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 Leeds

Leeds · QS World #77

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.

7/10

Birmingham

scored higher in 7 categories

VS

3/10

Leeds

scored higher in 3 categories

Quick Verdict

University of Birmingham leads in 7 of 10 categories where both have data (ranking, established, satisfaction, employment, graduate salary, courses). University of Leeds is ahead on ranking, international, scholarship.

University of Birmingham vs University of Leeds at a glance

University of Birmingham and University of Leeds both teach 86 subject areas, the largest being Civil Engineering, Politics & International Relations and Physics. University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas; University of Leeds offers 579 courses across 110 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £27,090 a year at University of Birmingham and £33,700 at University of Leeds: University of Birmingham is about £6,610 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £23,390 a year at University of Birmingham and £31,500 at University of Leeds: University of Birmingham is about £8,110 a year cheaper.

Of the 55 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of Leeds is higher in 27 and University of Birmingham in 20, with 8 about level. The widest gap is in Microbiology & Cell Biology: £27,000 three years after graduating from University of Birmingham, against £35,000 from University of Leeds. Of the 58 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Birmingham is higher in 26 and University of Leeds in 26, with 6 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#68
QS World
#77
#98
THE World
#118
#18
Guardian UK
#15
1900
Established
1904
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 Leeds

86.7%
85.7%

Satisfaction

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

£38,700
£37,200

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

83.3%
82.7%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

31.2%
31.5%

International

International student share

663
579

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

3
13

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

Leeds

105 countries · 31.5% international

  • 🇨🇳China49.5%
  • 🇮🇳India9.6%
  • 🇸🇦Saudi Arabia3.9%
  • 🇲🇾Malaysia3.4%
  • 🇭🇰Hong Kong2.8%

Subjects

86 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 Leeds

Also taught at both: Health & Social Care, Media & Film Studies, Teacher Training, Ancient Languages, Business & Management (General), Marketing, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Sport & Exercise Sciences, International Development, Manufacturing & Production Engineering, Theology & Religious Studies, Management, Chemical Engineering, Finance & Actuarial Science, History of Art & Design, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Drama & Theatre, Linguistics, Social Policy & Public Policy, Dentistry, Environmental Sciences, Psychology (General), English Studies, Medicine, Childhood & Youth Studies, Classical Studies, French, General Engineering, Human Geography & Environment, Mechanical Engineering, Planning & Housing, Public Health & Epidemiology, Biological Sciences (General), Natural Sciences, Aerospace Engineering, African & Middle Eastern Studies, Biochemistry, Biology, English Language, English Literature, Information Systems & Data Science, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Counselling & Psychotherapy, Eastern European Languages, German & Scandinavian Studies, Materials Engineering, Pharmacy, Social Work, Spanish & Portuguese, Biotechnology, Clinical & Health Psychology, Creative Writing, Genetics & Genomics, Human Resource Management, Social Sciences (General), Statistics, Adult Nursing, Applied Psychology, Italian, Materials Science, Physical Geography & Climate, Film Production & Cinematography, Liberal Arts, Mental Health Nursing, Anatomy & Pathology, Children's Nursing, Developmental & Educational Psychology, Healthcare Science, Midwifery, Software Engineering.

Only at University of Birmingham

Only at University of Leeds

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 Leeds
£33,700

University of Birmingham is about £6,610 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

University of Birmingham
£23,390
University of Leeds
£31,500

University of Birmingham is about £8,110 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 Leeds

  • Civil Engineering

    £33,000Salary (3 years)£31,000
    78%Satisfaction89%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£28,500
    86%Satisfaction85%

  • Physics

    £32,500Salary (3 years)£29,000
    93%Satisfaction89%

  • Law

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£26,000
    83%Satisfaction87%

  • History

    £26,000Salary (3 years)£26,000
    89%Satisfaction94%

  • Chemistry

    £27,000Salary (3 years)£28,000
    93%Satisfaction85%

  • Philosophy

    £25,500Salary (3 years)£26,500
    93%Satisfaction85%

  • Business Studies

    £35,000Salary (3 years)£36,000
    77%Satisfaction84%

  • Music

    £23,000Salary (3 years)£21,500
    89%Satisfaction87%

  • Computer Science

    £40,000Salary (3 years)£42,000
    93%Satisfaction79%

  • Mathematics

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£31,500
    85%Satisfaction83%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    £25,000Salary (3 years)£25,000
    83%Satisfaction82%

Showing the 12 largest of 58 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 Leeds

Gazan Humanitarian Scholarship

100%

Deadline: N/A

Gazan Humanitarian Scholarship

100%

Deadline: N/A

Global Community Bursary

£10,000

Deadline: Jun 2026

Sanctuary Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

Sanctuary Scholarship

£10,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

University of Birmingham vs University of Leeds: common questions

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

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £27,090 a year at University of Birmingham and £33,700 at University of Leeds: University of Birmingham is about £6,610 a year cheaper. For postgraduate study, the typical published international fee is £23,390 a year at University of Birmingham and £31,500 at University of Leeds: University of Birmingham is about £8,110 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 Leeds?

Both universities teach 86 subject areas: Civil Engineering, Politics & International Relations, Physics, Law, History, Chemistry, Philosophy, Business Studies, Music, Computer Science, Mathematics, Sociology & Criminology and 74 more.

Is University of Birmingham or University of Leeds better for Civil Engineering?

Civil Engineering graduates earn a median £33,000 three years after graduating from University of Birmingham, and £31,000 from University of Leeds. Student satisfaction with teaching is 78% at University of Birmingham and 89% at University of Leeds. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

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

University of Birmingham lists 663 courses on CourseOptions and University of Leeds lists 579 courses.

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

University of Birmingham teaches 15 subject areas that University of Leeds does not, including Health Sciences & Paramedic Science, Geography (General), Nursing (General), Accounting, Anthropology, Archaeology, Author Studies & Literary Specialisms, Clinical Specialities and 7 more.

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

University of Leeds teaches 24 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Design & Fashion, Personal & Professional Development, Asian Languages & Studies, Medical Imaging, Biomedical Engineering, Nutrition & Dietetics, Zoology & Animal Biology, Ecology & Conservation and 16 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 Leeds579 courses · 13 scholarshipsBrowse Courses