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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.

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The University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh · QS World #35

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University of Bristol

Bristol · QS World #57

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

Edinburgh

scored higher in 7 categories

VS

3/10

Bristol

scored higher in 3 categories

Quick Verdict

The University of Edinburgh leads in 7 of 10 categories where both have data (ranking, established, employment, international, courses, scholarship). University of Bristol is ahead on ranking, satisfaction, graduate salary.

The University of Edinburgh vs University of Bristol at a glance

The University of Edinburgh and University of Bristol both teach 74 subject areas, the largest being Law, Computer Science and Mathematics. The University of Edinburgh offers 936 courses across 116 subject areas; University of Bristol offers 479 courses across 83 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £31,300 at University of Bristol: The University of Edinburgh is about £1,700 a year cheaper.

Of the 39 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of Bristol is higher in 28 and The University of Edinburgh in 7, with 4 about level. The widest gap is in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning: £33,500 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, against £48,000 from University of Bristol. Of the 40 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Bristol is higher in 29 and The University of Edinburgh in 10, with 1 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#35
QS World
#57
#29
THE World
#80
#17
Guardian UK
#13
1583
Established
1876
Yes
Russell Group
Yes
—
TEF Rating
Silver

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

The University of Edinburgh

University of Bristol

85.3%
88%

Satisfaction

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

£37,600
£43,100

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

83%
77.4%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

41.6%
33.6%

International

International student share

936
479

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

112
54

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.

Edinburgh

122 countries · 41.6% international

  • 🇨🇳China44.5%
  • 🇺🇸United States9.3%
  • 🇮🇳India5.4%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia2.7%
  • 🇨🇦Canada2.4%
VS

Bristol

104 countries · 33.6% international

  • 🇨🇳China53.5%
  • 🇮🇳India7.2%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong3.8%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia3.6%
  • 🇸🇬Singapore2.8%

Subjects

74 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.

The University of Edinburgh

University of Bristol

Also taught at both: Business Studies, Geology & Earth Sciences, Sociology & Criminology, Classical Studies, French, Psychology (General), Veterinary Medicine, Chemistry, Education Studies, Spanish & Portuguese, Design & Fashion, History of Art & Design, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Music, Ancient Languages, Asian Languages & Studies, Civil Engineering, Eastern European Languages, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Biochemistry, Italian, Business & Management (General), General Engineering, Human Geography & Environment, Linguistics, Physical Geography & Climate, Animal Science, Biomedical Sciences, Finance & Actuarial Science, Media & Film Studies, Social Work, Accounting, Anthropology, Archaeology, Film Production & Cinematography, Public Health & Epidemiology, Drama & Theatre, Social Sciences (General), Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Mechanical Engineering, Zoology & Animal Biology, Statistics, Biology, Information Systems & Data Science, Marketing, Aerospace Engineering, Computing & IT, Creative Writing, Healthcare Science, Humanities, Pharmacology, Plant Sciences, Health & Social Care, Liberal Arts, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Veterinary Sciences & Nursing, Childhood & Youth Studies, Geography (General), Software Engineering.

Only at The University of Edinburgh

Only at University of Bristol

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

The University of Edinburgh
£29,600
University of Bristol
£31,300

The University of Edinburgh is about £1,700 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

The University of Edinburgh
No data
University of Bristol
£28,460

We do not have reliable international fee data for The University of Edinburgh 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.

The University of Edinburgh

University of Bristol

  • Law

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£35,000
    86%Satisfaction87%

  • Computer Science

    £37,000Salary (3 years)£48,000
    74%Satisfaction93%

  • Mathematics

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£34,500
    81%Satisfaction87%

  • Physics

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£34,500
    85%Satisfaction89%

  • Theology & Religious Studies

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

  • Economics

    £38,000Salary (3 years)£42,000
    81%Satisfaction81%

  • History

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£28,500
    88%Satisfaction90%

  • Medicine

    £48,500Salary (3 years)£47,000
    80%Satisfaction86%

  • Philosophy

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£26,500
    88%Satisfaction91%

  • Electronic & Electrical Engineering

    £34,000Salary (3 years)£36,000
    81%Satisfaction83%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    87%Satisfaction89%

  • Social Policy & Public Policy

    No dataSalary (3 years)£27,500
    92%Satisfaction85%

Showing the 12 largest of 40 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

The University of Edinburgh

Asylum Seeker Scholarship

£21,000

Deadline: N/A

Education Beyond Borders postgraduate scholarship

£20,780

Deadline: N/A

Cameron Law Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Online Learning Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Rosedale OSSD University of Edinburgh Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

University of Bristol

Black Heritage PhD Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Black heritage PhD scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships for applicants of Black heritage

100%

Deadline: N/A

British Council scholarships for Women

100%

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

The University of Edinburgh vs University of Bristol: common questions

Is The University of Edinburgh or University of Bristol cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £31,300 at University of Bristol: The University of Edinburgh is about £1,700 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 The University of Edinburgh and University of Bristol?

Both universities teach 74 subject areas: Law, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Theology & Religious Studies, Economics, History, Medicine, German & Scandinavian Studies, Philosophy, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Management and 62 more.

Is The University of Edinburgh or University of Bristol better for Law?

Law graduates earn a median £26,500 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, and £35,000 from University of Bristol. Student satisfaction with teaching is 86% at The University of Edinburgh and 87% at University of Bristol. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does The University of Edinburgh or University of Bristol offer more courses?

The University of Edinburgh lists 936 courses on CourseOptions and University of Bristol lists 479 courses.

What can you study at The University of Edinburgh but not at University of Bristol?

The University of Edinburgh teaches 42 subject areas that University of Bristol does not, including Teacher Training, African & Middle Eastern Studies, Biological Sciences (General), Ecology & Conservation, English Literature, Genetics & Genomics, Celtic Studies, Architecture and 34 more.

What can you study at University of Bristol but not at The University of Edinburgh?

University of Bristol teaches 9 subject areas that The University of Edinburgh does not, including Dentistry, English Studies, Welsh Studies, Applied & General Science, Cognitive & Experimental Psychology, Human Resource Management, Information & Library Studies, Materials Engineering and 1 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

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The University of Edinburgh936 courses · 112 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
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University of Bristol479 courses · 54 scholarshipsBrowse Courses