What Are The Best Non-Russell Group Universities In The UK 2025?
Russell Group universities aren’t the only universities to aim for.
Deciding to go to university is a major step. Now that you’ve got that off your plate, you’re probably wondering which university to apply for. Am I right?
You might already have an idea of what you want to study, but that’s only half the battle. With 166 universities in the UK, how do you decide which ones to apply for?
You might be tempted to apply to one of the reputable Russell Group universities, and why not? They’re considered to be the most prestigious universities in the country. But, there are plenty of non-Russell Group universities that are also considered excellent and highly ranked, in some lovely parts of the UK, too.
There’s no right or wrong choice, and a university’s reputation isn’t everything. At the end of the day, going to any university is a huge achievement, and as long as you enjoy it and make the most of your education, is there really a wrong choice?
Google searches imply that students are uncertain about university statuses, with the most queried being ‘is Bath University a Russell Group?’. Below shows the top 10 queried universities for ‘is [university] a Russell Group university?’:
- Bath — No, Bath University is not a Russell Group university
- Cardiff — Yes, Cardiff University is a Russell Group university
- Warwick — Yes, Warwick University is a Russell Group university
- Exeter — Yes, Exeter University is a Russell Group university
- Lancaster — No, Lancaster University is not a Russell Group university
- Leeds — Yes, Leeds University is a Russell Group university
- UCL — Yes, University College London is a Russell Group university
- Nottingham — Yes, Nottingham University is a Russell Group university
- York — Yes, York University is a Russell Group university
- Bristol — Yes, Bristol University is a Russell Group university
To make it a bit easier for you, we’ve got all the best non-Russell Group universities you should consider.
Loading …In this guide:
- Non-Russell Group universities
- Best Non-Russell Group universities for law
- What are Red Brick universities?
- Is Surrey a Russell Group university?
- Is Loughborough a Russell Group university?
- Is St Andrews a Russell Group university?
- Is University of Reading Russell Group?
- Is Swansea a Russell Group university?
- Is Lancaster uni Russell Group?
Non-Russell Group universities
Russell Group universities are renowned for their outstanding teaching and research, but many non-Russell Group universities are equally as fulfilling and reputable for their own reasons.
Using the University League Table for 2025, we’ve put together a handy little table of the best non-Russell Group universities in the UK. The table is based on the overall score each university has received, made up of the following metrics:
- Entry standards
- Student satisfaction
- Research quality
- Research intensity
Make sure when you’re applying to universities that you find out how many UCAS tariff points you’ll need for your course’s entry requirements.
Best non-Russell Group universities
| University | Overall Score (out of 1000) | Overall University Ranking (out of 130) |
|---|---|---|
| University of St Andrews | 938 | 4 |
| Loughborough University | 889 | 6 |
| University of Bath | 876 | 8 |
| Lancaster University | 844 | 10 |
| University of Surrey | 808 | 12 |
| University of East Anglia | 773 | 21 |
| University of the Arts, London | 746 | 29 |
| University of Essex | 741 | 30 |
| University of Strathclyde | 734 | 32 |
| Harper Adams University | 731 | 33 |
If you’ve got a neurodiversity or disability and are worried about which universities are suitable for you, check out the best universities for disability and neurodiversity.
Best Non-Russell Group universities for law
We looked at the University League Table 2025 for law and pulled out the best non-Russell Group universities for law based on their overall score (out of 100).
| University | Overall Score (out of 100) | Overall University Ranking (for law) |
|---|---|---|
| University of Strathclyde | 92.7 | 12 |
| University of Aberdeen | 92.2 | 17 |
| Lancaster University | 91.3 | 22 |
| University of Stirling | 90.3 | 26 |
| University of Dundee | 90.0 | 28 |
| University of East Anglia | 89.8 | 29 |
| University of Leicester | 89.5 | 30 |
| University of Kent | 89.3 | 31 |
| University of Sussex | 88.9 | 32 |
| Aston University | 88.8 | 33 |
Check out the student university grants and student bursaries that might be available to you to help out with your finances.
What are Red Brick universities?
Red Brick universities are, well, universities made of red brick — to put it simply.
Originating from the Victorian era, when red brickwork was a common style for buildings. Red Brick universities were typically the universities that focused on practical, real-world skills, and engineering in industrial cities (such as Birmingham), but have since then created a more prestigious reputation.
These universities aimed to break down barriers to make education as accessible as possible, and not just somewhere only the ‘elite’ could attend.
The six Red Brick universities are:
- University of Birmingham
- University of Bristol
- University of Leeds
- University of Liverpool
- University of Manchester
- University of Sheffield
These six Red Brick unis are also part of the Russell group universities.
Is Surrey a Russell Group university?
No, the University of Surrey is not a Russell Group university. The University of Surrey is still considered an excellent university, sitting in 12th place in the University League Tables 2025 with an overall score of 808 out of 1000.
Is Loughborough a Russell Group university?
No, Loughborough University is not a Russell Group university. However, Loughborough University has a score of 889 out of 1000 and sits in 6th place in the University League Tables 2025.
Is St Andrews a Russell Group university?
No, the University of St. Andrews is not part of the Russell Group universities, although many people believe it is due to its incredible reputation. The university of St. Andrews sits in 4th place in the University League Tables 2025, with an overall score of 938 out of 1000.
Is University of Reading Russell Group?
The University of Reading is not part of the Russell Group universities. The university sits in 35th position in the University League Tables 2025 with a respectable score of 716 out of 1000.
Is Swansea a Russell Group university?
Swansea University is not a Russell Group university. The university has a score of 706 out of 1000 and sits in 37th position in the University League Tables 2025.
Is Lancaster uni Russell Group?
No, Lancaster University is not a Russell Group uni. Lancaster University sits in joint 10th position with the University of Warwick in the University League Tables 2025 with a score of 844 out of 1000.
If you’re worried about not having any offers when A-Level results day comes around, head to our UCAS Clearing 2025 guide to find out everything you need to know regarding your Clearing choices.
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