World rankings 2026

Best medical schools in the United Kingdom

2 Minute Medicine editorial team · Updated October 28, 2026 · How we rank

38 universities in the United Kingdom ranked on the medicine research they published from 2021 to 2025. University College London leads the country and ranks 2nd in the world.

Can graduates of medical schools in the United Kingdom train in the US?

No accrediting agency in the United Kingdom is on WFME's recognized list (checked October 2026). ECFMG requires graduation from a school accredited by a recognized agency, so check the school's World Directory listing and ECFMG before you rely on a US pathway.

A school must itself be accredited by that agency. Every country's status.

Universities in the United Kingdom

Universities in the United Kingdom
#	University	In country	Articles 2021–25	Cited 50+ times	International	Score
2	University College LondonLondon	1	27,620	8.1%	67%	91
3	University of OxfordOxford	2	21,008	8.5%	70%	90
4	Imperial College LondonLondon	3	20,079	8.7%	68%	89
9	King's College LondonLondon	4	23,784	6.9%	61%	86
15	University of CambridgeCambridge	5	12,024	9.3%	67%	84
32	University of GlasgowGlasgow	6	8,043	9.8%	65%	81
46	University of EdinburghEdinburgh	7	9,324	8.4%	62%	79
59	London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondon	8	8,607	7.0%	85%	77
62	UCL Queen Square Institute of NeurologyLondon	9	4,678	10.1%	82%	77
70	University of ManchesterManchester	10	10,752	6.7%	58%	76
89	Queen Mary University of LondonLondon	11	7,342	7.3%	63%	73
94	University of BirminghamBirmingham	12	7,755	7.2%	56%	73
98	University of LiverpoolLiverpool	13	7,635	6.6%	67%	72
101	Institute of Cancer ResearchLondon	14	2,232	12.5%	72%	72
109	University of LeicesterLeicester	15	4,570	9.0%	58%	71
122	Newcastle UniversityNewcastle upon Tyne	16	7,453	6.5%	52%	70
127	University of SouthamptonSouthampton	17	5,514	7.5%	58%	70
144	University of BristolBristol	18	6,091	6.6%	52%	68
145	University of LeedsLeeds	19	6,040	6.4%	55%	68
151	University of NottinghamNottingham	20	6,110	6.1%	56%	67
192	City St George's, University of LondonLondon	21	4,088	6.9%	59%	65
194	Queen's University BelfastBelfast	22	3,834	6.8%	66%	65
201	University of SheffieldSheffield	23	4,820	6.1%	55%	64
202	St George's, University of LondonLondon	24	3,056	8.0%	60%	64
206	Cardiff UniversityCardiff	25	4,401	6.3%	53%	64
221	University of ExeterExeter	26	3,663	6.6%	57%	62
586	University of AberdeenAberdeen	27	2,594	0.9%	61%	38
616	University of WarwickCoventry	28	2,958	0.6%	54%	36
728	University of East AngliaNorwich	29	2,390	0.9%	0%	30
764	University of BrightonBrighton	30	1,903	0.7%	13%	28
806	University of SussexBrighton	31	2,002	0.3%	13%	23
836	Liverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpool	32	2,184	0.0%	73%	20
843	University of DundeeDundee	33	2,615	0.0%	58%	19
1043	Keele UniversityNewcastle-under-Lyme	34	2,300	0.0%	0%	11
1058	Loughborough UniversityLoughborough	35	2,215	0.0%	0%	11
1071	University of YorkYork	36	2,051	0.0%	3%	11
1103	University of SurreyGuildford	37	1,854	0.0%	4%	10
1123	Swansea UniversitySwansea	38	1,872	0.0%	0%	10

# = world rank of 1,712. Medicine articles 2021–2025 in OpenAlex.

Questions

What is the best medical school in the United Kingdom?

University College London ranks first in the United Kingdom on medical research output, citations and international collaboration from 2021 to 2025, followed by University of Oxford.

Can graduates of medical schools in the United Kingdom do residency in the US?

No accrediting agency in the United Kingdom is on WFME's recognized list as of October 2026, which ECFMG requires for certification. Check the school's World Directory listing and ECFMG.

Sources: OpenAlex (CC0), medicine-field articles published 2021–2025; World Federation for Medical Education, agencies with recognition status (October 2026). Methodology · Download the data (CSV)