Best universities for psychology in the UK 2026
Discover the best psychology schools in the UK featuring 86 universities across the UK. The UK ranking is derived from the Times Higher Education University Rankings by Subject 2026: Psychology, released in January 2026.
The list is based on a comprehensive assessment that scores top universities in the UK in psychology in areas such as teaching, research and international outlook for studying psychology. The methodology is designed by Times Higher Education’s in-house data team, and it is trusted by students, academics, policymakers, and industry leaders worldwide.
Share
Top universities in the UK for psychology 2026
| UK Psychology Rank 2026 | Global Psychology Rank 2026 | University | Overall | Teaching | Research Environment | Research Quality | Industry | International Outlook |
| 1 | 1 | University of Cambridge | 93.9 | 96.2 | 99.9 | 87.6 | 92.6 | 95.1 |
| 2 | 6 | UCL | 87.8 | 91 | 95.6 | 80.2 | 71 | 93.2 |
| 3 | 9 | King’s College London | 83.9 | 86.4 | 85.5 | 76.5 | 100 | 95.3 |
| 4 | 23 | University of Edinburgh | 75.5 | 76.1 | 73.5 | 73.1 | 73 | 93 |
| 5 | 41 | University of Glasgow | 68.9 | 64.2 | 57.5 | 76.3 | 70.6 | 90.8 |
| 6 | 49 | University of Bristol | 67.6 | 49.5 | 56.2 | 85 | 69.6 | 89.5 |
| 7 | =50 | London School of Economics and Political Science | 67.5 | 57.7 | 54.5 | 81.8 | 40.1 | 95.4 |
| 8 | 61 | University of Sussex | 64.9 | 48.6 | 52.6 | 81.1 | 69.5 | 87.7 |
| 9 | 68 | University of Birmingham | 63.7 | 57.5 | 52 | 71.9 | 68.2 | 86 |
| 10 | =77 | University of York | 61 | 49.9 | 51.7 | 73.5 | 66.9 | 72.2 |
| =11 | =80 | Cardiff University | 60.3 | 52.2 | 48.2 | 69.7 | 76.1 | 79 |
| =11 | =80 | University of Bath | 60.3 | 51.1 | 39 | 78.2 | 55.7 | 87.7 |
| 13 | 87 | University of Exeter | 59.5 | 46 | 34.4 | 85.5 | 49.4 | 80.5 |
| 14 | 88 | University of Sheffield | 59.2 | 43.7 | 40.7 | 81 | 71.4 | 71.7 |
| 15 | 90 | University of Warwick | 58.6 | 45.6 | 44.6 | 72.3 | 53.8 | 92.5 |
| 16 | 91 | Birkbeck, University of London | 57.9 | 42.2 | 47.8 | 69.8 | 67.1 | 88.7 |
| 17 | 92 | University of Kent | 57.7 | 31.9 | 33.5 | 88.3 | 61.7 | 89.5 |
| 18 | =98 | University of Nottingham | 57.1 | 43.5 | 38.3 | 73.4 | 75.6 | 85.9 |
| =19 | 101–125 | University of Essex | 55.3–56.9 | 44.8 | 28.5 | 78.5 | 53.3 | 90.7 |
| =19 | 101–125 | University of Leeds | 55.3–56.9 | 40.1 | 36.6 | 78.1 | 73.3 | 79.7 |
| =19 | 101–125 | University of Manchester | 55.3–56.9 | 43.3 | 42.2 | 73.3 | 74.9 | 70.3 |
| =19 | 101–125 | University of Southampton | 55.3–56.9 | 41 | 28.1 | 82.6 | 67.2 | 90 |
| =19 | 101–125 | University of St Andrews | 55.3–56.9 | 47.8 | 36.5 | 67.8 | 71.6 | 93.8 |
| =24 | 126–150 | Durham University | 52.6–55.2 | 38.4 | 32.3 | 75.6 | 63.9 | 91.9 |
| =24 | 126–150 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 52.6–55.2 | 38.8 | 26.8 | 78.9 | 64 | 88.2 |
| =24 | 126–150 | Lancaster University | 52.6–55.2 | 38.8 | 37.7 | 70.5 | 53.5 | 84.5 |
| =24 | 126–150 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 52.6–55.2 | 43.9 | 28.5 | 69.2 | 61.4 | 87 |
| =28 | 151–175 | Loughborough University | 49.7–52.1 | 39.1 | 38.3 | 67.2 | 38.6 | 76.7 |
| =28 | 151–175 | University of Reading | 49.7–52.1 | 25.4 | 17.4 | 83.4 | 67.1 | 83.6 |
| =28 | 151–175 | University of Surrey | 49.7–52.1 | 39 | 26 | 70.9 | 66.7 | 79.8 |
| =31 | 201–250 | Aston University | 45.3–48.3 | 15.7 | 15.1 | 83.3 | 79.3 | 70.2 |
| =31 | 201–250 | City St George's, University of London | 45.3–48.3 | 31.7 | 25.4 | 66.1 | 64.8 | 89.5 |
| =31 | 201–250 | Newcastle University | 45.3–48.3 | 31.4 | 29.1 | 66.7 | 68.1 | 72.3 |
| =31 | 201–250 | Nottingham Trent University | 45.3–48.3 | 23.9 | 22.2 | 78 | 26 | 86.4 |
| =31 | 201–250 | Queen’s University Belfast | 45.3–48.3 | 27.7 | 27.9 | 68.3 | 55.4 | 94.5 |
| =31 | 201–250 | Swansea University | 45.3–48.3 | 20.1 | 18.3 | 80.1 | 66.3 | 76.8 |
| =31 | 201–250 | UWE Bristol (University of the West of England) | 45.3–48.3 | 22.2 | 11.8 | 83.8 | 74 | 73.7 |
| =31 | 201–250 | University of Aberdeen | 45.3–48.3 | 31.1 | 26.1 | 63.1 | 67.1 | 92.8 |
| =31 | 201–250 | University of Liverpool | 45.3–48.3 | 29.1 | 26.3 | 72.5 | 64.4 | 70.6 |
| =31 | 201–250 | University of Portsmouth | 45.3–48.3 | 21.1 | 23.4 | 72.1 | 49.1 | 88.9 |
| =41 | 251–300 | Brunel University of London | 42.8–45.2 | 20.6 | 18.5 | 71.4 | 54.5 | 94.2 |
| =41 | 251–300 | Oxford Brookes University | 42.8–45.2 | 23.2 | 24.1 | 66.6 | 26.5 | 79 |
| =41 | 251–300 | University of Hertfordshire | 42.8–45.2 | 25.4 | 14.4 | 69.5 | 59.3 | 76.1 |
| =41 | 251–300 | University of Leicester | 42.8–45.2 | 22.4 | 13.6 | 75.2 | 50.3 | 84.1 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) | 38.3–42.6 | 16.7 | 15 | 69.3 | 28.1 | 90.2 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Bangor University | 38.3–42.6 | 28.4 | 18.5 | 48.7 | 67.3 | 85.4 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Edinburgh Napier University | 38.3–42.6 | 16 | 13 | 73.7 | 22.7 | 79.5 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Heriot-Watt University | 38.3–42.6 | 18.5 | 10.5 | 73.6 | 44.9 | 90.6 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Kingston University | 38.3–42.6 | 17.5 | 13.4 | 65.8 | 63.4 | 91.7 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Liverpool John Moores University | 38.3–42.6 | 19.1 | 17.5 | 60.8 | 62.7 | 64.6 |
| =45 | 301–400 | London South Bank University | 38.3–42.6 | 18.1 | 12.8 | 64.5 | 17.4 | 93.6 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Manchester Metropolitan University | 38.3–42.6 | 22.5 | 14.3 | 64.3 | 33.7 | 65.4 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Middlesex University | 38.3–42.6 | 27.5 | 17.1 | 63.5 | 31.8 | 80.9 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Northumbria University | 38.3–42.6 | 14.6 | 17.6 | 67.8 | 70.8 | 75.1 |
| =45 | 301–400 | Ulster University | 38.3–42.6 | 16.9 | 17.8 | 66.3 | 42.5 | 79.2 |
| =45 | 301–400 | University of Brighton | 38.3–42.6 | 14.3 | 18.2 | 63.5 | 66.8 | 75.2 |
| =45 | 301–400 | University of Derby | 38.3–42.6 | 22.7 | 14.4 | 69.1 | 34.3 | 62.5 |
| =45 | 301–400 | University of Dundee | 38.3–42.6 | 19.6 | 15.9 | 57.9 | 60.6 | 88.4 |
| =45 | 301–400 | University of East Anglia | 38.3–42.6 | 28.2 | 16.9 | 63.7 | 26.5 | 80.4 |
| =45 | 301–400 | University of Greenwich | 38.3–42.6 | 14.2 | 9.1 | 68.5 | 28.9 | 92.8 |
| =45 | 301–400 | University of Stirling | 38.3–42.6 | 22.6 | 19.2 | 62.2 | 50.3 | 88.6 |
| =45 | 301–400 | University of Strathclyde | 38.3–42.6 | 21.3 | 19.5 | 63.6 | 46.2 | 72 |
| =63 | 401–500 | Bournemouth University | 33.6–38.2 | 13.9 | 11.7 | 62.1 | 34.9 | 83.4 |
| =63 | 401–500 | Coventry University | 33.6–38.2 | 19.5 | 10.7 | 61 | 28.3 | 85.6 |
| =63 | 401–500 | De Montfort University | 33.6–38.2 | 14.8 | 9.2 | 57.9 | 32.6 | 89.7 |
| =63 | 401–500 | Glasgow Caledonian University | 33.6–38.2 | 18.3 | 11.7 | 52.6 | 56.4 | 67.6 |
| =63 | 401–500 | Keele University | 33.6–38.2 | 17.2 | 11.2 | 56.9 | 56.2 | 70 |
| =63 | 401–500 | Leeds Beckett University | 33.6–38.2 | 17.5 | 10.7 | 63.3 | 21.3 | 58.1 |
| =63 | 401–500 | Teesside University | 33.6–38.2 | 25.5 | 9.1 | 63.3 | 17.4 | 67.9 |
| =63 | 401–500 | University of East London | 33.6–38.2 | 29.3 | 12.8 | 53.4 | 45.5 | 80 |
| =63 | 401–500 | University of Huddersfield | 33.6–38.2 | 19.6 | 11 | 68.1 | 29.8 | 63.3 |
| =63 | 401–500 | University of Lincoln | 33.6–38.2 | 20.1 | 13.7 | 61.6 | 37.3 | 69.9 |
| =63 | 401–500 | University of Plymouth | 33.6–38.2 | 25.9 | 14.9 | 51 | 61.1 | 82.3 |
| =63 | 401–500 | University of Roehampton | 33.6–38.2 | 17.9 | 10.2 | 52.9 | 44.7 | 82.9 |
| =63 | 401–500 | University of Westminster | 33.6–38.2 | 13.3 | 9.3 | 54.9 | 69.4 | 78 |
| =63 | 401–500 | University of Winchester | 33.6–38.2 | 12 | 8.8 | 66.2 | 22.5 | 67.8 |
| =63 | 401–500 | York St John University | 33.6–38.2 | 18.1 | 12.9 | 68.5 | 17.4 | 54.6 |
| =78 | 501–600 | Canterbury Christ Church University | 28.2–33.5 | 24.9 | 8 | 44.9 | 33.4 | 60.7 |
| =78 | 501–600 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | 28.2–33.5 | 14.3 | 11.7 | 48.5 | 27.4 | 63.9 |
| =78 | 501–600 | Edge Hill University | 28.2–33.5 | 15.3 | 10.4 | 54.6 | 24.9 | 63.4 |
| =78 | 501–600 | Liverpool Hope University | 28.2–33.5 | 14.4 | 9.7 | 53.7 | 21.9 | 81 |
| =78 | 501–600 | Sheffield Hallam University | 28.2–33.5 | 12.1 | 9.4 | 53.2 | 37.9 | 65.8 |
| =78 | 501–600 | The Open University | 28.2–33.5 | 16.7 | 9.5 | 47.1 | 28.3 | 55 |
| =78 | 501–600 | University of Hull | 28.2–33.5 | 24.5 | 11.7 | 45.3 | 56.1 | 73.4 |
| =78 | 501–600 | University of Lancashire | 28.2–33.5 | 12.8 | 12.7 | 55.2 | 46.8 | 65.6 |
| =78 | 501–600 | University of Salford | 28.2–33.5 | 13.6 | 10.4 | 46.6 | 33.5 | 61 |
| =78 | 501–600 | University of Wolverhampton | 28.2–33.5 | 20 | 9.8 | 45.6 | 22.5 | 64.5 |
| =88 | 601+ | Birmingham City University | 15.4–28.1 | 11.9 | 8.3 | 46.6 | 20.3 | 73.6 |
| =88 | 601+ | University of Chester | 15.4–28.1 | 12.8 | 8.2 | 33.4 | 31.6 | 54.6 |
| =88 | 601+ | University of South Wales | 15.4–28.1 | 21.4 | 12.1 | 37.1 | 17.4 | 50.7 |
| =88 | 601+ | University of Staffordshire | 15.4–28.1 | 24.9 | 7.8 | 35.5 | 17.4 | 43.3 |
| =88 | 601+ | University of the West of Scotland | 15.4–28.1 | 11.9 | 9.2 | 41.2 | 44.4 | 62.8 |
Key insights into the top schools for psychology in the UK
- The University of Cambridge is the top university in the UK for a psychology degree as well as the top university in the world for psychology.
- Some 92 universities in the UK are featured in the table for the best universities for psychology in the UK.
- Kings College London achieves the top score for its links to industry.
- The Psychology table evaluates schools and colleges across several narrower disciplines: Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, Sport Psychology, Business Psychology and Animal Psychology.
Choosing the Right University in the UK for Psychology
In the UK, psychology is one of the most popular subjects for students to take at degree level. Often, psychology courses at UK universities are accredited and follow guidelines set out by the British Psychological Society, which is key for students who wish to pursue a career as a practising psychologist with chartered status.
Courses in psychology are wide-ranging and tend to focus on either scientific research or applied psychology. UK higher education institutions are often equipped with research facilities to conduct studies in either specialisation. Students can conduct research into perception, developmental psychology, cognition or behavioural neuroscience on the scientific side, or neuro-rehabilitation, education and health on the applied side.
There are no strict criteria for studying psychology in the UK, but it is important to have an analytical mind and an interest in human behaviour. Certain grades will be expected depending on the university, as well as a clear interest in the subject.
As for post-graduation prospects, psychology graduates are well equipped to join many industries given the course’s transferable skills.
When selecting a university for psychology in the UK, rankings can provide a helpful benchmark for assessing academic strength and how well a university prepares you for a future career.
The Times Higher Education Subject Rankings: Psychology assess universities using five core pillars:
- Research environment
- Teaching quality
- Research quality
- Industry collaboration
- International outlook
These indicators give students and families reliable insights into how institutions perform across critical areas of education and innovation.
The table for the best universities for psychology in the UK was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings: Psychology. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.
.jpg%3Fitok%3Das2jRzhR&w=3840&q=75)
.jpg%3Fitok%3Dp1CwsglR&w=3840&q=75)
