Top UK Universities...

Higher Education in the United Kingdom is recognised all round the world for its high standards of scholarship and research. The UK has nearly 170 universities and colleges of higher education and between them they offer an unrivalled range of courses. Programmes of study include specialised single subject and vocational courses, combined subjects, courses with professional experience, ‘sandwich’ programmes and degrees that include periods of study overseas.

Universities in the UK are subject to independent assessments of their standards and as with schools; these assessments are translated into League tables. The problem is that the assessments are not based on a set of common criteria, and this can lead to differing results, depending on which league table you use. The most commonly accepted indicators for university league tables are based on student satisfaction, research quality, entry standards, peer assessments, graduate employment prospects, first and upper second degrees awarded, student/staff ratio and drop-out rates. Some assessments also include library facilities, quality of accommodation and research funding.

The top twenty universities in the UK form what has been known since 1994, as the Russell Group. In many ways this is the |British equivalent of the Ivy League in the United States. The name is based on the fact that the Vice Chancellors for the group meet for tea and cakes at the Russell Hotel, Russell Square, London! Two thirds of research grants and contract funding in the UK is received by Russell Group universities.

The competition for places at Russell Group universities has become increasingly competitive. In 2010 the 20 universities that make up the Russell Group took in approximately 75,000 new undergraduates, and it is estimated that there are now ten people applying for each place.

It should be remembered when looking at the university league tables that some specialist universities will not appear in the top 50, but nevertheless in their specialist areas are quite outstanding, and competition for places is as fierce, if not fiercer, than for Russell Group institutions. For example Bournemouth University is generally accepted as the market leader for film and media courses, and the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts has a reputation for being of the UK’s leading universities providing education and training in the performing arts and, theatre and performance design.

League tables of British universities are published annually by the Sunday Times, the Times, The Guardian and the Independent and these show minor variations, depending on the weighting given to the assessments used. However, the generally accepted Russell Group universities of the top twenty universities for 2010/2011 are as follows listed alphabetically. Oxford and Cambridge are dealt with in a separate section.

UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM: www.birmingham.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL: www.bristol.ac.uk

CARDIFF UNIVERSITY: www.cardiff.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH:www.ed.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW:www.gla.ac.uk

IMPERIAL COLLEGE, LONDON:www.imperial.ac.uk

KINGS COLLEGE, LONDON : www.kcl.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS:www.leeds.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL:www.liv.ac.uk

LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND POLITICAL SCIENCE:www.lse.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER:www.manchester.ac.uk

NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY:www.ncl.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM:www.nottingham.ac.uk

QUEENS UNIVERSITY, BELFAST:www.qub.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD:www.sheffield.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON:www.soton.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON:www.ucl.ac.uk

UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK:www.warick.ac.uk

To put this table into a global perspective in the annual World University rankings published in October 2010, British universities accounted for 19 of the top 100 universities in the world, with Cambridge University being ranked at number one, with Harvard and Yale respectively in second and third places. It should also be noted that four non-Russell Group universities made it into the top 100 as well, these being Sheffield University, York University, Durham University and St Andrews University.

When applying for a university place many students will choose those institutions that are near the top of the league table. It should be borne in mind that obtaining admission to a top twenty university has become very much more difficult over the past few years. The number of applications has risen steadily, with an increase of 10% for entry in 2010 over 2009, while at the same time the number of places has fallen, as the government has made spending cuts and capped the number of places available. In 2010 there were over 680,000 applicants for places, and more than 180,000 students were disappointed, a rise of nearly 50,000 on the 2009 figure. All the indicators suggest that this situation is going to get even worse in 2011 and 2012.

There are further challenges facing the next generation of undergraduates. Students will not be protected from the promised spending cuts, which in total could add up to a massive 40%. This will have a dramatic impact on tuition fees and those who will want to increase fees the most will be the most popular universities, i.e. the Russell Group. There is also talk of some universities going independent of the state, but so far this has been more speculation than reality.

Therefore the need to get expert professional advice, when selecting courses and universities, and making an application through the UCAS system is very important. The consultants at Education Advisers cannot guarantee that students will get into their first choice universities, but they will work closely with students to ensure that they have the best possible opportunity of getting to where they want to go. In summary, our consultants can give students that vital edge when applying for popular courses at competitive universities.

The consultants at Education Advisers work with students from a wide range of countries and backgrounds and are completely familiar with international qualifications and educational systems. Students usually seek help from Education Advisers about 18 months prior to their enrolment at university. Thus for students wanting to gain admission to university in September 2011, they would contract Education Advisers to assist them from March 2010. However, the services offered are flexible, and students can receive help at any stage of their application.

This is a customised service and a fee is charged for the work done by our consultants. If you would like to register with Education Advisers Ltd to receive help with any aspect of Higher Education please click on the following link.