100 Best universities for Physics in England

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in England ranked based on their research performance in Physics. A graph of 82.3M citations received by 2.28M 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

#28 in Europe

Founded: 1904

10. University of Nottingham

For Physics

#11 in the United Kingdom

#29 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

#47 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

13. University of Liverpool

For Physics

#15 in the United Kingdom

#52 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

#65 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

#95 in Europe

Founded: 1963

18. University of Sussex

For Physics

#21 in the United Kingdom

#101 in Europe

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

19. University of York

For Physics

#23 in the United Kingdom

#107 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

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

#128 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

24. University of Reading

For Physics

#30 in the United Kingdom

#137 in Europe

Founded: 1892

25. University of Leicester

For Physics

#31 in the United Kingdom

#138 in Europe

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

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

#176 in Europe

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

28. University of East Anglia

For Physics

#36 in the United Kingdom

#183 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

29. Cranfield University

For Physics

#38 in the United Kingdom

#200 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

#226 in Europe

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

32. University of Kent

For Physics

#43 in the United Kingdom

#232 in Europe

Founded: 1965

33. University of Hull

Kingston upon Hull

For Physics

#44 in the United Kingdom

#237 in Europe

Founded: 1954

34. University of Essex

For Physics

#46 in the United Kingdom

#256 in Europe

Founded: 1964

35. Keele University

For Physics

#47 in the United Kingdom

#265 in Europe

Founded: 1962

36. Aston University

For Physics

#48 in the United Kingdom

#267 in Europe

Founded: 1895

37. University of Portsmouth

For Physics

#49 in the United Kingdom

#282 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

38. University of Salford

For Physics

#51 in the United Kingdom

#287 in Europe

Founded: 1967

39. University of Bradford

For Physics

#52 in the United Kingdom

#288 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

40. Birkbeck, University of London

For Physics

#53 in the United Kingdom

#300 in Europe

Founded: 1823

41. City, University of London

For Physics

#54 in the United Kingdom

#302 in Europe

Founded: 1966

42. Royal Holloway, University of London

For Physics

#55 in the United Kingdom

#309 in Europe

Founded: 1849

43. University of Plymouth

For Physics

#56 in the United Kingdom

#320 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

44. Liverpool John Moores University

For Physics

#57 in the United Kingdom

#321 in Europe

Founded: 1992

45. University of Hertfordshire

For Physics

#58 in the United Kingdom

#358 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

46. Manchester Metropolitan University

For Physics

#59 in the United Kingdom

#359 in Europe

Founded: 1992

47. Northumbria University

Newcastle upon Tyne

For Physics

#60 in the United Kingdom

#362 in Europe

Founded: 1992

48. Nottingham Trent University

For Physics

#62 in the United Kingdom

#396 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

49. St George's, University of London

For Physics

#63 in the United Kingdom

#404 in Europe

Founded: 1733

50. Coventry University

For Physics

#64 in the United Kingdom

#410 in Europe

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

51. University of the West of England

For Physics

#66 in the United Kingdom

#415 in Europe

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

52. Sheffield Hallam University

For Physics

#67 in the United Kingdom

#420 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

53. De Montfort University

For Physics

#68 in the United Kingdom

#426 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

#468 in Europe

Founded: 1992

57. University of Central Lancashire

For Physics

#72 in the United Kingdom

#470 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

58. Oxford Brookes University

For Physics

#73 in the United Kingdom

#474 in Europe

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

59. London South Bank University

For Physics

#74 in the United Kingdom

#492 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

60. Middlesex University

For Physics

#78 in the United Kingdom

#514 in Europe

Founded: 1973

61. Bournemouth University

For Physics

#79 in the United Kingdom

#524 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

#532 in Europe

Founded: 1904

64. Kingston University

Kingston upon Thames

For Physics

#82 in the United Kingdom

#541 in Europe

Founded: 1992

65. London Business School

For Physics

#83 in the United Kingdom

#556 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1964

66. University of Wolverhampton

For Physics

#84 in the United Kingdom

#569 in Europe

Founded: 1992

67. Teesside University

For Physics

#86 in the United Kingdom

#582 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

68. Leeds Beckett University

For Physics

#87 in the United Kingdom

#583 in Europe

Founded: 1992

69. University of Roehampton

For Physics

#88 in the United Kingdom

#589 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

70. University of Lincoln

For Physics

#89 in the United Kingdom

#595 in Europe

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

71. London Metropolitan University

For Physics

#91 in the United Kingdom

#604 in Europe

Founded: 1848

72. Staffordshire University

For Physics

#92 in the United Kingdom

#614 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

73. Royal Veterinary College University of London

For Physics

#93 in the United Kingdom

#622 in Europe

Founded: 1791

74. University of Derby

For Physics

#94 in the United Kingdom

#645 in Europe

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

75. University of Bolton

For Physics

#95 in the United Kingdom

#662 in Europe

Founded: 2004

76. Anglia Ruskin University

For Physics

#96 in the United Kingdom

#665 in Europe

Founded: 1858

77. University of Bedfordshire

For Physics

#97 in the United Kingdom

#668 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Founded: 2006

78. SOAS, University of London

For Physics

#98 in the United Kingdom

#670 in Europe

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

79. University of Sunderland

For Physics

#99 in the United Kingdom

#673 in Europe

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

80. University of East London

For Physics

#100 in the United Kingdom

#681 in Europe

Founded: 1992

81. Royal Agricultural University

For Physics

#101 in the United Kingdom

#715 in Europe

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

82. Canterbury Christ Church University

For Physics

#102 in the United Kingdom

#716 in Europe

Founded: 2005

83. University of Chester

For Physics

#103 in the United Kingdom

#729 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

84. University of Northampton

For Physics

#105 in the United Kingdom

#748 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

85. Birmingham City University

For Physics

#107 in the United Kingdom

#770 in Europe

Founded: 1992

86. University of West London

For Physics

#109 in the United Kingdom

#826 in Europe

Founded: 1990

87. Edge Hill University

For Physics

#110 in the United Kingdom

#830 in Europe

Founded: 2006

88. University of Gloucestershire

For Physics

#112 in the United Kingdom

#862 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 74%
Founded: 2001

89. University of Buckingham

For Physics

#113 in the United Kingdom

#866 in Europe

Founded: 1973

90. University of Worcester

For Physics

#114 in the United Kingdom

#867 in Europe

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

91. University of Winchester

For Physics

#115 in the United Kingdom

#894 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 2005

92. University of Cumbria

For Physics

#118 in the United Kingdom

#942 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Founded: 2007

93. Liverpool Hope University

For Physics

#119 in the United Kingdom

#951 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Founded: 2005

94. York St John University

For Physics

#120 in the United Kingdom

#952 in Europe

Founded: 1841

95. Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London

For Physics

#121 in the United Kingdom

#960 in Europe

Founded: 1932

96. University of Chichester

For Physics

#122 in the United Kingdom

#999 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

97. Buckinghamshire New University

For Physics

#123 in the United Kingdom

#1011 in Europe

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Founded: 2007

98. Bath Spa University

For Physics

#124 in the United Kingdom

#1017 in Europe

Enrollment: 6,863
Founded: 1975

99. University of the Arts London

For Physics

#126 in the United Kingdom

#1050 in Europe

Founded: 1986

100. Solent University

For Physics

#128 in the United Kingdom

#1070 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	22
Scotland	18	8

Physics subfields in England

Acoustical Engineering112

Applied/Engineering Physics52

Astrophysics and Astronomy103

Atomic and Molecular physics57

Condensed Matter Physics67

Materials Science106

Medical Physics49

Nanotechnology83

Nuclear Physics81

Optical Engineering103

Quantum and Particle physics112

Theoretical Physics60