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Cardiff University Rankings 2027

Cardiff, South Glamorgan, UK

3.8 /5

(24 Reviews)

279 Student Q&A

Shiksha popularity ranking

#147 in World

#27 in UK

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Cardiff University Ranking

Table of contents

Cardiff University Ranking
Cardiff University Course Ranking
Cardiff University Ranking by US News and World Report 2026
Cardiff University Ranking by The Guardian 2027
Cardiff University Ranking by The Complete University Guide 2027
Cardiff University Ranking by Quacquarelli Symonds 2027
Cardiff University Ranking by THE (Times Higher Education) 2027
Cardiff University ARWU (Shanghai Ranking) Ranking 2026
Cardiff University Student Reviews

Cardiff University
Cardiff University Ranking

Cardiff University is a pioneer in the higher education and consistently ranked among the top universities nationally and globally. Located in UK, the university aims at offering courses of high value, attracting students from different countries, including India. So if you want to study at Cardiff University, knowing its current ranking and how the trend has been when compared with previous year is critical.

According to Shiksha Popularity Ranking, the university has been ranked globally at #132 in 2025, showing dropped trend from its 2024 rank of #110. Nationally in the Shiksha Popularity Ranking, the Cardiff University has moved from #22 in 2024 to #27 in 2025.

Similarly, the QS 2026 ranked the university at #181 in the world, recoding improved trend when compared with 2025 rank of #186.

Here’s a three-year Cardiff University ranking trend for you to make a guided decision:

Ranking Body	2023	2024	2025	2026
QS	Not Ranked	154	186	181
THE	187	190	201	Not Ranked
US News	152	184	192	Not Ranked
The Guardian	35	29	46	Not Ranked
The complete Guide	Not Ranked	21	27	22

#27

Country level

Shiksha Popularity Rank

World rank by different ranking providers

Shiksha

#147

QS Ranking

#179

ARWU Ranking

#201

US News Ranking

#211

THE Ranking

#257

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Cardiff University
Cardiff University Course Ranking

Cardiff University offers a variety of UG and postgraduate programs for international students. Known for its academic rigour, the university courses in fields such as Engineering, Business and Management Studies, Law, Medicine and Health Sciences and Science, are also highly ranked and top-rated globally. The Shiksha Popularity Ranking ranks Cardiff University courses in the field of Engineering at #158 in 2025. This ranking has witnessed declined trend in comparison to its 2025 ranking of #129.

The Cardiff University courses in the field of Business & Management Studies are also ranked by Shiksha Popularity Ranking at #371. Also THE ranks its courses in Business & Management Studies at #151.

According to Shiksha Popularity Rankings 2025, here’s how some of Cardiff University degrees perform globally:

Course Category	2023	2024	2025
Engineering	#124	#129	#158
Business & Management Studies	#366	#337	#371
Law	#132	#119	#114
Medicine & Health Sciences	#98	#117	#133
Science	#132	#161	#146

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#24

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#24

#101

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#176

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Specializations in MS Program

Biology

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#14

#144

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#176

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Physics

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#21

#201

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#301

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#25

Shiksha popularity ranking

MBA/PGDM

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#25

#161

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#34

Shiksha popularity ranking

B.E. / B.Tech

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#34

CUG

#23

Guardian

#36

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Specializations in B.E. / B.Tech Program

Electrical Engineering

Shiksha

#24

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Computer Science

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#25

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Cardiff University Ranking by US News and World Report 2026

US News & World Report is among the top ranking publishers in the world. The ranking publisher is known for its National, Global, Subject-based, and Regional rankings. US News & World Report evaluates various factors when considering top university for rankings. Some factors are Best Colleges for Veterans, most innovative schools, top performers on social mobility, average 6-year graduation rate, etc.

According to US News & World Report National Rankings, Cardiff University ranks at

According to US News & World Report National Rankings, Cardiff University ranks at #192 in 2025 and #184 in 2024 showing a decline in rankings. Check the ranking of Cardiff University under various categories that are given below:

Ranked by	2024	2025	2026
Global Universities	184	192	211

Cardiff University Comparison with Other Universities: US News and World Report

A comparison of US News Global Universities rankings of Cardiff University with other American universities is given as follows:

University Name	2024	2025
Cardiff University	184	192
University of Exeter	122	127
Nottingham Trent University	612	525
Newcastle University	159	170

US News & World Report is renowned for offering ranking to top university around the world. The ranking authority evaluates a wide range of factors such as global research reputation, conferences, total citations, highly citied papers in top 1%, international collaboration, and more. Check the table listed below to know more about US News & World Report ranking criteria they considered while determining rankings of Cardiff University:

Metric	Value
Global Score	43
Global Research Reputation	1362
Regional Research Reputation	597
Publications	1295
Books	461
Conferences	1325
Normalized Citation Impact	336
Total Citations	1087
Publications Among the Top 10% Most Cited	1058
Percentage of Publications Among the Top 10% Most Cited	418
International Collaboration (Relative to Country)	651
International Collaboration	298
Highly Cited Papers in the Top 1%	938
Percentage of Highly Cited Papers in the Top 1%	356

Also check: US News Best College Rankings Methodology

Cardiff University Ranking by The Guardian 2027

The Guardian University Guide Rankings specifies the rankings for UK-based universities. A few of the indicators that are used to compute the rankings by The Guardian are entry standards, student-staff ratio, teaching quality, feedback, career prospects, etc.According to the Guardian Rankings 2025, Cardiff University is ranked at #46 in 2025 and #29 in 2024. This shows that the ranking has improved and is also included among the Top 50 Universities in the UK in 2025.

Ranked by	2025	2026	2027
University	46	37	43
Accounting and Finance	63	50	38
Architecture	5	12	8
Business and Management	49	31	28
Civil Engineering	41	47	38
Economics	45	31	39
Electronic and Electrical Engineering	4	13	36
Journalism	11	14	5
Law	40	51	55
Mechanical Engineering	22	48	37
Media and Film Studies	10	13	20
Medicine	15	15	17
Physics	8	20	21
Politics	48	51	55
Sociology and Social Policy	35	30	39

Cardiff University Comparison with Other Universities: The Guardian Ranking

According to The Guardian Rankings, the Cardiff University is ranked #27 in 2025 and #36 in 2024. Showing a increase in the ranking position. University of Exeter is ranked #18 in “The Guardian Rankings 2025”. University of Kent is ranked #27 in 2025 and #36 in 2024, showing a major improvement compared to last year. Cardiff University is ranked #46 in 2025 and #29 in 2024 under The Guardian Rankings. Check the table below for The Guardian Rankings for the University of Greenwich alongside other top universities over the years.

University Name	The Guardian Ranking 2023	The Guardian Ranking 2024	The Guardian Ranking 2025
Cardiff University	35	29	46
University of Exeter	15	18	18
Nottingham Trent University	62	42	49
Newcastle University	63	67	63

The Guardian evaluates a large variety of parameters when ranking top universities in the United Kingdom. Some major parameters include student to staff ratio, average entry tariff, satisfied with feedback, and more. Furthermore, check the table below to see the scores attained by the Cardiff University:

Parameters	Values
Guardian score/100	41.2
Satisfied with teaching	83.2
Satisfied with feedback	79.4
Student to staff ratio	20.9
Spend per student/10	3.7
Average entry tariff	123
Value Added score/10	4.9
Career after 15 months	77
Continuation	85.8

Also check: The Guardian Ranking Methodology

Cardiff University Ranking by The Complete University Guide 2027

The Complete University Guide rankings depict the top rankings of the UK Universities. Cardiff University is ranked #22. This indicates an increased trend. Some of the popular courses like Medicine, Communication and Media Studies, Sociology, Law, Mechanical Engineering, etc are also standing in a good position.

Ranked by	2025	2026	2027
UK University	27	22	27
Accounting and Finance	19	21	24
Architecture	5	6	5
Biological Sciences	21	11	11
Business and Management Studies UK	19	20	19
Civil Engineering	16	20	23
Communication and Media Studies	9	6	5
Computer Science	32	25	25
Electrical and Electronic Engineering	23	24	24
Law	19	17	24
Mechanical Engineering	22	21	24
Medicine	14	13	9
Nursing	18	15	9
Physics and Astronomy	21	20	17
Psychology	10	7	14
Sociology	22	21	17

Cardiff University Comparison with Other Universities: The Complete University Guide Ranking

The Complete University Guide rankings of Cardiff and similar ranked universities are given as follows:

University Name	2024	2025	2026
Cardiff University	21	27	22
Exeter University	15	14	11
Nottingham Trent	42	45	46
Newcastle	30	26	31

The Complete University Guide is known for offering best ranking to top universities. Some essential factors included by the ranking publisher include student satisfaction, research quality, student-staff ration, and more. Furthermore, check the parameters table listed below to know about the score achieved by the Cardiff University:

Category	Achieved Score
Overall Score	532
Entry Standards	122
Student Satisfaction	3.08
Research Quality	2.86
Research Intensity	0.51
Academic Services Spend	1090
Facilities Spend	579
Student-Staff Ratio	20.9
Continuation	90.0
Graduate Prospects – Outcomes	73.2
Graduate Prospects – On Track	73.8

Also check: The Complete University Guide Ranking Methodology

Cardiff University Ranking by Quacquarelli Symonds 2027

QS is one of the most famous and most followed ranking bodies around the world. It published University rankings for various global universities. The inital rankings had been published in 2024 along with THE ranking body.

According to QS , Cardiff University ranks at #181 in 2026 and #186 in 2024 under the “World University Rankings”. Check the comparison listed below for Cardiff University ranking by QS under various categories:

Ranked by	2025	2026	2027
Europe	60	62	– / –
UK Ranking	– / –	26	– / –
World University	186	181	179
Accounting and Finance	151	151	– / –
Architecture and Built Environment	51	50	– / –
Biological Sciences	150	144	– / –
Communication and Media Studies	50	37	– / –
Engineering and Technology	225	228	– / –
Global MBA	– / –	151	161
Law and Legal Studies	151	151	– / –
Masters in Supply Chain Management	– / –	44	54
Mathematics	301	251	– / –
Mechanical Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering	201	151	– / –
Medicine	155	127	– / –
Nursing	101	51	– / –
Pharmacy and Pharmacology	101	101	– / –
Physics and Astronomy	201	201	– / –
Politics	151	151	– / –
Sociology	86	101	– / –

Cardiff University Comparison with Other Universities: Quacquarelli Symonds

Cardiff University, Exeter, Nottingham Trent University and Newcastle are some of the most esteemed universities in UK. Check below for QS World University Rankings table for Cardiff University ranking with top universities over the past three years.

University Name	2024	2025	2026
Cardiff	154	186	181
Exeter	153	169	155
Nottingham Trent	551	592	609
Newcastle	110	129	137

Quacquarelli Symonds annual report is highly regarded by students all over the world. The annual report is based on a variety of parameters such as academic reputation sustainability, overall, faculty student ratio, etc. A few more parameters that Quacquarelli Symonds consider while ranking top universities is listed below:

Parameters	Value
Academic Reputation	4.7
Citations per Faculty	11.7
Employment Outcomes	14.9
Employer Reputation	4.1
Faculty-Student Ratio	4.1
International Faculty Ratio	91.5
International Research Network	78.2
International Student Ratio	100
Sustainability	5.4

Also Check: Quacquarelli Symonds World University Ranking Methodology

Cardiff University Ranking by THE (Times Higher Education) 2027

Times Higher Education (THE) is highly renowned for its “World University Rankings” worldwide. A few major ranking released by THE annually include World University Rankings, Business & Economics Rankings, Computer Science Rankings, and Engineering & Technology Rankings. THE evaluates various essential parameters while allotting ranking to top universities around the world. Some important parameters include Reputation Survey, Research Income, Research Productivity, Institutional Income,

According to THE, the Syracuse University ranks at #201 in 2025 and #190 in 2024 under the “World University Rankings”. Check the table listed below for Syracuse University ranking under various categories:

Ranked by	2025	2026	2027
University	201	201	257
Arts and Humanities	126	126	– / –
Engineering	201	201	– / –
Law	126	126	– / –
Life Sciences	151	176	– / –
Medicine and Health	151	176	– / –
PG Business and Economics	151	176	– / –
PG Computer Science	201	201	– / –
Psychology	76	80	– / –

Cardiff University Comparison with Other Universities: THE (Times Higher Education)

Cardiff University, Exeter, Nottingham Trent, and Newcastle are some of the most reputed universities in UK for higher education. Students can check the Times Higher Education rankings to Syracuse University with other top universities:

University Name	2023	2024	2025
Cardiff	187	190	201
Exeter	137	177	172
Nottingham Trent	501	501	601
Newcastle	139	168	157

Times Higher Education is one of the leading ranking bodies to rank global universities on various parameters. THE ranks universities based on Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, Industry Standards, and International Outlook. A detailed weightage used by the THE is given below:

S. No.	Ranking Parameters	Performance Indicators
1	Teaching	Reputation survey Staff-to-student-ratio Doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio Doctorates-awarded-to-academic-staff ratio Institutional income
2	Research	Reputation survey Research income Research productivity
3	Citations	Field Weighted Citation Impact
4	International Outlook	Proportion of international students Proportion of international staff International collaboration
5	Industry Income	Research income from industry & commerce/ academic staff

Cardiff University
ARWU (Shanghai Ranking) Ranking 2026

Ranked by	2024	2025	2026
Universities	151	201	201
Law	101	51	– / –
Nursing	101	76	– / –
Physics	301	301	– / –
Political Sciences	151	151	– / –
Sociology	48	76	– / –

Cardiff University
Students Ratings & Reviews

3.8/5

21 Verified Reviews Info Icon

Student Views (Based on Reviews)

29% students never faced discrimination in this university

Vibe of Campus

Multi-dimensional

Friendly

Academically oriented

Easy going

Internships3

Part time work3.3

Post study jobs3.7

Quality of faculty4.4

Student Life4.7

Value for money3

Public transportation4.3

Safety4.6

Indian Food4.3

Permanent Immigration3.2

Anonymous

Business Management (BSc) - Batch of 2026

4.2

Have fun, you only live once :)

Tips: Not to compare the prices of things back home and in the UK because the economies of both the countries are different and hence the price difference. Find a part-time job so you can sustain your daily expenses and make plans with friends and travel! Drinking culture is very big in the UK, so finding people in pubs and spoons during the day is going to be pretty normal. Try to figure out public transport as soon as you can and get accommodation near your uni so it's easier to commute.

Total Monthly ExpensePound 300

Prepping time for classes20 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryPound 25975

Reviewed on 1 Nov 2026Read more

Anonymous

MSC Business Management with a Professional Placement Year - Batch of 2025

3.8

Beautiful experience in a multi dimensional way.

Tips: Research your course viability, keep your finances in order, keep looking for internships and build your profile accordingly. Because a diversified profile will go a long way. So make sure to plan in a way where you have contingency plans for contingencies.

Total Monthly ExpensePound 1275

Prepping time for classes30 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryPound

Reviewed on 26 Mar 2026Read more

Vighnesh Deepak Nayak Verified Icon

MSc in Data Science and Analytics - Batch of 2025

3.5

Average at best, expensive for the quality of teaching and guidance.

Tips: They attract students on the basis of their Russell group tag which is helpful at times, but the quality of teaching and helpfulness of faculty were quite disappointing in many subjects. There are very few class professors who actually teach very well. Otherwise, quite an average experience. Cardiff residents are the best people I have met in the UK.

Likes (Public transportation): Public transport in Cardiff is amazing, plus they have several applications to get around the city and also track buses. Two train stations are also close to the University, in case you want to travel to places during the summer. Buses charge around 2.80 per journey, and 5 if you get a bus pass. Trains are expensive in general throughout the UK.

Dislikes (Internships): Internship opportunities and information are available through the placement cell of my university, but they're not readily provided, have to do a lot of digging to actually find out how to get them. Some resume trips from the placement cell were not helpful at all for finding permanent jobs.

Total Monthly ExpensePound 1000

Prepping time for classes25 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryPound 35000

Reviewed on 4 May 2026Read more

Anonymous

MSc in Social Science Research Methods (International Relations) - Batch of 2026

3.9

Good experiences and growth.

Tips: I have learned a lot in my time spent here and that includes classroom hacks to budgeting trips which have helped me in getting through student life. Classes are well conducted and very feedback driven so if you ask professors for extra assistance and show them your dedication to learning, it can really benefit you. Socialising is easy because of the number of club activities and mixers that keep happening.

Total Monthly ExpensePound 1700

Prepping time for classes31 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryPound 101400

Reviewed on 29 Jan 2026Read more

Anonymous

MA in Architectural Design - Batch of 2026

3.9

Student culture and life is good.

Tips: My experience has been peaceful, exciting and I have gained a lot of knowledge and experience here. Some modules can feel repetitive but the labs are good and research is taken seriously. You can also gain on field experience here based on your course and department.

Dislikes (Internships): Sometimes you can get an internship through career services or professors but most of the time, internships have to be figured out by ourselves. The job and internship prospects are limited mostly but if you get any here, they're usually really solid.

Total Monthly ExpensePound 1925

Prepping time for classes28 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryPound 102950

Reviewed on 29 Nov 2025Read more

Rajdeep Vinayaraj Verified Icon

MSc in Astrophysics - Batch of 2025

3.6

A Diverse and Student-Friendly University Experience

Tips: Honestly, the best thing about being here is just how many different kinds of people you run into—it’s actually really cool. Just hanging out with everyone from all over the place made me feel like I actually fit in, you know? You’re always picking up like random little bits about different cultures just from grabbing a coffee or chatting in between classes. But honestly, the workload is just non-stop it's a lot. There’s always some deadline or another popping up, so it's basically impossible to have a life outside the library half the time. There are so many deadlines crammed into the week that it’s a total mission to even have a life outside the library half the time. A few of the super intense people managed to land scholarships, but I definitely wasn't one of them unfortunately! I’m pretty happy with it all, though; the uni is solid, and I’m actually really liking the country.

Likes (Student Life): The university has a really good student union. It has its own building named 'Centre for Student Life', which is opposite the main building. Most of the students' concerns/queries are answered there. It has its own bar, 'the Staff', which is one of the best places for students to get connected. The Student Union also conducts icebreaker sessions and YOLO club nights for students to get engaged. Twice a year, they also conduct a fair (I don't remember the name honesty), where all the clubs will have their stalls promoting their clubs. There are several clubs which include the photography club, an anime club, indian society, the LGBTQ+ society, the film club, the music club, the poetry club, the scriptwriting clubs and many more. It's good to go there if you are expecting to get any frrebies from there. They are also supportive during exams and dissertations. The best part of this union is the student lounge, which is open 24/7. This lounge is my favourite study space, and you can also play board games and table tennis inside. This lounge saved my exams and dissertations. It is also a good place to gather your friends. There are several other study places available around the campus: ASSC Library (open 24/7 during winters), and ABACWS (open till midnight).

Dislikes (Post study jobs): Look, Astronomy is really all about research, so your future basically depends on three things: finding a research job (which is super rare), going for a Ph.D. if you’re actually serious about staying in the field, or just pivoting to something else entirely. Since you pick up a lot of tech skills, most people end up moving into IT, data roles, or teaching. But honestly, those fields are incredibly crowded right now, and you’re competing with people from every background imaginable, so landing a job isn't going to be easy. My biggest piece of advice? If you want to be employed by the time your one-year course ends, you’ve got to start hunting in the very first semester. The uni doesn't do placements for you, so the goal for most people is really just getting into a Ph.D. program.

Total Monthly ExpensePound 850

Prepping time for classes30 hours/Week

Expected Annual SalaryPound

Reviewed on 10 May 2026Read more

View All 24 Reviews

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Cardiff University

Student Forum

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Can I get admission to Cardiff University without work experience?

Answered a month ago

Yes, most UG and PG-taught courses at Cardiff Uni do not require students to provide prior work experience. However, programs like the MBA and certain professional programs do require students to prove prior work experience.

Akash Gaur

Contributor-Level 10

What marks do I need in my Bachelors degree to be eligible for higher studies at Cardiff University?

Answered a month ago

For entry to PG courses at the Cardiff University, Indian students need a relevant 2:2 or 2:1 UK UG degree or equivalent from a recognised Indian university with a minimum 55% to 60% marks.

Some courses may require higher marks or an upper second-class (2:1) or equivalent.

Akash Gaur

Contributor-Level 10

Can I enroll in the Cardiff University MBA without work experience?

Answered a month ago

No, Cardiff Uni generally does not allow students to enroll in its MBA program, without relevant work experience. According to cardiff.ac.uk, the university requires interested students to have 3 years of relevant work experience.

Check the Cardiff University admission page for detailed course-speci

Akash Gaur

Contributor-Level 10

Does the Cardiff University MBA require work experience?

Answered a month ago

Yes, the Cardiff University MBA typically does require around 3 years of relevant work experience as part of its standard admission criteria. A 2:1 UG honours degree or equivalent professional work experience qualification is also required.

Akash Gaur

Contributor-Level 10

What subjects is Cardiff University known for?

Answered a month ago

Cardiff University is known for programs in Architecture, Media, Medicine, Dentistry, Technology, Business and Finance.

QS Subject Rankings 2026 rank Cardiff University in top 50 for studying Communication and Media Studies, Dentistry and Architecture/Built Environment.

Other popular, high-ROI subje

Ansh Gumber

Contributor-Level 10

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