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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.

Q
Queen Mary University of London

London · QS World #103

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.

4/10

Queen Mary University of London

scored higher in 4 categories

VS

6/10

Birmingham

scored higher in 6 categories

Quick Verdict

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

Queen Mary University of London vs University of Birmingham at a glance

Queen Mary University of London and University of Birmingham both teach 69 subject areas, the largest being Law, Economics and Politics & International Relations. Queen Mary University of London offers 622 courses across 81 subject areas; University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,450 a year at Queen Mary University of London and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: University of Birmingham is about £2,360 a year cheaper.

Of the 38 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, Queen Mary University of London is higher in 19 and University of Birmingham in 17, with 2 about level. The widest gap is in Biomedical Sciences: £40,000 three years after graduating from Queen Mary University of London, against £30,500 from University of Birmingham. Of the 38 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Birmingham is higher in 22 and Queen Mary University of London in 16.

World & National Rankings

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

#103
QS World
#68
#134
THE World
#98
#35
Guardian UK
#18
1885
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.

Queen Mary University of London

University of Birmingham

84.7%
86.7%

Satisfaction

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

£41,200
£38,700

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

77.8%
83.3%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

32.1%
31.2%

International

International student share

622
663

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

18
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.

Queen Mary University of London

119 countries · 32.1% international

  • 🇮🇳India18.1%
  • 🇨🇳China17.6%
  • 🇹🇷Turkey4.1%
  • 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia3.7%
  • 🇵🇰Pakistan2.7%
VS

Birmingham

104 countries · 31.2% international

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

Subjects

69 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.

Queen Mary University of London

University of Birmingham

Also taught at both: Media & Film Studies, Philosophy, Psychology (General), Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Education Studies, English Studies, Geography (General), International Development, Ancient Languages, Biomedical Sciences, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Geology & Earth Sciences, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Clinical Specialities, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Clinical & Health Psychology, Drama & Theatre, Environmental Sciences, French, Genetics & Genomics, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Sociology & Criminology, Aerospace Engineering, General Engineering, Linguistics, Social Policy & Public Policy, Accounting, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences (General), English Language, German & Scandinavian Studies, Materials Science, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Liberal Arts, Materials Engineering, Public Health & Epidemiology, Spanish & Portuguese, Statistics, Eastern European Languages, Planning & Housing, Applied Psychology, Biology, Information Systems & Data Science, Management, Heritage & Conservation, Human Geography & Environment, Healthcare Science, Biotechnology, English Literature, Physical Geography & Climate, Human Resource Management.

Only at Queen Mary 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

Queen Mary University of London
£29,450
University of Birmingham
£27,090

University of Birmingham is about £2,360 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Queen Mary University of London
No data
University of Birmingham
£23,390

We do not have reliable international fee data for Queen Mary University of London 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.

Queen Mary University of London

University of Birmingham

  • Law

    £30,500Salary (3 years)£27,500
    87%Satisfaction83%

  • Economics

    £35,500Salary (3 years)£34,500
    79%Satisfaction85%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £32,000Salary (3 years)£28,000
    89%Satisfaction86%

  • Mathematics

    £32,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    82%Satisfaction85%

  • Medicine

    £46,500Salary (3 years)£47,000
    81%Satisfaction85%

  • History

    £27,000Salary (3 years)£26,000
    92%Satisfaction89%

  • Dentistry

    £46,500Salary (3 years)£47,000
    79%Satisfaction95%

  • Business Studies

    £32,000Salary (3 years)£35,000
    82%Satisfaction77%

  • Physics

    £30,500Salary (3 years)£32,500
    90%Satisfaction93%

  • Chemistry

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£27,000
    88%Satisfaction93%

  • Finance & Actuarial Science

    £32,000Salary (3 years)£35,000
    82%Satisfaction80%

  • Computer Science

    £40,500Salary (3 years)£40,000
    84%Satisfaction93%

Showing the 12 largest of 39 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Queen Mary University of London

Royal Academy of Engineering Fellowship

£800,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

Data Science and AI MSc Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

MSc in Management of IP Scholarships

100%

Deadline: Jul 2026

Technology, Media and Telecommunications Law Scholarship

£7,875

Deadline: May 2026

Law Progression Scholarship

£6,000

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

Queen Mary University of London vs University of Birmingham: common questions

Is Queen Mary University of London or University of Birmingham cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,450 a year at Queen Mary University of London and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: University of Birmingham is about £2,360 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 Queen Mary University of London and University of Birmingham?

Both universities teach 69 subject areas: Law, Economics, Politics & International Relations, Mathematics, Medicine, History, Dentistry, Business Studies, Business & Management (General), Physics, Chemistry, Finance & Actuarial Science and 57 more.

Is Queen Mary University of London or University of Birmingham better for Law?

Law graduates earn a median £30,500 three years after graduating from Queen Mary University of London, and £27,500 from University of Birmingham. Student satisfaction with teaching is 87% at Queen Mary University of London and 83% at University of Birmingham. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does Queen Mary University of London or University of Birmingham offer more courses?

University of Birmingham lists 663 courses on CourseOptions and Queen Mary University of London lists 622 courses.

What can you study at Queen Mary University of London but not at University of Birmingham?

Queen Mary University of London teaches 12 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Biomedical Engineering, Pharmacology, Specialist Clinical Nursing, Design & Fashion, Applied Computing, Medical Sciences, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Complementary & Alternative Medicine and 4 more.

What can you study at University of Birmingham but not at Queen Mary University of London?

University of Birmingham teaches 32 subject areas that Queen Mary University of London does not, including Health & Social Care, Teacher Training, Music, History of Art & Design, Theology & Religious Studies, Classical Studies, Nursing (General), Childhood & Youth Studies and 24 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

Q
Queen Mary University of London622 courses · 18 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
U
University of Birmingham663 courses · 3 scholarshipsBrowse Courses