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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

T
The University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh · QS World #35

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.

6/10

Imperial College London

scored higher in 6 categories

VS

4/10

Edinburgh

scored higher in 4 categories

Quick Verdict

Imperial College London leads in 6 of 10 categories where both have data (ranking, satisfaction, international, graduate salary). The University of Edinburgh is ahead on established, employment, courses, scholarship.

Imperial College London vs The University of Edinburgh at a glance

Imperial College London and The University of Edinburgh both teach 41 subject areas, the largest being Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics. Imperial College London offers 254 courses across 42 subject areas; The University of Edinburgh offers 936 courses across 116 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £24,600 a year at Imperial College London and £29,600 at The University of Edinburgh: Imperial College London is about £5,000 a year cheaper.

Of the 18 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, Imperial College London is higher in 17 and The University of Edinburgh in 1. The widest gap is in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning: £65,000 three years after graduating from Imperial College London, against £33,500 from The University of Edinburgh. Of the 18 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Imperial College London is higher in 13 and The University of Edinburgh 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
#35
#8
THE World
#29
#5
Guardian UK
#17
1907
Established
1583
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

The University of Edinburgh

88.9%
85.3%

Satisfaction

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

£54,000
£37,600

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

81.4%
83%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

52.9%
41.6%

International

International student share

254
936

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

90
112

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

Edinburgh

122 countries · 41.6% international

  • 🇨🇳China44.5%
  • 🇺🇸United States9.3%
  • 🇮🇳India5.4%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia2.7%
  • 🇨🇦Canada2.4%

Subjects

41 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

The University of Edinburgh

Also taught at both: Economics, Genetics & Genomics, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Public Health & Epidemiology, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Business & Management (General), Politics & International Relations, Anatomy & Pathology, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Finance & Actuarial Science, General Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Human Geography & Environment, Statistics, Biotechnology, Management, Building & Construction, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physical Geography & Climate, Applied Biology & Human Biology, Aerospace Engineering, Healthcare Science, Software Engineering.

Only at Imperial College London

Only at The University of Edinburgh

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
The University of Edinburgh
£29,600

Imperial College London is about £5,000 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Imperial College London
£39,900
The University of Edinburgh
No data

We do not have reliable international fee data for The University of Edinburgh 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

The University of Edinburgh

  • Computer Science

    £64,000Salary (3 years)£37,000
    97%Satisfaction74%

  • Mathematics

    £53,500Salary (3 years)£31,000
    91%Satisfaction81%

  • Physics

    £44,000Salary (3 years)£29,000
    76%Satisfaction85%

  • Medicine

    £45,000Salary (3 years)£48,500
    93%Satisfaction80%

  • Civil Engineering

    £35,500Salary (3 years)£32,000
    90%Satisfaction87%

  • Electronic & Electrical Engineering

    £46,000Salary (3 years)£34,000
    82%Satisfaction81%

  • Chemistry

    £36,000Salary (3 years)£29,000
    89%Satisfaction89%

  • Ecology & Conservation

    £33,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    93%Satisfaction88%

  • Geology & Earth Sciences

    £38,000Salary (3 years)£26,500
    91%Satisfaction88%

  • Biology

    £33,000Salary (3 years)£26,000
    88%Satisfaction87%

  • Biochemistry

    £33,500Salary (3 years)£27,000
    86%Satisfaction88%

  • Microbiology & Cell Biology

    £33,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    87%Satisfaction87%

Showing the 12 largest of 18 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 →

The University of Edinburgh

Asylum Seeker Scholarship

£21,000

Deadline: N/A

Education Beyond Borders postgraduate scholarship

£20,780

Deadline: N/A

Cameron Law Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Online Learning Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Rosedale OSSD University of Edinburgh Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Imperial College London vs The University of Edinburgh: common questions

Is Imperial College London or The University of Edinburgh cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £24,600 a year at Imperial College London and £29,600 at The University of Edinburgh: Imperial College London is about £5,000 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 The University of Edinburgh?

Both universities teach 41 subject areas: Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Medicine, Civil Engineering, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Business Studies, Chemistry, Design & Fashion, Ecology & Conservation, Geology & Earth Sciences, Biology and 29 more.

Is Imperial College London or The University of Edinburgh better for Computer Science?

Computer Science graduates earn a median £64,000 three years after graduating from Imperial College London, and £37,000 from The University of Edinburgh. Student satisfaction with teaching is 97% at Imperial College London and 74% at The University of Edinburgh. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does Imperial College London or The University of Edinburgh offer more courses?

The University of Edinburgh lists 936 courses on CourseOptions and Imperial College London lists 254 courses.

What can you study at Imperial College London but not at The University of Edinburgh?

Imperial College London teaches 1 subject area that The University of Edinburgh does not, including Materials Engineering.

What can you study at The University of Edinburgh but not at Imperial College London?

The University of Edinburgh teaches 75 subject areas that Imperial College London does not, including Law, Theology & Religious Studies, German & Scandinavian Studies, Teacher Training, History, French, Philosophy, African & Middle Eastern Studies and 67 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

I
Imperial College London254 courses · 90 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
T
The University of Edinburgh936 courses · 112 scholarshipsBrowse Courses