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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

U
University of Exeter

Devon · QS World #136

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

Exeter

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 Exeter is ahead on ranking, satisfaction, graduate salary.

The University of Edinburgh vs University of Exeter at a glance

The University of Edinburgh and University of Exeter both teach 80 subject areas, the largest being Law, Mathematics and Politics & International Relations. The University of Edinburgh offers 936 courses across 116 subject areas; University of Exeter offers 873 courses across 91 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £24,950 at University of Exeter: University of Exeter is about £4,650 a year cheaper.

Of the 39 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of Exeter is higher in 21 and The University of Edinburgh in 14, with 4 about level. The widest gap is in Accounting: £30,500 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, against £43,500 from University of Exeter. Of the 39 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Exeter is higher in 25 and The University of Edinburgh in 12, with 2 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#35
QS World
#136
#29
THE World
#170
#17
Guardian UK
#14
1583
Established
1922
Yes
Russell Group
Yes
—
TEF Rating
Gold

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 Exeter

85.3%
87.7%

Satisfaction

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

£37,600
£39,800

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

83%
82.8%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

41.6%
22.2%

International

International student share

936
873

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

112
2

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

Exeter

111 countries · 22.2% international

  • 🇨🇳China25.1%
  • 🇮🇳India10.9%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong10%
  • 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia2.9%
  • 🇺🇸United States2.8%

Subjects

80 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 Exeter

Also taught at both: Economics, Medicine, Civil Engineering, General Engineering, Geology & Earth Sciences, Psychology (General), Biomedical Sciences, Ecology & Conservation, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Human Geography & Environment, Media & Film Studies, Archaeology, Ancient Languages, Biological Sciences (General), French, African & Middle Eastern Studies, Anatomy & Pathology, Zoology & Animal Biology, Eastern European Languages, Genetics & Genomics, Public Health & Epidemiology, Italian, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Anthropology, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Celtic Studies, Chemical Engineering, Clinical Specialities, Education Studies, Environmental Sciences, Physical Geography & Climate, Accounting, Animal Science, Biochemistry, Management, Cultural Studies, Mechanical Engineering, Social Sciences (General), Film Production & Cinematography, Childhood & Youth Studies, Geography (General), Information Systems & Data Science, Applied Biology & Human Biology, Creative Writing, Drama & Theatre, Humanities, Nursing (General), Safety & Mining Engineering, Health & Social Care, Landscape Architecture & Design, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Marketing, Applied Psychology, Biology, Clinical & Health Psychology, English Language, Statistics, Computing & IT, Liberal Arts, Biomedical Engineering, Building & Construction, Minerals & Mining Technology, Adult Nursing, Software Engineering.

Only at The University of Edinburgh

Only at University of Exeter

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 Exeter
£24,950

University of Exeter is about £4,650 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

The University of Edinburgh
No data
University of Exeter
£25,550

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 Exeter

  • Law

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£32,000
    86%Satisfaction86%

  • Mathematics

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£32,500
    81%Satisfaction88%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£30,500
    87%Satisfaction88%

  • Physics

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    85%Satisfaction94%

  • Computer Science

    £37,000Salary (3 years)£40,500
    74%Satisfaction83%

  • History

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£28,000
    88%Satisfaction92%

  • Theology & Religious Studies

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    94%Satisfaction100%

  • Classical Studies

    £26,000Salary (3 years)£26,500
    92%Satisfaction92%

  • Philosophy

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£29,500
    88%Satisfaction89%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£27,000
    82%Satisfaction91%

  • History of Art & Design

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£27,500
    90%Satisfaction87%

  • Business Studies

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£39,000
    80%Satisfaction83%

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 Exeter

Bell Burnell Graduate Scholarship Fund

See details

Deadline: N/A

Carolyn and Andrew Trevorrow Memorial Fund Travel Bursaries

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

The University of Edinburgh vs University of Exeter: common questions

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

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £24,950 at University of Exeter: University of Exeter is about £4,650 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 Exeter?

Both universities teach 80 subject areas: Law, Mathematics, Politics & International Relations, Physics, Computer Science, History, Theology & Religious Studies, Classical Studies, Philosophy, Sociology & Criminology, Business & Management (General), History of Art & Design and 68 more.

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

Law graduates earn a median £26,500 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, and £32,000 from University of Exeter. Student satisfaction with teaching is 86% at The University of Edinburgh and 86% at University of Exeter. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

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

The University of Edinburgh lists 936 courses on CourseOptions and University of Exeter lists 873 courses.

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

The University of Edinburgh teaches 36 subject areas that University of Exeter does not, including Teacher Training, Spanish & Portuguese, Veterinary Medicine, Asian Languages & Studies, Design & Fashion, English Literature, Social Policy & Public Policy, Linguistics and 28 more.

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

University of Exeter teaches 11 subject areas that The University of Edinburgh does not, including English Studies, Human Resource Management, Natural Sciences, Naval Architecture, Performing Arts (General), American & Comparative Studies, Forensic Science, Materials Science and 3 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 Exeter873 courses · 2 scholarshipsBrowse Courses