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Compare any two UK universities

Select any two universities below and we'll generate an instant, data-driven comparison — rankings, salaries, student satisfaction, international community, and more.

B
Birkbeck, University of London

London · QS World #354

Q
Queen's University Belfast

Belfast · QS World #174

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 9 datapoints

We looked at 9 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

2/9

Birkbeck

scored higher in 2 categories

VS

7/9

Queen's University Belfast

scored higher in 7 categories

Quick Verdict

Queen's University Belfast leads in 7 of 9 categories where both have data (ranking, Russell Group, satisfaction, employment, international, courses). Birkbeck, University of London is ahead on established, scholarship.

Birkbeck, University of London vs Queen's University Belfast at a glance

Birkbeck, University of London and Queen's University Belfast both teach 47 subject areas, the largest being Law, Politics & International Relations and Sociology & Criminology. Birkbeck, University of London offers 361 courses across 69 subject areas; Queen's University Belfast offers 494 courses across 93 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £18,500 a year at Birkbeck, University of London and £20,800 at Queen's University Belfast: Birkbeck, University of London is about £2,300 a year cheaper.

Of the 19 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Birkbeck, University of London is higher in 10 and Queen's University Belfast in 7, with 2 about level.

World & National Rankings

Compare world and national league table positions, TEF ratings, and Russell Group membership.

#354
QS World
#174
#301
THE World
#198
—
Guardian UK
#36
1823
Established
1845
No
Russell Group
Yes
Bronze
TEF Rating
—

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

Longer bars indicate better performance. Metrics include student satisfaction, graduate salaries, and more.

Birkbeck, University of London

Queen's University Belfast

85.1%
86.4%

Satisfaction

Student satisfaction with teaching (NSS Survey, out of 100%)

£32,500
No data

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

79.6%
84.9%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

12%
21.9%

International

International student share

361
494

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

16
1

Scholarships

Number of scholarships

International Community

Where do international students come from?

Top source countries based on official HESA enrolment data. A higher diversity of nationalities often means a richer campus experience.

Birkbeck

60 countries · 12% international

  • 🇺🇸United States10.8%
  • 🇨🇳China9.7%
  • 🇮🇳India8.6%
  • 🇪🇸Spain4.8%
  • 🇮🇹Italy4.3%
VS

Queen's University Belfast

74 countries · 21.9% international

  • 🇮🇪Ireland30.3%
  • 🇮🇳India14.3%
  • 🇨🇳China11%
  • 🇺🇸United States7%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia5%

Subjects

47 subjects you can study at both

Courses listed at each university in the subject, and the typical (median) international fee a year. Select a count to see the courses.

Birkbeck, University of London

Queen's University Belfast

Also taught at both: Ancient Languages, Biochemistry, Finance & Actuarial Science, Philosophy, Archaeology, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Social Sciences (General), Software Engineering, French, Planning & Housing, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Biological Sciences (General), Geology & Earth Sciences, Business Studies, Human Geography & Environment, Linguistics, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Drama & Theatre, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Liberal Arts, Marketing, Social Policy & Public Policy, Spanish & Portuguese, Business Information Systems, Computing & IT, Environmental Sciences, Clinical & Health Psychology, Design & Fashion, Developmental & Educational Psychology, Humanities, Information Systems & Data Science, Human Resource Management.

Only at Birkbeck, University of London

Only at Queen's University Belfast

Fees

What it costs international students

The typical (median) international tuition fee a year across each university's published course fees. Individual courses vary; each course page shows its own fee.

Undergraduate

Birkbeck, University of London
£18,500
Queen's University Belfast
£20,800

Birkbeck, University of London is about £2,300 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Birkbeck, University of London
£20,850
Queen's University Belfast
No data

We do not have reliable international fee data for Queen's University Belfast yet.

Outcomes

Graduate outcomes by subject

Median graduate salary three years after graduating, and student satisfaction with teaching, across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject. Source: Discover Uni.

Birkbeck, University of London

Queen's University Belfast

  • Law

    £22,500Salary (3 years)No data
    94%Satisfaction86%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £23,000Salary (3 years)No data
    96%Satisfaction84%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    £23,000Salary (3 years)No data
    88%Satisfaction87%

  • History

    £23,500Salary (3 years)No data
    95%Satisfaction91%

  • Mathematics

    £27,000Salary (3 years)No data
    94%Satisfaction87%

  • Media & Film Studies

    £24,000Salary (3 years)No data
    86%Satisfaction82%

  • Economics

    £23,000Salary (3 years)No data
    88%Satisfaction82%

  • English Studies

    £26,500Salary (3 years)No data
    94%Satisfaction91%

  • Psychology (General)

    £26,000Salary (3 years)No data
    84%Satisfaction86%

  • Computer Science

    £38,000Salary (3 years)No data
    72%Satisfaction72%

  • Accounting

    £29,000Salary (3 years)No data
    75%Satisfaction81%

  • Ancient Languages

    £30,500Salary (3 years)No data
    85%Satisfaction83%

Showing the 12 largest of 19 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Birkbeck, University of London

Bonnart Trust Sanctuary Scholarship

£18,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

Cyril Taylor Scholarships

£15,000

Deadline: Jul 2026

Breakspear scholarship

£12,000

Deadline: Jul 2026

MA History of Art scholarship

£6,000

Deadline: Jul 2026

Legal & General Sustainable Leaders Bursary

£5,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

Queen's University Belfast

Future-Ready Award

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Birkbeck, University of London vs Queen's University Belfast: common questions

Is Birkbeck, University of London or Queen's University Belfast cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £18,500 a year at Birkbeck, University of London and £20,800 at Queen's University Belfast: Birkbeck, University of London is about £2,300 a year cheaper. These are medians of the international tuition fees each university publishes for its courses; the fee for a specific course is on its course page.

What subjects can you study at both Birkbeck, University of London and Queen's University Belfast?

Both universities teach 47 subject areas: Law, Politics & International Relations, Sociology & Criminology, History, Mathematics, Business & Management (General), Media & Film Studies, Management, Economics, English Studies, Physical Geography & Climate, Psychology (General) and 35 more.

Does Birkbeck, University of London or Queen's University Belfast offer more courses?

Queen's University Belfast lists 494 courses on CourseOptions and Birkbeck, University of London lists 361 courses.

What can you study at Birkbeck, University of London but not at Queen's University Belfast?

Birkbeck, University of London teaches 22 subject areas that Queen's University Belfast does not, including History of Art & Design, Creative Writing, Journalism, Hospitality, Events & Tourism, Classical Studies, Cognitive & Experimental Psychology, Asian Languages & Studies, English Literature and 14 more.

What can you study at Queen's University Belfast but not at Birkbeck, University of London?

Queen's University Belfast teaches 46 subject areas that Birkbeck, University of London does not, including Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Anthropology, Physics, Social Work, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Irish Studies, Childhood & Youth Studies and 38 more.

Ready to explore courses?

Browse available courses, check entry requirements, and find scholarships at each university.

B
Birkbeck, University of London361 courses · 16 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
Q
Queen's University Belfast494 courses · 1 scholarshipBrowse Courses