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.
Belfast · QS World #174
Pontypridd · QS World #1201
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.
7/10
Queen's University Belfast
scored higher in 7 categories
3/10
South Wales
scored higher in 3 categories
Quick Verdict
Queen's University Belfast leads in 7 of 10 categories where both have data (ranking, Russell Group, established, employment, courses). University of South Wales is ahead on satisfaction, international, scholarship.
Queen's University Belfast vs University of South Wales at a glance
Queen's University Belfast and University of South Wales both teach 45 subject areas, the largest being Law, Psychology (General) and Civil Engineering. Queen's University Belfast offers 494 courses across 93 subject areas; University of South Wales offers 331 courses across 63 subject areas.
For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £20,800 a year at Queen's University Belfast and £16,200 at University of South Wales: University of South Wales is about £4,600 a year cheaper.
Of the 22 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of South Wales is higher in 13 and Queen's University Belfast in 7, with 2 about level.
World & National Rankings
Compare world and national league table positions, TEF ratings, and Russell Group membership.
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 South Wales
Satisfaction
Student satisfaction with teaching (NSS Survey, out of 100%)
Graduate Salaries (5y)
Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation
Employment
Graduate employment rate
International
International student share
Course Counts
Number of courses offered
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%
South Wales
71 countries · 22% international
- 🇳🇬Nigeria17.6%
- 🇧🇩Bangladesh16.6%
- 🇮🇳India16.1%
- 🇵🇰Pakistan15.7%
- 🌐Sri Lanka6.6%
Subjects
45 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 South Wales
Law
19 coursesTypical fee £20,800 (UG)
15 coursesTypical fee £16,200 (UG)
Psychology (General)
9 coursesTypical fee £25,300 (UG)
20 coursesTypical fee £16,200 (UG)
Civil Engineering
19 coursesTypical fee £25,300 (UG)
6 coursesTypical fee £15,850 (UG)
Business & Management (General)
6 coursesFee not available
18 coursesTypical fee £16,800 (UG)
Politics & International Relations
18 coursesTypical fee £20,800 (UG)
1 courseTypical fee £17,900 (PG)
Aerospace Engineering
5 coursesTypical fee £25,300 (UG)
13 coursesTypical fee £16,200 (UG)
English Studies
17 coursesTypical fee £20,800 (UG)
1 courseFee not available
Nursing (General)
6 coursesFee not available
12 coursesTypical fee £16,200 (UG)
Building & Construction
5 coursesTypical fee £23,000 (PG)
11 coursesTypical fee £16,200 (UG)
Management
13 coursesTypical fee £20,800 (UG)
3 coursesTypical fee £16,200 (UG)
Mechanical Engineering
11 coursesTypical fee £25,300 (UG)
5 coursesTypical fee £16,200 (UG)
Software Engineering
History
13 coursesTypical fee £20,800 (UG)
2 coursesTypical fee £16,500 (UG)
Chemistry
11 coursesTypical fee £25,300 (UG)
3 coursesTypical fee £16,700 (UG)
Electronic & Electrical Engineering
Also taught at both: Media & Film Studies, Childhood & Youth Studies, Design & Fashion, Film Production & Cinematography, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Sociology & Criminology, Computer Science, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Music, Social Work, Finance & Actuarial Science, Accounting, Education Studies, Community & Specialist Nursing, Social Sciences (General), Games Design & Computer Animation, General Engineering, Marketing, Animal Science, Drama & Theatre, Human Geography & Environment, Business Studies, Health & Social Care, Social Policy & Public Policy, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Biomedical Sciences, Information Systems & Data Science, Midwifery, Public Health & Epidemiology, Human Resource Management.
Only at Queen's University Belfast
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 South Wales
- £16,200
University of South Wales is about £4,600 a year cheaper.
Postgraduate
- Queen's University Belfast
- No data
- University of South Wales
- £17,900
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 South Wales
Law
No dataSalary (3 years)£20,00086%Satisfaction96%Psychology (General)
No dataSalary (3 years)£19,50086%Satisfaction90%Civil Engineering
No dataSalary (3 years)£28,50089%Satisfaction83%Aerospace Engineering
No dataSalary (3 years)£26,50086%Satisfaction89%Management
No dataSalary (3 years)£19,00078%Satisfaction94%Mechanical Engineering
No dataSalary (3 years)£33,00082%Satisfaction90%Software Engineering
No dataSalary (3 years)£19,50066%Satisfaction81%History
No dataSalary (3 years)£19,50091%Satisfaction95%Chemistry
No dataSalary (3 years)£23,50097%Satisfaction84%Electronic & Electrical Engineering
No dataSalary (3 years)£30,00070%Satisfaction94%Media & Film Studies
No dataSalary (3 years)£19,00082%Satisfaction82%Film Production & Cinematography
No dataSalary (3 years)£18,00082%Satisfaction87%
Showing the 12 largest of 22 shared subjects with published outcomes.
Scholarships for International Students
ExclusiveUniversity of South Wales
USW Postgraduate Refugee Sanctuary Scheme
100%
Deadline: N/A
USW Postgraduate Sanctuary Scholarship 2026/2027
100%
Deadline: Jul 2026
USW Postgraduate Sanctuary Scholarship 2027/2028
100%
Deadline: Jul 2027
USW Refugee Sanctuary Scheme
100%
Deadline: N/A
Undergraduate Sanctuary Scholarship 2026/2027
100%
Deadline: Jul 2026
FAQ
Queen's University Belfast vs University of South Wales: common questions
Is Queen's University Belfast or University of South Wales cheaper for international students?
For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £20,800 a year at Queen's University Belfast and £16,200 at University of South Wales: University of South Wales is about £4,600 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 South Wales?
Both universities teach 45 subject areas: Law, Psychology (General), Civil Engineering, Business & Management (General), Politics & International Relations, Aerospace Engineering, English Studies, Nursing (General), Building & Construction, Management, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering and 33 more.
Does Queen's University Belfast or University of South Wales offer more courses?
Queen's University Belfast lists 494 courses on CourseOptions and University of South Wales lists 331 courses.
What can you study at Queen's University Belfast but not at University of South Wales?
Queen's University Belfast teaches 48 subject areas that University of South Wales does not, including Mathematics, Anthropology, Physics, Economics, French, Irish Studies, Planning & Housing, Archaeology and 40 more.
What can you study at University of South Wales but not at Queen's University Belfast?
University of South Wales teaches 18 subject areas that Queen's University Belfast does not, including Healthcare Science, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Teacher Training, Forensic Science, Biology, Applied Computing, Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Journalism and 10 more.
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