Best universities in England

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The largest nation in the United Kingdom, England offers a huge range of universities, courses and cities for students to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a city-based uni experience, or if you’d rather be in a smaller seaside town, there’s something to meet your needs. In fact, the amount of choice is overwhelming. To help you make a decision that’s right for you, we’ve put together a list of some of the best unis in England based on student-focused criteria. Using Complete University Guide’s 2023 league tables, we’ve found some of the best universities England has to offer.

Universities in England

There are too many universities in England for us to list them all out here, but rest assured there’s plenty of choice. In England, you’ll find some of the world’s oldest unis, such as the University of Cambridge, but you’ll also find a lot of modern universities, including Anglia Ruskin University, and plenty in between, such as the University of Nottingham.

Let’s be honest though, very few students are picking unis based on how old they are. Instead, students want to know whether other students enjoy the uni, whether they’re likely to get a job after they graduate and whether the nightlife is any good. While Complete University Guide’s 2023 league tables can’t answer the last one for you (though our student reviews might give you an idea of what you can expect), they can answer the first two.

Best uni in England for student satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2023)

Plymouth Marjon University

Plymouth Marjon University, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Plymouth Marjon’s student support services help to bring it out at the top of the league tables for student satisfaction. They offer advice on a range of topics important to students, from financial guidance to academic support to counselling. You can also speak to the support team in confidence about a friend or family member at Marjon if you have any concerns. The uni also offers students excellent facilities, from a modern library to a well-equipped sport centre. The range of accommodation on offer also contributes to the overall student satisfaction with Plymouth Marjon.

Read what students are saying about Plymouth Marjon University.

Best uni in England for graduate outcomes (Complete University Guide 2023)

St George’s, University of London

St George’s Medical School has the highest graduate outcome results in England. As the uni is based in a working hospital, students here have plenty of opportunities to network and build connections within the industry. The uni also offers dedicated careers support to assist students in their life after graduation. As a medical school, you can be confident that any degree you study at St. George’s will set you on a path to a career with lots of job opportunities.

Read what students are saying about St George’s, University of London.

Best uni in England for research quality (Complete University Guide 2023)

Imperial College London

Imperial College London is well-known for its world-leading research. The university also places a big focus on international collaboration, bringing together some of the best minds across the world to collaborate on research projects, which gives it a unique edge over other unis in England. The university is focused on the sciences, and carries out research projects focused on the biggest issues faced in modern society, from climate change to antibiotic resistance.

Read what students are saying about Imperial College London.

Best uni in England overall (Complete University Guide 2023)

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is the oldest uni in the UK (it’s been around since 1096) and one of the oldest in the world. As such, it’s had plenty of time to develop its reputation as one of the world’s leading higher education institutions. The uni is known internationally for its research quality, state-of-the-art facilities and printing press. With its reputation comes an extremely competitive pool of applicants, so students admitted to Oxford are among some of the highest achievers in the country, meaning you can be sure the uni’s reputation will open plenty of doors for you.

Read what students are saying about the University of Oxford.