Skip to main content

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.

C
Cardiff University

Cardiff · QS World #179

I
Imperial College London

Kensington and Chelsea · QS World #2

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 10 datapoints

We looked at 10 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

3/10

Cardiff

scored higher in 3 categories

VS

7/10

Imperial College London

scored higher in 7 categories

Quick Verdict

Imperial College London leads in 7 of 10 categories where both have data (ranking, satisfaction, international, graduate salary, scholarship). Cardiff University is ahead on established, employment, courses.

Cardiff University vs Imperial College London at a glance

Cardiff University and Imperial College London both teach 32 subject areas, the largest being Civil Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics. Cardiff University offers 362 courses across 86 subject areas; Imperial College London offers 254 courses across 42 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £30,700 a year at Cardiff University and £24,600 at Imperial College London: Imperial College London is about £6,100 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £25,950 a year at Cardiff University and £39,900 at Imperial College London: Cardiff University is about £13,950 a year cheaper.

Of the 13 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, Imperial College London is higher in 12 and Cardiff University in 1. The widest gap is in Software Engineering: £33,500 three years after graduating from Cardiff University, against £65,000 from Imperial College London. Of the 13 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Imperial College London is higher in 8 and Cardiff University in 5.

World & National Rankings

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

#179
QS World
#2
#201
THE World
#8
#34
Guardian UK
#5
1883
Established
1907
Yes
Russell Group
Yes
—
TEF Rating
Gold

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

Cardiff University

Imperial College London

86.3%
88.9%

Satisfaction

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

£36,100
£54,000

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

82.1%
81.4%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

16%
52.9%

International

International student share

362
254

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

0
90

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.

Cardiff

89 countries · 16% international

  • 🇨🇳China22.8%
  • 🇮🇳India14.5%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia7.3%
  • 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia5.7%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong5%
VS

Imperial College London

106 countries · 52.9% international

  • 🇨🇳China41%
  • 🇮🇳India5.8%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong5.1%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia3.6%
  • 🇸🇬Singapore3.6%

Subjects

32 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.

Cardiff University

Imperial College London

Also taught at both: Mechanical Engineering, Politics & International Relations, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Clinical Specialities, Physical Geography & Climate, Design & Fashion, Statistics, Business Studies, Economics, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Biotechnology, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Public Health & Epidemiology, Software Engineering, Building & Construction, Medicine, Microbiology & Cell Biology.

Only at Cardiff University

Only at Imperial College London

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

Cardiff University
£30,700
Imperial College London
£24,600

Imperial College London is about £6,100 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Cardiff University
£25,950
Imperial College London
£39,900

Cardiff University is about £13,950 a year cheaper.

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.

Cardiff University

Imperial College London

  • Civil Engineering

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£35,500
    80%Satisfaction90%

  • Computer Science

    £33,500Salary (3 years)£64,000
    70%Satisfaction97%

  • Mathematics

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£53,500
    84%Satisfaction91%

  • Chemistry

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£36,000
    94%Satisfaction89%

  • Physics

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£44,000
    94%Satisfaction76%

  • Geology & Earth Sciences

    £25,000Salary (3 years)£38,000
    95%Satisfaction91%

  • Electronic & Electrical Engineering

    £31,500Salary (3 years)£46,000
    92%Satisfaction82%

  • Biomedical Engineering

    £32,000Salary (3 years)£40,500
    75%Satisfaction85%

  • Astronomy & Astrophysics

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£44,000
    93%Satisfaction87%

  • General Engineering

    £32,500Salary (3 years)£46,500
    83%Satisfaction90%

  • Mechanical Engineering

    £33,000Salary (3 years)£40,000
    73%Satisfaction91%

  • Software Engineering

    £33,500Salary (3 years)£65,000
    87%Satisfaction97%

Showing the 12 largest of 13 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Cardiff University

View all scholarships →

Imperial College London

Engineering Sainsbury Management Fellows Scholarship

£50,000

Deadline: N/A

Science Sainsbury Management Fellows Scholarship

£50,000

Deadline: N/A

J.P. Morgan Scholarship in Quantitative Finance

£45,100

Deadline: May 2026

Dean's Impact Scholarship

£30,000

Deadline: N/A

W L "Bill" Byrnes Global Scholarship

£30,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Cardiff University vs Imperial College London: common questions

Is Cardiff University or Imperial College London cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £30,700 a year at Cardiff University and £24,600 at Imperial College London: Imperial College London is about £6,100 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £25,950 a year at Cardiff University and £39,900 at Imperial College London: Cardiff University is about £13,950 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 Cardiff University and Imperial College London?

Both universities teach 32 subject areas: Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Geology & Earth Sciences, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Management, Biomedical Engineering, Business & Management (General), Astronomy & Astrophysics, Biomedical Sciences and 20 more.

Is Cardiff University or Imperial College London better for Civil Engineering?

Civil Engineering graduates earn a median £31,000 three years after graduating from Cardiff University, and £35,500 from Imperial College London. Student satisfaction with teaching is 80% at Cardiff University and 90% at Imperial College London. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does Cardiff University or Imperial College London offer more courses?

Cardiff University lists 362 courses on CourseOptions and Imperial College London lists 254 courses.

What can you study at Cardiff University but not at Imperial College London?

Cardiff University teaches 54 subject areas that Imperial College London does not, including Law, Journalism, Welsh Studies, Biological Sciences (General), Social Sciences (General), Ancient Languages, Architecture, Sociology & Criminology and 46 more.

What can you study at Imperial College London but not at Cardiff University?

Imperial College London teaches 10 subject areas that Cardiff University does not, including Biology, Biochemistry, Ecology & Conservation, Chemical Engineering, Anatomy & Pathology, Materials Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Healthcare Science and 2 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

C
Cardiff University362 courses · 0 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
I
Imperial College London254 courses · 90 scholarshipsBrowse Courses