City, UOL - 5th in London for career prospects (Guardian Uni Guide '24)

Top universities for English Language and Literature

Explore the best universities for English Language and Literature degrees with our rankings table. See which students rate highly and have the highest levels of employment after graduation.

Search English Language and Literature Courses

English Language and Literature Rankings

Scroll right to see all our ranking criteria

2024	UNIVERSITY	2024	SATISFACTION	REFLECTIONS	OUTCOMES	RESEARCH QUALITY
1st	Uni of Reading University of Reading View All Courses	1st	4.17 / 5	87 / 100	89 / 100	11.57
2nd	Sheffield Hallam Uni Sheffield Hallam University View All Courses	2nd	4.19 / 5	87 / 100	88 / 100	10.12
3rd	Uni of Nottingham University of Nottingham View All Courses	3rd	4.20 / 5	87 / 100	86 / 100	7.16
4th	Aston Uni Aston University View All Courses	4th	4.19 / 5	87 / 100	88 / 100	—
5th	Uni of Liverpool University of Liverpool View All Courses	5th	4.36 / 5	85 / 100	90 / 100	8.25
6th	Newcastle Uni Newcastle University View All Courses	6th	4.17 / 5	85 / 100	83 / 100	8.04
7th	Uni of Bolton University of Bolton View All Courses	7th	3.88 / 5	88 / 100	75 / 100	40.63
8th	London Met Uni London Metropolitan University View All Courses	8th	3.82 / 5	82 / 100	67 / 100	—
9th	Cardiff Met Uni Cardiff Metropolitan University View All Courses	9th	4.21 / 5	89 / 100	100 / 100	—
10th	Aberystwyth Uni Aberystwyth University View All Courses	10th	4.14 / 5	82 / 100	83 / 100	25.79
11th	Uni of Sheffield University of Sheffield View All Courses	11th	4.32 / 5	86 / 100	87 / 100	6.93
12th	Liverpool JM Liverpool John Moores University View All Courses	12th	4.28 / 5	86 / 100	82 / 100	13.71
13th	Uni of Bristol University of Bristol View All Courses	13th	4.21 / 5	83 / 100	83 / 100	8.16
14th	Swansea Uni Swansea University View All Courses	14th	4.26 / 5	85 / 100	83 / 100	14.05
15th	Uni of York University of York View All Courses	15th	4.16 / 5	83 / 100	89 / 100	8.39
16th	Uni of Derby University of Derby View All Courses	16th	3.91 / 5	86 / 100	75 / 100	—
17th	Queens Uni Queen's University, Belfast View All Courses	17th	4.04 / 5	87 / 100	85 / 100	8.64
18th	Leeds Beckett Uni Leeds Beckett University View All Courses	18th	4.17 / 5	85 / 100	90 / 100	20.15
19th	Coventry Uni Coventry University View All Courses	19th	3.90 / 5	83 / 100	78 / 100	—
20th	Loughborough Uni Loughborough University View All Courses	20th	4.23 / 5	86 / 100	88 / 100	9.97
21st	Lancaster Uni Lancaster University View All Courses	21st	3.95 / 5	85 / 100	88 / 100	10.12
22nd	Nottingham Trent Nottingham Trent University View All Courses	22nd	4.32 / 5	83 / 100	75 / 100	16.72
23rd	Anglia Ruskin Uni Anglia Ruskin University ARU View All Courses	23rd	4.20 / 5	86 / 100	100 / 100	19.51
24th	The Uni of Salford University of Salford View All Courses	24th	4.03 / 5	84 / 100	89 / 100	18.53
25th	Northumbria Uni Northumbria University View All Courses	25th	4.23 / 5	85 / 100	91 / 100	7.46
26th	Manchester Met Uni Manchester Metropolitan University View All Courses	26th	4.08 / 5	84 / 100	86 / 100	6.27
27th	Uni of Portsmouth University of Portsmouth View All Courses	27th	4.13 / 5	84 / 100	87 / 100	10.52
28th	Uni of Birmingham University of Birmingham View All Courses	28th	4.25 / 5	87 / 100	88 / 100	4.75
29th	Uni of Leeds University of Leeds View All Courses	29th	4.20 / 5	84 / 100	85 / 100	7.41
30th	Liverpool Hope Uni Liverpool Hope University View All Courses	30th	4.11 / 5	88 / 100	100 / 100	19.20
31st	Uni of Greenwich University of Greenwich View All Courses	31st	4.01 / 5	84 / 100	89 / 100	19.49
32nd	UCL UCL, University of London View All Courses	32nd	4.12 / 5	87 / 100	83 / 100	10.81
33rd	Uni of Winchester University of Winchester View All Courses	33rd	3.89 / 5	85 / 100	90 / 100	33.03
34th	Oxford Brookes Oxford Brookes University View All Courses	34th	4.04 / 5	84 / 100	87 / 100	16.62
35th	Bangor Uni Bangor University View All Courses	35th	3.99 / 5	84 / 100	85 / 100	16.33
36th	Uni of Worcester University of Worcester View All Courses	36th	4.02 / 5	89 / 100	80 / 100	16.85
37th	Uni of Oxford University of Oxford View All Courses	37th	4.26 / 5	86 / 100	83 / 100	3.08
38th	Cardiff Uni Cardiff University View All Courses	38th	4.23 / 5	86 / 100	83 / 100	5.43
39th	Uni of Strathclyde University of Strathclyde View All Courses	39th	4.03 / 5	87 / 100	93 / 100	13.64
40th	Uni of Chester University of Chester View All Courses	40th	4.13 / 5	87 / 100	86 / 100	14.18
41st	Uni of Exeter University of Exeter View All Courses	41st	4.23 / 5	85 / 100	85 / 100	4.59
42nd	Uni of Surrey University of Surrey View All Courses	42nd	4.21 / 5	88 / 100	92 / 100	8.89
43rd	Bournemouth Uni Bournemouth University View All Courses	43rd	4.14 / 5	84 / 100	89 / 100	21.54
44th	Brunel Uni London Brunel Uni, London View All Courses	44th	3.80 / 5	82 / 100	75 / 100	13.64
45th	Newman Uni Newman University View All Courses	45th	4.16 / 5	90 / 100	100 / 100	44.15
46th	UWEBristol Bristol, University of the West of England (UWE) View All Courses	46th	4.04 / 5	83 / 100	100 / 100	18.03
47th	Uni of Essex University of Essex View All Courses	47th	3.95 / 5	83 / 100	83 / 100	13.46
48th	Uni of Leicester University of Leicester View All Courses	48th	4.06 / 5	85 / 100	88 / 100	7.23
49th	Ulster Uni Ulster University View All Courses	49th	4.18 / 5	89 / 100	85 / 100	25.50
50th	Edge Hill Uni Edge Hill University View All Courses	50th	4.19 / 5	90 / 100	100 / 100	15.05
51st	Uni of Sussex University of Sussex View All Courses	51st	4.07 / 5	82 / 100	85 / 100	9.03
52nd	Uni of Roehampton University of Roehampton View All Courses	52nd	3.88 / 5	82 / 100	100 / 100	10.98
53rd	Queen MaryUOL Queen Mary, University of London View All Courses	53rd	4.01 / 5	86 / 100	84 / 100	6.95
54th	Uni of Glasgow University of Glasgow View All Courses	54th	4.12 / 5	85 / 100	86 / 100	5.30
55th	Uni of Lincoln University of Lincoln View All Courses	55th	4.05 / 5	83 / 100	79 / 100	15.23
56th	York St John Uni York St John University View All Courses	56th	4.12 / 5	86 / 100	84 / 100	14.29
57th	Uni of Aberdeen University of Aberdeen View All Courses	57th	4.01 / 5	85 / 100	87 / 100	14.25
58th	Uni of Kent University of Kent View All Courses	58th	3.98 / 5	82 / 100	83 / 100	9.11
59th	Uni of Cambridge University of Cambridge View All Courses	59th	4.09 / 5	85 / 100	84 / 100	3.30
60th	Uni of Edinburgh University of Edinburgh View All Courses	60th	4.05 / 5	85 / 100	83 / 100	7.71
61st	Uni of Warwick University of Warwick View All Courses	61st	4.03 / 5	85 / 100	86 / 100	7.78
62nd	Bath Spa Uni Bath Spa University View All Courses	62nd	4.03 / 5	83 / 100	100 / 100	9.98
63rd	De Montfort De Montfort University (DMU) View All Courses	63rd	4.06 / 5	82 / 100	86 / 100	18.80
64th	Birmingham City Uni Birmingham City University View All Courses	64th	4.08 / 5	85 / 100	83 / 100	23.03
65th	Staffordshire Uni Staffordshire University View All Courses	65th	3.98 / 5	87 / 100	50 / 100	—
66th	Uni of Plymouth University of Plymouth View All Courses	66th	4.10 / 5	87 / 100	70 / 100	25.48
67th	Durham Uni Durham University View All Courses	67th	4.02 / 5	85 / 100	88 / 100	6.84
68th	Uni of Hull University of Hull View All Courses	68th	3.98 / 5	87 / 100	87 / 100	19.42
69th	Uni of Hertfordshire University of Hertfordshire View All Courses	69th	3.93 / 5	84 / 100	100 / 100	22.61
70th	Uni of Gloucestershire University of Gloucestershire View All Courses	70th	3.90 / 5	84 / 100	86 / 100	26.97
71st	Uni of Sunderland University of Sunderland View All Courses	71st	3.94 / 5	85 / 100	75 / 100	43.50
72nd	Keele Uni Keele University View All Courses	72nd	3.99 / 5	87 / 100	88 / 100	19.36
73rd	City UOL City, University of London View All Courses	73rd	3.83 / 5	85 / 100	50 / 100	44.71
74th	Falmouth Uni Falmouth University View All Courses	74th	3.81 / 5	75 / 100	100 / 100	—
75th	Uni of Huddersfield University of Huddersfield View All Courses	75th	3.94 / 5	85 / 100	78 / 100	28.74
76th	Uni of Wolverhampton University of Wolverhampton View All Courses	76th	3.78 / 5	87 / 100	100 / 100	33.68
77th	Uni of Manchester The University of Manchester View All Courses	77th	3.91 / 5	85 / 100	88 / 100	8.51
78th	St Marys Twickenham St Mary's University, Twickenham View All Courses	78th	3.89 / 5	91 / 100	50 / 100	20.07
79th	Uni of Northampton University of Northampton View All Courses	79th	3.84 / 5	86 / 100	100 / 100	33.33
80th	Open Uni Open University View All Courses	80th	3.86 / 5	84 / 100	77 / 100	11.56
81st	Edinburgh Napier Edinburgh Napier University View All Courses	81st	3.84 / 5	85 / 100	88 / 100	25.51
82nd	Uni of Westminster University of Westminster View All Courses	82nd	3.93 / 5	82 / 100	86 / 100	11.63
83rd	Plymouth Marjon Uni Plymouth Marjon University (St Mark & St John) View All Courses	83rd	3.75 / 5	89 / 100	100 / 100	—
84th	Uni of Brighton University of Brighton View All Courses	84th	3.92 / 5	86 / 100	88 / 100	—
85th	Uni of Bedfordshire University of Bedfordshire View All Courses	85th	3.72 / 5	86 / 100	67 / 100	50.69
86th	Uni of Chichester University of Chichester View All Courses	86th	3.84 / 5	86 / 100	83 / 100	33.33
87th	Uni of Southampton University of Southampton View All Courses	87th	4.07 / 5	85 / 100	87 / 100	10.95
88th	UEA University of East Anglia (UEA) View All Courses	88th	3.99 / 5	85 / 100	88 / 100	7.27
89th	Uni of Dundee University of Dundee View All Courses	89th	3.86 / 5	87 / 100	79 / 100	15.90
90th	Uni of C.Lancashire University of Central Lancashire View All Courses	90th	4.03 / 5	85 / 100	88 / 100	23.14
91st	Teesside Uni Teesside University View All Courses	91st	3.69 / 5	88 / 100	100 / 100	—
92nd	USW University of South Wales View All Courses	92nd	3.69 / 5	86 / 100	100 / 100	38.29
93rd	Kingston Uni Kingston University View All Courses	93rd	3.80 / 5	82 / 100	75 / 100	18.68
94th	Royal Holloway Royal Holloway, University of London View All Courses	94th	3.93 / 5	83 / 100	93 / 100	10.80
95th	Goldsmiths, UOL Goldsmiths, University of London View All Courses	95th	3.67 / 5	83 / 100	89 / 100	9.48
96th	Canterbury Uni Canterbury Christ Church University View All Courses	96th	3.75 / 5	88 / 100	82 / 100	38.47
97th	university-of-st-andrews University of St. Andrews View All Courses	97th	3.61 / 5	84 / 100	88 / 100	10.39
98th	Leeds Trinity Uni Leeds Trinity University View All Courses	n/a	3.59 / 5	86 / 100	100 / 100	31.74

Our rankings only include universities that have reached our threshold of submitted student reviews. To find out more, please visit our rankings about page.

COURSE SEARCH

Search English Language and Literature Courses Search English Language and Literature Courses

Time to find the course for you. Discover all the available courses for English Language and Literature and get applying!

Search English Language and Literature Courses

Looking to learn more?

Find english language and literature personal statement examples

Craft the perfect personal statement with examples submitted by students.

Read our guide to english language and literature

Find out all there is to know about english language and literature to help make the right decision for you.

Discover 2025 subject rankings

It's not just English Language and Literature! Find A-Z of subject rankings, covering a whole host of subjects, to find the university that is best for you.

Search rankings by top categories

Want to find the best university for societies? Looking to find a uni that prioritises employability! Check out our rankings split but categories that matter to you.

Accommodation

Which universities offer top class accomodation options?

Course quality

See the universities who are known for their quality teaching!

Employability

Discover universities with the best track record for their students landing jobs.

Student life

Which universities are recommended for best student social life?

Explore regional university rankings

We break down our university rankings into regional areas so you can compare the best universities in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

England

See which universities in England rank highest.

Wales

See which Welsh universities are best for students.

Northern Ireland

See which universities rank top in Northern Ireland.

Scotland

See which universities rank highest in Scotland.

Learn More

20,000+ verified reviews

Every year we receive and verify thousands of student reviews and ratings. Learn more about what makes a good student review.

Minimum character limit: All reviews come with a minimum character limit, so prospective students can gain more value.
Registered reviews: All reviews are registered on the Uni Compare platform to help verify their review with universities.
Start year: Students share the start date of their studies in case course names have changed over time.
All study types: We receive in-depth reviews from undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Ranking breakdowns: We ask students to breakdown their review into accommodation, course quality, and many more.
Rate out of five: Students rate four areas of their experience which helps create the universities overall rank.
Recommended universities: We ask all students if they would recommend their university, this helps determine success.
100,000+ data points: Our 2025 university rankings are created from 131,500+ data points from more than 20,000 students.