Top Universities and Colleges in UK - Courses, Fees, Scholarships, Admission Requirements & Grades

Some of the low-cost universities in the UK are Staffordshire University, Teesside University, Leeds Beckett University, London Metropolitan University, Coventry University, etc. The first-year tuition fees for these universities in UK is given below:

Also Read: Most Affordable Universities in UK 

A range of first-year tuition fees for a large chunk of the UK universities is between INR 20 Lacs – INR 40 lakh. Generally, the tuition fee to study in UK varies as per the university, city, and course opted. The tuition fee in the UK for international students starts from £10,000 and go up to £38,000 per year. The average cost of studying in the UK is around £22,200 (Around INR 23 lakh).

The first-year tuition fee for the top-ranked universities in the UK is given below:

Many universities of UK are situated in London namely Imperial College London; King’s College London; University of East London; City, University of London; University College London; University of Greenwich. The average cost of London is higher than the other cities of the UK. On average, students need around £200 – £300 per week to live in or around London. As per Numebeo.com, the estimated monthly cost for a single person is around INR 1 Lacs without rent.

If we talk about the Top 10 universities in the UK, then as per the Times Higher Education, the University of Oxford is in the top of the list of the best universities in the UK 2025. Check UK University ranking as per THE for 2025 from the table given below: 

Some of the top universities in London according to Times Higher Education are Imperial College London, UCL, King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, London School of Economics and Political Science, Brunel University London, City, University of London, etc. Check the rankings of these top London Universities as per THE in 2024:

In the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, the University of Oxford ranks at the #1 position. A few of the other top-ranking universities in UK that are included in the Top 100 UK Universities are given as follows:

UK is a top choice for many Indian students because of its quality of education, top-ranking universities, student experience, etc. The average cost of studying in UK is around GBP 11,000 – GBP 85,000. This varies as per the course levels.

Here is a table showing how these types of courses and the average tuition fee.

Cost of Living

The average cost of living in UK for Indian students will be around GBP 1,300 – GBP 1,400 per month. This includes, rent, bills, groceries, and other living costs. In other parts of the UK outside of London, students can expect to pay between GBP 900 – GBP 1,300 per month. The accommodation cost for international students can be around GBP 848. Per year, the average cost of living in UK will be around GBP 14,000 – GBP 22,000 per year.  

According to QS World University Rankings 2024, some of the top-ranked universities in the UK are the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, UCL, The University of Edinburgh, etc. Know the UK University ranking as per QS from the table given below: 

Yes, generally, international students are required to submit the IELTS test score as a proof to show English language proficiency. In the UK, more than 165 universities accept IELTS score. The universities that accept IELTS score are University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University of Cambridge, King’s College London, University of East London, etc. To take admission to the top-ranked universities in the UK, the minimum range of IELTS score varies from 6.0 – 7.5.

Also Read: How to Study in UK without IELTS

According to some experts, some of the Tier 1 UK Universities are University of Glasgow, University of Manchester, Durham University, Cardiff University, Warwick University, University of Birmingham, University of Nottingham, University of Edinburgh. In case if students want to study in Tier 2 ranked universities, the fee structure will be around INR 20 – 25 lakh and some of the universities under this range are:

• University of Leeds
• University of Liverpool
• University of East Anglia
• University of Exeter
• Queen’s University of Belfast

Some of the top-ranked MBA UK Universities are London Business School, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University of Manchester, etc. Below given are the QS Global MBA Rankings 2024 of these UK Universities:

To study in the UK, the applicants are required to meet the below-given admission requirements:

• Formal Schooling
• Bachelor’s degree (if applicable)
• GMAT / GRE / SAT test score
• English language proficiency test score
• Resume
• Essays
• Personal Statement
• Letters of Recommendation
• ID proof
• Financial proof
• Any other additional document

Some of the popular job sectors in the UK are Accountancy, Banking and Finance; Business, Consulting and Management, Energy and Utilities, Healthcare, Law, etc. Some of the highest-paying jobs in the UK are Legal Professionals, Medical Practitioners, Advertising and Public Relations Directors, Financial Managers and Directors, IT and Telecommunications Managers, etc. According to Save the Student, below-given are the best paid jobs in the UK:

• Marketing, Sales and Advertising Directors: £77,695
• Information Technology Directors: £73,571
• Public Relations and Communication Directors: £66,510
• Financial Managers and Directors: £64,193

As per some experts, given below is the non-exhaustive list of the UK universities that are good besides Oxford and Cambridge. This list is based on international recognition, research excellence and employer reputation.

• Imperial College
• London School of Economics
• University College London
• King’s College London
• The University of Edinburgh
• The University of Glasgow
• Durham University
• University of Nottingham
• Queen’s University, Belfast

Also, note that the answer to this question will be very subjective as it is really competitive to get into the University of Oxford and Cambridge University. Another review on this has quoted that some of the other universities that are considered elite are UCL, King’s College London, Imperial, LSE, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, etc.

The top student cities in the UK for international students:

• London: Being the capital of the UK, London have various universities, opportunities for internships, and cultural attractions
• Edinburgh: This is a historic city with a strong academic reputation and a vibrant cultural scene
• Manchester: It is known for its art, music, and sports scene and also, for its strong academic institutions and diverse student community
• Bristol: This is a vibrant and green city with a thriving student community
• Cambridge: Another historic city is Cambridge. It has world-renowned universities and a rich cultural scene

According to QS Best Student Cities 2024, the top UK student cities are given below:

Most of the UK Universities are located in London. Other locations where the UK universities are situated are West Midlands, Scotland, Hampshire, West Yorkshire, Surrey, etc. London tops the best student cities list as per QS Best Student Cities 2024. Other best student cities in the UK are Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Coventry, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, etc.

Also Check: Top Facts about London

According to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025, the University of Oxford ranks at the 1st place. It is followed by the University of Cambridge ranks at the 2nd place. Here is the list of UK Universities in THE rankings:

A few of the top affordable universities in UK for international postgraduate students according to the Complete University Guide are: