Best UK universities for history research
Ranked by the share of research rated world-leading (4★) in the REF 2021 — UoA 28: History.
| # | University | World-leading (4★) | Internationally excellent (3★) | FTE staff submitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Kent Canterbury | 72.0% | 21.0% | 34.8 |
| 2 | University of Leicester Leicester | 64.0% | 30.0% | 31.4 |
| 3 | Birkbeck, University of London London | 63.0% | 20.0% | 41.6 |
| 4 | Queen Mary University of London London | 61.0% | 25.0% | 45.3 |
| 5 | UCL (University College London) London | 60.0% | 31.0% | 52.1 |
| 6 | University of East Anglia UEA Norwich | 59.0% | 34.0% | 39.7 |
| 7 | University of Manchester Manchester | 59.0% | 32.0% | 44.0 |
| 8 | University of Lincoln Lincoln | 59.0% | 28.0% | 24.1 |
| 9 | University of Exeter Exeter | 58.0% | 32.0% | 60.0 |
| 10 | University of York York | 58.0% | 27.0% | 45.4 |
| 11 | King's College London, University of London Westminster | 55.0% | 31.0% | 84.3 |
| 12 | University of Sussex Brighton | 54.0% | 35.0% | 30.1 |
| 13 | University of Glasgow Glasgow | 53.0% | 38.0% | 63.5 |
| 14 | University of St Andrews St Andrews | 53.0% | 36.0% | 50.6 |
| 15 | University of Oxford Oxford | 53.0% | 33.0% | 172.8 |
| 16 | University of Hull Hull | 53.0% | 31.0% | 16.0 |
| 17 | University of Warwick Coventry | 51.0% | 41.0% | 53.5 |
| 18 | Durham University Durham | 50.0% | 37.0% | 54.6 |
| 19 | University of Birmingham Birmingham | 49.0% | 45.0% | 43.2 |
| 20 | University of Southampton Southampton | 48.0% | 46.0% | 38.8 |
| 21 | The University of Edinburgh Edinburgh | 48.0% | 31.0% | 75.2 |
| 22 | London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London Westminster | 47.6% | 34.5% | 44.1 |
| 23 | University of Cambridge Cambridge | 46.0% | 34.0% | 135.5 |
| 24 | University of Bristol Bristol | 45.0% | 46.0% | 44.9 |
| 25 | University of Stirling Stirling | 45.0% | 27.0% | 22.2 |
| 26 | Queen's University Belfast Belfast | 44.0% | 41.0% | 34.0 |
| 27 | Royal Holloway, University of London Egham | 43.0% | 42.0% | 45.3 |
| 28 | Open University Milton Keynes | 43.0% | 34.0% | 18.4 |
| 29 | University of Liverpool Liverpool | 42.0% | 43.0% | 32.3 |
| 30 | Nottingham Trent University Nottingham | 41.0% | 42.0% | 12.3 |
| 31 | University of Leeds Leeds | 41.0% | 33.0% | 40.8 |
| 32 | University of Nottingham Nottingham | 40.0% | 50.0% | 40.8 |
| 33 | Lancaster University Lancaster | 40.0% | 47.0% | 25.2 |
| 34 | Northumbria University, Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne | 39.0% | 42.0% | 37.9 |
| 35 | University of Strathclyde Glasgow | 39.0% | 40.0% | 17.8 |
| 36 | University of Hertfordshire Hatfield | 38.0% | 44.0% | 14.0 |
| 37 | University of Sheffield Sheffield | 37.0% | 48.0% | 38.7 |
| 38 | SOAS University of London Camden | 37.0% | 42.0% | 25.0 |
| 39 | Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge | 36.0% | 44.0% | 5.0 |
| 40 | Keele University Keele | 36.0% | 22.0% | 14.2 |
| 41 | Swansea University Swansea | 35.0% | 41.0% | 34.3 |
| 42 | University of Roehampton Wandsworth | 32.0% | 43.0% | 19.0 |
| 43 | Cardiff University Cardiff | 32.0% | 41.0% | 48.5 |
| 44 | University of Reading Reading | 32.0% | 41.0% | 16.8 |
| 45 | Goldsmiths, University of London Lewisham | 32.0% | 38.0% | 15.5 |
| 46 | University of Aberdeen Aberdeen | 30.0% | 34.0% | 26.5 |
| 47 | University of Plymouth Plymouth | 29.0% | 55.0% | 11.5 |
| 48 | Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester | 27.0% | 56.0% | 34.9 |
| 49 | De Montfort University Leicester | 26.0% | 46.0% | 15.3 |
| 50 | University of Essex Colchester | 25.0% | 61.0% | 17.5 |
Source: REF 2021 Overall profile — results2021.ref.ac.uk. 4★ research is "world-leading"; 3★ is "internationally excellent".