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.

R
Royal College of Music

London

U
University of Essex

Colchester · QS World #438

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 8 datapoints

We looked at 8 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

5/8

Royal College of Music

scored higher in 5 categories

VS

3/8

Essex

scored higher in 3 categories

Quick Verdict

Royal College of Music leads in 5 of 8 categories where both have data (TEF, established, satisfaction, employment, international). University of Essex is ahead on graduate salary, courses, scholarship.

Royal College of Music vs University of Essex at a glance

Royal College of Music and University of Essex have one subject area in common, Cognitive & Experimental Psychology. Royal College of Music offers 39 courses across 2 subject areas; University of Essex offers 748 courses across 74 subject areas.

For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £32,760 a year at Royal College of Music and £23,880 at University of Essex: University of Essex is about £8,880 a year cheaper.

World & National Rankings

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

—
QS World
#438
—
THE World
#301
—
Guardian UK
#44
1882
Established
1964
No
Russell Group
No
Gold
TEF Rating
Silver

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

Royal College of Music

University of Essex

88.8%
87.2%

Satisfaction

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

£27,500
£31,800

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

81.8%
79.7%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

48.2%
33.7%

International

International student share

39
748

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

7
30

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.

Royal College of Music

37 countries · 48.2% international

  • 🇨🇳China35.4%
  • 🇺🇸United States10.4%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong8.3%
  • 🇦🇺Australia3.1%
  • 🇫🇷France3.1%
VS

Essex

97 countries · 33.7% international

  • 🇮🇳India21.2%
  • 🇨🇳China11.7%
  • 🇵🇰Pakistan6.1%
  • 🇫🇷France5.7%
  • 🇳🇬Nigeria4.4%

Subjects

1 subject 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.

Royal College of Music

University of Essex

  • Cognitive & Experimental Psychology

    3 courses

    Typical fee £21,680 (PG)

    4 courses

    Typical fee £21,500 (UG)

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

Royal College of Music
No data
University of Essex
£21,500

We do not have reliable international fee data for Royal College of Music yet.

Postgraduate

Royal College of Music
£32,760
University of Essex
£23,880

University of Essex is about £8,880 a year cheaper.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Royal College of Music

Adami Award for Collaborative Piano Fellows

£15,000

Deadline: N/A

Fellowship in Historical Keyboards

£15,000

Deadline: N/A

Gilbert & Eileen Edgar and Anthony Saltmarsh CPF

£15,000

Deadline: N/A

Lord & Lady Lurgan Collaborative Piano Fellowship

£15,000

Deadline: N/A

Carne Junior Fellowship

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

University of Essex

Access Essex Scholarship

100%

Deadline: N/A

Sustainable Transitions - Governance, Ecological Management and Society - Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme

100%

Deadline: N/A

Sustainable Transitions - Governance, Ecological Management and Society - Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme 2026-27 (Masters plus PhD)

100%

Deadline: N/A

The Essex MBA Dean's Award

100%

Deadline: N/A

Postgraduate Research EU Scholarship

£8,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Royal College of Music vs University of Essex: common questions

Is Royal College of Music or University of Essex cheaper for international students?

For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £32,760 a year at Royal College of Music and £23,880 at University of Essex: University of Essex is about £8,880 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 Royal College of Music and University of Essex?

Both universities teach 1 subject area: Cognitive & Experimental Psychology.

Does Royal College of Music or University of Essex offer more courses?

University of Essex lists 748 courses on CourseOptions and Royal College of Music lists 39 courses.

What can you study at Royal College of Music but not at University of Essex?

Royal College of Music teaches 1 subject area that University of Essex does not, including Music.

What can you study at University of Essex but not at Royal College of Music?

University of Essex teaches 73 subject areas that Royal College of Music does not, including Politics & International Relations, History, Economics, Philosophy, History of Art & Design, Law, Sociology & Criminology, Computer Science and 65 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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