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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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University for the Creative Arts

Farnham

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University of Birmingham

Birmingham · QS World #68

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 8 datapoints

We looked at 8 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

1/8

University for the Creative Arts

scored higher in 1 category

VS

7/8

Birmingham

scored higher in 7 categories

Quick Verdict

University of Birmingham leads in 7 of 8 categories where both have data (Russell Group, satisfaction, employment, international, graduate salary, courses, scholarship). University for the Creative Arts is ahead on established.

University for the Creative Arts vs University of Birmingham at a glance

University for the Creative Arts and University of Birmingham both teach 8 subject areas, the largest being Film Production & Cinematography, Business Studies and Marketing. University for the Creative Arts offers 194 courses across 14 subject areas; University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £17,500 a year at University for the Creative Arts and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: University for the Creative Arts is about £9,590 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £18,020 a year at University for the Creative Arts and £23,390 at University of Birmingham: University for the Creative Arts is about £5,370 a year cheaper.

Of the 2 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of Birmingham is higher in 2 and University for the Creative Arts in 0. The widest gap is in Music: £16,000 three years after graduating from University for the Creative Arts, against £23,000 from University of Birmingham. Of the 5 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Birmingham is higher in 4 and University for the Creative Arts in 0, with 1 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

—
QS World
#68
—
THE World
#98
—
Guardian UK
#18
1866
Established
1900
No
Russell Group
Yes
Silver
TEF Rating
Silver

Visual Breakdown

Key metrics at a glance

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

University for the Creative Arts

University of Birmingham

78.8%
86.7%

Satisfaction

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

£25,900
£38,700

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

78.4%
83.3%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

14.6%
31.2%

International

International student share

194
663

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

1
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.

University for the Creative Arts

56 countries · 14.6% international

  • 🇨🇳China26%
  • 🇮🇳India21.5%
  • 🌐Nepal15.8%
  • 🇳🇬Nigeria3.8%
  • 🌐Sri Lanka3.2%
VS

Birmingham

104 countries · 31.2% international

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

Subjects

8 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 for the Creative Arts

University of Birmingham

Only at University for the Creative Arts

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

University for the Creative Arts
£17,500
University of Birmingham
£27,090

University for the Creative Arts is about £9,590 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

University for the Creative Arts
£18,020
University of Birmingham
£23,390

University for the Creative Arts is about £5,370 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 for the Creative Arts

University of Birmingham

  • Business Studies

    No dataSalary (3 years)£35,000
    59%Satisfaction77%

  • Marketing

    No dataSalary (3 years)£35,000
    68%Satisfaction79%

  • Computer Science

    No dataSalary (3 years)£40,000
    88%Satisfaction93%

  • Drama & Theatre

    £16,000Salary (3 years)£22,500
    91%Satisfaction91%

  • Music

    £16,000Salary (3 years)£23,000
    76%Satisfaction89%

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

University for the Creative Arts

2026 Venice Art Biennale Fellowship

£3,300

Deadline: N/A

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

University for the Creative Arts vs University of Birmingham: common questions

Is University for the Creative Arts or University of Birmingham cheaper for international students?

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £17,500 a year at University for the Creative Arts and £27,090 at University of Birmingham: University for the Creative Arts is about £9,590 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £18,020 a year at University for the Creative Arts and £23,390 at University of Birmingham: University for the Creative Arts is about £5,370 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 for the Creative Arts and University of Birmingham?

Both universities teach 8 subject areas: Film Production & Cinematography, Business Studies, Marketing, Computer Science, Drama & Theatre, Music, Media & Film Studies and Software Engineering.

Is University for the Creative Arts or University of Birmingham better for Drama & Theatre?

Drama & Theatre graduates earn a median £16,000 three years after graduating from University for the Creative Arts, and £22,500 from University of Birmingham. Student satisfaction with teaching is 91% at University for the Creative Arts and 91% at University of Birmingham. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does University for the Creative Arts or University of Birmingham offer more courses?

University of Birmingham lists 663 courses on CourseOptions and University for the Creative Arts lists 194 courses.

What can you study at University for the Creative Arts but not at University of Birmingham?

University for the Creative Arts teaches 6 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Design & Fashion, Games Design & Computer Animation, Fine Art, Crafts & Applied Arts, Architecture and Applied Computing.

What can you study at University of Birmingham but not at University for the Creative Arts?

University of Birmingham teaches 93 subject areas that University for the Creative Arts does not, including Politics & International Relations, Law, History, Health & Social Care, Philosophy, Teacher Training, Business & Management (General), Civil Engineering and 85 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

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University for the Creative Arts194 courses · 1 scholarshipBrowse Courses
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University of Birmingham663 courses · 3 scholarshipsBrowse Courses