List of universities in the United Kingdom by enrolment explained

This article comprises two lists of institutions in the United Kingdom ranked by the number of students enrolled in higher education courses. The first list, based on data from the academic year 2019/20, breaks down student enrollment by level of study, while the second list, from the more recent academic year 2021/22, provides a total student enrollment figure without distinguishing between undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

The statistics in both lists are confined to students studying within the United Kingdom and exclude those engaged in distance-learning or transnational education programs conducted overseas. For reference, in the 2018/19 academic year, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) recorded 666,815 overseas students, with the majority (260,155) enrolled at Oxford Brookes University, primarily studying Association of Chartered Certified Accountants courses. Other universities with significant numbers of overseas students in 2018/19 included the University of London Worldwide (40,675), the Open University (29,610), Coventry (16,785), Nottingham (15,740), Liverpool (14,730), Heriot-Watt (11,955), Staffordshire (11,900), and Middlesex (11,890).^[1]

Universities and other higher education providers by size and level of study (2019/20)

The source for the figures is the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) statistics for . The student numbers include full-time and part-time, and are broken down into undergraduate and postgraduate students. Some institutes enrol students in both higher education and further education courses, so student numbers may be higher for such institutes. Numbers are of actual enrollments, not FTEs. The data show that 2.28 million people were enrolled in higher education at the higher education providers reporting statistics to HESA.

data-sort-type="number"	Rank	Institution	data-sort-type="number"	Undergraduates	data-sort-type="number"	Postgraduates	data-sort-type="number"	Total students
–	University of London			[2]
1	The Open University
2	University College London
3	University of Manchester
4	Coventry University
5	University of Leeds
6	Nottingham Trent University
7	University of Birmingham
8	University of Edinburgh
9	University of Nottingham
10	Manchester Metropolitan University
11	Cardiff University
12	King's College London
13	University of Glasgow
14	Sheffield Hallam University
15	University of the West of England
16	University of Sheffield
17	University of Liverpool
18	De Montfort University
19	Northumbria University
20	Newcastle University
21	Ulster University
22	University of Bristol
23	University of Exeter
24	Birmingham City University
25	University of Warwick
26	University of Portsmouth
27	Anglia Ruskin University
28	University of Oxford
29	University of Hertfordshire
30	Liverpool John Moores University
31	Queen's University Belfast
32	University of Central Lancashire
33	University of Strathclyde
34	Leeds Beckett University
35	University of South Wales
36	University of Southampton
37	Queen Mary, University of London
38	University of Salford
39	University of Cambridge
40	Swansea University
41	Middlesex University
42	University of Brighton
43	City, University of London
44	University of Plymouth
45	University of York
46	University of Kent
47	University of Sussex
48	University of Derby
49	Imperial College London
50	University of the Arts London
51	University of Wolverhampton
52	Durham University
53	University of Greenwich
54	University of Westminster
55	Teesside University
56	University of Bath
57	Loughborough University
58	University of East Anglia
59	Bournemouth University
60	University of Reading
61	University of Huddersfield
62	London South Bank University
63	University of the West of Scotland
64	Glasgow Caledonian University
65	University of Leicester
66	Kingston University
67	University of Surrey
68	Oxford Brookes University
69	University of Hull
70	University of Dundee
71	University of Lincoln
72	University of Essex
73	Aston University
74	Staffordshire University
75	Brunel University London
76	University of Aberdeen
77	University of Sunderland
78	University of Chester
79	Lancaster University
80	Canterbury Christ Church University
81	University of Bedfordshire
82	Edge Hill University
83	Edinburgh Napier University
84	University of East London
85	Roehampton University
86	University of Stirling
87	Robert Gordon University
88	University of Northampton
89	London School of Economics
90	Birkbeck, University of London
91	University of Wales Trinity Saint David
92	University of West London
93	Royal Holloway, University of London
94	Buckinghamshire New University
95	Heriot-Watt University
96	Keele University
97	Cardiff Metropolitan University
98	University of St Andrews
99	Goldsmiths, University of London
100	Bangor University
101	University of Worcester
102	Solent University
103	University of Bradford
104	University of the Highlands and Islands
105	London Metropolitan University
106	University of Gloucestershire
107	Aberystwyth University
108	Bath Spa University
109	University of Winchester
110	University of Suffolk
111	University of Cumbria
112	University of Bolton
113	York St John University
114	University for the Creative Arts
115	Falmouth University
116	Wrexham Glyndŵr University
117	School of Oriental and African Studies
118	St Mary's University, Twickenham
119	University of Chichester
120	Queen Margaret University
121	Leeds Trinity University
121	Liverpool Hope University
123	University College Birmingham
124	Cranfield University
125	Harper Adams University
126	St George's, University of London
127	Abertay University
128	Arts University Bournemouth
128	University of Buckingham
130	Newman University
131	University of St Mark and St John
132	Ravensbourne
133	Royal Veterinary College
134	Royal College of Art
135	Norwich University of the Arts
136	Glasgow School of Art
137	Bishop Grosseteste University
138	London Business School
139	Leeds Arts University
140	Hartpury University
141	SRUC
142	Stranmillis University College
143	Conservatoire for Dance and Drama
144	Grŵp Llandrillo Menai
145	Arts University Plymouth
146	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
147	Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance
148	Leeds College of Music
149	London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
150	Royal Agricultural University
151	Guildhall School of Music and Drama
152	Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
153	St Mary's University College, Belfast
154	Royal Northern College of Music
155	Royal Academy of Music
156	Royal College of Music
157	The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
158	Writtle University College
159	Rose Bruford College
160	AECC University College
161	Courtauld Institute of Art
162	University College of Osteopathy
163	Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
164	National Film and Television School
165	Institute of Cancer Research
166	University of London (Institutes and activities)
167
168
169	University of Wales (central functions)

Universities and other higher education providers by size (2021/22)

The data source for these statistics is also the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) for the academic year 2021/22. The student figures encompass both full-time and part-time students, without distinction between undergraduate and postgraduate levels of study. Some institutions enroll students in both higher education and further education programs, potentially leading to higher student numbers in such cases. It's important to note that these statistics reflect actual student enrollments and not full-time equivalent (FTE) counts. According to the latest available data from HESA, a total of 2.86 million individuals were enrolled in higher education at the various institutions reporting data to HESA for the academic year 2021/22.

data-sort-type="number"	Rank	HE Provider	data-sort-type="number"	Total
1		151,840
2		46,830
3		46,410
4		42,980
5		41,490
6		41,465
7		41,250
8		38,190
9		37,990
10		37,260
11		37,190
12		37,170
13		36,980
14		35,195
15		34,550
16		34,535
17		33,985
18		32,570
19		32,465
20		31,940
21		31,485
22		30,860
23		30,285
24		28,825
25		28,680
26		28,335
27		28,325
28		28,100
29		27,290
30		27,280
31		26,610
32		26,500
33		26,045
34		25,715
35		25,415
36		25,295
37		24,660
38		23,795
39		23,420
40		23,365
41		23,270
42		22,695
43		22,610
44		22,455
45		22,290
46		22,230
47		21,470
48		20,955
49		20,915
50		20,885
51		20,685
52		20,570
53		20,250
54		20,070
55		20,050
56		19,975
57		19,920
58		19,865
59		19,550
60		19,390
61		19,225
62		19,185
63		19,130
64		19,095
65		18,890
66		18,760
67		18,695
68		18,655
69		18,460
70		18,155
71		18,110
72		18,100
73		17,975
74		17,960
75		17,835
76		17,770
77		17,595
78		17,470
79		16,670
80		16,565
81		16,430
82		16,100
83		15,910
84		15,575
85		15,530
86		15,235
87		15,120
88		15,075
89		15,045
90		14,970
91		14,895
92		14,700
93		14,555
94		14,325
95		13,435
96		13,240
97		12,975
98		12,620
99		12,480
100		12,335
101		12,235
102		11,885
103		11,820
104		11,680
105		11,640
106		10,995
107		10,660
108		10,505
109		10,070
110		10,005
111		9,900
112		9,880
113		9,705
114		9,430
115		8,280
116		8,210
117		7,935
118		7,845
119		7,490
120		7,045
121		6,635
122		6,295
123		6,250
124		5,985
125		5,895
126		5,640
127		5,400
128		5,275
129		5,170
130		4,825
131		4,790
132	University of London (Institutes and activities)	4,290
133		3,725
134		3,430
135	Regent College	3,160
136		3,040
137		3,010
138		2,890
139		2,760
140		2,760
141		2,590
142		2,585
143		2,575
144		2,440
145		2,390
146		2,370
147		2,355
148		2,340
149		1,895
150		1,865
151		1,835
152		1,700
153		1,660
154		1,630
155		1,540
156		1,365
157		1,340
158		1,325
159		1,245
160		1,240
161		1,190
162		1,125
163		1,125
164		1,105
165		1,105
166		1,105
167		1,095
168		1,085
169		1,080
170		1,060
171		1,040
172		1,035
173		1,010
174		995
175		995
176		990
177		960
178		940
179		920
180		910
181		870
182		830
183		805
184		805
185		790
186		775
187		750
188		745
189		745
190		725
191		695
192		605
193		600
194		555
195		555
196		530
197	University College of Osteopathy	475
198		470
199		465
200		455
201		450
202		445
203		430
204		405
205		400
206		380
207		365
208		345
209		345
210		340
211		340
212		320
213		295
214		295
215		280
216		280
217		280
218		270
219		270
220		250
221		245
222		240
223	The City College	215
224		215
225		215
226		210
227		205
228		200
229		200
230		195
231		195
232		185
233		180
234		180
235		180
236		175
237		165
238		165
239		165
240		160
241		150
242		150
243		150
244		145
245		140
246		130
247		130
248		130
249		125
250		125
251		125
252		120
253		120
254		115
255		105
256		100
257		90
258		85
259		85
260		85
261		80
262		80
263	Missio Dei	80
264		80
265		75
266		70
267		65
268		65
269		65
270		60
271		50
272		40
273		40
274		40
275		40
276		35
277		35
278		30
279		30
280		25
281		20
282		20
283		15
284		10
285		5

See also

• Armorial of UK universities
• List of largest universities by enrollment
• List of universities in the United Kingdom
• List of UK universities by date of foundation
• List of UK universities by endowment

Notes and References

1. Web site: Where do HE students come from?: Transnational education. HESA. 15 August 2020.
2. Combined total from Included institutions are Birkbeck, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, City, University of London, Courtauld Institute of Art, Goldsmiths, Institute of Cancer Research, King's College, London Business School, LSE, LSHTM, Queen Mary, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Holloway, Royal Veterinary College, SOAS, St George's, UCL and the central institutes & activities.