What are Russell Group universities?

The Russell Group universities are widely perceived as the 24 best universities in the UK.

  • They produce more than two-thirds of the world-leading research produced in UK universities.

  • The ratio of students to staff is around 7:1 at Russell Group universities, compared to 14:1 at non-Russell Group universities.

  • In 2015-16, 417,000 undergraduates and 192,500 postgraduates were studying at a Russell Group university.

Although rankings differ year-on-year and from provider to provider, the following universities generally rank most highly in the UK:

  • University of Cambridge: www.undergraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/

  • University of Oxford: www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate?wssl=1

  • Imperial College London: www.imperial.ac.uk/study/ug/

  • University College London: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/undergraduate/degrees/

  • King's College London: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/index

  • London School of Economics and Political Science: www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/Undergraduate

  • Durham University: www.dur.ac.uk/study/ug/

  • University of St Andrews: www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/

Why study at a top university? Here are some reasons students have shared:

  • Be taught by world-leading academics in their field

  • Meet people from across the world

  • Maximise employment prospects

  • Be intellectually challenged to achieve your full potential

  • Access the best facilities

  • Access some of the best grant / scholarships to fund your studies

When there are many academically vigorous universities, try to consider the following when you research on your dream university or comparing a number of decent choices:

  1. What subject areas does the university specialise in?

  2. Can you study part of your course abroad, or get help with work placements?

  3. Do they have sports facilities or societies that you would want to join?

  4. How near to home, a city centre, or the countryside are they?

  5. What accommodation is available for students?

Another aspect to look out for is the specific section on a website:

  • Open Days

  • Subject Areas

  • Fees and Funding

  • Admissions/Applying

  • Study Abroad

  • Student Life

For further information check out these useful links.

● http://russellgroup.ac.uk/

● www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/ucas-undergraduate-what-study

● www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/ultimate-guide-choosing-university.html