Skip to main content

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 Glasgow

Glasgow · QS World #80

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

Birmingham

scored higher in 4 categories

VS

6/10

Glasgow

scored higher in 6 categories

Quick Verdict

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

University of Birmingham vs University of Glasgow at a glance

University of Birmingham and University of Glasgow both teach 75 subject areas, the largest being History, Politics & International Relations and Law. University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas; University of Glasgow offers 1,022 courses across 97 subject areas.

For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £23,390 a year at University of Birmingham and £15,160 at University of Glasgow: University of Glasgow is about £8,230 a year cheaper.

Of the 43 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of Birmingham is higher in 35 and University of Glasgow in 3, with 5 about level. The widest gap is in Biomedical Sciences: £30,500 three years after graduating from University of Birmingham, against £22,500 from University of Glasgow. Of the 44 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Glasgow is higher in 22 and University of Birmingham in 21, with 1 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#68
QS World
#80
#98
THE World
#84
#18
Guardian UK
#12
1900
Established
1451
Yes
Russell Group
Yes
Silver
TEF Rating
—

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 Glasgow

86.7%
86.1%

Satisfaction

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

£38,700
£36,500

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

83.3%
81.9%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

31.2%
35.9%

International

International student share

663
1022

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

3
4

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

Glasgow

121 countries · 35.9% international

  • 🇨🇳China51.9%
  • 🇺🇸United States7.4%
  • 🇮🇳India7%
  • 🌐Kuwait1.7%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong1.5%

Subjects

75 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 Glasgow

Also taught at both: Music, History of Art & Design, Sociology & Criminology, Computer Science, Education Studies, Ancient Languages, English Language, English Literature, Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Chemistry, Health & Social Care, Civil Engineering, Finance & Actuarial Science, French, Social Policy & Public Policy, Archaeology, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Business & Management (General), Geology & Earth Sciences, German & Scandinavian Studies, International Development, Public Health & Epidemiology, Biomedical Sciences, Drama & Theatre, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Marketing, Media & Film Studies, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Human Geography & Environment, Accounting, Mechanical Engineering, Business Studies, Italian, Medicine, Planning & Housing, Dentistry, Environmental Sciences, Geography (General), Nursing (General), Statistics, Childhood & Youth Studies, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Software Engineering, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Anatomy & Pathology, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Biotechnology, Clinical & Health Psychology, Clinical Specialities, Creative Writing, Linguistics, Social Sciences (General), Computing & IT, Film Production & Cinematography, Genetics & Genomics, Hospitality, Events & Tourism, Mental Health Nursing, Human Resource Management.

Only at University of Birmingham

Only at University of Glasgow

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 Glasgow
No data

We do not have reliable international fee data for University of Glasgow yet.

Postgraduate

University of Birmingham
£23,390
University of Glasgow
£15,160

University of Glasgow is about £8,230 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 Glasgow

  • History

    £26,000Salary (3 years)£23,500
    89%Satisfaction90%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£25,500
    86%Satisfaction88%

  • Law

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£27,500
    83%Satisfaction86%

  • Mathematics

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£30,500
    85%Satisfaction82%

  • Management

    £35,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    84%Satisfaction73%

  • Spanish & Portuguese

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    88%Satisfaction83%

  • Physics

    £32,500Salary (3 years)£30,000
    93%Satisfaction83%

  • Psychology (General)

    £23,500Salary (3 years)£24,000
    90%Satisfaction91%

  • Classical Studies

    £25,000Salary (3 years)£23,000
    92%Satisfaction86%

  • Philosophy

    £25,500Salary (3 years)£22,500
    93%Satisfaction90%

  • Eastern European Languages

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£23,500
    90%Satisfaction86%

  • Economics

    £34,500Salary (3 years)£34,500
    85%Satisfaction79%

Showing the 12 largest of 44 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 Glasgow

Minerva Scholarships

£22,000

Deadline: N/A

Excellence Bursaries

100%

Deadline: N/A

Travel Bursaries

£50

Deadline: N/A

School of Computing Science postgraduate research excellence bursaries

See details

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

University of Birmingham vs University of Glasgow: common questions

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

For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £23,390 a year at University of Birmingham and £15,160 at University of Glasgow: University of Glasgow is about £8,230 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 Glasgow?

Both universities teach 75 subject areas: History, Politics & International Relations, Law, Mathematics, Management, Spanish & Portuguese, Physics, Teacher Training, Psychology (General), Classical Studies, Philosophy, Eastern European Languages and 63 more.

Is University of Birmingham or University of Glasgow better for History?

History graduates earn a median £26,000 three years after graduating from University of Birmingham, and £23,500 from University of Glasgow. Student satisfaction with teaching is 89% at University of Birmingham and 90% at University of Glasgow. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

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

University of Glasgow lists 1,022 courses on CourseOptions and University of Birmingham lists 663 courses.

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

University of Birmingham teaches 26 subject areas that University of Glasgow does not, including General Engineering, African & Middle Eastern Studies, Anthropology, Social Work, Author Studies & Literary Specialisms, Biology, English Studies, Heritage & Conservation and 18 more.

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

University of Glasgow teaches 22 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Celtic Studies, Scottish Gaelic, Information & Library Studies, GIS & Remote Sensing, Animal Science, Biomedical Engineering, Ecology & Conservation, Veterinary Sciences & Nursing and 14 more.

Ready to explore courses?

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

U
University of Birmingham663 courses · 3 scholarshipsBrowse Courses
U
University of Glasgow1,022 courses · 4 scholarshipsBrowse Courses