Best UK universities for law research
Ranked by the share of research rated world-leading (4★) in the REF 2021 — UoA 18: Law.
| # | University | World-leading (4★) | Internationally excellent (3★) | FTE staff submitted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UCL (University College London) London | 68.0% | 26.0% | 59.1 |
| 2 | University of Kent Canterbury | 63.0% | 27.0% | 45.2 |
| 3 | University of Bristol Bristol | 59.0% | 34.0% | 63.5 |
| 4 | University of Glasgow Glasgow | 59.0% | 31.0% | 58.5 |
| 5 | University of Leeds Leeds | 58.0% | 34.0% | 60.3 |
| 6 | The University of Edinburgh Edinburgh | 57.0% | 29.0% | 74.1 |
| 7 | University of Oxford Oxford | 55.0% | 28.0% | 138.2 |
| 8 | Queen's University Belfast Belfast | 54.0% | 33.0% | 45.0 |
| 9 | University of Warwick Coventry | 53.0% | 36.0% | 47.0 |
| 10 | University of Birmingham Birmingham | 53.0% | 34.0% | 45.2 |
| 11 | London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London Westminster | 53.0% | 33.0% | 59.2 |
| 12 | Cardiff University Cardiff | 53.0% | 30.0% | 49.2 |
| 13 | Durham University Durham | 50.0% | 38.0% | 54.0 |
| 14 | University of Cambridge Cambridge | 50.0% | 37.0% | 113.0 |
| 15 | Queen Mary University of London London | 47.0% | 40.0% | 79.4 |
| 16 | King's College London, University of London Westminster | 47.0% | 37.0% | 74.3 |
| 17 | University of Essex Colchester | 46.0% | 40.0% | 81.9 |
| 18 | Ulster University Coleraine | 46.0% | 36.0% | 14.7 |
| 19 | University of Exeter Exeter | 46.0% | 35.0% | 52.9 |
| 20 | SOAS University of London Camden | 45.0% | 55.0% | 23.6 |
| 21 | University of Sheffield Sheffield | 43.0% | 48.0% | 34.5 |
| 22 | University of Nottingham Nottingham | 43.0% | 42.0% | 51.0 |
| 23 | University of Liverpool Liverpool | 40.0% | 46.0% | 57.0 |
| 24 | Nottingham Trent University Nottingham | 39.0% | 56.0% | 18.1 |
| 25 | University of York York | 38.0% | 45.0% | 27.3 |
| 26 | Lancaster University Lancaster | 37.0% | 44.0% | 37.9 |
| 27 | Bristol, UWE Bristol | 37.0% | 38.0% | 6.0 |
| 28 | University of Southampton Southampton | 35.0% | 46.0% | 31.8 |
| 29 | University of Strathclyde Glasgow | 34.0% | 47.0% | 28.0 |
| 30 | University of Sussex Brighton | 34.0% | 43.0% | 55.9 |
| 31 | University of Aberdeen Aberdeen | 32.0% | 45.0% | 41.0 |
| 32 | University of Surrey Guildford | 32.0% | 38.0% | 20.0 |
| 33 | University of Greenwich Greenwich | 31.0% | 24.0% | 17.0 |
| 34 | Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne | 30.0% | 47.0% | 34.6 |
| 35 | Aberystwyth University Wales | 29.0% | 21.0% | 12.6 |
| 36 | University of Manchester Manchester | 27.0% | 55.0% | 52.8 |
| 37 | University of Plymouth Plymouth | 27.0% | 41.0% | 15.0 |
| 38 | Brunel University of London Uxbridge | 26.0% | 34.0% | 38.5 |
| 39 | Edge Hill University Ormskirk | 25.0% | 44.0% | 18.0 |
| 40 | University of Stirling Stirling | 24.0% | 58.0% | 13.2 |
| 41 | City (City St George's, University of London) City of London | 24.0% | 43.0% | 30.6 |
| 42 | University of Lincoln Lincoln | 23.0% | 39.0% | 13.0 |
| 43 | Birkbeck, University of London London | 22.0% | 49.0% | 44.1 |
| 44 | University of East Anglia UEA Norwich | 22.0% | 42.0% | 23.4 |
| 45 | University of Reading Reading | 21.0% | 51.0% | 27.5 |
| 46 | Oxford Brookes University Oxford | 21.0% | 46.0% | 15.3 |
| 47 | University of Dundee Dundee | 21.0% | 33.0% | 26.8 |
| 48 | University of Portsmouth Portsmouth | 21.0% | 23.0% | 19.6 |
| 49 | University of Leicester Leicester | 20.0% | 48.0% | 48.6 |
| 50 | Middlesex University Barnet | 20.0% | 24.0% | 31.1 |
Source: REF 2021 Overall profile — results2021.ref.ac.uk. 4★ research is "world-leading"; 3★ is "internationally excellent".