oxford, Coventry, and Cambridge.