According to HESA, the Higher Education Statistics Agency, universities across the UK now house 2.86 million students, of which 1.63 million are female and 1.22 million are male. There are more girls than boys, with girls making up 57 per cent of the total! So, is there a difference between girls’ and boys’ preferences when choosing which UK university to attend? What are the favourite UK universities for girls? What are the differences between girls’ and boys’ favourite schools? Today, we have compiled a list of the top 5 favourite UK universities for boys and the top 5 favourite UK universities for girls. Let’s see if there are any institutions you like.
Top 5 Universities for Boys
Compared to girls choosing a school, boys may pay more attention to practical issues such as a school’s professional strengths and job prospects, university rankings, and location.
Total students: 37,170
Male students: 17,035
Founded in 1595, the University of the West of England is one of the largest and most popular comprehensive universities in the UK. It has three campuses in Bristol and a reputation for world-class teaching. The University has Europe’s second-largest artificial intelligence robotics laboratory and the UK’s first.
Bristol was the first UK city recognised as the European Green Capital. Bristol is easily accessible by public transport, with two national railway stations, a coach station, and an international airport.
The University of the West of England offers over 9,000 industry placements each year, making it one of the most extensive paid internship programmes in the UK, which can benefit graduates.
Top 4: University College London
Total Students: 46,830
Male Students: 18,325
As London’s first university, UCL has been widely recognised by students over the years for its strengths in terms of overall rankings, location, reputation, academics, and student experience.
Like Imperial College, UCL has always stayed in the top ten in the QS World University Rankings and has remained very stable. UCL also has several science and engineering specialisms for boys to choose from.
UCL’s School of Engineering has a long and illustrious history, from which the UK’s first civil, mechanical, chemical and electrical engineering professors were born. In addition, the university’s Bartlett School of Architecture also has a strong presence. It is firmly ranked first in the world in the 2023 QS World University Rankings for Architecture and the Built Environment!
Top 3: Nottingham Trent University
Total Students: 41,465
Male Students: 18,990
With a history dating back to 1843, Nottingham Trent University, formerly known as the Nottingham Government Public School of Art, was granted a comprehensive university status in 1992 and began admitting international students.
Nottingham Trent University has been recognised by the Times as one of the best modern universities for 2023. Its curriculum is highly focused on employability, strongly emphasising the student experience and a campus that offers excellent facilities.
Nottingham Trent University is very well recognised locally in the UK, ranking third in the list of most popular UK undergraduate colleges. The university has a high level of student satisfaction. The university’s strengths include business, design and creativity, social sciences, agriculture, and food security.
Top 2: Coventry University
Total Students: 38,190
Male Students: 19,235
Although Coventry University is ranked low overall, it has many highly advantageous specialisations. For example, the most popular subjects at Coventry University include business and management, medical-related professions, engineering and technology, electrical and mechanical engineering and computer science, all of which are science and technology subjects favoured by men.
Meanwhile, Coventry, where the school is located, has historically been a centre of engineering excellence in the UK, and the 1st British car was born here in 1896. As a result, Coventry University is world-renowned for its automotive specialisms, with automotive engineering and design ranked first in the UK and third globally.
In addition, Coventry University has an excellent geographical location with convenient transport links. It is only one hour’s drive from London and 20 minutes from Birmingham, which is very convenient.
Top 1: University of Manchester
Total Students: 46,410
Male Students: 20,095
The University of Manchester is one of the six red-brick universities in the UK, the largest single-site university in the UK. It is perennially ranked as the most popular UK university among students.
Moreover, among the major universities in the UK, UMass is the university that has produced the second most current leaders of the world, second only to Oxford University. Therefore, UMass enjoys a high reputation both in the UK and internationally.
UMass is renowned for its physics, which is ranked among the world’s leading universities and has produced 13 Nobel Prize winners among its alumni. The Department of Computer Science also has a distinguished history, with the world’s first electronic memory program computer being born here. UMass has many advantageous specialisations such as science and engineering, which is undoubtedly an important factor in attracting boys.
Top 5 Universities for Girls
In addition to the ranking of the school and the field of study, girls are more interested in the location of the school and the environment of the campus than boys are in their school experience.
Top 5: University of Edinburgh
Total Students: 41250
Female Students: 25550
The University of Edinburgh is the highest learning institution in Scotland, UK, and the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world, with a strong reputation in Europe. The total number of students at the University of Edinburgh is relatively high, ranking in the top 6 in the U.K. One of the main reasons for this is the high number of female students, who comprise 62% of the total number of students at Edinburgh! Women’s favourite subjects, such as medicine, social sciences, education and biology, are among Edinburgh’s top 5 subjects in the U.K.!
In addition to the ranking and professional advantages, the school is located in Edinburgh, which is also a “literary capital“, coupled with the architectural style and climatic factors, the whole city is ancient and mysterious, with a very romantic atmosphere, and very fascinating.
Top 4: University of Glasgow
Total Students: 42980
Female Students: 25825
The University of Glasgow has a 60% female student population. It is a significant public comprehensive university in the United Kingdom, belonging to the Russell Group of universities. It is the fourth oldest University in the English-speaking world and one of the four classical universities in Scotland.
At the same time, the University of Glasgow has been one of the most popular UK institutions for Chinese students in recent years. The University’s strengths include medicine, education, theatre, and performing arts, subjects favoured by female students.
Top 3: University of Manchester
Total Students: 46410
Female Students: 26305
The University of Manchester is one of the six red-brick universities in the UK and the largest single-site university in the UK. It is perennially ranked as the most popular UK university among students. In terms of Chinese students’ favourite UK universities, UMass is only second after UCL.
The University of Manchester is also regarded as a UK institution that plays a relatively stable role in terms of overall rankings. It has been ranked 30th in the QS World University Rankings for the past ten years. Engineering is the strong point of UMass. In addition, the University of Manchester also has advantages in nursing, pharmacy and pharmacology, dentistry and other medical disciplines, which are more favoured by girls.
Top 2: King’s College London
Total Students: 41490
Female students: 26455
King’s College London is a research-orientated university. The fourth oldest university in England, KCL is also one of the most comprehensive universities in the UK in terms of subjects offered. KCL is situated in the centre of London and is blessed with a unique geographical location. The college is surrounded by many famous attractions and cultural sites, such as Big Ben and the Tower of London. These landmarks provide students with a unique and enriching learning and living environment.
In addition to the geographical advantage of being located in the centre of London, KCL also has “humanities” subjects that are very popular with female students, such as social sciences subjects like Media, Politics and Psychology, as well as liberal arts subjects such as History and English Language and Literature.
Top 1: University College London
Total Students: 46830
Female Students: 28455
There are several reasons why UCL has topped the list of ‘Girls’ Favourite UK Universities’.
- Firstly, UCL has the largest student population in the UK! UCL has 11 colleges and houses over 46,000 students from over 150 countries and regions.
- Secondly, UCL offers a large number of specialisations that girls favour. Education, for example, is a top 6 favourite subject for girls. UCL has been ranked number one in the UK and number one in the world for ten consecutive years in this field by QS Education!
- Thirdly, UCL attaches great importance to equality in education. Since its foundation in 1826, the school has always regarded equality in education as an essential principle, which is also very secure for girls.
FAQ
The UK universities favoured by boys and girls have something to do with the specialisms and the subjects in which they excel.
According to HESA, the Higher Education Statistics Agency, universities across the UK now house 2.86 million students, of which 1.63 million are female and 1.22 million are male. There are more women than men, with women accounting for 57 per cent of students!
Female’s favourite UK university is University College London. There are 46,830 students in total, of which 28,455 are female students (14,955 for Masters; 13,505 for Bachelors). The proportion of female students is as high as 60.8 per cent.
