Top universities in the UK for education degrees 2026
| UK Education Rank 2026 | Global Education Rank 2026 | University | Overall | Teaching | Research Environment | Research Quality | Industry | International Outlook |
| 1 | 3 | University of Oxford | 92.9 | 93.1 | 95.3 | 92.8 | 77.8 | 91.5 |
| 2 | 4 | University of Cambridge | 91.6 | 93.9 | 95.1 | 86.7 | 80.3 | 92.8 |
| 3 | 10 | UCL | 83 | 79.5 | 83.6 | 86.8 | 64.7 | 91.2 |
| 4 | 21 | University of Edinburgh | 74.1 | 66.2 | 65.4 | 88.5 | 66.1 | 93 |
| 5 | 29 | King’s College London | 70.2 | 67.7 | 64.1 | 76.3 | 51.5 | 91.9 |
| 6 | 42 | Lancaster University | 65.2 | 54.2 | 52.7 | 83.6 | 67.6 | 92.2 |
| 7 | 43 | University of Bristol | 65 | 55 | 52.9 | 87.6 | 31.2 | 89.1 |
| =8 | =77 | University of Bath | 57.8 | 44.5 | 32.1 | 91.9 | 43.3 | 95.3 |
| =8 | =77 | University of Glasgow | 57.8 | 45.9 | 43.9 | 78.5 | 45.9 | 92.4 |
| 10 | =80 | University of Nottingham | 57.5 | 45.2 | 47 | 72.1 | 66.7 | 92.6 |
| 11 | =84 | University of Leeds | 57.1 | 42.9 | 40.8 | 81.5 | 57.7 | 90.8 |
| 12 | =90 | University of Birmingham | 56.7 | 41.1 | 50.2 | 75.7 | 46.4 | 84.7 |
| 13 | 99 | University of Manchester | 55.6 | 47.9 | 38.9 | 74.5 | 57.5 | 83.2 |
| =14 | 101–125 | University of Reading | 51.8–54.7 | 38.2 | 27.3 | 90.6 | 36.1 | 79 |
| =14 | 101–125 | University of Sheffield | 51.8–54.7 | 46.1 | 35.7 | 75.1 | 74 | 73.1 |
| =14 | 101–125 | University of Southampton | 51.8–54.7 | 36.7 | 30.7 | 84.4 | 33.6 | 95.6 |
| =14 | 101–125 | University of Warwick | 51.8–54.7 | 45 | 38.3 | 72 | 45.4 | 72.8 |
| =14 | 101–125 | University of York | 51.8–54.7 | 37.9 | 32.8 | 79.2 | 41.8 | 91 |
| =19 | 126–150 | Durham University | 49.6–51.7 | 39.4 | 33.1 | 77.5 | 29.9 | 85.6 |
| =19 | 126–150 | The Open University | 49.6–51.7 | 38 | 41.2 | 76.5 | 47.3 | 58.2 |
| =19 | 126–150 | University of Exeter | 49.6–51.7 | 34.1 | 31.3 | 77.2 | 46.8 | 88.2 |
| 22 | 151–175 | Queen’s University Belfast | 47.6–49.2 | 34.9 | 30.6 | 71 | 17.8 | 96.8 |
| =23 | 176–200 | University of Leicester | 46.7–47.5 | 32.8 | 20.5 | 81.5 | 52.1 | 82.8 |
| =23 | 176–200 | University of Sussex | 46.7–47.5 | 33.3 | 31.8 | 72.3 | 41.6 | 70 |
| =25 | 201–250 | Cardiff University | 43.1–46.6 | 30.5 | 28 | 67.8 | 37.9 | 78.2 |
| =25 | 201–250 | Newcastle University | 43.1–46.6 | 36.9 | 25.7 | 72 | 23.7 | 78.1 |
| =25 | 201–250 | Swansea University | 43.1–46.6 | 21.3 | 24.8 | 93.8 | 17.8 | 68.1 |
| =25 | 201–250 | University of Dundee | 43.1–46.6 | 30.4 | 28.9 | 57.8 | 72.9 | 85.1 |
| =25 | 201–250 | University of East Anglia | 43.1–46.6 | 34.2 | 21.2 | 75.7 | 23.6 | 81.6 |
| =30 | 251–300 | Keele University | 40.6–43.0 | 21.1 | 22.1 | 73.6 | 67.7 | 81.1 |
| =30 | 251–300 | Middlesex University | 40.6–43.0 | 16.9 | 15.4 | 90 | 23.7 | 79.4 |
| =30 | 251–300 | Northumbria University | 40.6–43.0 | 23.7 | 22.6 | 74.9 | 25.1 | 70.6 |
| =30 | 251–300 | University of Aberdeen | 40.6–43.0 | 22.4 | 22.9 | 73 | 28.1 | 78.3 |
| =30 | 251–300 | University of Lincoln | 40.6–43.0 | 24.7 | 19.5 | 74 | 35.1 | 90.4 |
| =30 | 251–300 | University of Plymouth | 40.6–43.0 | 22.5 | 17.5 | 90 | 24.2 | 60.3 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Brunel University of London | 36.3–40.5 | 24.3 | 16.1 | 63.2 | 44.4 | 76.4 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Coventry University | 36.3–40.5 | 30.3 | 14.1 | 63.7 | 23.6 | 83.2 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Edinburgh Napier University | 36.3–40.5 | 20.5 | 20.4 | 74.6 | 17.8 | 80.1 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 36.3–40.5 | 24.2 | 18 | 61.5 | 30.6 | 72.1 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Kingston University | 36.3–40.5 | 16.4 | 13.2 | 74.6 | 17.8 | 81.1 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Liverpool John Moores University | 36.3–40.5 | 23.9 | 16.1 | 72.5 | 44.2 | 58.3 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Manchester Metropolitan University | 36.3–40.5 | 21.7 | 20 | 70.9 | 24.6 | 70.7 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Nottingham Trent University | 36.3–40.5 | 19 | 18.5 | 71.6 | 26 | 66 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Oxford Brookes University | 36.3–40.5 | 40.1 | 21.7 | 52.1 | 17.8 | 53 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Sheffield Hallam University | 36.3–40.5 | 22.7 | 18.1 | 72.4 | 18.2 | 46.5 |
| =36 | 301–400 | Ulster University | 36.3–40.5 | 21.7 | 26.5 | 63 | 27.1 | 73.6 |
| =36 | 301–400 | University of Portsmouth | 36.3–40.5 | 20.1 | 14.7 | 69.4 | 30 | 74.3 |
| =36 | 301–400 | University of Stirling | 36.3–40.5 | 23.6 | 23 | 60 | 30.8 | 71.9 |
| =36 | 301–400 | University of Strathclyde | 36.3–40.5 | 21.8 | 20.6 | 65.2 | 45.7 | 83.8 |
| =50 | 401–500 | De Montfort University | 32.7–36.2 | 20.1 | 14.3 | 58 | 45.2 | 88.4 |
| =50 | 401–500 | Leeds Beckett University | 32.7–36.2 | 20.5 | 17.1 | 63 | 52.1 | 62.9 |
| =50 | 401–500 | University of Brighton | 32.7–36.2 | 19.1 | 15.5 | 60.6 | 57.2 | 61 |
| =50 | 401–500 | University of Huddersfield | 32.7–36.2 | 22.1 | 16.3 | 55.7 | 37.9 | 69.4 |
| =50 | 401–500 | University of Hull | 32.7–36.2 | 17.9 | 13 | 63.3 | 17.8 | 74.9 |
| =50 | 401–500 | University of Lancashire | 32.7–36.2 | 21.5 | 13.7 | 64.3 | 33.5 | 67.4 |
| =50 | 401–500 | University of Wolverhampton | 32.7–36.2 | 17.4 | 11.4 | 76.7 | 25 | 52.3 |
| =50 | 401–500 | York St John University | 32.7–36.2 | 18.8 | 14.2 | 74.3 | 17.8 | 33.5 |
| =58 | 501–600 | Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) | 29.0–32.6 | 17.2 | 12.4 | 52.7 | 17.8 | 75.2 |
| =58 | 501–600 | Bangor University | 29.0–32.6 | 23.8 | 13.1 | 55.1 | 30.3 | 53.3 |
| =58 | 501–600 | Birmingham City University | 29.0–32.6 | 19.7 | 11.8 | 59.4 | 17.8 | 55.7 |
| =58 | 501–600 | Edge Hill University | 29.0–32.6 | 18.7 | 11.6 | 57.9 | 21 | 51.5 |
| =58 | 501–600 | UWE Bristol (University of the West of England) | 29.0–32.6 | 19.1 | 10.8 | 64.7 | 17.8 | 48.8 |
| =58 | 501–600 | University of Bedfordshire | 29.0–32.6 | 17.6 | 12.9 | 64.8 | 17.8 | 54.6 |
| =58 | 501–600 | University of Derby | 29.0–32.6 | 20.7 | 15.3 | 55.1 | 18.2 | 55.6 |
| =58 | 501–600 | University of East London | 29.0–32.6 | 16.7 | 12.7 | 52.7 | 22.7 | 71.7 |
| =58 | 501–600 | University of Greenwich | 29.0–32.6 | 16.3 | 11.8 | 58.1 | 22.7 | 75.3 |
| =58 | 501–600 | University of Roehampton | 29.0–32.6 | 21.2 | 16 | 47.4 | 17.8 | 77.7 |
| =58 | 501–600 | University of the West of Scotland | 29.0–32.6 | 19.1 | 10 | 61.5 | 22.9 | 73.8 |
| =69 | 601–800 | Canterbury Christ Church University | 20.1–28.9 | 23.7 | 10.9 | 34.4 | 17.8 | 45.8 |
| =69 | 601–800 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | 20.1–28.9 | 16 | 12.5 | 47.5 | 17.8 | 61.3 |
| =69 | 601–800 | Liverpool Hope University | 20.1–28.9 | 15.8 | 10.6 | 46.7 | 17.8 | 70.7 |
| =69 | 601–800 | University of Chester | 20.1–28.9 | 17.9 | 11.5 | 45.4 | 22.6 | 46.3 |
| =69 | 601–800 | University of Hertfordshire | 20.1–28.9 | 15.9 | 12.7 | 49.9 | 36.4 | 60.4 |
| =69 | 601–800 | University of South Wales | 20.1–28.9 | 16 | 10.6 | 36.2 | 36.8 | 53.4 |
| =69 | 601–800 | University of Worcester | 20.1–28.9 | 16.5 | 10.6 | 54.4 | 22.1 | 41.6 |
Key insights into the top universities for education studies in the UK
- The University of Oxford takes the first place position as the top university for education in the UK
- A total of 75 universities in the UK are ranked for education degrees
- UCL scores highly for international outlook
- The education studies table evaluates schools and colleges across three core disciplines: education studies, teacher training and academic studies in education.
Choosing the right university for education in the UK
Education can be studied at many different levels in the UK. Some students choose to complete an undergraduate degree in a subject of their choice and then do a one-year PGCE to become a qualified teacher.
Some universities offer undergraduate education degrees with an option to become a qualified teacher by the end.
There are also various master’s courses in education, allowing students to specialise in certain topics to develop their knowledge and research skills in the education field.
Choosing where to study education in UK requires considering a range of factors including teaching and research. These rankings provide critical insights based on:
- Research environment – focuses on research reputation and productivity
- Teaching quality – the student learning experience and faculty strength.
- Research quality – influence and innovation in the engineering field.
- Industry collaboration – how institutions work with businesses and apply practical knowledge.
- International outlook – global diversity of students and faculty.
The table for the best universities for education in UK was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings: Education. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.
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