Best universities for English studies (2026)

105 UK universities teaching English studies 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	University of Oxford Oxford, South East · TEF Gold	70	£39k	83%	87%	184
2	University of St Andrews Scotland	69	£33k	90%	91%	216
3	University of Cambridge Cambridge, East of England · TEF Gold	68	£39.5k	85%	81%	200
4	UCL Camden, London · TEF Silver	66	£38.5k	82%	88%	168
5	University of Warwick Coventry, West Midlands · TEF Gold	66	£33k	90%	87%	152
6	Loughborough University Charnwood, East Midlands · TEF Gold	65	£33k	88%	93%	136
7	University of Exeter Exeter, South West · TEF Gold	64	£33k	84%	88%	152
8	University of Durham County Durham, North East · TEF Silver	62	£34.5k	83%	85%	168
9	University of Bristol Bristol, City of, South West · TEF Silver	61	£34.5k	80%	85%	168
10	King's College London Westminster, London · TEF Silver	61	£33k	88%	87%	144
11	University of Birmingham Birmingham, West Midlands · TEF Silver	61	£30.5k	90%	92%	136
12	University of Nottingham Nottingham, East Midlands · TEF Silver	60	£32.5k	89%	88%	136
13	University of Surrey Guildford, South East · TEF Silver	60	£30k	90%	93%	120
14	Queen's University Belfast Northern Ireland	60	—	92%	88%	136
15	University of Lancaster Lancaster, North West · TEF Gold	59	£29k	90%	84%	136
16	University of Leeds Leeds, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Silver	57	£33k	85%	85%	144
17	University of Southampton Southampton, South East · TEF Silver	57	£31k	90%	83%	136
18	University of Liverpool Liverpool, North West · TEF Gold	57	£27k	90%	89%	120
19	Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	57	£23.5k	100%	95%	96
20	Queen Mary University of London Tower Hamlets, London · TEF Silver	56	£31.5k	80%	89%	136
21	London Metropolitan University Hackney, London · TEF Silver	56	£31k	85%	96%	—
22	Royal Holloway, University of London Runnymede, South East · TEF Silver	56	£30.5k	85%	90%	120
23	University of Manchester Manchester, North West · TEF Silver	56	£30k	87%	83%	152
24	University of York York, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	56	£29k	85%	82%	136
25	University of Glasgow Scotland	56	£29k	88%	88%	168
26	University of Leicester Leicester, East Midlands · TEF Gold	56	£29k	80%	91%	120
27	St Mary's University, Twickenham Richmond upon Thames, London · TEF Silver	56	£29k	90%	98%	88
28	City St George's, University of London Islington, London · TEF Silver	56	—	98%	91%	104
29	University of Edinburgh Scotland	55	£33k	85%	79%	168
30	University of Reading Wokingham, South East · TEF Silver	55	£29k	95%	88%	104
31	University of Sussex Brighton and Hove, South East · TEF Silver	55	£29k	90%	88%	120
32	Cardiff University Cardiff, Wales	55	£28.5k	84%	86%	136
33	University of Strathclyde Scotland	55	£28k	90%	88%	184
34	Swansea University Swansea, Wales	55	£26k	90%	93%	120
35	Brunel University of London Hillingdon, London · TEF Bronze	54	£30k	95%	88%	120
36	University of Newcastle Upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, North East · TEF Silver	54	£30k	85%	85%	136
37	Aston University Birmingham, West Midlands · TEF Gold	54	£28.5k	85%	86%	104
38	University of Hull Kingston upon Hull, City of, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Gold	54	£24k	90%	92%	120
39	University of Sheffield Sheffield, Yorkshire and The Humber · TEF Silver	53	£29k	75%	87%	152
40	Bath Spa University Bath and North East Somerset, South West · TEF Silver	53	£25k	93%	93%	112
41	Heriot-Watt University Scotland	52	£29.5k	100%	78%	136
42	University of Lincoln Lincoln, East Midlands · TEF Gold	52	£26.5k	85%	89%	104
43	Edinburgh Napier University Scotland	52	£26.5k	90%	90%	152
44	University of Kent (Part of London and South East University Group) Canterbury, South East · TEF Silver	51	£30k	85%	87%	104
45	Roehampton University Wandsworth, London · TEF Silver	51	£30k	75%	94%	88
46	University of Greenwich (Part of London and South East University Group) Greenwich, London · TEF Gold	51	£27.5k	80%	90%	104
47	University of Keele Newcastle-under-Lyme, West Midlands · TEF Gold	51	£27.5k	80%	93%	104
48	University of Aberdeen Scotland	51	£27.5k	85%	87%	168
49	University of Portsmouth Portsmouth, South East · TEF Gold	50	£28.5k	77%	88%	120
50	University of Dundee Scotland	50	£26.5k	85%	87%	152

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.

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Questions

What is the best university for English studies?

On our measures University of Oxford ranks first for English studies, followed by University of St Andrews, University of Cambridge, UCL. Rankings depend on what matters to you, so compare pay, jobs and satisfaction.

Which university's English studies graduates earn the most?

University of Cambridge: typical earnings of £39.5k five years after graduating (HMRC tax records).