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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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Ulster University

Belfast · QS World #595

U
University of Birmingham

Birmingham · QS World #68

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.

2/10

Ulster

scored higher in 2 categories

VS

8/10

Birmingham

scored higher in 8 categories

Quick Verdict

University of Birmingham leads in 8 of 10 categories where both have data (ranking, Russell Group, established, satisfaction, courses, scholarship). Ulster University is ahead on employment, international.

Ulster University vs University of Birmingham at a glance

Ulster University and University of Birmingham both teach 49 subject areas, the largest being Law, Politics & International Relations and History. Ulster University offers 170 courses across 66 subject areas; University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £17,490 a year at Ulster University and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: Ulster University is about £9,600 a year cheaper.

Of the 31 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, Ulster University is higher in 18 and University of Birmingham in 13.

World & National Rankings

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

#595
QS World
#68
#601
THE World
#98
#60
Guardian UK
#18
1968
Established
1900
No
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.

Ulster University

University of Birmingham

86.4%
86.7%

Satisfaction

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

No data
£38,700

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

84.6%
83.3%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

32.5%
31.2%

International

International student share

170
663

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

0
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.

Ulster

45 countries · 32.5% international

  • 🇵🇰Pakistan27.8%
  • 🇮🇪Ireland21.4%
  • 🇳🇬Nigeria16.1%
  • 🇮🇳India12.6%
  • 🇧🇩Bangladesh8.6%
VS

Birmingham

104 countries · 31.2% international

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

Subjects

49 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.

Ulster University

University of Birmingham

Also taught at both: Media & Film Studies, Economics, Environmental Sciences, Finance & Actuarial Science, General Engineering, Social Work, Chemical Engineering, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Medicine, Psychology (General), Social Policy & Public Policy, Mechanical Engineering, Planning & Housing, Drama & Theatre, English Studies, Linguistics, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Public Health & Epidemiology, Management, Pharmacy, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Biology, Information Systems & Data Science, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Film Production & Cinematography, Hospitality, Events & Tourism, Physical Geography & Climate, Anatomy & Pathology, English Literature, Liberal Arts, Software Engineering, Computing & IT, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Human Resource Management.

Only at Ulster University

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

Ulster University
£17,490
University of Birmingham
£27,090

Ulster University is about £9,600 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

Ulster University
No data
University of Birmingham
£23,390

We do not have reliable international fee data for Ulster University 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.

Ulster University

University of Birmingham

  • Law

    No dataSalary (3 years)£27,500
    87%Satisfaction83%

  • Politics & International Relations

    No dataSalary (3 years)£28,000
    84%Satisfaction86%

  • History

    No dataSalary (3 years)£26,000
    92%Satisfaction89%

  • Civil Engineering

    No dataSalary (3 years)£33,000
    100%Satisfaction78%

  • Sport & Exercise Sciences

    No dataSalary (3 years)£25,000
    82%Satisfaction88%

  • Marketing

    No dataSalary (3 years)£35,000
    85%Satisfaction79%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    No dataSalary (3 years)£25,000
    84%Satisfaction83%

  • Music

    No dataSalary (3 years)£23,000
    90%Satisfaction89%

  • Business Studies

    No dataSalary (3 years)£35,000
    83%Satisfaction77%

  • Computer Science

    No dataSalary (3 years)£40,000
    79%Satisfaction93%

  • Accounting

    No dataSalary (3 years)£37,000
    95%Satisfaction84%

  • Biomedical Sciences

    No dataSalary (3 years)£30,500
    83%Satisfaction82%

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

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

Ulster University

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

Ulster University vs University of Birmingham: common questions

Is Ulster University or University of Birmingham cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £17,490 a year at Ulster University and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: Ulster University is about £9,600 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 Ulster University and University of Birmingham?

Both universities teach 49 subject areas: Law, Politics & International Relations, History, Civil Engineering, Health & Social Care, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Marketing, Sociology & Criminology, Music, Business Studies, Geology & Earth Sciences, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science and 37 more.

Does Ulster University or University of Birmingham offer more courses?

University of Birmingham lists 663 courses on CourseOptions and Ulster University lists 170 courses.

What can you study at Ulster University but not at University of Birmingham?

Ulster University teaches 17 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Design & Fashion, Irish Studies, Journalism, Building & Construction, Nutrition & Dietetics, Architecture, Biomedical Engineering, Medical Imaging and 9 more.

What can you study at University of Birmingham but not at Ulster University?

University of Birmingham teaches 52 subject areas that Ulster University does not, including Philosophy, Teacher Training, Business & Management (General), International Development, Physics, Ancient Languages, Chemistry, Education Studies and 44 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

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Ulster University170 courses · 0 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
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University of Birmingham663 courses · 3 scholarshipsBrowse Courses