93 Best universities for Special Education 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 Special Education. A graph of 382K citations received by 13.2K academic papers made by 93 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

#8 in the World

Founded: 1965

3. University of Birmingham

England | Birmingham

For Special Education

#4 in Europe

#10 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

#24 in the World

Founded: 1829

7. University of Glasgow

Scotland | Glasgow

For Special Education

#9 in Europe

#28 in the World

Founded: 1451

8. Cardiff University

Wales | Cardiff

For Special Education

#12 in Europe

#47 in the World

Founded: 1997

9. Ulster University

Northern Ireland | Coleraine

For Special Education

#14 in Europe

#50 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. University of Edinburgh

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Special Education

#18 in Europe

#64 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Founded: 1583

12. St George's, University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#19 in Europe

#65 in the World

Founded: 1733

13. University of Sheffield

England | Sheffield

For Special Education

#21 in Europe

#72 in the World

Founded: 1905

14. University of Oxford

England | Oxford

For Special Education

#22 in Europe

#73 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1096

15. Bangor University

For Special Education

#23 in Europe

#84 in the World

Enrollment: 11,270
Founded: 1884

16. University of Southampton

England | Southampton

For Special Education

#27 in Europe

#93 in the World

Enrollment: 21,335
Founded: 1952

17. University of Wales

Wales | Cardiff

For Special Education

#28 in Europe

#94 in the World

Founded: 1893

18. University of Nottingham

England | Nottingham

For Special Education

#29 in Europe

#95 in the World

Founded: 1948

19. University of Warwick

England | Coventry

For Special Education

#31 in Europe

#97 in the World

Enrollment: 27,278
Founded: 1965

20. University of Huddersfield

England | Huddersfield

For Special Education

#33 in Europe

#111 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

21. University of Bristol

England | Bristol

For Special Education

#36 in Europe

#117 in the World

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

22. University of Leicester

England | Leicester

For Special Education

#37 in Europe

#118 in the World

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

23. University of Leeds

England | Leeds

For Special Education

#39 in Europe

#121 in the World

Founded: 1904

24. Northumbria University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Special Education

#41 in Europe

#135 in the World

Founded: 1992

25. University of South Wales

Wales | Pontypridd

For Special Education

#46 in Europe

#151 in the World

Founded: 1841

26. University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#47 in Europe

#152 in the World

Enrollment: 50,000
Founded: 1836

27. University of Dundee

Scotland | Dundee

For Special Education

#49 in Europe

#154 in the World

Founded: 1967

28. University of York

For Special Education

#50 in Europe

#157 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 20%
Founded: 1963

29. University of Exeter

England | Exeter

For Special Education

#55 in Europe

#171 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1955

30. Newcastle University

England | Newcastle upon Tyne

For Special Education

#56 in Europe

#172 in the World

Founded: 1963

31. University of East Anglia

England | Norwich

For Special Education

#58 in Europe

#179 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

#61 in Europe

#193 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 77%
Founded: 1992

34. Durham University

England | Durham

For Special Education

#68 in Europe

#215 in the World

Enrollment: 19,520
Founded: 1832

35. Queen's University Belfast

Northern Ireland | Belfast

For Special Education

#74 in Europe

#231 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1849

36. Imperial College London

England | London

For Special Education

#76 in Europe

#236 in the World

Enrollment: 17,565
Founded: 1907

37. University of Hertfordshire

England | Hatfield

For Special Education

#77 in Europe

#239 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1992

38. Sheffield Hallam University

England | Sheffield

For Special Education

#78 in Europe

#242 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

39. University of Stirling

Scotland | Stirling

For Special Education

#83 in Europe

#253 in the World

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

40. London School of Economics and Political Science

England | London

For Special Education

#85 in Europe

#259 in the World

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

41. Oxford Brookes University

England | Oxford

For Special Education

#88 in Europe

#262 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1865

42. Swansea University

Wales | Swansea

For Special Education

#89 in Europe

#270 in the World

Founded: 1920

43. University of Strathclyde

Scotland | Glasgow

For Special Education

#90 in Europe

#271 in the World

Founded: 1964

44. Keele University

England | Keele

For Special Education

#94 in Europe

#277 in the World

Founded: 1962

45. University of Surrey

England | Guildford

For Special Education

#95 in Europe

#280 in the World

Enrollment: 16,900
Founded: 1966

46. University of Liverpool

England | Liverpool

For Special Education

#96 in Europe

#283 in the World

Enrollment: 28,693
Founded: 1881

47. Canterbury Christ Church University

England | Canterbury

For Special Education

#97 in Europe

#286 in the World

Founded: 2005

48. University of Wolverhampton

England | Wolverhampton

For Special Education

#99 in Europe

#293 in the World

Founded: 1992

49. Abertay University

Scotland | Dundee

For Special Education

#100 in Europe

#295 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1994

50. Edinburgh Napier University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Special Education

#101 in Europe

#297 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1992

51. University of Hull

England | Kingston upon Hull

For Special Education

#103 in Europe

#306 in the World

Founded: 1954

52. University of Bath

For Special Education

#108 in Europe

#321 in the World

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

53. University of Salford

England | Salford

For Special Education

#109 in Europe

#329 in the World

Founded: 1967

54. Liverpool John Moores University

England | Liverpool

For Special Education

#114 in Europe

#338 in the World

Founded: 1992

55. University of Reading

England | Reading

For Special Education

#117 in Europe

#344 in the World

Founded: 1892

56. Nottingham Trent University

England | Nottingham

For Special Education

#121 in Europe

#356 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1992

57. University of Sussex

England | Brighton

For Special Education

#122 in Europe

#358 in the World

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

58. London South Bank University

England | London

For Special Education

#130 in Europe

#381 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Founded: 1892

59. University of Northampton

England | Northampton

For Special Education

#135 in Europe

#397 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2005

60. University of Portsmouth

England | Portsmouth

For Special Education

#136 in Europe

#398 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Founded: 1992

61. Loughborough University

England | Loughborough

For Special Education

#141 in Europe

#407 in the World

Enrollment: 19,449
Founded: 1966

62. University of Aberdeen

Scotland | Aberdeen

For Special Education

#144 in Europe

#410 in the World

Founded: 1495

63. University of the West of England

England | Bristol

For Special Education

#147 in Europe

#418 in the World

Enrollment: 30,732
Founded: 1992

64. University of Chester

England | Chester

For Special Education

#154 in Europe

#427 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 95%
Founded: 2005

65. University of East London

England | London

For Special Education

#166 in Europe

#467 in the World

Founded: 1992

66. University of West London

England | Ealing

For Special Education

#171 in Europe

#474 in the World

Founded: 1990

67. University of Roehampton

England | London

For Special Education

#176 in Europe

#484 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 2004

68. Coventry University

England | Coventry

For Special Education

#178 in Europe

#488 in the World

Enrollment: 22,980
Founded: 1992

69. City, University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#181 in Europe

#493 in the World

Founded: 1966

70. Glasgow Caledonian University

Scotland | Glasgow

For Special Education

#182 in Europe

#494 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Founded: 1993

71. Anglia Ruskin University

England | Cambridge

For Special Education

#188 in Europe

#511 in the World

Founded: 1858

72. University of Derby

England | Derby

For Special Education

#190 in Europe

#513 in the World

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

73. Aston University

England | Birmingham

For Special Education

#192 in Europe

#520 in the World

Founded: 1895

74. Edge Hill University

England | Ormskirk

For Special Education

#193 in Europe

#522 in the World

Founded: 2006

75. Leeds Beckett University

England | Leeds

For Special Education

#197 in Europe

#534 in the World

Founded: 1992

76. University of Central Lancashire

England | Preston

For Special Education

#204 in Europe

#547 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Founded: 1992

77. Teesside University

England | Middlesbrough

For Special Education

#211 in Europe

#580 in the World

Enrollment: 19,290
Founded: 1992

78. De Montfort University

England | Leicester

For Special Education

#213 in Europe

#584 in the World

Enrollment: 29,000
Founded: 1992

79. Kingston University

England | Kingston upon Thames

For Special Education

#234 in Europe

#631 in the World

Founded: 1992

80. Birmingham City University

England | Birmingham

For Special Education

#246 in Europe

#654 in the World

Founded: 1992

81. Staffordshire University

England | Stoke-on-Trent

For Special Education

#252 in Europe

#663 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 1992

82. University of Worcester

England | Worcester

For Special Education

#254 in Europe

#673 in the World

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

83. Brunel University London

England | Uxbridge

For Special Education

#255 in Europe

#674 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 54%
Founded: 1966

84. Goldsmiths, University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#256 in Europe

#679 in the World

Founded: 1904

85. University of Greenwich

England | London

For Special Education

#259 in Europe

#685 in the World

Founded: 1890

86. Birkbeck, University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#263 in Europe

#693 in the World

Founded: 1823

87. University of Bradford

England | Bradford

For Special Education

#267 in Europe

#700 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Founded: 1966

88. University of Essex

England | Colchester

For Special Education

#271 in Europe

#714 in the World

Founded: 1964

89. Royal Holloway, University of London

England | Egham

For Special Education

#276 in Europe

#724 in the World

Founded: 1849

90. University of Sunderland

England | Sunderland

For Special Education

#277 in Europe

#728 in the World

Enrollment: 19,090
Founded: 1992

91. University of St Andrews

Scotland | St Andrews

For Special Education

#279 in Europe

#735 in the World

Enrollment: 10,425
Founded: 1413

92. Queen Margaret University

Scotland | Edinburgh

For Special Education

#282 in Europe

#746 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Founded: 2007

93. Queen Mary University of London

England | London

For Special Education

#284 in Europe

#749 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 Science128

Education Majors136

Negotiation and Conflict Resolution101

Neuroscience138

Occupational Therapy87

Organizational / Business / IO Psychology73

Social Psychology141