For those of you thinking of attending university in the UK, this week we look at the most competitive universities in Britain based on the average number of UCAS points required for entry and some of the most competitive programs offered. Read on, because you may be surprised at the results.

Coming in at number 10 is the University of Bath, with an average of 478 UCAS points and psychology, architecture and business administration listed as the most popular courses. Bath's library was the first in the UK to open 24/7, and all students are offered a year abroad or a year on industrial placement, making them very desirable graduates.

Just above this is the alma mater of Charles Darwin and Arthur Conan Doyle, the University of Edinburgh, with 485 UCAS points.

The University of Bristol also has the same average number of UCAS points for entry; it has clearly come a long way since it opened in 1876 with just seven teaching staff.

Above this is the Courtauld Institute of Art, an independent college of the University of London, with 494 UCAS points. Although it only offers seven degree programs it is based in the opulent Somerset House and has its own gallery.

The University of Warwick comes next (504 points), with 28,000 applicants last year, that is seven per available place.

Next comes Durham University (507 points), where each of the sixteen colleges has its own bar, and University College London (509 points).

Attendance by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has made St Andrews, the oldest university in Scotland, a highly desirable destination, with an average of 521 points. Next up is the London School of Economics (541 points) and then Imperial College London (560 points), which is home to one of the largest medical faculties in the UK, although it only has three faculties (Natural Science, Business and Humanities, and Engineering).

It will come as no surprise to anyone that Oxford and Cambridge remain the two most competitive universities in the UK. The University of Oxford was founded in the 11th century and claims to be the oldest in the world, after the University of Bologna.

Currently the average number of UCAS points for candidates applying here is 582.

The University of Cambridge still has the top spot though with a staggering 608 UCAS points. The third-oldest university in the world and home to alumni as diverse as Jawaharlal Nehru, Isaac Newton and Francis Bacon, Cambridge claims at lease 90 Nobel laureates in its illustrious past.

What does this mean for you?

Well, if you're a top student, then by all means aim for the best, but understand how competitive things are and always have a backup plan.

 

© 晉博教育中心 Brighten Youth Education Centre