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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.

R
Royal Holloway, University of London

Egham · QS World #485

U
University of Birmingham

Birmingham · QS World #68

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 11 datapoints

We looked at 11 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

2/11

Royal Holloway

scored higher in 2 categories

VS

9/11

Birmingham

scored higher in 9 categories

Quick Verdict

University of Birmingham leads in 9 of 11 categories where both have data (ranking, Russell Group, satisfaction, employment, international, graduate salary, courses). Royal Holloway, University of London is ahead on established, scholarship.

Royal Holloway, University of London vs University of Birmingham at a glance

Royal Holloway, University of London and University of Birmingham both teach 53 subject areas, the largest being Politics & International Relations, Law and History. Royal Holloway, University of London offers 351 courses across 60 subject areas; University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £26,800 a year at Royal Holloway, University of London and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: Royal Holloway, University of London is about £290 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £26,400 a year at Royal Holloway, University of London and £23,390 at University of Birmingham: University of Birmingham is about £3,010 a year cheaper.

Of the 27 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of Birmingham is higher in 17 and Royal Holloway, University of London in 8, with 2 about level. The widest gap is in Accounting: £26,500 three years after graduating from Royal Holloway, University of London, against £37,000 from University of Birmingham. Of the 31 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Royal Holloway, University of London is higher in 15 and University of Birmingham in 14, with 2 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#485
QS World
#68
#401
THE World
#98
#45
Guardian UK
#18
1879
Established
1900
No
Russell Group
Yes
Silver
TEF Rating
Silver

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

Royal Holloway, University of London

University of Birmingham

85.7%
86.7%

Satisfaction

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

£36,152.9
£38,700

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

78.6%
83.3%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

16.7%
31.2%

International

International student share

351
663

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

32
3

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 Holloway

79 countries · 16.7% international

  • 🇮🇳India17.8%
  • 🇨🇳China8.2%
  • 🇵🇰Pakistan8.2%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong5%
  • 🇺🇸United States4.8%
VS

Birmingham

104 countries · 31.2% international

  • 🇨🇳China55.7%
  • 🇮🇳India9.4%
  • 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia3.2%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong2.8%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia2%

Subjects

53 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.

Royal Holloway, University of London

University of Birmingham

Also taught at both: Health & Social Care, Marketing, Ancient Languages, Biochemistry, German & Scandinavian Studies, Media & Film Studies, Drama & Theatre, Finance & Actuarial Science, Geography (General), Biomedical Sciences, French, Psychology (General), English Literature, Theology & Religious Studies, Business Studies, Social Work, Accounting, Archaeology, Biology, English Language, Social Policy & Public Policy, Applied Psychology, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Human Geography & Environment, Liberal Arts, Clinical & Health Psychology, Creative Writing, English Studies, Italian, Physical Geography & Climate, Biological Sciences (General), Computing & IT, Social Sciences (General), Human Resource Management, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Developmental & Educational Psychology, Film Production & Cinematography, Genetics & Genomics.

Only at Royal Holloway, University of London

Only at University of Birmingham

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 Holloway, University of London
£26,800
University of Birmingham
£27,090

Royal Holloway, University of London is about £290 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Royal Holloway, University of London
£26,400
University of Birmingham
£23,390

University of Birmingham is about £3,010 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.

Royal Holloway, University of London

University of Birmingham

  • Politics & International Relations

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£28,000
    88%Satisfaction86%

  • Law

    No dataSalary (3 years)£27,500
    84%Satisfaction83%

  • History

    £25,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    94%Satisfaction89%

  • Computer Science

    £41,000Salary (3 years)£40,000
    83%Satisfaction93%

  • Geology & Earth Sciences

    £25,000Salary (3 years)£26,500
    91%Satisfaction91%

  • Economics

    £30,000Salary (3 years)£34,500
    84%Satisfaction85%

  • Mathematics

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    83%Satisfaction85%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    £24,000Salary (3 years)£25,000
    84%Satisfaction83%

  • Music

    £22,500Salary (3 years)£23,000
    84%Satisfaction89%

  • Physics

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£32,500
    94%Satisfaction93%

  • Philosophy

    £25,500Salary (3 years)£25,500
    88%Satisfaction93%

  • Management

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£35,000
    83%Satisfaction84%

Showing the 12 largest of 31 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Royal Holloway, University of London

International Partners Scholarship

See details

Deadline: N/A

Katayoon Behboodi Scholarship 2026

See details

Deadline: N/A

Mary Anning Scholarship 2026

See details

Deadline: N/A

Barbara Raw Scholarships for English

See details

Deadline: N/A

Barbara Raw for English Access Scholarship 2026

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

University of Birmingham

Enhanced Chamberlain Award

£3,500

Deadline: N/A

University Music Scholarships

£3,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

University Music Scholarships

£1,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

View all scholarships →

FAQ

Royal Holloway, University of London vs University of Birmingham: common questions

Is Royal Holloway, University of London or University of Birmingham cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £26,800 a year at Royal Holloway, University of London and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: Royal Holloway, University of London is about £290 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £26,400 a year at Royal Holloway, University of London and £23,390 at University of Birmingham: University of Birmingham is about £3,010 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 Holloway, University of London and University of Birmingham?

Both universities teach 53 subject areas: Politics & International Relations, Law, History, Computer Science, Geology & Earth Sciences, Economics, Mathematics, Sociology & Criminology, Music, Physics, Philosophy, Business & Management (General) and 41 more.

Is Royal Holloway, University of London or University of Birmingham better for Politics & International Relations?

Politics & International Relations graduates earn a median £27,500 three years after graduating from Royal Holloway, University of London, and £28,000 from University of Birmingham. Student satisfaction with teaching is 88% at Royal Holloway, University of London and 86% at University of Birmingham. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does Royal Holloway, University of London or University of Birmingham offer more courses?

University of Birmingham lists 663 courses on CourseOptions and Royal Holloway, University of London lists 351 courses.

What can you study at Royal Holloway, University of London but not at University of Birmingham?

Royal Holloway, University of London teaches 7 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Ecology & Conservation, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Zoology & Animal Biology, Welsh Studies, American & Comparative Studies, Cultural Studies and Games Design & Computer Animation.

What can you study at University of Birmingham but not at Royal Holloway, University of London?

University of Birmingham teaches 48 subject areas that Royal Holloway, University of London does not, including Teacher Training, Civil Engineering, International Development, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Chemistry, Education Studies, Microbiology & Cell Biology and 40 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

R
Royal Holloway, University of London351 courses · 32 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
U
University of Birmingham663 courses · 3 scholarshipsBrowse Courses