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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 Leicester

Leicester · QS World #314

Head-to-Head Summary

Based on 12 datapoints

We looked at 12 data points — world rankings, student satisfaction, graduate salaries, employment rates, and more — to see which university scores higher in each category.

10/12

Birmingham

scored higher in 10 categories

VS

2/12

Leicester

scored higher in 2 categories

Quick Verdict

University of Birmingham leads in 10 of 12 categories where both have data (ranking, Russell Group, established, satisfaction, employment, international, graduate salary, courses). University of Leicester is ahead on TEF, scholarship.

University of Birmingham vs University of Leicester at a glance

University of Birmingham and University of Leicester both teach 58 subject areas, the largest being Law, Politics & International Relations and History. University of Birmingham offers 663 courses across 101 subject areas; University of Leicester offers 351 courses across 72 subject areas.

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £27,090 a year at University of Birmingham and £25,100 at University of Leicester: University of Leicester is about £1,990 a year cheaper.

Of the 34 subject areas both teach where each publishes a graduate salary, University of Birmingham is higher in 26 and University of Leicester in 6, with 2 about level. The widest gap is in Accounting: £37,000 three years after graduating from University of Birmingham, against £27,500 from University of Leicester. Of the 32 subject areas both teach where each publishes a student satisfaction score, University of Leicester is higher in 22 and University of Birmingham in 9, with 1 about level.

World & National Rankings

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

#68
QS World
#314
#98
THE World
#192
#18
Guardian UK
#30
1900
Established
1921
Yes
Russell Group
No
Silver
TEF Rating
Gold

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 Leicester

86.7%
86.2%

Satisfaction

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

£38,700
£35,400

Graduate Salaries (5y)

Median graduate salary 5 years after graduation

83.3%
79%

Employment

Graduate employment rate

31.2%
19.3%

International

International student share

663
351

Course Counts

Number of courses offered

3
28

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

Leicester

81 countries · 19.3% international

  • 🇮🇳India36.3%
  • 🇨🇦Canada14.8%
  • 🇨🇳China9.4%
  • 🇳🇬Nigeria5.9%
  • 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates1.9%

Subjects

58 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 Leicester

Also taught at both: Media & Film Studies, Finance & Actuarial Science, General Engineering, Marketing, Civil Engineering, Microbiology & Cell Biology, Psychology (General), Economics, Electronic & Electrical Engineering, Classical Studies, Geography (General), History of Art & Design, Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, Medicine, Aerospace Engineering, Archaeology, Business Studies, Environmental Sciences, English Studies, Management, Accounting, Applied Psychology, Biochemistry, Linguistics, Adult Nursing, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Creative Writing, English Literature, Human Geography & Environment, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Software Engineering, Genetics & Genomics, Physical Geography & Climate, Social Sciences (General), Biotechnology, Human Resource Management, Statistics, Anatomy & Pathology, Children's Nursing, Film Production & Cinematography, Midwifery.

Only at University of Birmingham

Only at University of Leicester

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 Leicester
£25,100

University of Leicester is about £1,990 a year cheaper.

Postgraduate

University of Birmingham
£23,390
University of Leicester
No data

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

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 Leicester

  • Law

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£25,000
    83%Satisfaction85%

  • Politics & International Relations

    £28,000Salary (3 years)£26,500
    86%Satisfaction92%

  • History

    £26,000Salary (3 years)£24,000
    89%Satisfaction94%

  • Business & Management (General)

    £35,000Salary (3 years)£27,500
    79%Satisfaction82%

  • Biological Sciences (General)

    £27,000Salary (3 years)£26,500
    88%Satisfaction90%

  • Computer Science

    £40,000Salary (3 years)£36,000
    93%Satisfaction83%

  • Physics

    £32,500Salary (3 years)£28,000
    93%Satisfaction90%

  • Mathematics

    £31,000Salary (3 years)£33,000
    85%Satisfaction79%

  • Sociology & Criminology

    £25,000Salary (3 years)£24,000
    83%Satisfaction82%

  • Chemistry

    £27,000Salary (3 years)£25,500
    93%Satisfaction96%

  • Geology & Earth Sciences

    £26,500Salary (3 years)£25,000
    91%Satisfaction96%

  • Ancient Languages

    £27,500Salary (3 years)£25,000
    91%Satisfaction97%

Showing the 12 largest of 35 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 Leicester

International Undergraduate Tuition Fee Waiver

100%

Deadline: N/A

ULSB International Deans Scholarship

£8,000

Deadline: N/A

Leicester-King Power Thai Scholarship

£5,000

Deadline: N/A

International Postgraduate Taught Merit Scholarship

£5,000

Deadline: N/A

International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship

£5,000

Deadline: N/A

View all scholarships →

FAQ

University of Birmingham vs University of Leicester: common questions

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

For undergraduate study, the typical published international fee is £27,090 a year at University of Birmingham and £25,100 at University of Leicester: University of Leicester is about £1,990 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 Leicester?

Both universities teach 58 subject areas: Law, Politics & International Relations, History, Business & Management (General), Biological Sciences (General), Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Sociology & Criminology, Chemistry, Geology & Earth Sciences, Ancient Languages and 46 more.

Is University of Birmingham or University of Leicester better for Law?

Law graduates earn a median £27,500 three years after graduating from University of Birmingham, and £25,000 from University of Leicester. Student satisfaction with teaching is 83% at University of Birmingham and 85% at University of Leicester. Figures are medians across each university's undergraduate courses in the subject, from Discover Uni.

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

University of Birmingham lists 663 courses on CourseOptions and University of Leicester lists 351 courses.

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

University of Birmingham teaches 43 subject areas that University of Leicester does not, including Philosophy, Teacher Training, International Development, Sport & Exercise Sciences, Music, Education Studies, Theology & Religious Studies, Chemical Engineering and 35 more.

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

University of Leicester teaches 14 subject areas that University of Birmingham does not, including Biomedical Engineering, Journalism, Information & Library Studies, Applied Computing, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Business Information Systems, Cultural Studies, Forensic 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 Leicester351 courses · 28 scholarshipsBrowse Courses