100 Best Surgeons Medical schools 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 Surgery. A graph of 26.2M citations received by 645K academic papers made by 129 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 College London

England | London

For Surgery

#1 in Europe

#6 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

2. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For Surgery

#4 in Europe

#30 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. Imperial College London

England | London

For Surgery

#11 in Europe

#58 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

4. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Surgery

#18 in Europe

#78 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

5. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Surgery

#21 in Europe

#88 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

6. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Surgery

#24 in Europe

#101 in the World

Founded: 1824

7. King's College London

England | London

For Surgery

#26 in Europe

#106 in the World

Founded: 1829

8. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Surgery

#37 in Europe

#136 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

9. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Surgery

#38 in Europe

#137 in the World

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

10. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Surgery

#41 in Europe

#145 in the World

Founded: 1900

11. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Surgery

#49 in Europe

#168 in the World

Founded: 1451

12. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Surgery

#51 in Europe

#170 in the World

Founded: 1948

13. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Surgery

#54 in Europe

#181 in the World

Founded: 1904

14. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Surgery

#59 in Europe

#191 in the World

Founded: 1963

15. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Surgery

#64 in Europe

#201 in the World

Founded: 1905

16. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Surgery

#71 in Europe

#223 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

17. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Surgery

#79 in Europe

#244 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

18. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Surgery

#88 in Europe

#261 in the World

Founded: 1495

19. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Surgery

#90 in Europe

#263 in the World

Founded: 1733

20. University of London

England | London

For Surgery

#95 in Europe

#276 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

21. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Surgery

#102 in Europe

#287 in the World

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

22. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Surgery

#103 in Europe

#288 in the World

Founded: 1997

23. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Surgery

#105 in Europe

#296 in the World

Founded: 1968

24. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Surgery

#131 in Europe

#376 in the World

Founded: 1967

25. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Surgery

#140 in Europe

#400 in the World

Founded: 1893

26. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Surgery

#144 in Europe

#407 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

27. University of York

England | York

For Surgery

#161 in Europe

#453 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

28. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Surgery

#171 in Europe

#483 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

29. Keele University

England | Keele

For Surgery

#175 in Europe

#494 in the World

Founded: 1962

30. Royal Veterinary College University of London

England | London

For Surgery

#184 in Europe

#526 in the World

Founded: 1791

31. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Surgery

#195 in Europe

#557 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

32. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Surgery

#207 in Europe

#584 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

33. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Surgery

#212 in Europe

#601 in the World

Founded: 1954

34. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Surgery

#222 in Europe

#630 in the World

Founded: 1967

35. Durham University

England | Durham

For Surgery

#228 in Europe

#651 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

36. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Surgery

#231 in Europe

#666 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

37. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Surgery

#234 in Europe

#681 in the World

Founded: 1964

38. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Surgery

#252 in Europe

#762 in the World

Founded: 1920

39. University of Bath

England | Bath

For Surgery

#258 in Europe

#790 in the World

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

40. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Surgery

#261 in Europe

#798 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

41. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Surgery

#266 in Europe

#822 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

42. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Surgery

#271 in Europe

#840 in the World

Founded: 1992

43. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Surgery

#275 in Europe

#851 in the World

Founded: 1895

44. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Surgery

#276 in Europe

#853 in the World

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

45. City, University of London

England | London

For Surgery

#277 in Europe

#855 in the World

Founded: 1966

46. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Surgery

#280 in Europe

#861 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

47. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Surgery

#281 in Europe

#864 in the World

Founded: 1892

48. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Surgery

#288 in Europe

#884 in the World

Founded: 1992

49. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Surgery

#291 in Europe

#903 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

50. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Surgery

#296 in Europe

#926 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

51. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Surgery

#297 in Europe

#930 in the World

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

52. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Surgery

#301 in Europe

#940 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

53. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Surgery

#302 in Europe

#941 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

54. Middlesex University

England | London

For Surgery

#313 in Europe

#974 in the World

Founded: 1973

55. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Surgery

#314 in Europe

#975 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

56. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Surgery

#317 in Europe

#987 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

57. Bangor University

Wales | Bangor

For Surgery

#319 in Europe

#1007 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

58. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Surgery

#320 in Europe

#1008 in the World

Founded: 1992

59. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Surgery

#331 in Europe

#1054 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

60. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Surgery

#340 in Europe

#1094 in the World

Founded: 1858

61. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Surgery

#345 in Europe

#1111 in the World

Founded: 1849

62. University of Brighton

England | Brighton

For Surgery

#348 in Europe

#1124 in the World

Founded: 1992

63. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Surgery

#349 in Europe

#1126 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

64. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Surgery

#353 in Europe

#1142 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

65. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Surgery

#357 in Europe

#1155 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

66. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Surgery

#361 in Europe

#1176 in the World

Founded: 1965

67. Bournemouth University

England | Poole

For Surgery

#366 in Europe

#1196 in the World

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

68. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Surgery

#367 in Europe

#1198 in the World

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

69. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Surgery

#368 in Europe

#1203 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

70. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Surgery

#376 in Europe

#1246 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

71. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Surgery

#378 in Europe

#1254 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

72. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Surgery

#380 in Europe

#1257 in the World

Founded: 1992

73. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Surgery

#381 in Europe

#1258 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

74. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Surgery

#386 in Europe

#1270 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

75. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Surgery

#390 in Europe

#1300 in the World

Founded: 1992

76. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Surgery

#393 in Europe

#1308 in the World

Founded: 1964

77. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Surgery

#403 in Europe

#1356 in the World

Founded: 1841

78. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Surgery

#414 in Europe

#1400 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

79. London South Bank University

England | London

For Surgery

#421 in Europe

#1446 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

80. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Surgery

#445 in Europe

#1541 in the World

Founded: 1823

81. Cranfield University

England | Cranfield

For Surgery

#450 in Europe

#1550 in the World

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

82. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Surgery

#455 in Europe

#1574 in the World

Founded: 2006

83. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Surgery

#456 in Europe

#1575 in the World

Founded: 1890

84. University of Bedfordshire

England | Luton

For Surgery

#463 in Europe

#1610 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

85. Cardiff Metropolitan University

Wales | Cardiff

For Surgery

#467 in Europe

#1619 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Founded: 2011

86. University of West London

England | Ealing

For Surgery

#470 in Europe

#1631 in the World

Founded: 1990

87. Heriot-Watt University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Surgery

#483 in Europe

#1670 in the World

Founded: 1966

88. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Surgery

#484 in Europe

#1683 in the World

Founded: 1992

89. Royal Agricultural University

England | Cirencester

For Surgery

#493 in Europe

#1716 in the World

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

90. University of East London

England | London

For Surgery

#496 in Europe

#1735 in the World

Founded: 1992

91. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Surgery

#498 in Europe

#1752 in the World

Founded: 2005

92. Robert Gordon University

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Surgery

#500 in Europe

#1757 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

93. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Surgery

#507 in Europe

#1772 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

94. Queen Margaret University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Surgery

#508 in Europe

#1773 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2007

95. University of Westminster

England | London

For Surgery

#513 in Europe

#1796 in the World

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

96. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Surgery

#518 in Europe

#1804 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

97. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Surgery

#521 in Europe

#1816 in the World

Founded: 1992

98. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Surgery

#522 in Europe

#1820 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

99. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Surgery

#529 in Europe

#1855 in the World

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

100. University of Lincoln

England | Lincoln

For Surgery

#534 in Europe

#1872 in the World

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

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