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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.

G
Glasgow School of Art

Glasgow

U
University of Birmingham

Birmingham · QS World #68

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.

3/8

Glasgow School of Art

scored higher in 3 categories

VS

5/8

Birmingham

scored higher in 5 categories

Quick Verdict

University of Birmingham leads in 5 of 8 categories where both have data (Russell Group, satisfaction, employment, graduate salary, courses). Glasgow School of Art is ahead on established, international, scholarship.

Glasgow School of Art vs University of Birmingham at a glance

Glasgow School of Art and University of Birmingham both teach 5 subject areas, the largest being History of Art & Design, General Engineering and Film Production & Cinematography. Glasgow School of Art offers 40 courses across 12 subject areas; University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £24,350 a year at Glasgow School of Art and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: Glasgow School of Art is about £2,740 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £25,900 a year at Glasgow School of Art and £23,390 at University of Birmingham: University of Birmingham is about £2,510 a year cheaper.

In History of Art & Design, the one shared subject where both publish a student satisfaction score, University of Birmingham is higher.

World & National Rankings

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

—
QS World
#68
—
THE World
#98
—
Guardian UK
#18
1845
Established
1900
No
Russell Group
Yes
—
TEF Rating
Silver

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

Glasgow School of Art

University of Birmingham

80.9%
86.7%

Satisfaction

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

£27,000
£38,700

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

80.4%
83.3%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

36.6%
31.2%

International

International student share

40
663

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

7
3

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.

Glasgow School of Art

33 countries · 36.6% international

  • 🇨🇳China64.4%
  • 🇺🇸United States5.3%
  • 🇮🇳India3.8%
  • 🌐Korea (South)2.9%
  • 🇫🇷France1.4%
VS

Birmingham

104 countries · 31.2% international

  • 🇨🇳China55.7%
  • 🇮🇳India9.4%
  • 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia3.2%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong2.8%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia2%

Subjects

5 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.

Glasgow School of Art

University of Birmingham

  • History of Art & Design

    2 courses

    Typical fee £24,350 (UG)

    9 courses

    Typical fee £23,390 (UG)

  • General Engineering

    1 course

    Typical fee £25,900 (PG)

    7 courses

    Typical fee £22,910 (PG)

  • Film Production & Cinematography

    3 courses

    Typical fee £24,350 (UG)

    1 course

    Typical fee £11,250 (PG)

  • Anatomy & Pathology

    1 course

    Typical fee £32,500 (PG)

    1 course

    Typical fee £31,500 (PG)

  • Computing & IT

    1 course

    Fee not available

    1 course

    Typical fee £33,660 (PG)

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

Glasgow School of Art
£24,350
University of Birmingham
£27,090

Glasgow School of Art is about £2,740 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Glasgow School of Art
£25,900
University of Birmingham
£23,390

University of Birmingham is about £2,510 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.

Glasgow School of Art

University of Birmingham

  • History of Art & Design

    No dataSalary (3 years)£25,000
    89%Satisfaction90%

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Glasgow School of Art

GSA Financial Support Scholarships 2026/27

See details

Deadline: May 2026

GSA International Merit Scholarships 2026/27

See details

Deadline: May 2026

International Foundation Scholarships 2026-27

See details

Deadline: May 2026

Mackintosh School of Architecture Scholarships 2026-27

See details

Deadline: May 2026

School of Design Scholarships 2026-27

See details

Deadline: May 2026

View all scholarships →

University of Birmingham

Enhanced Chamberlain Award

£3,500

Deadline: N/A

University Music Scholarships

£3,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

University Music Scholarships

£1,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Glasgow School of Art vs University of Birmingham: common questions

Is Glasgow School of Art or University of Birmingham cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £24,350 a year at Glasgow School of Art and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: Glasgow School of Art is about £2,740 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £25,900 a year at Glasgow School of Art and £23,390 at University of Birmingham: University of Birmingham is about £2,510 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 Glasgow School of Art and University of Birmingham?

Both universities teach 5 subject areas: History of Art & Design, General Engineering, Film Production & Cinematography, Anatomy & Pathology and Computing & IT.

Does Glasgow School of Art or University of Birmingham offer more courses?

University of Birmingham lists 663 courses on CourseOptions and Glasgow School of Art lists 40 courses.

What can you study at Glasgow School of Art but not at University of Birmingham?

Glasgow School of Art teaches 7 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Design & Fashion, Architecture, Fine Art, Applied Computing, Crafts & Applied Arts, Creative Arts (General) and Games Design & Computer Animation.

What can you study at University of Birmingham but not at Glasgow School of Art?

University of Birmingham teaches 96 subject areas that Glasgow School of Art does not, including Politics & International Relations, Law, History, Health & Social Care, Philosophy, Teacher Training, Business & Management (General), Civil Engineering and 88 more.

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