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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.

T
The University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh · QS World #35

U
University of Oxford

Oxford · QS World #4

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.

4/10

Edinburgh

scored higher in 4 categories

VS

6/10

Oxford

scored higher in 6 categories

Quick Verdict

University of Oxford leads in 6 of 10 categories where both have data (ranking, established, satisfaction, graduate salary). The University of Edinburgh is ahead on employment, international, courses, scholarship.

The University of Edinburgh vs University of Oxford at a glance

The University of Edinburgh and University of Oxford both teach 73 subject areas, the largest being History, Classical Studies and German & Scandinavian Studies. The University of Edinburgh offers 936 courses across 116 subject areas; University of Oxford offers 642 courses across 79 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £43,600 at University of Oxford: The University of Edinburgh is about £14,000 a year cheaper.

Of the 30 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of Oxford is higher in 29 and The University of Edinburgh in 1. The widest gap is in Law: £26,500 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, against £52,500 from University of Oxford. Of the 29 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Oxford is higher in 23 and The University of Edinburgh in 6.

World & National Rankings

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

#35
QS World
#4
#29
THE World
#1
#17
Guardian UK
#1
1583
Established
1096
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 Oxford

85.3%
92.5%

Satisfaction

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

£37,600
£50,000

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

83%
76.6%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

41.6%
37.2%

International

International student share

936
642

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

112
1

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

Oxford

118 countries · 37.2% international

  • 🇨🇳China18.2%
  • 🇺🇸United States16.8%
  • 🇩🇪Germany5.6%
  • 🇮🇳India5.2%
  • 🇨🇦Canada4.6%

Subjects

73 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 Oxford

Also taught at both: Medicine, Asian Languages & Studies, Philosophy, Politics & International Relations, Business Studies, Ancient Languages, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Clinical Specialities, Sociology & Criminology, General Engineering, Economics, Psychology (General), History of Art & Design, Music, Social Policy & Public Policy, Design & Fashion, English Literature, Geology & Earth Sciences, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Genetics & Genomics, Anthropology, Archaeology, Chemistry, Ecology & Conservation, Anatomy & Pathology, Biomedical Sciences, Celtic Studies, Education Studies, Public Health & Epidemiology, Civil Engineering, Human Geography & Environment, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Social Sciences (General), Social Work, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Biochemistry, Finance & Actuarial Science, Business & Management (General), Media & Film Studies, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Statistics, Biology, Creative Arts (General), Landscape Architecture & Design, Health & Social Care, International Development, Physical Geography & Climate, Building & Construction, Chemical Engineering, Computing & IT, English Language, Management, Clinical & Health Psychology, Film Production & Cinematography, Humanities, Pharmacology, Software Engineering, Geography (General).

Only at The University of Edinburgh

Only at University of Oxford

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 Oxford
£43,600

The University of Edinburgh is about £14,000 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

The University of Edinburgh
No data
University of Oxford
£38,430

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 Oxford

  • History

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£33,000
    88%Satisfaction96%

  • Classical Studies

    £26,000Salary (3 years)£32,000
    92%Satisfaction95%

  • German & Scandinavian Studies

    £27,000Salary (3 years)£32,000
    82%Satisfaction96%

  • Law

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£52,500
    86%SatisfactionNo data

  • Spanish & Portuguese

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£33,000
    81%Satisfaction94%

  • Theology & Religious Studies

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£32,500
    94%Satisfaction97%

  • Computer Science

    £37,000Salary (3 years)£51,500
    74%Satisfaction92%

  • Eastern European Languages

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£32,000
    95%Satisfaction96%

  • French

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£33,000
    87%Satisfaction96%

  • Physics

    £29,000Salary (3 years)£43,000
    85%Satisfaction94%

  • African & Middle Eastern Studies

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£32,000
    89%Satisfaction85%

  • Italian

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£32,000
    94%Satisfaction93%

Showing the 12 largest of 30 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 Oxford

The Rhodes Scholarship

100%

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

The University of Edinburgh vs University of Oxford: common questions

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

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £29,600 a year at The University of Edinburgh and £43,600 at University of Oxford: The University of Edinburgh is about £14,000 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 Oxford?

Both universities teach 73 subject areas: History, Classical Studies, German & Scandinavian Studies, Law, Spanish & Portuguese, Theology & Religious Studies, Computer Science, Eastern European Languages, French, Physics, Childhood & Youth Studies, African & Middle Eastern Studies and 61 more.

Is The University of Edinburgh or University of Oxford better for History?

History graduates earn a median £28,000 three years after graduating from The University of Edinburgh, and £33,000 from University of Oxford. Student satisfaction with teaching is 88% at The University of Edinburgh and 96% at University of Oxford. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

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

The University of Edinburgh lists 936 courses on CourseOptions and University of Oxford lists 642 courses.

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

The University of Edinburgh teaches 43 subject areas that University of Oxford does not, including Teacher Training, Biological Sciences (General), Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, Architecture, Agricultural Sciences, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Cultural Studies and 35 more.

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

University of Oxford teaches 6 subject areas that The University of Edinburgh does not, including English Studies, Welsh Studies, Materials Science, Fine Art, Information & Library Studies and American & Comparative Studies.

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
U
University of Oxford642 courses · 1 scholarshipBrowse Courses