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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.

C
Cardiff University

Cardiff · QS World #179

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.

1/9

Cardiff

scored higher in 1 category

VS

8/9

Queen's University Belfast

scored higher in 8 categories

Quick Verdict

Queen's University Belfast leads in 8 of 9 categories where both have data (ranking, established, satisfaction, employment, international, courses, scholarship). Cardiff University is ahead on ranking.

Cardiff University vs Queen's University Belfast at a glance

Cardiff University and Queen's University Belfast both teach 66 subject areas, the largest being Civil Engineering, Mathematics and Law. Cardiff University offers 362 courses across 86 subject areas; Queen's University Belfast offers 494 courses across 93 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £30,700 a year at Cardiff University and £20,800 at Queen's University Belfast: Queen's University Belfast is about £9,900 a year cheaper.

Of the 32 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Queen's University Belfast is higher in 16 and Cardiff University in 13, with 3 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#179
QS World
#174
#201
THE World
#198
#34
Guardian UK
#36
1883
Established
1845
Yes
Russell Group
Yes
—
TEF Rating
—

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

Cardiff University

Queen's University Belfast

86.3%
86.4%

Satisfaction

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

£36,100
No data

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

82.1%
84.9%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

16%
21.9%

International

International student share

362
494

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

0
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.

Cardiff

89 countries · 16% international

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

Queen's University Belfast

74 countries · 21.9% international

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

Subjects

66 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

Queen's University Belfast

Also taught at both: Sociology & Criminology, Economics, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Psychology (General), Social Sciences (General), Software Engineering, Architecture, Finance & Actuarial Science, General Engineering, Planning & Housing, Welsh Studies, Business & Management (General), Social Work, Accounting, Archaeology, Media & Film Studies, Music, Pharmacy, Philosophy, Ancient Languages, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Childhood & Youth Studies, Computing & IT, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Nursing (General), Building & Construction, Dentistry, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Business Studies, Education Studies, Pharmacology, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Biomedical Sciences, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Linguistics, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Medicine, Public Health & Epidemiology, Adult Nursing, Children's Nursing, Design & Fashion, Environmental Sciences, Geography (General), Human Resource Management, Mental Health Nursing, Midwifery, Technology & Logistics, Developmental & Educational Psychology, Film Production & Cinematography, Health & Social Care, Marketing.

Only at Cardiff University

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

Cardiff University
£30,700
Queen's University Belfast
£20,800

Queen's University Belfast is about £9,900 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Cardiff University
£25,950
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.

Cardiff University

Queen's University Belfast

  • Civil Engineering

    £31,000Salary (3 years)No data
    80%Satisfaction89%

  • Mathematics

    £27,500Salary (3 years)No data
    84%Satisfaction87%

  • Law

    £24,500Salary (3 years)No data
    81%Satisfaction86%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £27,000Salary (3 years)No data
    88%Satisfaction84%

  • Management

    £29,500Salary (3 years)No data
    79%Satisfaction78%

  • Chemistry

    £26,500Salary (3 years)No data
    94%Satisfaction97%

  • Computer Science

    £33,500Salary (3 years)No data
    70%Satisfaction72%

  • Mechanical Engineering

    £33,000Salary (3 years)No data
    73%Satisfaction82%

  • Physics

    £28,000Salary (3 years)No data
    94%Satisfaction90%

  • Biological Sciences (General)

    £25,500Salary (3 years)No data
    94%Satisfaction82%

  • History

    £23,500Salary (3 years)No data
    92%Satisfaction91%

  • Human Geography & Environment

    £26,000Salary (3 years)No data
    82%Satisfaction89%

Showing the 12 largest of 32 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Cardiff University

View all scholarships →

Queen's University Belfast

Future-Ready Award

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Cardiff University vs Queen's University Belfast: common questions

Is Cardiff University or Queen's University Belfast cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £30,700 a year at Cardiff University and £20,800 at Queen's University Belfast: Queen's University Belfast is about £9,900 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 Queen's University Belfast?

Both universities teach 66 subject areas: Civil Engineering, Mathematics, Law, Politics & International Relations, Management, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, English Studies, Physics, Biological Sciences (General), History and 54 more.

Does Cardiff University or Queen's University Belfast offer more courses?

Queen's University Belfast lists 494 courses on CourseOptions and Cardiff University lists 362 courses.

What can you study at Cardiff University but not at Queen's University Belfast?

Cardiff University teaches 20 subject areas that Queen's University Belfast does not, including Journalism, Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Specialities, English Literature, Optometry & Ophthalmics, Toxicology, English Language, Forensic Science and 12 more.

What can you study at Queen's University Belfast but not at Cardiff University?

Queen's University Belfast teaches 27 subject areas that Cardiff University does not, including Anthropology, French, Irish Studies, Chemical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Animal Science, Biochemistry, Ecology & Conservation and 19 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

C
Cardiff University362 courses · 0 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
Q
Queen's University Belfast494 courses · 1 scholarshipBrowse Courses