Best universities in the UK for physical science degrees 2025

Discover the ��Vlog rankings for the best physical science schools in the UK 2025.
This list highlights the top-ranked universities for physics and maths in the UK, based on the ��Vlog Subject Rankings: Physical Sciences 2025. These rankings provide valuable insights into the leading institutions for physical sciences education and research.
A total of 57 UK universities have been ranked for their excellence in teaching, research, industry collaboration, and international outlook.
The rankings are based on a rigorous methodology designed by ��Vlog’s data experts, ensuring accuracy and reliability for students, academics, and industry leaders worldwide.

July 8 2025

Top universities in the UK for physics and maths 2025

UK Physical Sciences Rank 2025	Global Physical Sciences Rank 2025	University	Overall	Research Quality	Industry	International Outlook	Research Environment	Teaching
1	7	University of Cambridge	95.4	95.7	88.4	95.9	99.2	92.3
2	8	University of Oxford	94.7	94.7	84.3	95.6	97.7	92.9
3	14	Imperial College London	89.6	90.4	73.7	95.9	91.8	87.1
4	38	UCL	75.4	92.6	69.1	96.1	62.3	61
5	40	University of Edinburgh	74.8	88.7	68.9	95.9	63.9	62.2
6	55	University of Manchester	71	87.4	72.5	93.5	62.6	51.1
7	63	University of Bristol	67.9	89.3	69.9	86.1	52.7	49.4
8	=92	King’s College London	62.3	88.5	68.7	96.6	40.7	38.7
9	100	University of Southampton	61.3	79.4	70.3	94.9	47.1	40.8
=10	101–125	Durham University	59.1–61.1	82.5	66.8	85	40.4	43.2
=10	101–125	University of Birmingham	59.1–61.1	88.6	66.4	90.5	36.1	34.3
=10	101–125	University of Exeter	59.1–61.1	95.3	59.7	86	35	27.6
=10	101–125	University of Leeds	59.1–61.1	80.2	69.7	90.2	44.9	40.7
=10	101–125	University of Reading	59.1–61.1	83.6	84.9	87.4	38	37.1
=10	101–125	University of Warwick	59.1–61.1	75.2	70.2	94.9	47.7	44.7
=16	126–150	University of Liverpool	56.0–59.0	82.3	61.3	94	32.2	33.5
=16	126–150	University of Sheffield	56.0–59.0	85.5	67.5	83.7	34.4	34.5
=16	126–150	University of St Andrews	56.0–59.0	75.3	71.3	93.4	37.2	40.2
=19	151–175	Queen Mary University of London	54.4–55.9	87.3	63.1	96.4	26.4	27.7
=19	151–175	Queen’s University Belfast	54.4–55.9	85.8	74	97.7	26.4	25.9
=19	151–175	University of Glasgow	54.4–55.9	78.9	69.4	92.8	34.8	32.8
=19	151–175	University of Nottingham	54.4–55.9	83.7	70.2	84.7	33.2	31.6
=19	151–175	University of Sussex	54.4–55.9	93.3	69.8	95.1	20.8	24
24	176–200	Cardiff University	52.6–54.3	84.5	68.3	89.3	26.1	26.8
=25	201–250	Lancaster University	49.7–52.5	81.9	53.6	91.6	24	29.2
=25	201–250	Newcastle University	49.7–52.5	86.9	70.2	76.3	23.3	18.7
=25	201–250	Swansea University	49.7–52.5	86.4	55.6	83.3	25.9	22.4
=25	201–250	University of Leicester	49.7–52.5	82.5	56.1	88.9	26.1	23.1
=25	201–250	University of Surrey	49.7–52.5	82.5	73.6	92.5	24.3	25.9
=30	251–300	Bangor University	47.1–49.6	78.5	54.8	83.1	21.3	25.1
=30	251–300	Brunel University of London	47.1–49.6	80	52.4	96.7	18.8	17.6
=30	251–300	Royal Holloway, University of London	47.1–49.6	81.7	49.3	89.1	21.2	20.3
=30	251–300	University of Aberdeen	47.1–49.6	65.3	92.7	95.6	27.8	25.8
=30	251–300	University of East Anglia	47.1–49.6	83.2	51.2	80.5	20.8	20.9
=30	251–300	University of Portsmouth	47.1–49.6	87.5	53.4	92.8	14.9	17.7
=36	301–400	Heriot-Watt University	42.4–46.9	61.3	78	91.1	26.1	25.8
=36	301–400	Liverpool John Moores University	42.4–46.9	86.9	41	79.2	15.3	15.2
=36	301–400	Loughborough University	42.4–46.9	65.8	66.4	81.3	19.4	23.3
��	301–400	Manchester Metropolitan University	42.4–46.9	83.5	37.7	79.9	11.9	12.6
=36	301–400	Northumbria University	42.4–46.9	81.3	38.1	85.9	18.7	15.9
=36	301–400	Nottingham Trent University	42.4–46.9	78.9	39.7	86	9.4	17.6
=36	301–400	University of Bath	42.4–46.9	66.6	66.7	79.6	25.2	28.4
=36	301–400	University of Greenwich	42.4–46.9	77.5	43.3	91.1	11.9	19.9
=36	301–400	University of Hertfordshire	42.4–46.9	77.8	32.6	97.6	12.2	20.1
=36	301–400	University of Hull	42.4–46.9	72.4	63.7	83.5	18	19.1
=36	301–400	University of Plymouth	42.4–46.9	82.2	41.9	73.7	14.9	14.9
=36	301–400	University of Stirling	42.4–46.9	76.2	31.7	90.7	13.8	16.5
=36	301–400	University of Strathclyde	42.4–46.9	66.6	78.8	84.3	25.5	25.5
=36	301–400	University of York	42.4–46.9	62.3	64.1	81.5	26.5	31.7
=49	401–500	Aberystwyth University	39.7–42.3	65.5	47.1	75.9	19.8	17.6
=49	401–500	London School of Economics and Political Science	39.7–42.3	67.3	19.5	93.3	14.9	25.4
=49	401–500	SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College)	39.7–42.3	78.1	20.1	74.8	9.1	19.3
=49	401–500	University of the West of Scotland	39.7–42.3	75.5	33.9	79.2	11.7	16.6
=53	601–800	Birkbeck, University of London	32.1–36.5	50.3	55.8	91.7	14.8	20.9
=53	601–800	The Open University	32.1–36.5	61.8	31.3	66.7	11.5	14.7
=53	601–800	University of Kent	32.1–36.5	47.5	54.3	84.7	12.5	15.2
=53	601–800	UWE Bristol (University of the West of England)	32.1–36.5	57.2	37.1	63.9	11	16.1
57	801–1000	Keele University	26.1–32.0	50.1	42.9	78.6	8.8	13.8

Key Insights into the best universities for physics and maths in the UK 2025

The University of Cambridge is the top university in the UK for the physical sciences.
The top 10 contains three universities based in London, as well as universities in Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol.��
Some 57 universities in the UK are ranked in total.��
The physical sciences ranking ranks universities that offer courses in physics, chemistry, astronomy, maths, statistics, geology, environmental, earth and marine sciences.��

Choosing the right university for physical sciences in the UK

Choosing the best school for physics, chemistry or maths is a crucial step for prospective students. The ��Vlog Physical Science Rankings help identify universities with strong reputations in teaching, research, and industry collaboration.

The table for the best universities for physical sciences in the UK was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research environment, teaching (the learning environment), research quality, industry and international outlook. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.��

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