Skip to main content

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 the West of Scotland

Paisley · Guardian UK #115

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.

7/9

Queen's University Belfast

scored higher in 7 categories

VS

2/9

West of Scotland

scored higher in 2 categories

Quick Verdict

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

Queen's University Belfast vs University of the West of Scotland at a glance

Queen's University Belfast and University of the West of Scotland both teach 38 subject areas, the largest being Law, Mathematics and Politics & International Relations. Queen's University Belfast offers 494 courses across 93 subject areas; University of the West of Scotland offers 119 courses across 49 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £20,800 a year at Queen's University Belfast and £15,500 at University of the West of Scotland: University of the West of Scotland is about £5,300 a year cheaper.

Of the 11 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Queen's University Belfast is higher in 5 and University of the West of Scotland in 5, with 1 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#174
QS World
—
#198
THE World
#601
#36
Guardian UK
#115
1845
Established
1897
Yes
Russell Group
No
—
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

University of the West of Scotland

86.4%
89%

Satisfaction

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

No data
£31,134.9

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

84.9%
81.8%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

21.9%
30.3%

International

International student share

494
119

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

1
0

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

West of Scotland

33 countries · 30.3% international

  • 🇵🇰Pakistan36.2%
  • 🌐Nepal20.4%
  • 🇮🇳India19.3%
  • 🇳🇬Nigeria7.4%
  • 🇧🇩Bangladesh5.3%

Subjects

38 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 the West of Scotland

Also taught at both: Accounting, Business & Management (General), Computing & IT, Social Sciences (General), Aerospace Engineering, Music, Nursing (General), Zoology & Animal Biology, Human Geography & Environment, Community & Specialist Nursing, Education Studies, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Public Health & Epidemiology, Design & Fashion, Adult Nursing, Biomedical Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Health & Social Care, Mental Health Nursing, Midwifery, Cultural Studies, Marketing, Technology & Logistics.

Only at Queen's University Belfast

Only at University of the West of Scotland

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 the West of Scotland
£15,500

University of the West of Scotland is about £5,300 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Queen's University Belfast
No data
University of the West of Scotland
£16,280

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 the West of Scotland

  • Chemistry

    No dataSalary (3 years)£23,000
    97%Satisfaction95%

  • Physics

    No dataSalary (3 years)£23,000
    90%Satisfaction95%

  • Mechanical Engineering

    No dataSalary (3 years)£25,500
    82%Satisfaction89%

  • Social Work

    No dataSalary (3 years)£30,500
    89%Satisfaction88%

  • Electronic & Electrical Engineering

    No dataSalary (3 years)£26,500
    70%Satisfaction80%

  • Accounting

    No dataSalary (3 years)£21,000
    81%Satisfaction86%

  • Aerospace Engineering

    No dataSalary (3 years)£30,500
    86%Satisfaction100%

  • Music

    No dataSalary (3 years)£18,500
    89%Satisfaction90%

  • Adult Nursing

    No dataSalary (3 years)£28,500
    93%Satisfaction87%

  • Mental Health Nursing

    No dataSalary (3 years)£28,500
    93%Satisfaction91%

  • Midwifery

    No dataSalary (3 years)£31,500
    93%Satisfaction81%

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Queen's University Belfast

Future-Ready Award

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

University of the West of Scotland

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Queen's University Belfast vs University of the West of Scotland: common questions

Is Queen's University Belfast or University of the West of Scotland cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £20,800 a year at Queen's University Belfast and £15,500 at University of the West of Scotland: University of the West of Scotland is about £5,300 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 the West of Scotland?

Both universities teach 38 subject areas: Law, Mathematics, Politics & International Relations, Chemistry, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Social Work, General Engineering, Business Studies, Childhood & Youth Studies, Media & Film Studies, Psychology (General) and 26 more.

Does Queen's University Belfast or University of the West of Scotland offer more courses?

Queen's University Belfast lists 494 courses on CourseOptions and University of the West of Scotland lists 119 courses.

What can you study at Queen's University Belfast but not at University of the West of Scotland?

Queen's University Belfast teaches 55 subject areas that University of the West of Scotland does not, including Civil Engineering, English Studies, History, Management, Anthropology, Economics, Software Engineering, French and 47 more.

What can you study at University of the West of Scotland but not at Queen's University Belfast?

University of the West of Scotland teaches 11 subject areas that Queen's University Belfast does not, including Teacher Training, Applied Computing, Applied Psychology, Hospitality, Events & Tourism, Journalism, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Biology, Creative Arts (General) and 3 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 the West of Scotland119 courses · 0 scholarshipsBrowse Courses