Best United Kingdom Universities

Before enrolling into a university and course, there are a few things you need to ask

• Which country do I want to study in?
• What is my priority - budget, ranking, university or course interest?
• Do I qualify for my chosen university?
• What is my budget?

Based on the conditions above, your study abroad consultat will help you shortlist 2-3 university and course options based on your criteria and priorities.

The Russell Group is a collection of 24 world-class, research-intesive universities in the UK whose work have huge social, economic and cultural impacts locally and worldwide.

The 24 institutions in the group are:

• University of Birmingham
• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• Cardiff University
• Durham University
• University of Edinburgh
• University of Exeter
• University of Glasgow
• Imperial College London
• King's College London
• University of Leeds
• University of Liverpool
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
• University of Manchester
• Newcastle University
• University of Nottingham
• University of Oxford
• Queen Mary University of London
• Queen's University Belfast
• University of Sheffield
• University of Southampton
• University College London (UCL)
• University of Warwick
• University of York

The QS World Ranking is a methodology that measures the quality of universities worldwide by their

• Academic reputation
• Employer reputation
• Faculty to student ratio
• Citation per faulty
• International faculty ratio
• International student ratio

Based on the QS World Universities Ranking 2025, here are the top 10 universities in the UK:

1. Imperial College London
2. University of Oxford
3. University of Cambridge
4. UCL
5. University of Edinburgh
6. University of Manchester
7. King's College London
8. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
9. University of Bristol
10. University of Warwick

Here are the popular courses that international students have enrolled in, according to the Complete University Guide:

• Business Studies
• Finance
• Law
• Computer Science
• Economics
• Accounting
• Design

If you are applying to do your Bachelor's degree in the UK, you will need to have completed your pre-university qualification.

The most commonly accepted qualification is the A-Level and depending on the field of study and the university, the minimum grades required to qualify for the degree will differ. Here are some general entry requirements as reference:

• Health Science: Minimum B in Maths, Biology and Chemistry (BBB)
• Engineering: Minimum B in Maths, Physics and one more subject (BBB)
• Other fields: Minimum C in Maths and other subjects (CCC)

Other pre-university qualifications are accepted as well e.g.

• UEC
• STPM
• Foundation / Matriculation
• Australian Matriculation
• Diploma
• IB Diploma
• Canadian Matriculation (CIMP)

Just check with your study abroad consultant whether your results i.e. qualification, subjects and the respective grades, meet the entry requirements set by the university for your desired degree courses.

If you are looking to study your foundation in the UK i.e. foundation courses that are offered by the universities themselves or by the pathway providers like Kaplan, the general entry requirements are:

• SPM: 4 or 5 pass depending on university
• IGCSE: 4 or 5 pass depending on university

Naturally, subject pre-requisites will apply depending on what Bachelor's degree you plan to pursue after your foundation. Here is the typical subjects and grades required to enter a foundation programme heading to the following study areas :

• Health Sciences : SPM/IGCSE C (credit) for Mathematics, Biology
• Engineering : SPM/IGCSE C (credit) for Mathematics

The common English language proficiency examinations offered in Malaysia and the results that are typically accepted for a university application in the United Kingdom are:

• IELTS: 6.5 overall or nothing less than 6.0
• Pearson PTE: above 60, nothing less than 50

Universities may also set specific language requirements for different courses, so you can speak to a study abroad consultant to advise you on the language requirements of the courses you are interested in!

An Integrated Masters degree combines both undergraduate and postgraduate-level study in one course.

Students will undergo the same content as a Bachelor's programme for the first 3 years, and then following up with a year of master-level content which usually includes a major research project or a design project.

Entry requirements for an Integrated Masters may differ, so we suggest you take your time to go through the course of your interest, and at the same time, reach out to an education consultant to give you some guidance.

For any reason you do not qualify to take any international pre-university courses such as A-Level or do not directly qualify for the Foundation course of your desired university, there are other alternatives such as International Year Zero and International Year One.

International Year Zero and International Year One are preparatory courses made to prepare students for entry to a university degree. The benefits of this programme are:

• almost guaranteed progression into the university tied to the programme, including various high ranking universities.
• you will receive additional support such as tutor, english classes and a programme advisor.

An International Year One course typically has lower entry requirements and leads to the 2nd year of your chosen degree upon completion.