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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

U
University of Reading

Reading · QS World #196

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.

8/9

Queen's University Belfast

scored higher in 8 categories

VS

1/9

Reading

scored higher in 1 category

Quick Verdict

Queen's University Belfast leads in 8 of 9 categories where both have data (ranking, Russell Group, established, satisfaction, employment, international, courses). University of Reading is ahead on ranking.

Queen's University Belfast vs University of Reading at a glance

Queen's University Belfast and University of Reading both teach 52 subject areas, the largest being Economics, Finance & Actuarial Science and Law. Queen's University Belfast offers 494 courses across 93 subject areas; University of Reading offers 448 courses across 70 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £20,800 a year at Queen's University Belfast and £25,850 at University of Reading: Queen's University Belfast is about £5,050 a year cheaper.

Of the 31 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Reading is higher in 16 and Queen's University Belfast in 13, with 2 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#174
QS World
#196
#198
THE World
#201
#36
Guardian UK
#33
1845
Established
1892
Yes
Russell Group
No
—
TEF Rating
Silver

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

Queen's University Belfast

University of Reading

86.4%
85.1%

Satisfaction

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

No data
£35,800

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

84.9%
84.7%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

21.9%
18%

International

International student share

494
448

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

1
1

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

Reading

96 countries · 18% international

  • 🇨🇳China26%
  • 🇮🇳India6.9%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong5.3%
  • 🇳🇬Nigeria4.2%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia3.9%

Subjects

52 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

University of Reading

Also taught at both: Childhood & Youth Studies, Marketing, Agriculture & Land Management, Biological Sciences (General), Pharmacy, Food Science, Planning & Housing, Accounting, Human Geography & Environment, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Business Studies, Computer Science, Design & Fashion, Ecology & Conservation, Geology & Earth Sciences, Media & Film Studies, Physical Geography & Climate, Zoology & Animal Biology, Animal Science, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Ancient Languages, Architecture, Biomedical Sciences, Education Studies, Environmental Sciences, Pharmacology, Social Sciences (General), Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Social Policy & Public Policy, Drama & Theatre, Linguistics, Clinical & Health Psychology, Food Production & Technology, Human Resource Management, Film Production & Cinematography.

Only at Queen's University Belfast

Only at University of Reading

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
University of Reading
£25,850

Queen's University Belfast is about £5,050 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Queen's University Belfast
No data
University of Reading
£26,450

We do not have reliable international fee data for Queen's University Belfast 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's University Belfast

University of Reading

  • Economics

    No dataSalary (3 years)£32,500
    82%Satisfaction82%

  • Finance & Actuarial Science

    No dataSalary (3 years)£38,500
    87%Satisfaction83%

  • Law

    No dataSalary (3 years)£27,500
    86%Satisfaction86%

  • Mathematics

    No dataSalary (3 years)£30,500
    87%Satisfaction86%

  • History

    No dataSalary (3 years)£25,000
    91%Satisfaction95%

  • Politics & International Relations

    No dataSalary (3 years)£27,500
    84%Satisfaction92%

  • Civil Engineering

    No dataSalary (3 years)£33,000
    89%Satisfaction98%

  • Management

    No dataSalary (3 years)£34,000
    78%Satisfaction81%

  • Chemistry

    No dataSalary (3 years)£27,500
    97%Satisfaction77%

  • Psychology (General)

    No dataSalary (3 years)£24,000
    86%Satisfaction83%

  • Philosophy

    No dataSalary (3 years)£25,000
    92%Satisfaction86%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    No dataSalary (3 years)£31,000
    87%Satisfaction96%

Showing the 12 largest of 31 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 →

University of Reading

The Sporting Excellence Scholarship

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Queen's University Belfast vs University of Reading: common questions

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

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £20,800 a year at Queen's University Belfast and £25,850 at University of Reading: Queen's University Belfast is about £5,050 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 University of Reading?

Both universities teach 52 subject areas: Economics, Finance & Actuarial Science, Law, Mathematics, History, Politics & International Relations, Business & Management (General), Civil Engineering, Management, Building & Construction, Chemistry, Psychology (General) and 40 more.

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

Queen's University Belfast lists 494 courses on CourseOptions and University of Reading lists 448 courses.

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

Queen's University Belfast teaches 41 subject areas that University of Reading does not, including English Studies, Mechanical Engineering, Anthropology, Physics, Social Work, Software Engineering, French, Irish Studies and 33 more.

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

University of Reading teaches 18 subject areas that Queen's University Belfast does not, including English Literature, Information & Library Studies, Teacher Training, Nutrition & Dietetics, Fine Art, International Development, Medical Sciences, Classical Studies and 10 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
U
University of Reading448 courses · 1 scholarshipBrowse Courses