{"id":233218,"date":"2024-03-25T12:01:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-25T12:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gostudyin.com\/uk\/study-info\/russell-group-universities\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T10:59:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T10:59:51","slug":"russell-group-universities","status":"publish","type":"gsi_study_info","link":"https:\/\/gostudyin.com\/uk\/study-in-uk\/study-info\/russell-group-universities\/","title":{"rendered":"Russell Group Universities List 2027: All 24 UK Members Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Russell Group is an association of 24 research-intensive UK universities<\/a>, including Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, UCL, and the London School of Economics. Founded in 1994, its members produce most of the UK’s world-leading research, and four of them rank in the global top 10 of the QS World University Rankings 2027.<\/p>\n

For international students, the Russell Group is a useful shorthand for research strength, academic reputation, and selective entry. This guide gives you the full Russell Group universities list for 2027, their latest rankings, entry requirements, and costs, as well as which popular universities aren’t members.<\/p>\n

Get Expert Help Choosing Your University<\/a><\/div>\n
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What Is the Russell Group?<\/h2>\n

The Russell Group is a self-selected group of 24 leading UK universities that share a focus on world-class research, excellent teaching, and strong links with industry and the public sector. It was founded in 1994, when 17 vice-chancellors met at the Hotel Russell in London, and the group has since grown to 24 members.<\/p>\n

It’s important to know that the Russell Group isn’t a ranking or an official government category. It’s a membership organisation that represents its universities’ interests. However, all Russell Group universities are classed as high-tariff by the UK’s Department for Education, meaning their entry requirements sit in the top third of UK universities.<\/p>\n

List of Russell Group Universities for 2027<\/h2>\n

The table below lists all 24 Russell Group universities in alphabetical order, with their location and UK nation.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
University<\/th>\nCity<\/th>\nNation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
University of Birmingham<\/a><\/td>\nBirmingham<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Bristol<\/a><\/td>\nBristol<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Cambridge<\/a><\/td>\nCambridge<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cardiff University<\/a><\/td>\nCardiff<\/td>\nWales<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Durham University<\/a><\/td>\nDurham<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Edinburgh<\/a><\/td>\nEdinburgh<\/td>\nScotland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Exeter<\/a><\/td>\nExeter<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Glasgow<\/a><\/td>\nGlasgow<\/td>\nScotland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Imperial College London<\/a><\/td>\nLondon<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
King’s College London<\/a><\/td>\nLondon<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Leeds<\/a><\/td>\nLeeds<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Liverpool<\/a><\/td>\nLiverpool<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)<\/a><\/td>\nLondon<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Manchester<\/a><\/td>\nManchester<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Newcastle University<\/a><\/td>\nNewcastle<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Nottingham<\/a><\/td>\nNottingham<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Oxford<\/a><\/td>\nOxford<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Queen Mary University of London<\/a><\/td>\nLondon<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Queen’s University Belfast<\/a><\/td>\nBelfast<\/td>\nNorthern Ireland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Sheffield<\/a><\/td>\nSheffield<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Southampton<\/a><\/td>\nSouthampton<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University College London (UCL)<\/a><\/td>\nLondon<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of Warwick<\/a><\/td>\nCoventry<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
University of York<\/a><\/td>\nYork<\/td>\nEngland<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

How Many Russell Group Universities Are There in the UK?<\/h3>\n

There are 24 Russell Group universities across all four UK nations. Twenty are in England, two are in Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow), one is in Wales (Cardiff), and one is in Northern Ireland (Queen’s University Belfast). London alone has five members: Imperial, King’s College London, LSE, Queen Mary, and UCL.<\/p>\n

Which Russell Group Universities Rank Highest in the QS World University Rankings 2027?<\/h2>\n

Russell Group members dominate the UK’s places in global league tables. Four members rank in the world’s top 10 in the QS World University Rankings 2027, and 16 of the UK’s top 20 QS-ranked universities are Russell Group members.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
QS World Rank 2027<\/th>\nRussell Group University<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
2<\/td>\nImperial College London<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nUniversity of Oxford<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nUniversity of Cambridge<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nUniversity College London (UCL)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
35<\/td>\nUniversity of Edinburgh<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
37<\/td>\nKing’s College London<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
40<\/td>\nUniversity of Manchester<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
57<\/td>\nUniversity of Bristol<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
62<\/td>\nLondon School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
=68<\/td>\nUniversity of Birmingham and University of Warwick<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Rankings are a starting point, not a final answer. Subject rankings, graduate outcomes, and scholarship availability for your course often matter more than a university’s overall position. You can compare institutions further in our guide to the best UK universities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why Are Russell Group Universities Important for International Students?<\/h2>\n

Russell Group universities concentrate much of the UK’s research activity, which shapes the teaching, facilities, and opportunities you’ll have access to. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF), Russell Group universities accounted for 52% of all research submitted and produced 65% of the UK’s world-leading (4*) research, despite making up only around 15% of UK higher education institutions.<\/p>\n

For international students, that research intensity brings practical benefits:<\/p>\n