If you have thought about studying engineering abroad, the UK will probably be on your list of potential study destinations. With some of the top universities globally for the subject and good post-study career options, the UK continues to attract international students. But which universities are the most highly rated for engineering? We can help. We’ll guide you through the best universities for engineering in the UK, what they offer and what makes them so sought after.
To compile this guide, we took inspiration from the highly reputed Complete University Guide League Tables 2024 (CUG), the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024. You may be familiar with some of the universities included, but others could surprise you.
University of Cambridge
Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the third oldest institution on the planet. World-renowned, the university is ranked 5th globally by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024. It is rated as the premier institution for engineering in the UK by the Complete University Guide Subject League Tables 2024 and 3rd worldwide for engineering and technology by the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023.
The Department of Engineering at Cambridge was established in 1875 and is the largest department at the university. At any one time, you’ll find an average of 1,200 undergraduate students and 900 postgraduate students studying there. Cambridge is also considered to be a notable hub of engineering research. The most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021) in the UK rated Cambridge as having 90 per cent of its research in STEM subjects rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
We won’t lie. Getting into Cambridge isn’t easy. Only 20 per cent of all applications are successful. There are some stringent entry requirements with the university looking for students with excellent academic credentials. However, if you are accepted, you could find yourself studying towards a BA Engineering (Hons) degree. You can select from several engineering specialisations for your degree, including:
- Aerospace engineering
- Bioengineering
- Energy, sustainability and the environment
- Instrumentation and control
- Mechanical engineering
- Civil, Structural and Environmental engineering
- Computer engineering
This undergraduate course is structured to give you a solid foundation in engineering for the first two years. You will cover topics such as:
- Structures and materials
- Applied mathematics
- Thermofluid mechanics
- Information engineering
- Materials
- Electrical and electronic engineering
To be accepted for an undergraduate degree in engineering at Cambridge, you will need to have an academic result of A*A*A for A-levels or equivalent. This means an International Baccalaureate result of 40 to 42, with 776 at the Higher Level. You must also take the Engineering Admission Assessment as part of your application.
Interested in studying engineering in the UK? Explore some of the institutions in the UK where you could study.
University of Oxford
Another globally prestigious university and member of the exclusive Russell Group, where you can study for an engineering degree in the UK is the University of Oxford. The institution dominates the famous city of Oxford and is widely considered the first university established in the English-speaking world.
Oxford occupies the 2nd spot for engineering in the UK on the CUG League Tables 2024. The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 place the university 4th overall for engineering. However, Oxford did beat old rivals Cambridge on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024, taking the number one spot in the world.
The university’s Department of Engineering Science opened its doors in 1909 and offers an undergraduate MEng in engineering, of which the first two years focus on the core fundamentals of the subject. For your third year, you get to specialise in an area of engineering science, including:
- Thermofluid engineering
- Civil engineering
- Chemical engineering
- Process engineering
- Biomedical engineering
- Solid materials and mechanics
- Control engineering
MEng degrees are advanced bachelor’s degrees and are designed to prepare graduates for professional practice. This is especially important if you wish to become a Chartered Engineer and work in the UK. Oxford also offers postgraduate degrees, including MSc, DEng and DPhil qualifications.
Get more information on what to expect when studying for an engineering degree.
University of Bristol
Located in the west of England, the University of Bristol is ranked in the top five for engineering in the UK by the CUG League Tables 2024. With almost 30,000 students studying at the institution and a third of those from overseas, the university is also ranked in the top 50 institutions for student employability by QS (2022) and has received a five-star QS rating.
The Faculty of Engineering at the university consists of two schools and six departments. Some of the state-of-the-art facilities for engineering students include aerodynamics and aeroacoustic laboratories, a robotics laboratory, and a dynamics and vibration laboratory. This level of innovation is recognised by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024, which have the university rated in the top 100 worldwide and 8th in the UK for engineering.
If you study an undergraduate engineering qualification at the University of Bristol, you can choose from several specialisations, including:
- Aerospace engineering
- Civil engineering
- Electrical and electronic engineering
- Engineering design
- Engineering mathematics
- Mechanical engineering
The university offers BEng and MEng qualifications at the undergraduate level, which are three and four years long respectively. To qualify for admission onto a BEng degree at the university, you will need a result of A*AA at A-Level or equivalent in subjects, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, or computer science.
Want to know what traits aspiring engineers need to have?
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield enjoys a favourable reputation and is placed 4th in the UK for engineering by the CUG League Tables 2024. The standing of the university is underlined by the QS World University Rankings 2024, which rates Sheffield as a top 150 global institution and in the top 150 on the planet for engineering. Over 28,000 students study at the university, and more than 11,000 are international. The university also has an excellent student-to-staff ratio of 15:1.
The Faculty of Engineering has over 6,700 students studying towards an engineering-related degree, and 96 per cent of the research produced by the faculty is considered ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ by the Research Excellence Framework (2021). The university also enjoys partnerships with large multinational companies and local enterprises, all contributing to a vibrant learning and research environment.
At the University of Sheffield, you study in one of seven departments, each of which specialises in a particular area of engineering. These are:
- Automatic Control and Systems Engineering
- Civil and Structural Engineering
- Chemical and Biological Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electronic and Electrical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
The university offers a three-year BEng degree and a four-year MEng degree at the undergraduate level, all offering distinct engineering specialisations tracks. At the postgraduate level you can pursue an MSc, EngD or a PhD. There is also a specialised engineering pathway programme if you’re looking to prepare for degree study.
Discover more about why you should study for a master’s degree in engineering.
Durham University
Another top-performing engineering institution in the UK is Durham University. The university is one of the oldest in the UK and is home to 18,000 students. Durham is ranked as a top 100 institution worldwide by the QS World University Rankings 2024 and within the top 150 globally for engineering by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024. This status is underlined by a top-five ranking for engineering by the CUG League Tables 2024.
Engineering has been part of the curriculum at Durham since 1838, and the university conducts ground-breaking research in areas such as future energy systems, sustainable infrastructure and advanced materials. The university has a wind tunnel, clean rooms for controlled experiment environments, and a geotechnical engineering laboratory.
If you end up studying at Durham, you’ll have the chance to pursue several qualifications at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This includes a BEng, Meng, MSc and PhD degree in the subject. The university also has a comprehensive range of engineering specialisations from civil to electrical engineering.
Trying to decide which engineering specialisations could work for you? Why not read our take on biomedical engineering versus biotechnology?
What are the top 10 universities for engineering in the UK
Now that you have a better idea of the top five universities in the UK for engineering, let’s take a quick look at the top ten according to the Complete University Guide League Tables 2024:
- University of Cambridge
- University of Oxford
- University of Bristol
- University of Sheffield
- Durham University
- University of Warwick
- University of Exeter
- Loughborough University
- University of Southampton
- University of Nottingham
With a better sense of which institutions are best for engineering in the UK, it might be time to find out more about studying in the UK. You might enjoy our guides to the most in-demand jobs in the UK, money saving tips for students in the UK, and how to apply to study in the UK.
Chat with Couru
