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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.

I
Imperial College London

Kensington and Chelsea · QS World #2

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.

6/9

Imperial College London

scored higher in 6 categories

VS

3/9

Queen's University Belfast

scored higher in 3 categories

Quick Verdict

Imperial College London leads in 6 of 9 categories where both have data (ranking, satisfaction, international, scholarship). Queen's University Belfast is ahead on established, employment, courses.

Imperial College London vs Queen's University Belfast at a glance

Imperial College London and Queen's University Belfast both teach 34 subject areas, the largest being Civil Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science. Imperial College London offers 254 courses across 42 subject areas; Queen's University Belfast offers 494 courses across 93 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £24,600 a year at Imperial College London and £20,800 at Queen's University Belfast: Queen's University Belfast is about £3,800 a year cheaper.

Of the 14 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Imperial College London is higher in 9 and Queen's University Belfast in 3, with 2 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#2
QS World
#174
#8
THE World
#198
#5
Guardian UK
#36
1907
Established
1845
Yes
Russell Group
Yes
Gold
TEF Rating
—

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

Imperial College London

Queen's University Belfast

88.9%
86.4%

Satisfaction

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

£54,000
No data

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

81.4%
84.9%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

52.9%
21.9%

International

International student share

254
494

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

90
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.

Imperial College London

106 countries · 52.9% international

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

Queen's University Belfast

74 countries · 21.9% international

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

Subjects

34 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.

Imperial College London

Queen's University Belfast

Also taught at both: Chemical Engineering, Economics, General Engineering, Software Engineering, Design & Fashion, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Building & Construction, Aerospace Engineering, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Physical Geography & Climate, Public Health & Epidemiology, Human Geography & Environment, Anatomy & Pathology, Medicine, Business Studies, Applied Biology & Human Biology.

Only at Imperial College 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

Imperial College London
£24,600
Queen's University Belfast
£20,800

Queen's University Belfast is about £3,800 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Imperial College London
£39,900
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.

Imperial College London

Queen's University Belfast

  • Civil Engineering

    £35,500Salary (3 years)No data
    90%Satisfaction89%

  • Mathematics

    £53,500Salary (3 years)No data
    91%Satisfaction87%

  • Computer Science

    £64,000Salary (3 years)No data
    97%Satisfaction72%

  • Chemistry

    £36,000Salary (3 years)No data
    89%Satisfaction97%

  • Physics

    £44,000Salary (3 years)No data
    76%Satisfaction90%

  • Electronic & Electrical Engineering

    £46,000Salary (3 years)No data
    82%Satisfaction70%

  • Biochemistry

    £33,500Salary (3 years)No data
    86%Satisfaction91%

  • Ecology & Conservation

    £33,500Salary (3 years)No data
    93%Satisfaction94%

  • Mechanical Engineering

    £40,000Salary (3 years)No data
    91%Satisfaction82%

  • Chemical Engineering

    £45,500Salary (3 years)No data
    89%Satisfaction78%

  • Software Engineering

    £65,000Salary (3 years)No data
    97%Satisfaction66%

  • Aerospace Engineering

    £37,500Salary (3 years)No data
    92%Satisfaction86%

Showing the 12 largest of 14 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

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 →

Queen's University Belfast

Future-Ready Award

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Imperial College London vs Queen's University Belfast: common questions

Is Imperial College London or Queen's University Belfast cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £24,600 a year at Imperial College London and £20,800 at Queen's University Belfast: Queen's University Belfast is about £3,800 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 Imperial College London and Queen's University Belfast?

Both universities teach 34 subject areas: Civil Engineering, Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Politics & International Relations, Biochemistry, Management, Ecology & Conservation, Business & Management (General), Finance & Actuarial Science and 22 more.

Does Imperial College London or Queen's University Belfast offer more courses?

Queen's University Belfast lists 494 courses on CourseOptions and Imperial College London lists 254 courses.

What can you study at Imperial College London but not at Queen's University Belfast?

Imperial College London teaches 8 subject areas that Queen's University Belfast does not, including Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Statistics, Biotechnology, Clinical Specialities, Materials Engineering, Healthcare Science and Genetics & Genomics.

What can you study at Queen's University Belfast but not at Imperial College London?

Queen's University Belfast teaches 59 subject areas that Imperial College London does not, including Law, English Studies, History, Anthropology, Psychology (General), Social Work, French, Irish Studies and 51 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

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Imperial College London254 courses · 90 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
Q
Queen's University Belfast494 courses · 1 scholarshipBrowse Courses