90 Best universities for Special Education in the United Kingdom

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in the United Kingdom ranked based on their research performance in Special Education. A graph of 409K citations received by 13.6K academic papers made by 90 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 Special Education

#2 in Europe

#5 in the World

Enrollment: 42,000
Founded: 1826

2. University of Kent

England | Canterbury

For Special Education

#3 in Europe

#9 in the World

Founded: 1965

3. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Special Education

#4 in Europe

#11 in the World

Founded: 1900

4. Lancaster University

England | Lancaster

For Special Education

#5 in Europe

#16 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1964

5. University of Manchester

England | Manchester

For Special Education

#6 in Europe

#19 in the World

Founded: 1824

6. King's College London

England | London

For Special Education

#8 in Europe

#23 in the World

Founded: 1829

7. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Special Education

#9 in Europe

#27 in the World

Founded: 1451

8. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Special Education

#13 in Europe

#48 in the World

Founded: 1997

9. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Special Education

#14 in Europe

#49 in the World

Founded: 1968

10. University of Cambridge

England | Cambridge

For Special Education

#15 in Europe

#51 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1209

11. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#18 in Europe

#65 in the World

Founded: 1733

12. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Special Education

#19 in Europe

#66 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

13. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For Special Education

#21 in Europe

#72 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

14. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Special Education

#22 in Europe

#73 in the World

Founded: 1905

15. Bangor University

For Special Education

#23 in Europe

#84 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

16. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Special Education

#27 in Europe

#91 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

17. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Special Education

#28 in Europe

#93 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

18. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Special Education

#29 in Europe

#95 in the World

Founded: 1948

19. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Special Education

#31 in Europe

#98 in the World

Founded: 1893

20. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Special Education

#33 in Europe

#111 in the World

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

21. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Special Education

#36 in Europe

#117 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

22. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Special Education

#39 in Europe

#120 in the World

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

23. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Special Education

#40 in Europe

#123 in the World

Founded: 1904

24. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Special Education

#41 in Europe

#133 in the World

Founded: 1992

25. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Special Education

#46 in Europe

#151 in the World

Founded: 1967

26. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Special Education

#48 in Europe

#155 in the World

Founded: 1841

27. University of York

For Special Education

#49 in Europe

#157 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

28. University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#50 in Europe

#159 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

29. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Special Education

#55 in Europe

#167 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

30. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Special Education

#56 in Europe

#171 in the World

Founded: 1963

31. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Special Education

#58 in Europe

#176 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1963

32. Manchester Metropolitan University

England | Manchester

For Special Education

#59 in Europe

#181 in the World

Founded: 1992

33. University of Plymouth

England | Plymouth

For Special Education

#60 in Europe

#182 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

34. Durham University

England | Durham

For Special Education

#69 in Europe

#217 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

35. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Special Education

#71 in Europe

#225 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

36. Imperial College London

England | London

For Special Education

#72 in Europe

#226 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

37. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Special Education

#77 in Europe

#237 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

38. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Special Education

#81 in Europe

#248 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

39. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Special Education

#86 in Europe

#260 in the World

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

40. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Special Education

#89 in Europe

#265 in the World

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

41. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Special Education

#90 in Europe

#267 in the World

Founded: 1920

42. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Special Education

#93 in Europe

#273 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

43. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Special Education

#94 in Europe

#275 in the World

Founded: 1964

44. Keele University

England | Keele

For Special Education

#96 in Europe

#283 in the World

Founded: 1962

45. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Special Education

#97 in Europe

#285 in the World

Founded: 1992

46. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Special Education

#98 in Europe

#286 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

47. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Special Education

#99 in Europe

#288 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

48. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Special Education

#101 in Europe

#294 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

49. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Special Education

#102 in Europe

#296 in the World

Founded: 2005

50. Abertay University

Scotland | Dundee

For Special Education

#103 in Europe

#305 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1994

51. University of Bath

For Special Education

#104 in Europe

#308 in the World

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

52. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Special Education

#106 in Europe

#314 in the World

Founded: 1954

53. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Special Education

#111 in Europe

#328 in the World

Founded: 1992

54. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Special Education

#116 in Europe

#341 in the World

Founded: 1967

55. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Special Education

#119 in Europe

#347 in the World

Founded: 1892

56. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Special Education

#122 in Europe

#354 in the World

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

57. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Special Education

#127 in Europe

#370 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

58. London South Bank University

England | London

For Special Education

#131 in Europe

#380 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

59. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Special Education

#141 in Europe

#404 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

60. University of Northampton

England | Northampton

For Special Education

#142 in Europe

#405 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

61. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Special Education

#145 in Europe

#409 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

62. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Special Education

#146 in Europe

#410 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

63. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Special Education

#155 in Europe

#426 in the World

Founded: 1495

64. University of Chester

England | Chester

For Special Education

#157 in Europe

#430 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

65. University of East London

England | London

For Special Education

#164 in Europe

#452 in the World

Founded: 1992

66. University of West London

England | Ealing

For Special Education

#179 in Europe

#490 in the World

Founded: 1990

67. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Special Education

#180 in Europe

#491 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

68. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Special Education

#181 in Europe

#492 in the World

Founded: 2006

69. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Special Education

#182 in Europe

#493 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

70. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Special Education

#185 in Europe

#499 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

71. City, University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#188 in Europe

#504 in the World

Founded: 1966

72. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Special Education

#190 in Europe

#512 in the World

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

73. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Special Education

#192 in Europe

#515 in the World

Founded: 1858

74. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Special Education

#194 in Europe

#517 in the World

Founded: 1895

75. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Special Education

#205 in Europe

#549 in the World

Founded: 1992

76. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Special Education

#209 in Europe

#566 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

77. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Special Education

#211 in Europe

#571 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

78. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Special Education

#216 in Europe

#577 in the World

Founded: 1992

79. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Special Education

#233 in Europe

#620 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

80. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Special Education

#244 in Europe

#650 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

81. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Special Education

#246 in Europe

#656 in the World

Founded: 1992

82. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Special Education

#252 in Europe

#663 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

83. University of Worcester

England | Worcester

For Special Education

#253 in Europe

#665 in the World

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

84. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Special Education

#254 in Europe

#667 in the World

Founded: 1849

85. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Special Education

#258 in Europe

#675 in the World

Founded: 1890

86. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#262 in Europe

#689 in the World

Founded: 1904

87. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Special Education

#263 in Europe

#690 in the World

Founded: 1964

88. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#268 in Europe

#698 in the World

Founded: 1823

89. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Special Education

#273 in Europe

#710 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

90. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#276 in Europe

#717 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Founded: 1989

The best cities to study Special Education in the United Kingdom based on the number of universities and their ranks are London, Canterbury, Birmingham, and Lancaster.

Psychology subfields in the United Kingdom

Child Psychology131

Clinical Psychology126

Cognitive Science129

Education Majors138

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution101

Neuroscience138

Occupational Therapy87

Organizational / Business / IO Psychology72

Social Psychology141