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University College London Rankings 2026
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Last updated on 22 Jan '26
- University College London Ranking
- University College London Course Ranking
- University College London Ranking by US News & World Report 2025
- University College London The Guardian Rankings 2026
- University College London The Complete University Guide Rankings 2026
- University College London Ranking by Quacquarelli Symonds 2026
- University College London Ranking by THE (Times Higher Education) 2025
- University College London ARWU Rankings 2025
- UCL University Student Reviews
UCL UniversityUniversity College London Ranking
University College London is one of the top-ranked and most sought-after universities among international students. With prime focus on offering high-quality education to a diverse student community, University College London holds global and national ranks provided by some of the top ranking bodies globally.
As per Shiksha Popularity Ranking 2025, the university is ranked globally at #7 and #4, among universities in UK. Shiksha Popularity Ranking is a unique ranking system that collects different rankings the university holds from leading publishers globally and aggregates it to allows Indian students to evaluate a university and make a guided decision. According to QS 2026, University College London has been globally ranked at #9 in 2026 and #9 in 2025, which shows a remained unchanged trend. Additionally, the university is also ranked by THE (Times Higher Education) globally in 2026. Its position has is 22 in 2026 as well.
Below are the rankings of University College London by different leading ranking bodies-
| Ranking Body | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| QS | Not Ranked | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| THE | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| US News | 12 | 7 | 7 | Not Ranked |
| The Guardian | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| The Complete Guide | Not Ranked | 9 | 9 | 13 |
#4
World rank by different ranking providers
Shiksha
#7US News Ranking
#7QS Ranking
#9ARWU Ranking
#14THE Ranking
#22
UCL UniversityUniversity College London Course Ranking
In University College London subject ranking 2025, many of the university courses are ranked among the top in the world. These courses, available in streams such as Engineering, Business & Management Studies, Law, Medicine & Health Sciences and Science, are also highly popular among international students. The Shiksha Popularity World Ranking has ranked University College London Engineering courses at #43 in 2025. This course was ranked at #36 in 2024.
University’s Business & Management Studies courses are also ranked by Shiksha Popularity Ranking, at #112. Interestingly, these courses have also been recognized by THE from past few years. In 2025, these courses have been ranked by THE at #22, showing improved trend from its 2024 rank of #23.
Here are some of the top University College London courses as per Shiksha Popularity Rankings 2025:
| Course Category | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering | #30 | #36 | #43 |
| Business & Management Studies | #104 | #113 | #112 |
| Law | #17 | #10 | #10 |
| Medicine & Health Sciences | #5 | #6 | #5 |
| Science | #20 | #21 | #19 |
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Specializations in B.E. / B.Tech Program
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University College London Ranking by US News & World Report 2025
In the year 2025, the US World and News Ranks University College London at #7. Based on these rankings, this university can be considered among the top universities in the world.
It’s ranking for the year 2024 was #5 and in 2023 it was #12. Seeing this trend, the University College London rankings are having improved in comparison to the year 2023 and has remained constant from the last year. Students can check the table below for UCL London US News & World Report Rankings over the years:
In the year 2025, the US World and News Ranks University College London at #7. Based on these rankings, this university can be considered among the top universities in the world.
It’s ranking for the year 2024 was #5 and in 2023 it was #12. Seeing this trend, the University College London rankings are having improved in comparison to the year 2023 and has remained constant from the last year. Students can check the table below for UCL London US News & World Report Rankings over the years:
| Ranked by | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Universities | 12 | 7 | 7 |
University College London Comparison with Other Universities: US News Ranking
As per the table given below for the US World and News rankings, all the institutions given in the list are some of the top ones in the world. For all of them the rankings are either improving or have stayed constant over the years. University of Oxford ranks the best and it is beating University College London by a slight difference only.
Given below is the ranking comparison, take a look -
|
University Name |
US News Ranking 2023 |
US News Ranking 2024 |
US News Ranking 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
University College London |
12 |
7 |
7 |
|
Imperial College London |
13 |
12 |
11 |
|
University of Cambridge |
8 |
6 |
5 |
|
University of Oxford |
5 |
4 |
4 |
US News & World Report Rankings 2025: Ranking Criteria
There are many factors considered under the US World and News rankings, when deciding the rankings of top universities out of the 250 universities available here.
Some very important factors considered by the US News are graduation rates, graduation performance rates, college graduate salaries, borrower debt, peer assessment, financial resources per student, faculty salaries, standardized tests, and more.
Students can check the table below for some crucial ranking criteria of US News along with the weightage they consider while deciding rankings of the University College London:
|
University College London Ranking Criteria (US News) |
Weightage |
|---|---|
|
Average 6-year graduation rate |
16% |
|
6-year graduation rate of students who received a Pell Grant |
5.5% |
|
6-year graduation rate of students who did not receive a Pell Grant |
5.5% |
|
Average first-year student retention rate |
5% |
|
Over performance (+)/Underperformance(-) |
10% |
|
Median federal loan debt for grad borrowers |
5% |
|
College grads earning more than an HS grad |
5% |
|
Student-Faculty Ratio |
3% |
|
Faculty salaries rank |
6% |
|
Percent of faculty who are full-time |
2% |
|
Financial Resources |
8% |
|
Student Excellence |
5% |
Commonly asked questions On UCL University US News & World Report Ranking
As per the US World and News rankings for the recent year, the University College London ranks #7.
The UCL ranking for the year 2024 was #5 and in 2023 it was #12. Seeing this trend, the University College London rankings have improved in comparison to the year 2023 and has remained constant from the last year.
Without a doubt, Oxford University ranks way better than Univerity College London.
As per the US World and News ranking the University of Oxford ranks #4 which is 3 places above University College London.
According to other renowned ranking bodies of the world too, this pattern is similar. Look at the ranking table given below for the trends -
University Name | US News Ranking 2023 | US News Ranking 2024 | US News Ranking 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
University College London | 12 | 7 | 7 |
University of Oxford | 5 | 4 | 4 |
University College London The Guardian Rankings 2026
The Guardian University Guide Rankings are specifically for the UK-based universities only. A few of the indicators which help in assessing the rankings by The Guardian are entry standards, student-staff ratio, teaching quality, feedback, career prospects etc.
University College London ranks at #10 position in the Guardian rankings for 2026 which is a decline from the year 2025 and 2024. These rankings are constantly declining since 2024.
The Guardian University Guide Rankings are specifically for the UK-based universities only. A few of the indicators which help in assessing the rankings by The Guardian are entry standards, student-staff ratio, teaching quality, feedback, career prospects etc.
University College London ranks at #10 position in the Guardian rankings for 2026 which is a decline from the year 2025 and 2024. These rankings are constantly declining since 2024.
| Ranked by | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| Accounting and Finance | 9 | 3 | 20 |
| Architecture | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Business and Management | 8 | 14 | 7 |
| Chemical Engineering | 19 | 14 | 13 |
| Civil Engineering | 10 | 14 | 7 |
| Economics | 16 | 16 | 11 |
| Electronic and Electrical Engineering | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Law | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 2 | 13 | 7 |
| Medicine | 12 | 11 | 17 |
| Physics | 13 | 25 | 19 |
| Politics | 14 | 12 | 10 |
| Sociology and Social Policy | 6 | 6 | 10 |
University College London Vs Other Universities: The Guardian Ranking Comparison
As per the Guardian, all the institutions given in the list below are some of the top universities in the UK. In the year 2026, the University of Oxford ranks the best and UCL ranks the last out of all.
Look at the table of comparison given below -
|
University Name |
Guardian Rankings 2024 |
Guardian Rankings 2025 |
Guardian Rankings 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
University College London |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
Imperial College London |
5 |
5 |
6 |
|
University of Cambridge |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
University of Oxford |
2 |
1 |
1 |
University College London The Complete University Guide Rankings 2026
In the world, The Complete University Guide ranking hold a high place. CUG has different very important parameters that decide the ranking of universities and colleges. The big parameters are student satisfaction, graduate prospects, research quality, facilities spending and more.
As per these rankings, University College London ranks at #13 position in 2025 and these rankings are a decline of 4 places, from the year 2025.
In the world, The Complete University Guide ranking hold a high place. CUG has different very important parameters that decide the ranking of universities and colleges. The big parameters are student satisfaction, graduate prospects, research quality, facilities spending and more.
As per these rankings, University College London ranks at #13 position in 2025 and these rankings are a decline of 4 places, from the year 2025.
| Ranked by | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK University | 9 | 9 | 13 |
| Architecture | 8 | 9 | 9 |
| Art and Design | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Biological Sciences | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Business and Management Studies UK | 4 | 5 | 7 |
| Chemical Engineering | 9 | 8 | 5 |
| Civil Engineering | 7 | 10 | 15 |
| Computer Science | 5 | 7 | 12 |
| Electrical and Electronic Engineering | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Law | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 6 | 6 | 18 |
| Medicine | 5 | 3 | 9 |
| Physics and Astronomy | 12 | 13 | 17 |
| Psychology | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| Sociology | 10 | 10 | 18 |
University College London Vs Other Universities: The Complete Guide Ranking Comparison
As per The Complete University Guide, University College London ranks at #13 which is a decline of 4 places. On the other hand, ICL, Cambridge University and the University of Oxford are all ahead on UCL in CUG rankings. University of Oxford ranks the best of all the universities given.
Look at the table of rankings given below-
|
University Name |
CUG Rankings 2024 |
CUG Rankings 2025 |
CUG Rankings 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
University College London |
9 |
9 |
13 |
|
Imperial College London |
6 |
5 |
6 |
|
University of Cambridge |
2 |
2 |
2 |
|
University of Oxford |
1 |
1 |
1 |
University College London The Complete University Guide 2026: Ranking Criteria
The Complete University Guide is very well known for offering the best universities and colleges ranking. The ranking body evaluates various parameters while deciding the ranking for universities and colleges.
Some very important parameters are entry standards, research quality, facilities spend, research intensity, and others.
Students can check the list of significant the Complete University Guide variables and the weights they consider when creating rankings for the University of Cambridge in the table below -
|
Category |
Value |
|---|---|
|
Overall score |
100 |
|
Entry standards |
158 |
|
Research quality |
3.50 |
|
Research intensity |
0.72 |
|
Academic services spend |
1718 |
|
Facilities spend |
450 |
|
Student-staff ratio |
11.2 |
|
Continuation |
96.1 |
|
Graduate prospects – outcomes |
86.6 |
|
Graduate prospects – on track |
79.0 |
Also Check: The Complete University Guide Ranking Methodology
University College London Ranking by Quacquarelli Symonds 2026
Very well known for its accurate and comprehensive rankings, QS is among the top ranking bodies of the world. This ranking body ranks over 1,418 institutions in 100 different locations. The criteria which is used is the Academic reputation, employer reputation, internationalization along with other factors.
As per the QS Global rankings, University College London ranks at #9 in the year 2026. This rank is constant from what it was in the last year. In the category Europe in 2025, UCL QS World ra
Very well known for its accurate and comprehensive rankings, QS is among the top ranking bodies of the world. This ranking body ranks over 1,418 institutions in 100 different locations. The criteria which is used is the Academic reputation, employer reputation, internationalization along with other factors.
As per the QS Global rankings, University College London ranks at #9 in the year 2026. This rank is constant from what it was in the last year. In the category Europe in 2025, UCL QS World rank is 5 which is also constant from the year 2024.
| Ranked by | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 5 | 5 | – / – |
| World University | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Accounting and Finance | 45 | – / – | – / – |
| Architecture and Built Environment | 1 | 1 | – / – |
| Art and Design | 43 | 44 | – / – |
| Biological Sciences | 6 | – / – | – / – |
| Communication and Media Studies | 42 | 37 | – / – |
| Engineering and Technology | 35 | – / – | – / – |
| Law and Legal Studies | 14 | 14 | – / – |
| Mathematics | 42 | – / – | – / – |
| Mechanical Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering | 103 | – / – | – / – |
| Medicine | 6 | – / – | – / – |
| Pharmacy and Pharmacology | 4 | – / – | – / – |
| Physics and Astronomy | 27 | – / – | – / – |
| Politics | 22 | – / – | – / – |
| Sociology | 20 | – / – | – / – |
niversity of Cambridge Vs Other Universities: Quacquarelli Symonds Comparison
According to the comparison of rankings given below (by QS), the University College London ranks at #9 which is the same in 2026 as it was in 2025. The University of Cambridge and Oxford University ranks have declined slightly from what they were the last year.
Overall, no improvement can be seen among the given university rankings as per QS.
Look at the QS rankings comparison of the similarly ranked universities in the table given below -
|
University Name |
QS World 2024 |
QS World 2025 |
QS World 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
University College London |
9 |
9 |
9 |
|
Imperial College London |
6 |
2 |
`2 |
|
University of Cambridge |
2 |
5 |
6 |
|
University of Oxford |
3 |
3 |
4 |
Quacquarelli Symonds 2026: Rankings Criteria
The QS Ranking body releases a yearly report that uses a methodology which takes the factors like academic reputation, employer reputation, research influence, and international presence into account.
Other than the factors given earlier, more factors considered along with the basics by QS for University College London which includes the faculty-student ratio, employer reputation, Employer outcomes, academic reputation, and more. UCL gets an overall score of 95.8 out of 100 in the QS World rankings 2026.
International applicants can also go through the QS ranking criteria with weightage while providing rankings to University College London below -
|
University College London QS Ranking Criteria |
Weight out of 100 |
|---|---|
|
Overall |
95.8 |
|
Academic Reputation |
99.9 |
|
Citations per Faculty |
80.9 |
|
Employment Outcomes |
89.3 |
|
Employer Reputation |
99.4 |
|
Faculty Student Ratio |
94.8 |
|
International Faculty Ratio |
99.6 |
|
International Research Network |
99.9 |
|
International Student Ratio |
100 |
|
Sustainability |
98.5 |
|
International Student Diversity |
100 |
Also Check: QS World University Ranking Methodology
Commonly asked questions On UCL University QS Ranking
Yes, there are QS rankings available for University College London. QS is considered as one of the most influential ranking bodies around the world.
According to what the QS Global rankings say, University College London ranks at #9 in the year 2026. This rank is constant from what it was in the last year.
In the category Europe in 2025, UCL QS World rank is 5 which is also constant from the year 2024.
Yes, to a great extent the QS rankings are accurate.
The QS Ranking body releases a yearly report that uses a methodology which takes the factors like academic reputation, employer reputation, research influence, and international presence into account.
Other than the factors given earlier, more factors considered along with the basics by QS for University College London which includes the faculty-student ratio, employer reputation, Employer outcomes, academic reputation, and more.
UCL gets an overall score of 95.8 out of 100 in the QS World rankings 2026.
University College London Ranking by THE (Times Higher Education) 2025
A very well-known ranking body, Times Higher Education considers many important factors when releasing the University College London rankings. The most important factors are considered which are impact rankings, world reputation rankings, Asia University rankings, emerging economies university rankings along with others.
As far as the University College London rankings go, for the year 2026, this institution ranked at #22 which is same as it was in 2025 and 2024.
The subjects like Arts & H
A very well-known ranking body, Times Higher Education considers many important factors when releasing the University College London rankings. The most important factors are considered which are impact rankings, world reputation rankings, Asia University rankings, emerging economies university rankings along with others.
As far as the University College London rankings go, for the year 2026, this institution ranked at #22 which is same as it was in 2025 and 2024.
The subjects like Arts & Humanities, Clinical & Health, Engineering, Law, Life Sciences are also offered at this university. THE Rank 2025 for these courses is between #6 and #48.
Students can check these rankings in the table given below -
| Ranked by | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Arts and Humanities | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Engineering | 45 | 48 | 41 |
| Law | 12 | 10 | 11 |
| Life Sciences | 20 | 20 | 21 |
| Medicine and Health | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| PG Business and Economics | 23 | 22 | 22 |
| PG Computer Science | 28 | 34 | 38 |
| Psychology | 6 | 6 | 6 |
University College London Comparison with Other Universities: THE (Times Higher Education)
As per the rankings comparison given below, according to Times Higher Education (THE 2026), University College London ranks at #22 which is the same for many years. The University of Cambridge ranks the best out of all given in the table. For UCL, THE rankings are similar for all the years.
Look at the table of comparison given below-
|
University Name |
THE Rankings 2024 |
THE Rankings 2025 |
THE Rankings 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
University College London |
22 |
22 |
22 |
|
Imperial College London |
8 |
9 |
8 |
|
University of Cambridge |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
University of Oxford |
5 |
5 |
3 |
Times Higher Education Ranking Criteria 2026
Times Higher Education (THE) has a lot of factors when deciding the rankings of top universities. Some of the most important factors THE considers are teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry. The overall score this university got in Times Higher Education rankings in the year 2026 was 87.5 out of 100.
Students can check the table below for the ranking criteria of THE along with the weightage they consider while determining rankings of the University College London:
|
University College London Ranking Criteria (THE) |
Weightage (Out of 100) |
|---|---|
|
Overall |
87.5 |
|
Teaching |
77.8 |
|
Research environment |
85.9 |
|
Research quality |
97.6 |
|
International outlook |
97.5 |
|
Industry |
74.7 |
University College London ARWU Rankings 2025
Academic Ranking of World University or Shanghai Rankings which is also known as ARWU is one of the top publishers of world university rankings. It provides various rankings, such as world rankings, broad subject field rankings, and specific subject rankings.
As per the University College London ARWU rankings the university is ranked at #14 which is an improvement of 2 places from the year 2024. These rankings are fluctuating. Along with the university rankings, the University College London cou
Academic Ranking of World University or Shanghai Rankings which is also known as ARWU is one of the top publishers of world university rankings. It provides various rankings, such as world rankings, broad subject field rankings, and specific subject rankings.
As per the University College London ARWU rankings the university is ranked at #14 which is an improvement of 2 places from the year 2024. These rankings are fluctuating. Along with the university rankings, the University College London courses like Mathematics and Political Sciences are also ranked by ARWU. They are ranked between #11 and #76.
| Ranked by | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universities | 17 | 16 | 14 |
| Law | 42 | 15 | 11 |
| Mathematics | 51 | 51 | 51 |
| Nursing | 51 | 76 | 76 |
| Physics | 38 | 36 | 44 |
| Political Sciences | 19 | 29 | 35 |
| Sociology | 33 | 21 | 25 |
University College London Vs Other Universities: ARWU Ranking Comparison
Out of the universities mentioned in the table below, the University College London ranks lower than all. For Imperial College London and the University of Oxford, the ARWU rankings remain constant for the last three years.
Look at the comparison table given below -
|
University Name |
ARWU Rankings 2024 |
ARWU Rankings 2025 |
ARWU Rankings 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
University College London |
17 |
16 |
14 |
|
Imperial College London |
8 |
8 |
8 |
|
University of Cambridge |
7 |
6 |
6 |
|
University of Oxford |
4 |
4 |
4 |
University College London ARWU (Shanghai Rankings) 2025: Ranking Criteria
ARWU rankings consider a lot of factors when deciding the rankings of top universities. Important factors considered by Shanghai Rankings are given below -
- Quality of education
- Quality of faculty
- Research output
- Per capita performance
Read More: Shanghai (ARWU) World University Ranking Methodology
UCL UniversityStudents Ratings & Reviews
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 weeks ago
Management and IT graduates are of very high demand to employers in London. Mentioned below are some of the best paying job roles in London for Indian students to consider.
| Job Title | Average Salary in GBP | Average Salary in INR |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | GBP 50,834 | INR 61.6 Lakhs |
| Data Analyst | GBP 34,707 | INR 42.05 Lakhs |
| Project Manager | GBP 49,300 | INR 59.73 Lakhs |
| Marketing Manager | GBP 45,244 | INR 54.8 Lakhs |
| Operations Manager | GBP 47,541 | INR 57.6 Lakhs |
Source: Payscale
1 GBP = INR 121.17
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
Mentioned below are some popular financial aid options for Indian students in the UK.
| Type of Scholarship | Scholarship Name | Financial Award | Eligibile Courses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merit-based | Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's Scholarship |
| PG or Research |
| Merit-based | Commonwealth Scholarship |
| PG or Research |
| Merit-based | GREAT Scholarships | GBP 10,000 or INR 12.11 L | PG |
1 GBP = INR 121,18
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 18 hours ago
Birkbeck Uni of London is a part of the University College of London. Birkbeck University was founded in 1823. The total no. of students at Birkbeck is 8,000+. Also, Birkbeck is a part of the Association of the Commonwealth Universities and EUA.
C
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes it is harder to get into University College London than King's College London. The acceptance rate of UCL is between 22-30%, where it is around 43% for Kings. There is a slight difference in the acceptance rates of both universities but the toughness increases even with few rate change. Both the
N
Contributor-Level 9
Answered a month ago
According to the ranking body QS, the University College London ranked #9, where the Kings's college London ranked #40 in the World ranking category. This shows UCL is way better than Kings's College as these rankings are based on various factors. Students can check the comparison table below:
Ranking Body | Kings College | UCL |
|---|---|---|
QS World Rankings (2025) | #40 | #9 |
Shiksha World Rank | #24 | #7 |
E
Contributor-Level 9
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| Population of City | 88,25,000 |
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