With over 160 top universities in the United Kingdom, it can be a daunting task to choose a suitable university in the United Kingdom to study.
If this describes you right now, no worries. I have researched some of the best universities in the UK for international students in 2023-2024 and I’ll be sharing my findings in this article.
This article will serve as a study in the UK guide to you as I also answer other FAQs about the best universities in the UK for International students.
To start, let me answer some of these questions quickly:
Having known the above, now let me show you the best universities in the UK for international students
21 Best Universities in the UK for International Students 2023-2024
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Table of Contents
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England.
There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s second-oldest university in continuous operation.
See Also: The Best Cities to Study in the UK
The University has international students making up 45% of Oxford students.
If you can afford the fees, no doubt, this is the best school you can possibly attend as an international student.
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University College, London
Established in 1826, as London University, UCL was the first university institution to be established in London, and the first in England to be entirely secular and admit students regardless of their religion.
UCL is London’s Global University: 48% of its students are international, representing more than 150 different countries.
The school is a perfect choice for non-UK indigenes.
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Andrews University
St. Andrews University is an international university in Scotland with a culturally diverse staff and students from over 120 nationalities.
It is located at the heart of the small town of St. Andrews. Students may find living here charming and peaceful.
If you are looking for a good school outside of London that is very welcoming to international students, St. Andrews University is a good choice.
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University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England.
The two ancient English universities – Oxford and Cambridge, although sometimes described as rivals, share many common features and are often jointly referred to as Oxbridge.
More than 40% of their students (around 3,200 students) are from outside the UK, representing around 140 countries. It’s a welcoming environment for an international student.
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Imperial College, London
Imperial College is one of the best universities in the UK for international students in 2023-2024.
Imperial focuses exclusively on science, technology, medicine, and business.
Imperial College is a great choice for an international student looking for a welcoming environment of learning.
The proportion of students at Imperial College from outside the UK was 61% in 2020-21.
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Kingston University
Kingston University London is a public research university located within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, in South West London, England.
Kingston has around 17,000 students and a turnover of £192 million. It has four campuses situated in Kingston and Roehampton.
The university specialises in the arts, design, fashion, science, engineering, and business.
Kingston University is home to over 3,000 international students from more than 140 countries.
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University of London
The University of London is the UK’s leading provider of digital and blended distance education internationally, offering programmes to 45,000 students in 190 countries around the world.
Although proudly rooted in London, the school community and impact are global.
The school is also a national leader in the humanities, so if you’ll love to study a course in the humanities and you’re looking for a university that is internationally students friendly, the UoL is your best bet.
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University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is the largest single-site university in the UK, with the biggest main campus is south of Manchester City Centre on Oxford Road.
The University of Manchester is the third-largest university in the United Kingdom by total enrolment.
It receives over 92,000 undergraduate applications per year, making it the most popular university in the UK by volume of applications.
The school is one of the best universities in the UK for international students.
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London School of Economics
LSE is a social science specialist university, with a global community in the heart of London and a commitment to shaping the world.
The school is one of the foremost social science universities in the world.
The LSE community is very diverse, with students from over 140 different countries and 40 percent of staff from outside of the UK.
This diversity facilitates social science discussions from a global perspective, building on the different experiences, views and beliefs of our student body.
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University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top universities. The school has an entrepreneurial and cross-disciplinary culture attracts students and researchers from across the globe.
The University is currently ranked in the global top 15 in the QS World University Rankings 2023.
A total of 22 schools make up the University, with around 6,000 of the 27,500 students currently enrolled internationally.
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University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a public research university in Southampton, England.
The University of Southampton currently has 14,705 undergraduate and 7,960 postgraduate students, making it the largest university by higher education students in the South East region.
The university is a global top 100 university (QS rankings 2023) with a community of over 10,000 international students from 130 different countries.
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University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a truly global university producing world-leading research.
The school benefit from mutual partnerships with a wide range of international institutions and host a large international community of researchers and students.
With over 8,700 international students from approximately 150 countries and 31% of their academic staff from overseas, the university is truly a diverse university that attracts the brightest and best international students and staff.
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University of Bristol
Univresity of Bristol is one of the most popular and successful universities in the UK, ranked 61st in the world in the QS World University Rankings 2023.
The uni is one of the best universities in the UK for international students.
The University is home to more than 27,000 undergraduates and postgraduates. Around 25% of their students are international, with more than 150 countries represented.
This makes it a great option to consider for potential foreign students.
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Royal Holloway University London
Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a constituent college of the federal University of London.
It has six schools, 21 academic departments and approximately 10,500 undergraduate and postgraduate students from over 100 countries.
If you are looking for an international university community in London, this is a great school to consider.
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Brunel University London
Brunel University London is a public research university located in the Uxbridge area of London, England.
It was founded in 1966 and named after the Victorian engineer and pioneer of the Industrial Revolution, Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Brunel University London is home to more than 15000 students from 110 countries and a welcoming environment for international students.
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University of Leeds
Established in 1904, the University of Leeds is one of the largest universities in the UK.
The school is part of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities and is renowned globally for the quality of our research and teaching.
Leeds is a truly multicultural campus with more than 14,400 international students from 137 countries, in a student-friendly city. You will love the learning experience at Leeds.
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University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands and Warwickshire, England.
5 years after graduating, Warwick graduates ranked within the UK top 10 for highest earnings in over 11 subjects.
The university is home to over 9,500 students from 147 countries. They also offer a range of perks, including opportunities abroad, the Warwick International Foundation Programme, Summer School and English Language courses.
The university is arguably one of the best universities in the UK for international students.
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The University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a world top-100 university renowned for the excellence, impact and distinctiveness of our research-led learning and teaching.
Known for world-leading engineering research, the university has partnerships with over 125 companies including Rolls-Royce and Airbus at the Advanced Manufacturing Park spread over 150 acres of land.
Sheffield ranks among the top 10 UK universities for research grant funding.
It is also one of the choices of learning for international students with over 29,000 international students from over 150 countries
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University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a public research university based in the city of Liverpool, England. It was founded as a college in 1881.
The University of Liverpool has faculties organised into 35 departments and schools.
The University of Liverpool has a range of scholarships on offer to international undergraduate students and post-graduate taught students.
They also admit thousands of students from across different countries and cultures every year.
The school is one of the best universities in the UK for international students.
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University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is located in Scotland, UK. The school is a world top 100 university and ranks among the leading universities in the United Kingdom.
The University of Glasgow is a major research-led university in Glasgow, a city that has been rated one of the top 50 cities in the world for students.
Glasgow is known for being warm and welcoming and is home to 185,000 students from 140 different countries, which speaks for itself.
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Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a top-five university for research excellence in the beautiful, student-friendly city of Cardiff in South Wales, United Kingdom.
Cardiff is a real global University focused on research that makes a difference.
With over 7,700 international students from over 130 countries and formal contacts with more than 300 institutions around the world, the school is the best choice for international students.
Which University in UK accepts most international students?
The top first university with the highest number of International students in England is University College London, with 23,360 students. In second place comes the University of Manchester, with 17,625 students. In Scotland, the University of Edinburgh is the top university with the most non-EU students (11,855). The University of Glasgow comes second with 10,150 students.
See Also: Best Cities to Study in the UK
Which is the cheapest university in UK for international students?
There are many affordable universities in the UK for international students. These universities’ school fees range £11,000 – £14,000 per programme of study. Some of the cheapest universities in the UK are the University of Bolton, University of West London, University of Bedfordshire, University of Cumbria, University of Chester, University of Greenwich, University of Wolver Hampton, etc.
Which UK country is best for international students? Which university accepts most international students?
All countries in the United Kingdom England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are suitable and very welcoming to international students. Interestingly, England is the best country in the UK for international students. London England is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world with a population consisting of a diverse culture and people.
Bukola Owo-Bello is a spirited storyteller, content creator and YouTuber who loves sharing amazing opportunities, inspiration, and ideas with forward-thinking African youths.
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