100 Best universities for Physics in England

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in England ranked based on their research performance in Physics. A graph of 86.9M citations received by 2.34M academic papers made by 119 universities in England 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

For Physics

#1 in the United Kingdom

#1 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

2. University of Oxford

For Physics

#2 in the United Kingdom

#2 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

3. Imperial College London

For Physics

#3 in the United Kingdom

#3 in Europe

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

4. University College London

For Physics

#4 in the United Kingdom

#5 in Europe

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

5. University of Manchester

For Physics

#5 in the United Kingdom

#7 in Europe

Founded: 1824

6. University of Southampton

For Physics

#6 in the United Kingdom

#17 in Europe

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

7. University of Bristol

For Physics

#7 in the United Kingdom

#18 in Europe

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

8. University of Sheffield

For Physics

#9 in the United Kingdom

#25 in Europe

Founded: 1905

9. University of Leeds

For Physics

#10 in the United Kingdom

#29 in Europe

Founded: 1904

10. University of Nottingham

For Physics

#11 in the United Kingdom

#30 in Europe

Founded: 1948

11. University of Birmingham

For Physics

#12 in the United Kingdom

#38 in Europe

Founded: 1900

12. Durham University

For Physics

#13 in the United Kingdom

#48 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

13. University of Liverpool

For Physics

#15 in the United Kingdom

#53 in Europe

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

14. University of Warwick

For Physics

#16 in the United Kingdom

#60 in Europe

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

15. King's College London

For Physics

#17 in the United Kingdom

#64 in Europe

Founded: 1829

16. Queen Mary University of London

For Physics

#18 in the United Kingdom

#90 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

17. Newcastle University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Physics

#19 in the United Kingdom

#96 in Europe

Founded: 1963

18. University of York

For Physics

#22 in the United Kingdom

#107 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

19. University of Sussex

For Physics

#23 in the United Kingdom

#108 in Europe

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

20. Loughborough University

For Physics

#24 in the United Kingdom

#113 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

21. University of Bath

For Physics

#25 in the United Kingdom

#115 in Europe

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

22. University of Surrey

For Physics

#28 in the United Kingdom

#121 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

23. University of Exeter

For Physics

#29 in the United Kingdom

#126 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

24. University of Leicester

For Physics

#30 in the United Kingdom

#137 in Europe

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

25. University of Reading

For Physics

#31 in the United Kingdom

#138 in Europe

Founded: 1892

26. Lancaster University

For Physics

#32 in the United Kingdom

#141 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

27. University of London

For Physics

#34 in the United Kingdom

#180 in Europe

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

28. University of East Anglia

For Physics

#36 in the United Kingdom

#185 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

29. Cranfield University

For Physics

#37 in the United Kingdom

#199 in Europe

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

30. Brunel University London

For Physics

#40 in the United Kingdom

#213 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

31. London School of Economics and Political Science

For Physics

#42 in the United Kingdom

#228 in Europe

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

32. University of Kent

For Physics

#43 in the United Kingdom

#233 in Europe

Founded: 1965

33. University of Hull

Kingston upon Hull

For Physics

#44 in the United Kingdom

#243 in Europe

Founded: 1954

34. University of Essex

For Physics

#46 in the United Kingdom

#258 in Europe

Founded: 1964

35. Keele University

For Physics

#47 in the United Kingdom

#266 in Europe

Founded: 1962

36. Aston University

For Physics

#48 in the United Kingdom

#268 in Europe

Founded: 1895

37. University of Portsmouth

For Physics

#49 in the United Kingdom

#279 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

38. University of Salford

For Physics

#51 in the United Kingdom

#288 in Europe

Founded: 1967

39. University of Bradford

For Physics

#52 in the United Kingdom

#291 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

40. City, University of London

For Physics

#53 in the United Kingdom

#303 in Europe

Founded: 1966

41. Birkbeck, University of London

For Physics

#54 in the United Kingdom

#306 in Europe

Founded: 1823

42. Royal Holloway, University of London

For Physics

#55 in the United Kingdom

#309 in Europe

Founded: 1849

43. Liverpool John Moores University

For Physics

#56 in the United Kingdom

#320 in Europe

Founded: 1992

44. University of Plymouth

For Physics

#57 in the United Kingdom

#321 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

45. Northumbria University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Physics

#58 in the United Kingdom

#355 in Europe

Founded: 1992

46. Manchester Metropolitan University

For Physics

#59 in the United Kingdom

#357 in Europe

Founded: 1992

47. University of Hertfordshire

For Physics

#60 in the United Kingdom

#358 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

48. Nottingham Trent University

For Physics

#62 in the United Kingdom

#392 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

49. St George's, University of London

For Physics

#63 in the United Kingdom

#406 in Europe

Founded: 1733

50. Coventry University

For Physics

#64 in the United Kingdom

#409 in Europe

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

51. University of the West of England

For Physics

#65 in the United Kingdom

#413 in Europe

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

52. Sheffield Hallam University

For Physics

#67 in the United Kingdom

#421 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

53. De Montfort University

For Physics

#68 in the United Kingdom

#427 in Europe

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

54. University of Huddersfield

For Physics

#69 in the United Kingdom

#432 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

55. University of Greenwich

For Physics

#70 in the United Kingdom

#457 in Europe

Founded: 1890

56. University of Brighton

For Physics

#71 in the United Kingdom

#470 in Europe

Founded: 1992

57. University of Central Lancashire

For Physics

#72 in the United Kingdom

#471 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

58. Oxford Brookes University

For Physics

#73 in the United Kingdom

#478 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

59. London South Bank University

For Physics

#75 in the United Kingdom

#495 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

60. Middlesex University

For Physics

#78 in the United Kingdom

#517 in Europe

Founded: 1973

61. Bournemouth University

For Physics

#79 in the United Kingdom

#520 in Europe

Enrollment: 14,293
Founded: 1992

62. University of Westminster

For Physics

#80 in the United Kingdom

#525 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,000
Founded: 1838

63. Goldsmiths, University of London

For Physics

#81 in the United Kingdom

#534 in Europe

Founded: 1904

64. Kingston University

Kingston upon Thames

For Physics

#82 in the United Kingdom

#543 in Europe

Founded: 1992

65. London Business School

For Physics

#83 in the United Kingdom

#570 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

66. University of Wolverhampton

For Physics

#84 in the United Kingdom

#573 in Europe

Founded: 1992

67. Leeds Beckett University

For Physics

#85 in the United Kingdom

#580 in Europe

Founded: 1992

68. Teesside University

For Physics

#87 in the United Kingdom

#585 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

69. University of Lincoln

For Physics

#88 in the United Kingdom

#589 in Europe

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

70. University of Roehampton

For Physics

#89 in the United Kingdom

#593 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

71. London Metropolitan University

For Physics

#91 in the United Kingdom

#609 in Europe

Founded: 1848

72. Staffordshire University

For Physics

#92 in the United Kingdom

#621 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

73. Royal Veterinary College University of London

For Physics

#93 in the United Kingdom

#624 in Europe

Founded: 1791

74. University of Derby

For Physics

#94 in the United Kingdom

#647 in Europe

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

75. Anglia Ruskin University

For Physics

#95 in the United Kingdom

#657 in Europe

Founded: 1858

76. University of Bolton

For Physics

#96 in the United Kingdom

#667 in Europe

Founded: 2004

77. SOAS, University of London

For Physics

#97 in the United Kingdom

#674 in Europe

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

78. University of Bedfordshire

For Physics

#98 in the United Kingdom

#676 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

79. University of East London

For Physics

#99 in the United Kingdom

#679 in Europe

Founded: 1992

80. University of Sunderland

For Physics

#100 in the United Kingdom

#684 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

81. Canterbury Christ Church University

For Physics

#101 in the United Kingdom

#724 in Europe

Founded: 2005

82. Royal Agricultural University

For Physics

#102 in the United Kingdom

#725 in Europe

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

83. University of Chester

For Physics

#103 in the United Kingdom

#734 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

84. University of Northampton

For Physics

#105 in the United Kingdom

#749 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

85. Birmingham City University

For Physics

#107 in the United Kingdom

#759 in Europe

Founded: 1992

86. Edge Hill University

For Physics

#109 in the United Kingdom

#825 in Europe

Founded: 2006

87. University of West London

For Physics

#110 in the United Kingdom

#831 in Europe

Founded: 1990

88. University of Gloucestershire

For Physics

#112 in the United Kingdom

#860 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 2001

89. University of Winchester

For Physics

#113 in the United Kingdom

#870 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

90. University of Worcester

For Physics

#114 in the United Kingdom

#872 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Enrollment: 10,798
Founded: 2005

91. University of Buckingham

For Physics

#115 in the United Kingdom

#880 in Europe

Founded: 1973

92. University of Cumbria

For Physics

#118 in the United Kingdom

#946 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Founded: 2007

93. York St John University

For Physics

#119 in the United Kingdom

#949 in Europe

Founded: 1841

94. Liverpool Hope University

For Physics

#120 in the United Kingdom

#953 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Founded: 2005

95. Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

For Physics

#121 in the United Kingdom

#974 in Europe

Founded: 1932

96. University of Chichester

For Physics

#122 in the United Kingdom

#996 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

97. Buckinghamshire New University

For Physics

#123 in the United Kingdom

#1009 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Founded: 2007

98. Bath Spa University

For Physics

#124 in the United Kingdom

#1012 in Europe

Enrollment: 6,863
Founded: 1975

99. University of the Arts London

For Physics

#126 in the United Kingdom

#1043 in Europe

Founded: 1986

100. Solent University

For Physics

#128 in the United Kingdom

#1067 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 92%
Enrollment: 11,340
Founded: 2004

Closest to England states to learn Physics

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
Wales	10	21
Scotland	18	8

Physics subfields in England

Acoustical Engineering112

Applied/Engineering Physics53

Astrophysics and Astronomy103

Atomic and Molecular physics57

Condensed Matter Physics67

Materials Science106

Medical Physics48

Nanotechnology83

Nuclear Physics82

Optical Engineering103

Quantum and Particle physics112

Theoretical Physics60