Best universities for Creative writing (2026)

55 UK universities teaching Creative writing as a full-time degree, ranked on graduate pay, jobs, student satisfaction, students staying on and entry points.

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#	University	Score	Salary 5 yrs on	Working or studying	Satisfied	Typical UCAS
1	Royal Holloway, University of London Runnymede, South East · TEF Silver	63	£30.5k	95%	79%	152
2	University of Birmingham Birmingham, West Midlands · TEF Silver	62	£30k	95%	89%	136
3	UCL Camden, London · TEF Silver	61	£38.5k	82%	79%	152
4	University of Glasgow Scotland	61	£29k	88%	89%	168
5	University of Lancaster Lancaster, North West · TEF Gold	60	£29k	90%	82%	136
6	University of Sussex Brighton and Hove, South East · TEF Silver	60	£28.5k	—	89%	120
7	Queen Mary University of London Tower Hamlets, London · TEF Silver	59	£31.5k	83%	84%	136
8	University of Reading Wokingham, South East · TEF Silver	59	£29k	95%	85%	120
9	Nottingham Trent University Nottingham, East Midlands · TEF Gold	59	£27k	95%	95%	104
10	University of Portsmouth Portsmouth, South East · TEF Gold	58	£28.5k	85%	88%	112
11	University of Leicester Leicester, East Midlands · TEF Gold	57	£29k	80%	83%	120
12	University of Derby Derby, East Midlands · TEF Gold	57	£23.5k	100%	98%	104
13	Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	57	£21.5k	100%	95%	104
14	University of Brighton Brighton and Hove, South East · TEF Silver	54	£29.5k	85%	87%	104
15	University of the West of England, Bristol South Gloucestershire, South West · TEF Silver	54	£27.5k	90%	82%	120
16	University of Keele Newcastle-under-Lyme, West Midlands · TEF Gold	54	£27.5k	85%	84%	120
17	University of Lincoln Lincoln, East Midlands · TEF Gold	54	£26.5k	85%	89%	104
18	University of East Anglia Norwich, East of England · TEF Silver	54	£26k	90%	85%	136
19	Brunel University of London Hillingdon, London · TEF Bronze	53	£29k	90%	89%	120
20	University of Hull Kingston upon Hull, City of, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	53	£24k	80%	93%	104
21	University of Suffolk Ipswich, East of England · TEF Silver	52	£23.5k	85%	97%	120
22	Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge, East of England · TEF Gold	51	£25.5k	80%	90%	120
23	Kingston University Kingston upon Thames, London · TEF Gold	51	£25k	85%	77%	136
24	University of the Highlands and Islands Scotland	51	£25k	100%	86%	120
25	York St John University York, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Silver	50	£25k	—	91%	112
26	University of Central Lancashire Preston, North West · TEF Silver	50	£23.5k	85%	96%	104
27	University of Worcester Worcester, West Midlands · TEF Silver	50	£22.5k	95%	90%	120
28	University of Greenwich (Part of London and South East University Group) Greenwich, London · TEF Gold	50	£22.5k	—	88%	136
29	University of Essex Colchester, East of England · TEF Silver	49	£28k	75%	83%	136
30	Edge Hill University West Lancashire, North West · TEF Silver	49	£27k	90%	66%	120
31	University of Salford Salford, North West · TEF Silver	49	£24.5k	90%	92%	104
32	Bath Spa University Bath and North East Somerset, South West · TEF Silver	49	£22.5k	93%	87%	120
33	Leeds Beckett University Leeds, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Bronze	48	£26.5k	90%	93%	88
34	De Montfort University Leicester, East Midlands · TEF Silver	48	£24.5k	80%	92%	88
35	University of Chichester Chichester, South East · TEF Gold	48	£23.5k	80%	89%	104
36	Futureworks Salford, North West · TEF Silver	48	£23k	95%	90%	120
37	University of Westminster Westminster, London · TEF Silver	47	£26k	—	84%	104
38	University of Chester Cheshire West and Chester, North West · TEF Silver	47	£25.5k	90%	80%	104
39	University of Plymouth Plymouth, South West · TEF Gold	46	£24.5k	95%	73%	96
40	Liverpool Hope University Liverpool, North West · TEF Silver	45	£25k	90%	85%	104
41	Birmingham City University Birmingham, West Midlands · TEF Silver	45	£25k	90%	90%	104
42	University of Winchester Winchester, South East · TEF Silver	45	£22.5k	90%	82%	104
43	University of Gloucestershire Cheltenham, South West · TEF Silver	44	£23.5k	80%	92%	104
44	Aberystwyth University Ceredigion, Wales	44	£22.5k	85%	84%	104
45	Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester, North West · TEF Gold	44	£21k	80%	92%	120
46	Canterbury Christ Church University Canterbury, South East · TEF Silver	43	£27k	90%	82%	88
47	Arts University Bournemouth, the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, South West · TEF Silver	43	—	65%	79%	152
48	Regent's University Westminster, London · TEF Silver	42	£23.5k	—	92%	56
49	Falmouth University Cornwall, South West · TEF Silver	41	£22.5k	65%	86%	136
50	University of the West of Scotland Scotland	41	£22k	90%	81%	136

How the score works: universities are compared within each subject on salary five years after graduating (27%), the share in work or further study (18%), student satisfaction (18%), students staying on (13.5%), typical UCAS points (13.5%, compared within each nation) and the TEF rating (10%, England). 50 is typical. Figures: Discover Uni (Office for Students, HESA), National Student Survey, Graduate Outcomes, HMRC LEO earnings; full-time first degrees.

Questions

What is the best university for Creative writing?

On our measures Royal Holloway, University of London ranks first for Creative writing, followed by University of Birmingham, UCL, University of Glasgow. Rankings depend on what matters to you, so compare pay, jobs and satisfaction.

Which university's Creative writing graduates earn the most?

UCL: typical earnings of £38.5k five years after graduating (HMRC tax records).