QS Best Student Cities ranking: 39th
Glasgow is Scotland’s largest and most populous city, home to two universities in the top 300 of the QS World University Rankings® 2020: the University of Glasgow, which ranks 67th, and the University of Strathclyde (joint 296th). The former is one of the world’s oldest universities, having been founded well over 500 years ago.
In recent years, the city has shaken off its previously gritty image to become one the UK’s leading hubs of culture, commerce, research and academia. It’s also especially known for its music scene and the fierce rivalry between its two biggest football clubs, Rangers and Celtic.
Glasgow has a rich history, having been settled since the pre-Roman era. There’s no shortage of grand historical architecture (the University of Glasgow boasts some particularly impressive examples), alongside vestiges of the city’s role as one of the world’s leading industrial centers during the 19th century.
Like many other UK cities, Glasgow hosts a large number of international students, and therefore achieves a particularly high score for student mix, improving by four places this year, providing opportunities for students to meet people from many different backgrounds and cultures.
One student, when asked in our survey to name the best thing about studying in Glasgow, said: “The people. It feels like home from day one.”
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Internationally ranked universities in Glasgow
University of Glasgow; University of Strathclyde; Glasgow Caledonian University |
More about Glasgow
Number of universities ranked by QS |
3 |
Highest-ranked institution |
University of Glasgow (joint 63rd) |
Population |
1,656,000 |
Average international fees (at ranked unis) |
US$23,400 |
Desirability rank |
45th |
Employer Activity rank |
57th |
Affordability rank |
89th |
Student View rank |
39th |
To find out how each of the above categories is calculated, view the methodology.