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.
Birmingham
St Andrews · QS World #115
Head-to-Head Summary
Based on 7 datapoints
We looked at 7 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.
2/7
University College Birmingham
scored higher in 2 categories
5/7
St Andrews
scored higher in 5 categories
Quick Verdict
University of St Andrews leads in 5 of 7 categories where both have data (established, satisfaction, graduate salary, courses, scholarship). University College Birmingham is ahead on employment, international.
University College Birmingham vs University of St Andrews at a glance
University College Birmingham and University of St Andrews both teach 12 subject areas, the largest being Politics & International Relations, Computer Science and Psychology (General). University College Birmingham offers 115 courses across 36 subject areas; University of St Andrews offers 1,157 courses across 64 subject areas.
For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £13,500 a year at University College Birmingham and £30,160 at University of St Andrews: University College Birmingham is about £16,660 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £17,000 a year at University College Birmingham and £27,200 at University of St Andrews: University College Birmingham is about £10,200 a year cheaper.
In Business & Management (General), the one shared subject where both publish a graduate salary, University of St Andrews is higher. Of the 2 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University College Birmingham is higher in 1 and University of St Andrews in 1.
World & National Rankings
Compare world and national league table positions, TEF ratings, and Russell Group membership.
Visual Breakdown
Key metrics at a glance
Longer bars indicate better performance. Metrics include student satisfaction, graduate salaries, and more.
University College Birmingham
University of St Andrews
Satisfaction
Student satisfaction with teaching (NSS Survey, out of 100%)
Graduate Salaries (5y)
Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation
Employment
Graduate employment rate
International
International student share
Course Counts
Number of courses offered
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.
University College Birmingham
26 countries · 47% international
- 🌐Nepal48.9%
- 🇮🇳India24.7%
- 🇨🇳China11.5%
- 🇧🇩Bangladesh3.8%
- 🇵🇰Pakistan3.3%
St Andrews
89 countries · 46.1% international
- 🇺🇸United States42.3%
- 🇨🇳China9%
- 🇩🇪Germany4%
- 🇮🇳India4%
- 🇭🇰Hong Kong3.2%
Subjects
12 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.
University College Birmingham
University of St Andrews
Politics & International Relations
1 courseTypical fee £17,000 (PG)
35 coursesTypical fee £30,160 (UG)
Computer Science
2 coursesTypical fee £13,500 (UG)
17 coursesTypical fee £30,160 (UG)
Psychology (General)
3 coursesTypical fee £17,000 (PG)
12 coursesTypical fee £30,160 (UG)
Finance & Actuarial Science
Education Studies
Business & Management (General)
Childhood & Youth Studies
Business Studies
Sociology & Criminology
Marketing
Software Engineering
Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
Only at University College 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
- University College Birmingham
- £13,500
- University of St Andrews
- £30,160
University College Birmingham is about £16,660 a year cheaper.
Postgraduate
- University College Birmingham
- £17,000
- University of St Andrews
- £27,200
University College Birmingham is about £10,200 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.
University College Birmingham
University of St Andrews
Computer Science
No dataSalary (3 years)£51,50087%Satisfaction93%Business & Management (General)
£20,000Salary (3 years)£37,50093%Satisfaction84%
Scholarships for International Students
ExclusiveUniversity College Birmingham
GREAT Scholarship
£10,000
Deadline: N/A
Vice-Chancellor's Award
100%
Deadline: N/A
Dean's Award
50%
Deadline: N/A
Early Action Scholarship
£4,500
Deadline: Jul 2026
Alumni Scholarship
25%
Deadline: N/A
University of St Andrews
Applied Environmental Sciences MSc Awards - Women in Mining (WIM) UK
100%
Deadline: Jun 2026
Environmental Science MSc Awards - The Cunningham Scholarship UK
100%
Deadline: Jun 2026
Masters funding in Digital Health and Care
£10,000
Deadline: Jun 2026
School of Modern Languages Masters Scholarship
100%
Deadline: May 2026
University of Jordan Postgraduate Scholarships
100%
Deadline: N/A
FAQ
University College Birmingham vs University of St Andrews: common questions
Is University College Birmingham or University of St Andrews cheaper for international students?
For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £13,500 a year at University College Birmingham and £30,160 at University of St Andrews: University College Birmingham is about £16,660 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £17,000 a year at University College Birmingham and £27,200 at University of St Andrews: University College Birmingham is about £10,200 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 University College Birmingham and University of St Andrews?
Both universities teach 12 subject areas: Politics & International Relations, Computer Science, Psychology (General), Finance & Actuarial Science, Education Studies, Business & Management (General), Childhood & Youth Studies, Business Studies, Sociology & Criminology, Marketing, Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning.
Is University College Birmingham or University of St Andrews better for Business & Management (General)?
Business & Management (General) graduates earn a median £20,000 three years after graduating from University College Birmingham, and £37,500 from University of St Andrews. Student satisfaction with teaching is 93% at University College Birmingham and 84% at University of St Andrews. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.
Does University College Birmingham or University of St Andrews offer more courses?
University of St Andrews lists 1,157 courses on CourseOptions and University College Birmingham lists 115 courses.
What can you study at University College Birmingham but not at University of St Andrews?
University College Birmingham teaches 24 subject areas that University of St Andrews does not, including Hospitality, Events & Tourism, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Building & Construction, Food Science, Health & Social Care, Food Production & Technology, Planning & Housing, Crafts & Applied Arts and 16 more.
What can you study at University of St Andrews but not at University College Birmingham?
University of St Andrews teaches 52 subject areas that University College Birmingham does not, including African & Middle Eastern Studies, French, German & Scandinavian Studies, Italian, History, Ancient Languages, Classical Studies, Economics and 44 more.
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