The United Kingdom boasts a large number of good universities. Universities in England differ in many ways: age, rankings, type of education, etc. Unlike other countries, where universities are distinguished primarily by the level of training and degrees awarded, in Great Britain the main criterion for distinction is the age of the university. The type of education, subject specializations, graduate prospects, etc. largely depend on this. We will tell you more about how universities in Great Britain differ and what is important to pay attention to below.

Universities in England: From Ancient to Modern

The age of an educational institution has always been considered a significant characteristic, but in the UK it has a special meaning. There are special designations Red Brick, Plate Glass, etc., characterizing universities. How are they different?

Ancient universities of Great Britain

This group includes the oldest and most authoritative universities that were opened in England, Ireland and Scotland hundreds and even thousands of years ago.

The oldest universities in England: University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of Glasgow, University of Aberdeen, University of St Andrews, University of Edinburgh, University of Dublin.

How are such universities different? The main emphasis in training students is on the academic component and research activities. Students receive little practical training.

Red Brick Universities

Initially, this term was used to refer to universities in England built at the end of the 19th century in large industrial centers of the country. The term appeared because of the central building of the University of Liverpool - it was made of red brick. The first "Red Brick" universities were six educational institutions:

  1. University of Liverpool,
  2. University of Birmingham,
  3. University of Leeds,
  4. University of Sheffield,
  5. University of Bristol,
  6. University of Manchester.

Then other universities in England that began their work between 1900 and 1963 joined this list: Cardiff University, University of Dundee, Queen's University Belfast, University of Reading, Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, etc.

Plate Glass Universities

This category includes the youngest universities in Great Britain that were awarded their status between 1963 and 1992.

Plate Glass universities in England: University of Essex, Heriot-Watt University, Aston University, Lancaster University, Loughborough University, University of Sterling, Canfield University, University of Sussex, University of York, etc.

They also got their name in honor of the decoration of their facades - new buildings were mainly built from glass blocks.

New universities in England

Another group includes universities in England that previously had the status of a polytechnic institute and then improved their qualifications. There are more than 50 of them in the country. These institutions have not yet earned the same brilliant reputation as the older universities, but they can provide high-quality education in a number of subjects.

The new universities offer more practical training for students. The new specialties deserve special attention – classes are mainly taught by specialists with real experience, who will help you prepare as best as possible for your future work.

Russell Group UK Universities

Russell Group is a group of Red Brick universities, which includes the best universities in England. They have an excellent reputation and occupy the first positions in the country's rankings for academic training and research activities.

Russell Group was founded in 1994, it is gradually expanding the list of participants, today it includes 24 universities: University of Birmingham, Durham University , University of Edinburgh, University of Exeter, University of Glasgow, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, University of Leeds, University of Liverpool and others.

Not all the best universities in the country have joined the Russell Group, but the universities in England that are its members automatically enjoy greater authority, since in order to join, the university must prove that it provides excellent academic training to students and conducts active and successful research activities. It is more difficult to enter such universities in the UK , but the prospects for graduates are much higher. They can also offer more grants, awards, opportunities to study abroad, etc.

This is not the only association of universities in the UK, but the most influential and authoritative.

Universities in England: Big and Small, City or Campus Based

When evaluating universities in England, it is important to consider the following criteria:

1. Number of students. The country has both large universities with 30-40 thousand or more students, and small ones designed to train 1-2 thousand students. The former are distinguished by a large selection of subjects and specializations, the presence of student clubs, etc., but the latter definitely win in individual training, an atmosphere of unity and community.

2. Accommodation. A number of universities have their own campuses, within which students can use housing, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, cafes, shops, etc. In fact, these are small towns that include everything you need. Other universities are located in cities. As a rule, they have several academic buildings and a number of dormitories, which can be located either next to each other or in different areas of megacities. Living and studying on campus is safer and will give several years of
carefree student life, but they will be quite isolated from the outside world. City universities allow you to mature faster and adapt to life in a metropolis.

Universities of England

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Vladimir Rudeshko
Representative of UK educational institutions.
I am a certified and authorized specialist in working with educational institutions in the UK. I work directly with educational institutions and have the most up-to-date information on study programs and admission requirements. Extensive experience working with both students and educational institutions allows me to effectively help you choose the right place to go, starting from school and then to college or university.

I work openly and try to give as much information as possible so that you make the right decision in entering the UK, I am constantly in touch, although I am in a different time zone from my students. For you, the best schools in Britain and A-level and Foundation programs, as well as help in entering universities directly or for the International Year.

I do not promise you that you will study for free or you will have a scholarship - covering all tuition and accommodation, this is not my business, but I will help you choose the best option for your budget.

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