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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's University Belfast

Belfast · QS World #174

T
The University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh · QS World #35

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.

2/9

Queen's University Belfast

scored higher in 2 categories

VS

7/9

Edinburgh

scored higher in 7 categories

Quick Verdict

The University of Edinburgh leads in 7 of 9 categories where both have data (ranking, established, international, courses, scholarship). Queen's University Belfast is ahead on satisfaction, employment.

Queen's University Belfast vs The University of Edinburgh at a glance

Queen's University Belfast and The University of Edinburgh both teach 78 subject areas, the largest being Law, Computer Science and Mathematics. Queen's University Belfast offers 494 courses across 93 subject areas; The University of Edinburgh offers 936 courses across 116 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £20,800 a year at Queen's University Belfast and £29,600 at The University of Edinburgh: Queen's University Belfast is about £8,800 a year cheaper.

Of the 37 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Queen's University Belfast is higher in 22 and The University of Edinburgh in 10, with 5 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#174
QS World
#35
#198
THE World
#29
#36
Guardian UK
#17
1845
Established
1583
Yes
Russell Group
Yes
—
TEF Rating
—

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

Queen's University Belfast

The University of Edinburgh

86.4%
85.3%

Satisfaction

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

No data
£37,600

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

84.9%
83%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

21.9%
41.6%

International

International student share

494
936

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

1
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.

Queen's University Belfast

74 countries · 21.9% international

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

Edinburgh

122 countries · 41.6% international

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

Subjects

78 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's University Belfast

The University of Edinburgh

Also taught at both: Chemistry, Psychology (General), Economics, Anthropology, Ecology & Conservation, Management, Design & Fashion, Geology & Earth Sciences, Media & Film Studies, Social Policy & Public Policy, Animal Science, Architecture, Education Studies, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Social Work, Archaeology, Linguistics, Mechanical Engineering, Human Geography & Environment, Music, Social Sciences (General), Finance & Actuarial Science, General Engineering, Public Health & Epidemiology, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Business & Management (General), Chemical Engineering, Physical Geography & Climate, Software Engineering, Zoology & Animal Biology, Biochemistry, Nursing (General), Anatomy & Pathology, Biomedical Sciences, Childhood & Youth Studies, Cultural Studies, Accounting, Ancient Languages, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Building & Construction, Environmental Sciences, Landscape Architecture & Design, Aerospace Engineering, Computing & IT, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Clinical & Health Psychology, Information Systems & Data Science, Pharmacology, Applied Biology & Human Biology, Community & Specialist Nursing, Film Production & Cinematography, Humanities, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Adult Nursing, Developmental & Educational Psychology, Drama & Theatre, Geography (General), Health & Social Care, Mental Health Nursing, Liberal Arts, Marketing, Technology & Logistics.

Only at Queen's University Belfast

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

Queen's University Belfast
£20,800
The University of Edinburgh
£29,600

Queen's University Belfast is about £8,800 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.

Queen's University Belfast

The University of Edinburgh

  • Law

    No dataSalary (3 years)£26,500
    86%Satisfaction86%

  • Computer Science

    No dataSalary (3 years)£37,000
    72%Satisfaction74%

  • Mathematics

    No dataSalary (3 years)£31,000
    87%Satisfaction81%

  • History

    No dataSalary (3 years)£28,000
    91%Satisfaction88%

  • Physics

    No dataSalary (3 years)£29,000
    90%Satisfaction85%

  • Civil Engineering

    No dataSalary (3 years)£32,000
    89%Satisfaction87%

  • Politics & International Relations

    No dataSalary (3 years)£29,000
    84%Satisfaction87%

  • Medicine

    No dataSalary (3 years)£48,500
    90%Satisfaction80%

  • French

    No dataSalary (3 years)£28,000
    97%Satisfaction87%

  • Philosophy

    No dataSalary (3 years)£27,500
    92%Satisfaction88%

  • Biological Sciences (General)

    No dataSalary (3 years)£26,000
    82%Satisfaction87%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    No dataSalary (3 years)£26,500
    87%Satisfaction82%

Showing the 12 largest of 37 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Queen's University Belfast

Future-Ready Award

See details

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

Queen's University Belfast vs The University of Edinburgh: common questions

Is Queen's University Belfast or The University of Edinburgh cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £20,800 a year at Queen's University Belfast and £29,600 at The University of Edinburgh: Queen's University Belfast is about £8,800 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 Queen's University Belfast and The University of Edinburgh?

Both universities teach 78 subject areas: Law, Computer Science, Mathematics, History, Physics, Civil Engineering, Politics & International Relations, Medicine, French, Philosophy, Biological Sciences (General), Sociology & Criminology and 66 more.

Does Queen's University Belfast or The University of Edinburgh offer more courses?

The University of Edinburgh lists 936 courses on CourseOptions and Queen's University Belfast lists 494 courses.

What can you study at Queen's University Belfast but not at The University of Edinburgh?

Queen's University Belfast teaches 15 subject areas that The University of Edinburgh does not, including English Studies, Irish Studies, Planning & Housing, Pharmacy, Food Science, Dentistry, Games Design & Computer Animation, Agriculture & Land Management and 7 more.

What can you study at The University of Edinburgh but not at Queen's University Belfast?

The University of Edinburgh teaches 38 subject areas that Queen's University Belfast does not, including Theology & Religious Studies, German & Scandinavian Studies, Teacher Training, African & Middle Eastern Studies, Classical Studies, Veterinary Medicine, Asian Languages & Studies, History of Art & Design and 30 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

Q
Queen's University Belfast494 courses · 1 scholarshipBrowse Courses
T
The University of Edinburgh936 courses · 112 scholarshipsBrowse Courses