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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.

U
University of Birmingham

Birmingham · QS World #68

U
University of Bristol

Bristol · QS World #57

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

Birmingham

scored higher in 2 categories

VS

8/10

Bristol

scored higher in 8 categories

Quick Verdict

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

University of Birmingham vs University of Bristol at a glance

University of Birmingham and University of Bristol both teach 69 subject areas, the largest being Politics & International Relations, Law and Mathematics. University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas; University of Bristol offers 479 courses across 83 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £27,090 a year at University of Birmingham and £31,300 at University of Bristol: University of Birmingham is about £4,210 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £23,390 a year at University of Birmingham and £28,460 at University of Bristol: University of Birmingham is about £5,070 a year cheaper.

Of the 40 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of Bristol is higher in 33 and University of Birmingham in 3, with 4 about level. The widest gap is in Management: £35,000 three years after graduating from University of Birmingham, against £44,000 from University of Bristol. Of the 42 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Bristol is higher in 24 and University of Birmingham in 11, with 7 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#68
QS World
#57
#98
THE World
#80
#18
Guardian UK
#13
1900
Established
1876
Yes
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 of Birmingham

University of Bristol

86.7%
88%

Satisfaction

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

£38,700
£43,100

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

83.3%
77.4%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

31.2%
33.6%

International

International student share

663
479

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

3
54

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.

Birmingham

104 countries · 31.2% international

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

Bristol

104 countries · 33.6% international

  • 🇨🇳China53.5%
  • 🇮🇳India7.2%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong3.8%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia3.6%
  • 🇸🇬Singapore2.8%

Subjects

69 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 of Birmingham

University of Bristol

Also taught at both: Education Studies, Social Policy & Public Policy, Health & Social Care, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Sociology & Criminology, Anatomy & Pathology, Dentistry, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Marketing, Psychology (General), Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Finance & Actuarial Science, Biochemistry, Biomedical Sciences, General Engineering, Medicine, Accounting, English Studies, History of Art & Design, Theology & Religious Studies, Classical Studies, Drama & Theatre, Media & Film Studies, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Business Studies, French, Physical Geography & Climate, Social Work, Geography (General), Anthropology, Archaeology, Biology, Film Production & Cinematography, Mechanical Engineering, Childhood & Youth Studies, German & Scandinavian Studies, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Public Health & Epidemiology, Human Geography & Environment, Linguistics, Spanish & Portuguese, Aerospace Engineering, Creative Writing, Eastern European Languages, Italian, Statistics, Healthcare Science, Information Systems & Data Science, Liberal Arts, Social Sciences (General), Materials Engineering, Computing & IT, Human Resource Management, Software Engineering.

Only at University of Birmingham

Only at University of Bristol

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 of Birmingham
£27,090
University of Bristol
£31,300

University of Birmingham is about £4,210 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

University of Birmingham
£23,390
University of Bristol
£28,460

University of Birmingham is about £5,070 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 of Birmingham

University of Bristol

  • Politics & International Relations

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    86%Satisfaction89%

  • Law

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£35,000
    83%Satisfaction87%

  • Mathematics

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£34,500
    85%Satisfaction87%

  • Physics

    £32,500Salary (3 years)£34,500
    93%Satisfaction89%

  • History

    £26,000Salary (3 years)£28,500
    89%Satisfaction90%

  • Economics

    £34,500Salary (3 years)£42,000
    85%Satisfaction81%

  • Management

    £35,000Salary (3 years)£44,000
    84%Satisfaction84%

  • Philosophy

    £25,500Salary (3 years)£26,500
    93%Satisfaction91%

  • Geology & Earth Sciences

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£26,500
    91%Satisfaction92%

  • Chemistry

    £27,000Salary (3 years)£35,000
    93%Satisfaction88%

  • Civil Engineering

    £33,000Salary (3 years)£33,000
    78%Satisfaction92%

  • Computer Science

    £40,000Salary (3 years)£48,000
    93%Satisfaction93%

Showing the 12 largest of 42 shared subjects with published outcomes.

Scholarships for International Students

Exclusive

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 →

University of Bristol

Black Heritage PhD Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Black heritage PhD scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships

100%

Deadline: N/A

Bristol Postgraduate Research Scholarships for applicants of Black heritage

100%

Deadline: N/A

British Council scholarships for Women

100%

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

University of Birmingham vs University of Bristol: common questions

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

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £27,090 a year at University of Birmingham and £31,300 at University of Bristol: University of Birmingham is about £4,210 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £23,390 a year at University of Birmingham and £28,460 at University of Bristol: University of Birmingham is about £5,070 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 of Birmingham and University of Bristol?

Both universities teach 69 subject areas: Politics & International Relations, Law, Mathematics, Physics, History, Economics, Management, Philosophy, Geology & Earth Sciences, Business & Management (General), Chemistry, Civil Engineering and 57 more.

Is University of Birmingham or University of Bristol better for Politics & International Relations?

Politics & International Relations graduates earn a median £28,000 three years after graduating from University of Birmingham, and £31,000 from University of Bristol. Student satisfaction with teaching is 86% at University of Birmingham and 89% at University of Bristol. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

Does University of Birmingham or University of Bristol offer more courses?

University of Birmingham lists 663 courses on CourseOptions and University of Bristol lists 479 courses.

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

University of Birmingham teaches 32 subject areas that University of Bristol does not, including Teacher Training, International Development, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Nursing (General), English Language, Planning & Housing and 24 more.

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

University of Bristol teaches 14 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Veterinary Medicine, Design & Fashion, Welsh Studies, Pharmacology, Humanities, Plant Sciences, Zoology & Animal Biology, Animal Science and 6 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

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University of Birmingham663 courses · 3 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
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University of Bristol479 courses · 54 scholarshipsBrowse Courses