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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.

K
King's College London, University of London

London · QS World #37

U
University of Birmingham

Birmingham · QS World #68

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

King's College London

scored higher in 6 categories

VS

4/10

Birmingham

scored higher in 4 categories

Quick Verdict

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

King's College London, University of London vs University of Birmingham at a glance

King's College London, University of London and University of Birmingham both teach 70 subject areas, the largest being Politics & International Relations, Law and History. King's College London, University of London offers 373 courses across 80 subject areas; University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £32,100 a year at King's College London, University of London and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: University of Birmingham is about £5,010 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £21,100 a year at King's College London, University of London and £23,390 at University of Birmingham: King's College London, University of London is about £2,290 a year cheaper.

Of the 29 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, King's College London, University of London is higher in 25 and University of Birmingham in 2, with 2 about level. The widest gap is in Law: £42,000 three years after graduating from King's College London, University of London, against £27,500 from University of Birmingham. Of the 31 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Birmingham is higher in 16 and King's College London, University of London in 14, with 1 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#37
QS World
#68
#38
THE World
#98
#26
Guardian UK
#18
1829
Established
1900
Yes
Russell Group
Yes
Silver
TEF Rating
Silver

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

King's College London, University of London

University of Birmingham

85.9%
86.7%

Satisfaction

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

£43,400
£38,700

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

81.9%
83.3%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

38.4%
31.2%

International

International student share

373
663

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

10
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.

King's College London

124 countries · 38.4% international

  • 🇨🇳China36.6%
  • 🇮🇳India7.1%
  • 🇺🇸United States3.8%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong3.7%
  • 🇸🇬Singapore3.2%
VS

Birmingham

104 countries · 31.2% international

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

Subjects

70 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.

King's College London, University of London

University of Birmingham

Also taught at both: Teacher Training, Business & Management (General), Clinical & Health Psychology, Computer Science, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Marketing, Geology & Earth Sciences, Management, Media & Film Studies, Nursing (General), Finance & Actuarial Science, Music, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Sociology & Criminology, Theology & Religious Studies, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Classical Studies, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Information Systems & Data Science, Social Policy & Public Policy, Environmental Sciences, General Engineering, Public Health & Epidemiology, Social Sciences (General), English Studies, Human Geography & Environment, Accounting, Anatomy & Pathology, English Language, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Archaeology, Biochemistry, Drama & Theatre, Linguistics, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Pharmacy, Physical Geography & Climate, Adult Nursing, Author Studies & Literary Specialisms, Biology, Clinical Specialities, English Literature, Natural Sciences, Applied Psychology, Eastern European Languages, Human Resource Management, Liberal Arts, Mental Health Nursing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Toxicology, Developmental & Educational Psychology, Genetics & Genomics, Healthcare Science, Midwifery.

Only at King's College London, University of London

Only at University of Birmingham

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

King's College London, University of London
£32,100
University of Birmingham
£27,090

University of Birmingham is about £5,010 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

King's College London, University of London
£21,100
University of Birmingham
£23,390

King's College London, University of London is about £2,290 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.

King's College London, University of London

University of Birmingham

  • Politics & International Relations

    £30,500Salary (3 years)£28,000
    90%Satisfaction86%

  • Law

    £42,000Salary (3 years)£27,500
    91%Satisfaction83%

  • History

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£26,000
    92%Satisfaction89%

  • Dentistry

    £47,500Salary (3 years)£47,000
    67%Satisfaction95%

  • Mathematics

    £36,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    86%Satisfaction85%

  • Physics

    £33,500Salary (3 years)£32,500
    85%Satisfaction93%

  • Economics

    £37,000Salary (3 years)£34,500
    86%Satisfaction85%

  • Philosophy

    £28,500Salary (3 years)£25,500
    89%Satisfaction93%

  • Chemistry

    £33,500Salary (3 years)£27,000
    82%Satisfaction93%

  • Medicine

    £48,000Salary (3 years)£47,000
    84%Satisfaction85%

  • Ancient Languages

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£27,500
    90%Satisfaction91%

  • Psychology (General)

    £37,000Salary (3 years)£23,500
    88%Satisfaction90%

Showing the 12 largest of 33 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

King's College London, University of London

Alexandros Petersen Scholarship

100%

Deadline: N/A

GREAT Scholarships

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

Organ Scholarship

£4,000

Deadline: N/A

BFI Collaborative Doctoral Award

See details

Deadline: N/A

CMR Fellowship Programme

See details

Deadline: N/A

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

King's College London, University of London vs University of Birmingham: common questions

Is King's College London, University of London or University of Birmingham cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £32,100 a year at King's College London, University of London and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: University of Birmingham is about £5,010 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £21,100 a year at King's College London, University of London and £23,390 at University of Birmingham: King's College London, University of London is about £2,290 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 King's College London, University of London and University of Birmingham?

Both universities teach 70 subject areas: Politics & International Relations, Law, History, Dentistry, Mathematics, Physics, Economics, Education Studies, Philosophy, Chemistry, Medicine, Ancient Languages and 58 more.

Is King's College London, University of London or University of Birmingham better for Politics & International Relations?

Politics & International Relations graduates earn a median £30,500 three years after graduating from King's College London, University of London, and £28,000 from University of Birmingham. Student satisfaction with teaching is 90% at King's College London, University of London and 86% at University of Birmingham. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does King's College London, University of London or University of Birmingham offer more courses?

University of Birmingham lists 663 courses on CourseOptions and King's College London, University of London lists 373 courses.

What can you study at King's College London, University of London but not at University of Birmingham?

King's College London, University of London teaches 10 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Specialist Clinical Nursing, Information & Library Studies, Biomedical Engineering, Nutrition & Dietetics, Pharmacology, Forensic Science, Asian Languages & Studies, Community & Specialist Nursing and 2 more.

What can you study at University of Birmingham but not at King's College London, University of London?

University of Birmingham teaches 31 subject areas that King's College London, University of London does not, including Health & Social Care, Civil Engineering, Sport & Exercise Sciences, History of Art & Design, Business Studies, Chemical Engineering, French, Geography (General) and 23 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

K
King's College London, University of London373 courses · 10 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
U
University of Birmingham663 courses · 3 scholarshipsBrowse Courses