This is a list of universities in the United Kingdom (alphabetically by substantive name). Below that are lists of university colleges and other recognised bodies (institutions with degree awarding powers), followed by a list of defunct institutions.

Universities alphabetically

This list follows the list of recognised bodies on the UK government website. All the institutions on this list are recognised bodies with university status, indicated either by their use of university title in their name on the recognised bodies list or by reference to the Office for Students database for the few universities that do not use the title in their name. Member institutions of the University of London are listed here if they hold university status.

University college

This is a list of university colleges in the UK. Institutions included on this list are university colleges that are recognised bodies with their own degree awarding powers; it does not include institutions with “university college” in their title that are listed bodies as parts of a university or other institutions with “university college” in their title. Separate citations are given for institutions that have been awarded university college title recently and are not yet shown under that name on the recognised bodies list or which do not use the title in their name.

Member institutions of the University of London

All member institutions of the University of London are recognised bodies as institutions that have the right to grant University of London degrees. Some also hold their own degree awarding powers and, since the passing of the University of London Act 2018, can apply for university status in their own right without leaving the federal university. Member institutions that are also universities in their own right are listed both here and in the list of universities above.

Other recognised bodies

This section lists other education institutions that hold their own degree awarding powers but are neither universities (or colleges of the University of London) nor university colleges.

Recognised bodies that can only award foundation degrees

These institutions are recognised bodies with foundation degrees awarding powers only.

Defunct university institutions

This section lists defunct universities, university colleges, polytechnics and colleges of federal universities.

University of Durham:
- Armstrong College, Durham – Merged with University of Durham College of Medicine to form King’s College, Durham (now Newcastle University)
- University of Durham College of Medicine – Merged with Armstrong College, Durham to form King’s College, Durham (now Newcastle University)
Fraserburgh University, Aberdeenshire (1592–1605)
University of Glamorgan, Cardiff, Trefforest and Glyntaff – Merged with University of Wales, Newportto form University of South Wales
King’s College, Aberdeen – Merged with Marischal College, Aberdeen to form University of Aberdeen
University of London:
- Bedford College, London – Merged with Royal Holloway College to form Royal Holloway and Bedford New College (now Royal Holloway, University of London)
- Heythrop College– closed 2018
- Westfield College, London – Merged with Queen Mary, University of London
- Wye College– Merged with Imperial College
London Guildhall University– Merged with University of North London to form London Metropolitan University
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology(UMIST) – Merged to form University of Manchester
Marischal College, Aberdeen (1593–1858) – Merged with King’s College, Aberdeen to form University of Aberdeen
Mason Science College, Birmingham – Merged to form Mason College, now the University of Birmingham
University of North London– Merged with London Guildhall University to form London Metropolitan University
University of Northampton(1261–1265) (not to be confused with the current University of Northampton, which has no direct connection with the medieval foundation)
Queen’s University of Ireland, Belfast, Cork and Galway – Closed, replaced by Royal University of Ireland
Royal University of Ireland, Belfast, Cork and Galway – Closed, replaced by National University of Ireland
University College Salford– Merged with the University of Salford
University College Scarborough– taken over by University of Hull
University of Stamford(1333-1335)
Federal University of Surrey– Divided into University of Surrey and Roehampton University
Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College, Farnham and Epsom – Merged to form University for the Creative Arts
Swansea Metropolitan University– Merged with University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Trinity University College, Carmarthen – Merged with University of Wales, Lampeterto form University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Ulster Polytechnic– Merged with New University of Ulster to form University of Ulster
New University of Ulster– Merged with Ulster Polytechnic to form University of Ulster
Victoria University, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds – Merged with Owen’s College, Manchester, to form Victoria University of Manchester; Other colleges become University of Leedsand University of Liverpool
Victoria University of Manchester– Merged to form Manchester University
University of Wales:
- University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff – merged with Cardiff University
- University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, Cardiff – Merged with University of Wales College Cardiff to form University of Wales, Cardiff (now Cardiff University)
- University of Wales Lampeter– Merged with Trinity University College to form University of Wales Trinity Saint David
- University of Wales, Newport– Merged with University of Glamorgan to form University of South Wales

Foreign universities with campuses in the United Kingdom

While based in the UK, these are not considered UK universities and are not recognised as UK degree-awarding bodies by the British government unless separately listed in one of the categories above.

There are 40 “Overseas Higher Education Institutions” that have been approved for student visa purposes by the UK Government as offering “an overseas course of degree level study that’s equal to a UK higher education course”. There are also two branches of overseas universities that are “listed bodies”, offering courses leading to a UK degree from a “registered body”. he following are approved overseas higher education institutions and foreign universities that are listed bodies in the UK, with their UK locations:

Advanced Studies in England Ltd, Bath
American University of the Caribbean, Southall
Amity University [IN] London, London (listed body providing courses leading to UK degrees from the University of Northamptonand the University of Bolton)
Arcadia University, Holborn
Boston UniversityLondon Programme, London
Central University of Iowa, London
Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Oxford
Florida State UniversityInternational Programs Association UK, London
Fordham University, London
Georgetown University(USA) UK Initiatives Organisation, London
Girne American University Canterbury, Canterbury
Global Education Oregon in London, London
Grinnell College(Grinnell-in-London), London
Harding University, London
Harlaxton College, Grantham (part of the University of Evansville)
Hollins University, London
Bader International Study Centre, Hailsham (part of Queen’s University at Kingstonin Canada)
Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin, Belfast
Ithaca College, London
James Madison University, London
Lawrence UniversityLondon Centre
Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, London
Luther CollegeStudy Centre, Nottingham
MUN (UK) Ltd, Old Harlow (part of Memorial University)
NYUin London, London
Northeastern University – London(part of Northeastern University in the US)
Pepperdine UniversityUK Ltd, London
Randolph College, Reading
Samford UniversityLondon Study Centre, London
St George’s International School of Medicine Ltd, Winchester
St Cloud State University, Alnwick
Lawrence University(USA) London Programme, London
Stetson College of LawAutumn in London Program, London
Syracuse UniversityLondon Program, London
Teikyo University of Japan in Durham, Durham
The Aga Khan University(International) in the United Kingdom, London
University of Chicago Booth School of Business, London
University of North Carolina, London
University of Notre Dame, London
Valparaiso UniversityStudy Center, Cambridge
Wisconsin in Scotland Trust, Dalkeith (part of University of Wisconsin, River Falls)
Wroxton College of Fairleigh Dickinson University, Banbury

Universities in British Overseas Territories

Universities in British Overseas Territories are not considered UK Universities and are not recognised as UK degree-awarding bodies by the British government.

Universities List