What Are The Hardest UK Universities To Get Into?

The United Kingdom is, without a doubt, widely renowned as one of the top destinations for university education globally.

According to Statista data, over 750,000 university applications were made in the UK in 2021 alone. This goes to show that UK universities still remain a popular choice worldwide. If you plan to further your studies and obtain a higher level qualification, it is prudent to know the acceptance rate of your chosen institution. You can apply to any UK university if you meet their criteria, but some are more selective than others. Below are some of the hardest UK universities to get into.

1. London School of Economics

The London School of Economics (LSE) was established in 1895 as a constituent of the University of London. Until 2008, LSE began awarding degrees in its name. Despite its seemingly narrow scope, the Westminster-based university specialises in other social sciences and legal studies and is divided into 25 departments. LSE has a low acceptance rate of just 8.9% for undergraduates but has a postgraduate acceptance rate of about 25%. If you get into LSE, you can look forward to studying in one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the UK and worldwide.

2. Imperial College London

Imperial College London was formed due to a merger of the City and Guilds College, Royal School of Mines, and the Royal College of Science. It is one of the UK’s most prominent universities, ranked 3^rd in Europe and 12^th worldwide. Unlike other top-notch universities, this institution offers only science, medicine, technology, and business degrees. A reported 25,260 students applied to study at this university in 2020, but only 3,045 received admission, indicating an 8.42% acceptance rate.

3. University Of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge was established in 1209 by scholars who left the University of Oxford due to political disagreements. Oxford and Cambridge share a lot despite being fierce rivals and are most commonly referred to as “Oxbridge.” Cambridge University receives several applications each window, so their evaluation committee naturally factors in many things before deciding on their final list. It is estimated that 1 in 4 undergraduate applicants received an offer from  Cambridge in 2020/21, so keep this in mind.

4. University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is the UK’s oldest university and the second oldest worldwide after the University of Bologna. It features prominently in many reputable lists of the top 10 universities worldwide. Therefore, it is no surprise that Oxford University has a low acceptance rate of about 17% and 30% for undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses, respectively. It is estimated that there are about 8,8000 slots for new students annually, and you may have to outdo nearly 39,000 applicants to earn a spot. Consequently, you need an outstanding academic history to get into the University of Oxford. However, a successful Oxford application goes beyond mere grades and includes passing an interview, acing your admission tests, and submitting a convincing personal statement.