The best UK universities for History in 2027 are LSE, Durham, Oxford, Cambridge and St Andrews. All five appear near the top of the main subject league tables, although their order changes because each ranking measures different things.
LSE leads the Complete University Guide 2027 table. St Andrews ranks first in the Guardian’s 2026 History table, while Oxford and Cambridge hold the strongest UK positions in the QS global subject ranking. The right choice therefore depends on more than one number. Course content, teaching style, entry requirements, specialist strengths and total cost all matter.
This guide compares undergraduate History degrees. It uses the latest available rankings and published 2026/27 overseas fees, with 2027/28 figures included only where universities have confirmed them.
Top 10 UK Universities for History
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CUG 2027 rank
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University
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Guardian 2026 rank
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Typical A-level offer
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Course length
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Published overseas fee
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Strongest fit
|
|
1
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London School of Economics and Political Science
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5
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AAA
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3 years
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£28,900
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International, political and economic History
|
|
2
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Durham University
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4
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A*AA
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3 years
|
Check current offer
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Medieval History, archives and collegiate study
|
|
3
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University of Oxford
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2
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AAA
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3 years
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£43,600
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Tutorials, independent research and broad choice
|
|
4
|
University of Cambridge
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3
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A*AA
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3 years
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£29,052 plus college fee
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Supervisions and interdisciplinary History
|
|
5
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University of St Andrews
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1
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AAA
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4 years
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£33,250
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Medieval, Scottish and Middle Eastern History
|
|
6
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University College London
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6
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AAA
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3 years
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£32,000
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Global, imperial and public History
|
|
7
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University of Warwick
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8
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AAA
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3 years
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£27,870
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Global History and varied assessment
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|
8
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University of York
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25
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AAA
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3 years
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£26,900
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Archives, medieval History and heritage
|
|
9
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University of Bristol
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30
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AAA
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3 years
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£28,200
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Social, cultural and environmental History
|
|
10
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University of Exeter
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Outside the top 25
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AAB
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3 years
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£24,950
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Broad choice and a lower published fee
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The order follows the Complete University Guide History ranking for 2027. The Guardian column is included because it exposes a useful difference: a university can perform strongly for research quality and graduate prospects but place lower on student satisfaction or teaching feedback, or the reverse.
10 Best UK Universities For History for International Students
1. London School of Economics and Political Science
LSE is the best university for History in the UK according to the Complete University Guide 2027. Its BA History focuses mainly on the period from the fifteenth century to the present, with particular strength in political, international, social and economic History.
That focus, alongside strong graduate prospects, makes LSE an excellent choice for students interested in states, empires, diplomacy, conflict and global change. It is less suitable for someone determined to specialise in ancient History. The London location also provides access to the British Library, Parliament and major museums.
The usual offer is AAA. History at A level is useful but not compulsory. The published 2026/27 overseas fee is £28,900 per year.
Best for: international, political and economic History.
2. Durham University
Durham combines a highly ranked department with unusually strong access to historical settings and collections. Students study British, European and global History, then move towards specialist modules and independent research.
Its medieval strengths are obvious, but they are not merely a product of the cathedral-city setting. Durham students can work with manuscripts, institutional records, museum collections and archival material connected to several regions and periods.
The standard offer is A*AA, including an A in History; eligible contextual applicants may receive AAB. That distinction matters because older comparison pages sometimes present the contextual threshold as the standard offer.
Best for: medieval History, British History, archives and collegiate study.
3. University of Oxford
Oxford suits students who enjoy reading independently, writing frequently and defending an argument in a small room.
Tutorials sit at the centre of the course. A student may research an essay for several days, submit it, then discuss the evidence and interpretation directly with a tutor. The course offers broad chronological and geographical choice, alongside joint degrees such as History and Politics or Ancient and Modern History.
Oxford normally asks for AAA and recommends History at A level or an equivalent qualification. Applicants submit written work. The latest published overseas fee is £43,600 per year.
Best for: intensive tutorials, independent research and broad chronological choice.
4. University of Cambridge
Cambridge covers periods from the ancient world to the present and connects History with politics, economics, sociology, anthropology and archaeology.
Teaching combines lectures, seminars and college-based supervisions. Oxford and Cambridge often appear together in comparisons, but the experience is not identical. Cambridge students choose from its own paper structure, college arrangements and assessment pattern.
Typical offers are A*AA or 41–42 IB points, although individual colleges may set additional expectations. International students should budget for tuition and a separate college fee.
Best for: close academic supervision, interdisciplinary study and preparation for postgraduate research.
5. University of St Andrews
St Andrews ranks first in the Guardian History table for 2026 and fifth in CUG 2027, reflecting particularly strong student-experience and student-satisfaction signals. It is also the only university in this top five outside the Russell Group.
The four-year Scottish degree gives students more room to explore before specialising. The School of History has recognised strengths in medieval, Scottish, modern and Middle Eastern History.
The typical offer is AAA, normally including History. The published overseas fee is £33,250 per year. Here’s the thing: a four-year degree may provide more flexibility, but it also adds another year of tuition and living costs.
Best for: medieval and Scottish History, curricular flexibility and a close university community.
6. University College London
UCL offers one of the broadest History degrees in the UK, covering more than 5,000 years. Students can study the ancient Near East, Europe, China, the Americas and the Caribbean, as well as slavery, colonialism, medicine, environmental change and political activism.
The course uses London’s museums, archives and collections as primary-source environments, while the department also performs strongly for research quality. It includes project work, essays and public-History activities rather than relying on examinations alone.
The standard offer is AAA, including History, or 38 IB points with a 6 in Higher Level History. The published overseas fee is £32,000 per year.
Best for: global, imperial, interdisciplinary and public History.
7. University of Warwick
Warwick’s BA History covers Europe, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Americas. Its modules move across political, military, cultural and social History, with options that may include subjects such as China, sport, war, the Holocaust and twentieth-century Britain.
Assessment can include essays, source analysis, presentations, research projects and creative formats. Students may also add study abroad or work experience.
The typical offer is AAA, including History. The published 2026/27 overseas fee for classroom-based courses is £27,870.
Best for: global History, varied assessment and placement flexibility.
8. University of York
York is one of the best places to study History in the UK for medieval records, archives and heritage.
The Borthwick Institute for Archives holds collections covering religion, health, politics, families and local communities. Consider a student interested in medieval church administration: access to those records may matter more than a difference of two or three league-table positions.
York normally asks for AAA, including an A in History or Classical Civilisation. Its published international fee is £26,900 per year.
Best for: medieval History, archival research, public History and heritage.
9. University of Bristol
Bristol offers political, social, cultural, environmental and global History across medieval, early modern, modern and contemporary periods.
The city itself creates useful context for studying maritime trade, empire, slavery and public memory. Students can connect national and global questions with the way a modern city interprets its own past.
The standard offer is AAA, while eligible contextual applicants may receive ABB. The published international fee is £28,200 for the first year.
Best for: social, cultural, colonial and environmental History.
10. University of Exeter
Exeter covers roughly 1,500 years, from the end of the Roman world to the post-Communist period. Its strengths include medieval studies, early modern Britain, modern Europe, medical History, imperialism, identity and political power.
The standard degree lasts three years, with optional routes that add study abroad or employment experience. The usual offer is AAB, and the latest published international fee is £24,950 per year.
Exeter also advertises a substantial university-wide international scholarship budget, although eligibility and award values vary.
Best for: broad module choice, imperial and medical History, and a lower published overseas fee.
How We Ranked the Best UK Universities for History
This guide compares three different forms of evidence rather than turning them into an arbitrary average. The best universities for History in the UK do not all win on the same measures.
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Ranking
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Main signals used
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Best interpreted as
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Complete University Guide History table
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Entry standards, student satisfaction, National Student Survey data, research quality and graduate prospects
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A broad UK subject comparison
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|
Guardian History league table
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Teaching satisfaction, feedback, student–staff ratio, continuation, value added and career outcomes
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An undergraduate experience comparison
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|
QS History ranking
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Academic reputation, employer reputation, citations, H-index and international research network
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A global reputation and research comparison
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Think about it this way: CUG helps compare UK departments across domestic performance measures; the Guardian is especially useful for student-experience signals; QS provides international academic context.
A mildly surprising result follows. LSE can lead one ranking, St Andrews another, and Oxford or Cambridge the global table without any of them being “wrong”. The UK History university rankings answer different questions.
Best History Degrees in the UK by Specialism
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Interest
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Universities to consider
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|
International and political History
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LSE, Oxford, Warwick
|
|
Medieval History
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York, Durham, St Andrews, Oxford, Cambridge
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|
Global and imperial History
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UCL, Warwick, Bristol, Exeter
|
|
Economic History
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LSE, Oxford, Cambridge
|
|
Scottish History
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St Andrews
|
|
Archives and public History
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York, Durham, UCL, Bristol
|
|
Tutorial or supervision teaching
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Oxford, Cambridge
|
|
Flexible four-year study
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St Andrews
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Lower published overseas fees in the top ten
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Exeter, York, Warwick
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Russell Group membership does not settle the question. St Andrews leads the Guardian table without being a Russell Group member, while York combines a top-ten CUG position with specialist archival resources. The best Russell Group universities for History remain strong choices, but subject fit should come first.
History Degree Entry Requirements
Typical offers among the top History universities range from AAB to A*AA.
UCL, Warwick, York, St Andrews and Durham normally require History within the offer. Oxford recommends it, while LSE can accept a broader academic subject combination. IB offers commonly range from about 34 to 42 points.
Competitive applicants do more than list historical interests. They show that they can compare interpretations, evaluate evidence and build a clear argument. Before submitting an application, it helps to understand the UK admissions process and create a balanced set of university choices rather than applying only above the predicted-grade range.
Tuition Fees, Living Costs and Scholarships
Among the top History universities in the UK, published overseas tuition ranges from £24,950 at Exeter to £43,600 at Oxford.
That is a difference of £18,650 per year. Across three years, the tuition gap can exceed £55,000 before accommodation, food, transport and visa-related costs.
Course length changes the calculation. St Andrews charges less per year than Oxford but normally takes four years. Cambridge students may pay a college fee as well as tuition.
For the Student visa financial requirement, applicants generally need to show £1,529 per month in London or £1,171 per month outside London, for up to nine months. The official amounts and rules should be checked on the UK government’s Student visa guidance.
Scholarships can reduce the cost, but full undergraduate awards are limited. Check current UK funding opportunities and treat any unpublished or unconfirmed award as unavailable when building a budget. Students working with a strict ceiling may also need to compare lower-cost university options.
How to Choose the Right History University
Start with the compulsory modules.
Applicants often focus on an exciting final-year option and ignore the first-year structure. That is a mistake. A module on Cold War intelligence or medieval medicine may not run every year, and you may need to complete broader compulsory papers before reaching it.
Next, compare the way you will learn. Oxford and Cambridge demand sustained independent preparation for tutorials or supervisions. Warwick uses varied assessment. York offers specialist archival access. UCL connects the course with London collections, while St Andrews provides greater early-stage flexibility.
Then compare realistic entry requirements and total cost. Prestige cannot rescue a course that does not suit your interests or a budget that does not work.
International applicants planning to study in Britain should review the wider undergraduate study process and accepted English-language evidence before paying for a test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best UK universities for History?
The CUG 2027 top five are LSE, Durham, Oxford, Cambridge and St Andrews. The Guardian places the same five universities in a different order, with St Andrews first.
Which university has the best History degree in the UK?
LSE ranks first in CUG 2027, St Andrews leads the Guardian 2026 table, and Oxford and Cambridge hold the strongest UK positions in QS 2026. The best course for an individual student depends on specialism, teaching and cost.
Is Oxford or Cambridge better for History?
Oxford may appeal more to applicants who want broad chronological choice and tutorial-led essay discussion. Cambridge offers its own paper structure, college-based supervisions and strong interdisciplinary options. Compare the actual programme rather than the brand names alone.
Which UK university is best for medieval History?
York, Durham, St Andrews, Oxford and Cambridge are all strong options. York is especially notable for archival access, while Durham combines medieval expertise with local collections and historical institutions.
What are the best History universities in the UK outside the Russell Group?
St Andrews and York are the clearest examples. St Andrews leads the Guardian table, while York ranks eighth in CUG 2027 and offers important archival resources.
How much does a History degree cost for international students?
Among the universities compared here, published overseas tuition ranges from about £24,950 to £43,600 per year. Living costs, annual fee increases and an additional year of study can change the total substantially.
Is a History degree worth studying?
It can be a strong degree for students who enjoy research, evidence and analytical writing. Graduates enter fields including law, education, government, journalism, publishing, museums, archives, communications and business.
Build a Shortlist With a Clear Academic Reason
The best UK universities for History do not teach the subject in the same way.
LSE stands out for international and political History. Oxford and Cambridge offer intensive small-group teaching. Durham and York suit students drawn to medieval records and archives, while UCL and Warwick provide broad global perspectives. Exeter currently has the lowest published overseas fee in the CUG top ten.
Choose universities whose compulsory modules, teaching and specialist strengths match what you actually want to study. Then compare grades and full costs.
A famous name may open the shortlist. A well-matched course should decide it.
Rankings, entry requirements and published fees checked on 23 July 2026. Universities may change modules, admissions criteria and tuition fees. Confirm details for your intended entry year before applying.