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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 Manchester

Manchester · QS World #40

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

Manchester

scored higher in 9 categories

Quick Verdict

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

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

Royal Holloway, University of London and University of Manchester both teach 56 subject areas, the largest being Politics & International Relations, Economics and Physics. Royal Holloway, University of London offers 351 courses across 60 subject areas; University of Manchester offers 1,041 courses across 116 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £26,800 a year at Royal Holloway, University of London and £32,300 at University of Manchester: Royal Holloway, University of London is about £5,500 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £26,400 a year at Royal Holloway, University of London and £26,800 at University of Manchester: Royal Holloway, University of London is about £400 a year cheaper.

Of the 28 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, Royal Holloway, University of London is higher in 14 and University of Manchester in 12, with 2 about level. The widest gap is in Physics: £27,500 three years after graduating from Royal Holloway, University of London, against £34,000 from University of Manchester. Of the 32 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Royal Holloway, University of London is higher in 16 and University of Manchester in 12, with 4 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#485
QS World
#40
#401
THE World
#56
#45
Guardian UK
#29
1879
Established
1824
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 Manchester

85.7%
85.1%

Satisfaction

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

£36,152.9
£36,500

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

78.6%
80%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

16.7%
40%

International

International student share

351
1041

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

32
6

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

Manchester

120 countries · 40% international

  • 🇨🇳China51%
  • 🇮🇳India7.6%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia4.9%
  • 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia3.1%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong2.5%

Subjects

56 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 Manchester

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

Only at Royal Holloway, University of London

Only at University of Manchester

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 Manchester
£32,300

Royal Holloway, University of London is about £5,500 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Royal Holloway, University of London
£26,400
University of Manchester
£26,800

Royal Holloway, University of London is about £400 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 Manchester

  • Politics & International Relations

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£26,500
    88%Satisfaction88%

  • Economics

    £30,000Salary (3 years)£32,500
    84%Satisfaction85%

  • Physics

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£34,000
    94%Satisfaction89%

  • Management

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£29,000
    83%Satisfaction84%

  • Biochemistry

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    89%Satisfaction87%

  • Mathematics

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    83%Satisfaction83%

  • Law

    No dataSalary (3 years)£24,000
    84%Satisfaction89%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    £24,000Salary (3 years)£23,500
    84%Satisfaction84%

  • Geology & Earth Sciences

    £25,000Salary (3 years)£26,500
    91%Satisfaction88%

  • Electronic & Electrical Engineering

    No dataSalary (3 years)£33,500
    98%Satisfaction86%

  • History

    £25,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    94%Satisfaction91%

  • Computer Science

    £41,000Salary (3 years)£44,000
    83%Satisfaction82%

Showing the 12 largest of 32 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 Manchester

Spärck AI Scholarship

£20,780

Deadline: N/A

The Sadler Bursary

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

The Bason Family Bursary

£6,000

Deadline: N/A

The Cowrie Foundation Scholarships

£6,000

Deadline: N/A

Accommodation Bursary

£2,050

Deadline: Jul 2026

View all scholarships →

FAQ

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

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

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £26,800 a year at Royal Holloway, University of London and £32,300 at University of Manchester: Royal Holloway, University of London is about £5,500 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £26,400 a year at Royal Holloway, University of London and £26,800 at University of Manchester: Royal Holloway, University of London is about £400 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 Manchester?

Both universities teach 56 subject areas: Politics & International Relations, Economics, Physics, Management, Biochemistry, Mathematics, Law, Sociology & Criminology, Geology & Earth Sciences, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, History, Computer Science and 44 more.

Is Royal Holloway, University of London or University of Manchester 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 £26,500 from University of Manchester. Student satisfaction with teaching is 88% at Royal Holloway, University of London and 88% at University of Manchester. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

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

University of Manchester lists 1,041 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 Manchester?

Royal Holloway, University of London teaches 4 subject areas that University of Manchester does not, including Welsh Studies, Film Production & Cinematography, Games Design & Computer Animation and Social Sciences (General).

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

University of Manchester teaches 60 subject areas that Royal Holloway, University of London does not, including Chemical Engineering, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Dentistry, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Materials Science, Public Health & Epidemiology, Statistics and 52 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 Manchester1,041 courses · 6 scholarshipsBrowse Courses