List of universities in the United Kingdom

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This is a list of universities in the United Kingdom (alphabetical by substantive name). Below that are lists of university colleges and other recognised bodies (institutions with degree awarding powers), followed by a list of defunct institutions.

Contents

Universities alphabetically

This list follows the list of recognised bodies on the UK government website. [1] All the institutions on this list are recognised bodies with university status, indicated either by their use of university title in their name on the recognised bodies list or by reference to the Office for Students database [2] for the few universities that do not use the title in their name. Member institutions of the University of London are listed here if they hold university status.

University colleges

This is a list of university colleges in the UK. Institutions included on this list are university colleges that are recognised bodies with their own degree awarding powers; [1] it does not include institutions with "university college" in their title that are listed bodies as parts of a university (see colleges within universities in the United Kingdom), or other institutions with "university college" in their title. Separate citations are given for institutions that have been awarded university college title recently and are not yet shown under that name on the recognised bodies list or which do not use the title in their name.
ArmsUniversityEstablishedUniversity college statusTotal studentsNotes
- University College of Estate Management 191920134,000Reading

Member institutions of the University of London

All member institutions of the University of London are recognised bodies as institutions that have the right to grant University of London degrees. Some also hold their own degree awarding powers and, since the passing of the University of London Act 2018, can apply for university status in their own right without leaving the federal university. [14] Member institutions that are also universities in their own right are listed both here and in the list of universities above. The university was an examining board until 1900, when it became a federal university and admitted colleges as "Schools of the University". [15]

ArmsUniversityEstablishedJoined University of LondonTotal studentsNotes
Birkbeck College, London arms.svg
Birkbeck, University of London 1823192011,425Since 2023 a university in its own right.
Shield of Brunel University.svg
Brunel University of London 1798202418,370University from 1966
City St George's, University of London 2024202426,065Formed in 2024 by merger of City, University of London and St George's, University of London. City was founded in 1894, became as an independent university in 1966, surrendered university status in 2016 to join the University of London, [16] and became a university in its own right again in 2023. St George's was founded in 1733, became an original school of the university in 1900, [15] and became a university in its own right in 2022. [17]
None Royal Central School of Speech and Drama 190620051,100
None Courtauld Institute of Art 19322002545
Goldsmiths College, London arms.svg
Goldsmiths, University of London 1891190510,090Became an institution owned by the university in 1905 [15] and a school of the university in 1988. [18]
None Institute of Cancer Research 19092003280
King's College, London arms.svg
King's College London 1829190010,090Along with University College London, one of the two colleges named in the 1836 charter as having the right to submit students for examination and an original school of the university in 1900. [15] Since 2023 a university in its own right.
University of London arms.svg
London Business School 196419642,390
London School of Economics Coat of Arms.svg
London School of Economics 1895190012,975Original school of the university in 1900. [15] Since 2023 a university in its own right.
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine 1899190012,975Original school of the university in 1900. [15]
Queen Mary, University of London Crest-2.png
Queen Mary University of London 1785190726,045
Arms of the United Kingdom.svg
Royal Academy of Music 18221999860
Shield of Royal Holloway College.svg
Royal Holloway, University of London 1879190011,530Original school of the university in 1900. [15] Since 2022 a university in its own right. [19]
- Royal Veterinary College 179119492,510
- SOAS University of London 191619166,295Since 2023 a university in its own right.
None University College London 1826190046,830Along with King's College London, one of the two colleges named in the 1836 charter as having the right to submit students for examination and an original school of the university in 1900. [15] Since 2023 a university in its own right.

Other recognised bodies

This section lists other education institutions that hold their own degree awarding powers but are neither universities (or colleges of the University of London) nor university colleges. [1]

Recognised bodies that can only award foundation degrees

These institutions are recognised bodies with foundation degree awarding powers only. [1]

Defunct university institutions

This section lists defunct universities, university colleges, polytechnics and colleges of federal universities.

Former University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) main building, now used by The University of Manchester UMIST Sackville Street Building.jpg
Former University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) main building, now used by The University of Manchester

Foreign universities with campuses in the United Kingdom

While based in the UK, these are not considered UK universities and are not recognised as UK degree-awarding bodies by the British government unless separately listed in one of the categories above. Many are 'study abroad' centres for non-UK universities, offering a year or a semester in the UK for students enrolled at the foreign university, rather than campuses offering their own courses.

As of 1 November 2023, there are 29 "Overseas Higher Education Institutions" that have been approved for student visa purposes by the UK Government as offering "an overseas course of degree level study that's equal to a UK higher education course". [24] [25] There is also one branch of an overseas university that is a "listed body", offering courses leading to a UK degree from a "registered body". [26] The following are approved overseas higher education institutions and foreign universities that are listed bodies in the UK, with their UK locations:

Universities in British Overseas Territories

Universities in British Overseas Territories are not considered UK Universities and are not recognised as UK degree-awarding bodies by the British government. [32]

University of the West Indies in Mona UWI Mona Campus Main Library.jpg
University of the West Indies in Mona

Anguilla

Bermuda

Cayman Islands

Gibraltar

Montserrat

Turks and Caicos Islands

Universities in Crown Dependencies

See list of universities in the Isle of Man for university institutions on the Isle of Man. There are currently no universities in the Channel Islands; in 2013 [34] [35] the States of Guernsey gave approval for the opening of a university there but, as of February 2017, no progress has been made on the project. [36]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of London</span> Federal research university in England

The University of London is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree-awarding examination board for students holding certificates from University College London, King's College London and "other such institutions, corporate or unincorporated, as shall be established for the purpose of Education, whether within the Metropolis or elsewhere within our United Kingdom". It is one of three institutions to have advertised themselves as the third-oldest university in England. It moved to a federal structure with constituent colleges in 1900. It is now incorporated by its fourth (1863) royal charter and governed by the University of London Act 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universities in the United Kingdom</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red brick university</span> Term for British universities founded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ancient university</span> British and Irish universities founded before 1600

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Wales</span> University in Cardiff, Wales

The University of Wales is a confederal university based in Cardiff, Wales. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff – the university was the first university established in Wales, one of the four countries in the United Kingdom. The university was, prior to the break up of the federation, the second largest university in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff University</span> Public research university in Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff University is a public research university in Cardiff, Wales. It was established in 1883 as the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire and became a founding college of the University of Wales in 1893. It was renamed University College, Cardiff in 1972 and merged with the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology in 1988 to become University of Wales College, Cardiff and then University of Wales, Cardiff in 1996. In 1997 it received degree-awarding powers, but held them in abeyance. It adopted the operating name of Cardiff University in 1999; this became its legal name in 2005, when it became an independent university awarding its own degrees.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardiff Metropolitan University</span> University in Cardiff, Wales

Cardiff Metropolitan University, formerly the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff and commonly referred to as Cardiff Met, is a university located in the city of Cardiff.

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Colleges within universities in the United Kingdom can be divided into two broad categories: those in federal universities such as the University of London, which are primarily teaching institutions joined in a federation, and residential colleges in universities following the traditional collegiate pattern of Oxford and Cambridge, which may have academic responsibilities but are primarily residential and social. The legal status of colleges varies widely, both with regard to their corporate status and their status as educational bodies. London colleges are all considered 'recognised bodies' with the power to confer University of London degrees and, in many cases, their own degrees. Colleges of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) are 'listed bodies', as "bodies that appear to the Secretary of State to be constituent colleges, schools, halls or other institutions of a university". Colleges of the plate glass universities of Kent, Lancaster and York, along with those of the University of Roehampton and the University of the Arts London do not have this legal recognition. Colleges of Oxford, Cambridge, London, and UHI, and the "recognised colleges" and "licensed halls" of Durham, are separate corporations, while the colleges of other universities, the "maintained colleges" of Durham, and the "societies of the university" at Oxford are parts of their parent universities and do not have independent corporate existence.

The Master of Pharmacy is a postgraduate degree in pharmacy, awarded upon the completion of postgraduate coursework or an integrated undergraduate-postgraduate curriculum. Typically, this program lasts for four to five years.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Third-oldest university in England debate</span> Debate since the mid-19th century

The third-oldest university in England debate has been carried out since the mid-19th century, with rival claims being made originally by Durham University as the third-oldest officially recognised university (1832) and the third to confer degrees (1837) and the University of London as the third university to be granted a royal charter (1836). These have been joined more recently by University College London as it was founded as London University (1826) and was the third-oldest university institution to start teaching (1828) and by King's College London. Most historians identify Durham as the third-oldest, following standard practice in how a university is defined and how this is applied historically, although the popular press is more divided.

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References

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