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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 Essex

Colchester · QS World #438

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 11 datapoints

We looked at 11 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

8/11

King's College London

scored higher in 8 categories

VS

3/11

Essex

scored higher in 3 categories

Quick Verdict

King's College London, University of London leads in 8 of 11 categories where both have data (ranking, Russell Group, established, employment, international, graduate salary). University of Essex is ahead on satisfaction, courses, scholarship.

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

King's College London, University of London and University of Essex both teach 48 subject areas, the largest being Politics & International Relations, History and Economics. King's College London, University of London offers 373 courses across 80 subject areas; University of Essex offers 748 courses across 74 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £32,100 a year at King's College London, University of London and £21,500 at University of Essex: University of Essex is about £10,600 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 £23,880 at University of Essex: King's College London, University of London is about £2,780 a year cheaper.

Of the 20 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, King's College London, University of London is higher in 20 and University of Essex in 0. The widest gap is in Law: £42,000 three years after graduating from King's College London, University of London, against £24,000 from University of Essex. Of the 24 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, King's College London, University of London is higher in 12 and University of Essex in 11, with 1 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#37
QS World
#438
#38
THE World
#301
#26
Guardian UK
#44
1829
Established
1964
Yes
Russell Group
No
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 Essex

85.9%
87.2%

Satisfaction

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

£43,400
£31,800

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

81.9%
79.7%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

38.4%
33.7%

International

International student share

373
748

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

10
30

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

Essex

97 countries · 33.7% international

  • 🇮🇳India21.2%
  • 🇨🇳China11.7%
  • 🇵🇰Pakistan6.1%
  • 🇫🇷France5.7%
  • 🇳🇬Nigeria4.4%

Subjects

48 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 Essex

Also taught at both: Linguistics, Social Sciences (General), Ancient Languages, Marketing, Biomedical Sciences, Clinical & Health Psychology, English Language, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Business & Management (General), Media & Film Studies, Applied Psychology, Human Geography & Environment, Nursing (General), Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Social Policy & Public Policy, Biomedical Engineering, English Studies, Biology, Genetics & Genomics, Liberal Arts, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Physical Geography & Climate, Adult Nursing, Biochemistry, Classical Studies, Environmental Sciences, Human Resource Management, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Statistics, Mental Health Nursing, Developmental & Educational Psychology, Teacher Training.

Only at King's College London, University of London

Only at University of Essex

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 Essex
£21,500

University of Essex is about £10,600 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

King's College London, University of London
£21,100
University of Essex
£23,880

King's College London, University of London is about £2,780 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 Essex

  • Politics & International Relations

    £30,500Salary (3 years)£25,000
    90%Satisfaction86%

  • History

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£23,500
    92%Satisfaction93%

  • Economics

    £37,000Salary (3 years)£30,000
    86%Satisfaction84%

  • Law

    £42,000Salary (3 years)£24,000
    91%Satisfaction84%

  • Philosophy

    £28,500Salary (3 years)£24,000
    89%Satisfaction90%

  • Mathematics

    £36,000Salary (3 years)£29,000
    86%Satisfaction95%

  • Computer Science

    £44,500Salary (3 years)£33,500
    75%Satisfaction81%

  • Psychology (General)

    £37,000Salary (3 years)£24,500
    88%Satisfaction84%

  • Management

    £35,000Salary (3 years)£27,000
    86%Satisfaction82%

  • Accounting

    £35,000Salary (3 years)£26,500
    91%Satisfaction78%

  • Electronic & Electrical Engineering

    No dataSalary (3 years)No data
    84%Satisfaction75%

  • Social Sciences (General)

    £32,000Salary (3 years)£24,000
    88%Satisfaction88%

Showing the 12 largest of 25 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 Essex

Access Essex Scholarship

100%

Deadline: N/A

Sustainable Transitions - Governance, Ecological Management and Society - Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme

100%

Deadline: N/A

Sustainable Transitions - Governance, Ecological Management and Society - Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme 2026-27 (Masters plus PhD)

100%

Deadline: N/A

The Essex MBA Dean's Award

100%

Deadline: N/A

Postgraduate Research EU Scholarship

£8,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

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

Is King's College London, University of London or University of Essex 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 £21,500 at University of Essex: University of Essex is about £10,600 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 £23,880 at University of Essex: King's College London, University of London is about £2,780 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 Essex?

Both universities teach 48 subject areas: Politics & International Relations, History, Economics, Law, Philosophy, Mathematics, Computer Science, Psychology (General), Finance & Actuarial Science, Sociology & Criminology, Drama & Theatre, Management and 36 more.

Is King's College London, University of London or University of Essex 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 £25,000 from University of Essex. Student satisfaction with teaching is 90% at King's College London, University of London and 86% at University of Essex. 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 Essex offer more courses?

University of Essex lists 748 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 Essex?

King's College London, University of London teaches 32 subject areas that University of Essex does not, including Dentistry, Medicine, Education Studies, Physics, Chemistry, Information Systems & Data Science, Specialist Clinical Nursing, Anatomy & Pathology and 24 more.

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

University of Essex teaches 26 subject areas that King's College London, University of London does not, including History of Art & Design, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Business Studies, Journalism, Ecology & Conservation, Hospitality, Events & Tourism, Biotechnology, Creative Writing and 18 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 Essex748 courses · 30 scholarshipsBrowse Courses