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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

U
Ulster University

Belfast · QS World #595

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 8 datapoints

We looked at 8 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

5/8

Birkbeck

scored higher in 5 categories

VS

3/8

Ulster

scored higher in 3 categories

Quick Verdict

Birkbeck, University of London leads in 5 of 8 categories where both have data (ranking, established, courses, scholarship). Ulster University is ahead on satisfaction, employment, international.

Birkbeck, University of London vs Ulster University at a glance

Birkbeck, University of London and Ulster University both teach 33 subject areas, the largest being Law, Sociology & Criminology and Media & Film Studies. Birkbeck, University of London offers 361 courses across 69 subject areas; Ulster University offers 170 courses across 66 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £18,500 a year at Birkbeck, University of London and £17,490 at Ulster University: Ulster University is about £1,010 a year cheaper.

Of the 18 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Birkbeck, University of London is higher in 10 and Ulster University in 7, with 1 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#354
QS World
#595
#301
THE World
#601
—
Guardian UK
#60
1823
Established
1968
No
Russell Group
No
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

Ulster University

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%
84.6%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

12%
32.5%

International

International student share

361
170

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

16
0

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

Ulster

45 countries · 32.5% international

  • 🇵🇰Pakistan27.8%
  • 🇮🇪Ireland21.4%
  • 🇳🇬Nigeria16.1%
  • 🇮🇳India12.6%
  • 🇧🇩Bangladesh8.6%

Subjects

33 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

Ulster University

Also taught at both: Marketing, Design & Fashion, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Drama & Theatre, English Studies, Finance & Actuarial Science, Linguistics, English Literature, Geology & Earth Sciences, Liberal Arts, Environmental Sciences, Information Systems & Data Science, Social Policy & Public Policy, Planning & Housing, Software Engineering, Biology, Computing & IT, Human Resource Management.

Only at Birkbeck, University of London

Only at Ulster University

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
Ulster University
£17,490

Ulster University is about £1,010 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Birkbeck, University of London
£20,850
Ulster University
No data

We do not have reliable international fee data for Ulster University 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

Ulster University

  • Law

    £22,500Salary (3 years)No data
    94%Satisfaction87%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    £23,000Salary (3 years)No data
    88%Satisfaction84%

  • Media & Film Studies

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

  • Politics & International Relations

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

  • Accounting

    £29,000Salary (3 years)No data
    75%Satisfaction95%

  • Computer Science

    £38,000Salary (3 years)No data
    72%Satisfaction79%

  • History

    £23,500Salary (3 years)No data
    95%Satisfaction92%

  • Physical Geography & Climate

    £29,500Salary (3 years)No data
    84%Satisfaction91%

  • Business Studies

    £27,000Salary (3 years)No data
    98%Satisfaction83%

  • Economics

    £23,000Salary (3 years)No data
    88%Satisfaction88%

  • Journalism

    £24,000Salary (3 years)No data
    87%Satisfaction82%

  • Counselling & Psychotherapy

    No dataSalary (3 years)No data
    90%Satisfaction91%

Showing the 12 largest of 18 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 →

Ulster University

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Birkbeck, University of London vs Ulster University: common questions

Is Birkbeck, University of London or Ulster University cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £18,500 a year at Birkbeck, University of London and £17,490 at Ulster University: Ulster University is about £1,010 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 Ulster University?

Both universities teach 33 subject areas: Law, Sociology & Criminology, Media & Film Studies, Politics & International Relations, Accounting, Computer Science, History, Physical Geography & Climate, Business Studies, Economics, Journalism, Management and 21 more.

Does Birkbeck, University of London or Ulster University offer more courses?

Birkbeck, University of London lists 361 courses on CourseOptions and Ulster University lists 170 courses.

What can you study at Birkbeck, University of London but not at Ulster University?

Birkbeck, University of London teaches 36 subject areas that Ulster University does not, including Business & Management (General), Ancient Languages, History of Art & Design, Creative Writing, Biochemistry, Mathematics, Philosophy, Classical Studies and 28 more.

What can you study at Ulster University but not at Birkbeck, University of London?

Ulster University teaches 33 subject areas that Birkbeck, University of London does not, including Sport & Exercise Sciences, Civil Engineering, Social Work, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Irish Studies, Mechanical Engineering, Music, Biomedical Sciences and 25 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
U
Ulster University170 courses · 0 scholarshipsBrowse Courses