University of Reading
Reading, United Kingdom
- Cost of Living£ 15,696
- Tuition Fee From£ 13,733
- Country Rank-
- Batch Strength15,433
- Global Diversity25%
- Gender Ratio46:54
Overview
About
The University of Reading is a public university located in Reading, Berkshire, England. As an extension college of the University of Oxford, it was established in 1892 as University College, Reading. King George V granted the university a royal charter in 1926 that gave it the authority to award its own degrees; it was the only university to do so between the two World Wars. Because of its original foundation in the 19th century, the university is typically categorised as a red-brick university.
More than 150 nations are represented in the vast international network of the university’s alumni. Reading’s alumni have many advantages for the students. Richard Wilson (Installation Artist), Paul Barnes (Designer and Photographer), Linda Bennett (Founder of LK Bennett), Richard Adam (Former Finance Director of Carillion), Nick Candy (Co-Founder of Property Development Company in London) and others are part of the alumni.
Ranking
The University of Reading is located in the town of Reading, approximately 40 miles west of London. It is known for its strong programmes in areas such as Agriculture, Business, Engineering, and the Life Sciences.
In the 2025 rankings, the University of Reading is ranked 172nd globally in the QS World University Rankings, a slight decrease from its 169th position in 2024, and 35th in The Complete University Guide's UK University Rankings, a slight drop from 34th in 2024 following a position of 31st in 2023. In the more recent 2024 rankings, the University of Reading is ranked 378th in the US News & World Report Global Universities ranking and 201st in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, consistent with its 201st position in 2022. It is also ranked 44th in The Guardian University Rankings for 2024.
University of Reading - QS Ranking 2025
In the QS World University Rankings for 2025, the University of Reading is ranked 172nd globally. This is a slight decrease from its 169th position in 2024, following a ranking of 229th in 2023.
|
Ranked by |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Europe |
- |
71 |
- |
|
World University |
229 |
169 |
172 |
University of Reading - US News & World Report Ranking
In the US News & World Report Global Universities ranking for 2024, the University of Reading is ranked 378th. This is a decline from its 333rd position in 2023 and 330th in 2022.
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Global Universities |
330 |
333 |
378 |
University of Reading - THE (Times Higher Education) Ranking 2024
In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2024, the University of Reading is ranked 201st. This is consistent with its 201st position in 2022, while it was slightly higher at 198th in 2023.
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
University |
201 |
198 |
201 |
University of Reading - The Guardian Ranking 2024
In The Guardian University Rankings for 2024, the University of Reading is ranked 44th. This is an improvement from 61st in both 2022 and 2023. Check the rankings below-
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
University |
61 |
61 |
44 |
Learn More About: University of Reading Admissions
University of Reading - The Complete University Guide Ranking 2025
In The Complete University Guide's UK University Rankings for 2025, the University of Reading is ranked 35th. This is a slight drop from 34th in 2024, following a position of 31st in 2023.
|
Ranked by |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
UK University |
31 |
34 |
35 |
University of Reading - QS Ranking 2025
|
Ranked by |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Accounting and Finance |
101 |
101 |
- |
|
Architecture and Built Environment |
51 |
51 |
- |
|
Art and Design |
151 |
101 |
- |
|
Biological Sciences |
301 |
301 |
- |
|
Engineering and Technology |
396 |
337 |
- |
|
Law and Legal Studies |
251 |
251 |
- |
|
Mathematics |
351 |
351 |
- |
University of Reading - THE (Times Higher Education) Ranking 2024
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Arts and Humanities |
101 |
101 |
101 |
|
Law |
151 |
201 |
201 |
|
Life Sciences |
126 |
126 |
151 |
|
PG Business and Economics |
126 |
101 |
79 |
|
PG Computer Science |
301 |
301 |
301 |
|
Psychology |
126 |
176 |
176 |
University of Reading - The Guardian Ranking 2024
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
Accounting and Finance |
25 |
23 |
24 |
|
Architecture |
42 |
48 |
46 |
|
Business and Management |
29 |
24 |
16 |
|
Economics |
51 |
48 |
54 |
|
Law |
49 |
52 |
54 |
|
Politics |
66 |
48 |
45 |
University of Reading - The Complete University Guide Ranking 2025
|
Ranked by |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Accounting and Finance |
24 |
29 |
27 |
|
Architecture |
15 |
18 |
25 |
|
Art and Design |
11 |
12 |
10 |
|
Biological Sciences |
58 |
43 |
44 |
|
Business and Management Studies UK |
20 |
25 |
27 |
|
Civil Engineering |
28 |
- |
- |
|
Computer Science |
40 |
36 |
44 |
|
Law |
46 |
39 |
40 |
|
Psychology |
24 |
34 |
30 |
Course Ranking
B.A.
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
The Guardian - Politics |
66 |
48 |
45 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Art and Design |
- |
11 |
12 |
B.Arch
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
The Guardian - Architecture |
42 |
48 |
46 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Architecture |
- |
15 |
18 |
B.E. / B.Tech
|
Ranked by |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Civil Engineering |
28 |
- |
- |
|
The Complete University Guide - Computer Science |
40 |
36 |
44 |
B.Sc.
|
Ranked by |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Biological Sciences |
58 |
43 |
44 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Psychology |
24 |
34 |
30 |
BBA
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
The Guardian - Business and Management |
29 |
24 |
16 |
|
The Guardian - Accounting and Finance |
25 |
23 |
24 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Accounting and Finance |
- |
24 |
29 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Business and Management Studies UK |
- |
20 |
25 |
|
The Guardian - Economics |
51 |
48 |
54 |
Learn More About : University of Reading Courses
LL.B.
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
The Guardian - Law |
49 |
52 |
54 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Law |
- |
46 |
39 |
LL.M.
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Law and Legal Studies |
301 |
251 |
251 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Law |
151 |
201 |
201 |
M.A.
|
Ranked by |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
QS - Art and Design |
- |
151 |
151 |
|
ARWU (Shanghai Ranking) - Political Sciences |
201 |
201 |
151 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Arts and Humanities |
- |
101 |
101 |
M.Arch
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Architecture and Built Environment |
51 |
51 |
51 |
MIM
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Accounting and Finance |
101 |
101 |
101 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - PG Business and Economics |
126 |
101 |
79 |
MS
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Mathematics |
401 |
351 |
351 |
|
QS - Biological Sciences |
351 |
301 |
301 |
|
QS - Engineering and Technology |
401 |
396 |
337 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Life Sciences |
126 |
126 |
151 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - PG Computer Science |
301 |
301 |
301 |
Others PG
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Psychology |
126 |
176 |
176 |
Accounting & Commerce
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Accounting and Finance |
101 |
101 |
101 |
|
The Guardian - Accounting and Finance |
25 |
23 |
24 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Accounting and Finance |
- |
24 |
29 |
Architecture & Planning
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Architecture and Built Environment |
51 |
51 |
51 |
|
The Guardian - Architecture |
42 |
48 |
46 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Architecture |
- |
15 |
18 |
Arts ( Fine / Visual / Performing )
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Art and Design |
151 |
151 |
101 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Arts and Humanities |
101 |
101 |
101 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Art and Design |
- |
11 |
12 |
Business & Management Studies
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
The Guardian - Business and Management |
29 |
24 |
16 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Business and Management Studies UK |
- |
20 |
25 |
|
The Guardian - Economics |
51 |
48 |
54 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - PG Business and Economics |
126 |
101 |
79 |
Engineering
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Engineering and Technology |
401 |
396 |
337 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - PG Computer Science |
301 |
301 |
301 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Civil Engineering |
- |
28 |
- |
Humanities & Social Sciences
|
Ranked by |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
ARWU (Shanghai Ranking) - Political Sciences |
201 |
201 |
151 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Psychology |
- |
- |
24 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Psychology |
- |
126 |
176 |
|
The Guardian - Politics |
- |
66 |
48 |
Law
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Law and Legal Studies |
301 |
251 |
251 |
|
The Guardian - Law |
49 |
52 |
54 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Law |
151 |
201 |
201 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Law |
- |
46 |
39 |
Science
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Mathematics |
401 |
351 |
351 |
|
QS - Biological Sciences |
351 |
301 |
301 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Biological Sciences |
- |
58 |
43 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Life Sciences |
126 |
126 |
151 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Computer Science |
- |
40 |
36 |
Biology
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Biological Sciences |
351 |
301 |
301 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Biological Sciences |
- |
58 |
43 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Life Sciences |
126 |
126 |
151 |
Business Economics
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
The Guardian - Economics |
51 |
48 |
54 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - PG Business and Economics |
126 |
101 |
79 |
Civil Engineering
|
Ranked by |
2023 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Civil Engineering |
28 |
Computer Science
|
Ranked by |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Computer Science |
40 |
36 |
44 |
Computer Science Engineering
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - PG Computer Science |
301 |
301 |
301 |
Mathematics
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Mathematics |
401 |
351 |
351 |
Politics
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
The Guardian - Politics |
66 |
48 |
45 |
Accounting
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
QS - Accounting and Finance |
101 |
101 |
101 |
|
The Guardian - Accounting and Finance |
25 |
23 |
24 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Accounting and Finance |
- |
24 |
29 |
Political Science
|
Ranked by |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
ARWU (Shanghai Ranking) - Political Sciences |
201 |
201 |
151 |
|
The Guardian - Politics |
- |
66 |
48 |
Psychology
|
Ranked by |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
The Complete University Guide - Psychology |
- |
24 |
34 |
|
THE (Times Higher Education) - Psychology |
126 |
176 |
176 |
Year
QS Ranks
US News Ranks
2025
#172
-
2023
#229
#333
2022
#202
#333
2021
#202
#330
Facilities
The Reading University Students' Union (RUSU) is a connected student organisation that serves the interests of the students. Several Junior Common Rooms at the university are connected to the Students' Union. Many great careers have begun at the Students' Union, including Penny Mordaunt (MP for Portsmouth North), who served as president from 1994 to 1995. The student radio station Junction11 Radio is run by the Students' Union. It regularly transmits locally from the Whiteknights campus to college shops and via a live internet stream. The station was established in 1997 and began broadcasting in 2001 at 1287AM, then switched to only being available online in 2007.
Additionally, it runs the award-winning student television station RU: ON as well as the Spark, a fortnightly newspaper targeted to the university's student body that is only published during term time. The organisation enables more than 160 different activities for students to participate in and offers free assistance to students. A venue with a capacity for 2500 people called 3sixty is housed in the Students' Union building on the Whiteknights Campus. It was recently renovated in 2018 and has seven pubs and a number of retail stores. A Starbucks, an Asian supermarket, and a hair salon are among the retail establishments.
Four museums, the main campus library, a number of departmental libraries, and a botanical garden are all maintained by the university. The Museum of English Rural Life, the largest and most well-known of these museums, has recently moved from a location on Whiteknights Campus to a site closer to the town centre next to the London Road Campus. The Whiteknights Campus is home to the Ure Museum of Greek Archaeology, the Cole Museum of Zoology, the University of Reading Herbarium, and the Harris Garden. In its 14,000 square metres of space spread across seven levels, the University Library at Whiteknights provides access to approximately 1 million physical resources in addition to a variety of electronic online resources.
Notable Alumni
Courses
Admission
Acceptance Rate
The University of Reading acceptance rate is 36%. This means that only 58 students get a green signal out of 100. Hence admission here is moderately difficult and students have to be precise and over-achieving with their scores and documents.
Entry Requirements
The university provides admission during the fall and spring semesters, with the majority of the programmes accepting applications during the first semester. For exact deadlines, which vary each year and in some cases include rolling deadlines, graduate applicants should consult the course pages in question. The majority of the fall admission courses, however, have June deadlines. To ensure you have ample time to prepare for studying in the UK, international UG applicants are urged to submit their applications before the deadline in mid-January. Following June 30th, clearing receives all applications. Be aware that some of the courses can be filled after the January deadline, thus the institution strongly advises submitting applications as soon as possible. Students can apply through the UCAS Online Portal with an application fee of £20. International students are advised to follow the University of Reading entry requirements making an application to the university -
Supporting Documents:
- Official Academic Transcripts
- International Baccalaureate Qualification
- Documentation of Residency
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
- CV/Resume
- GRE/GMAT scores
- English Proficiency Test Scores -
- IELTS: An overall score of 6.5 - 7.0
- TOEFL iBT: Overall score of 88 - 100
- Cambridge SPE/C2 Proficiency: B or C
- Cambridge CAE/C1 Advanced: B
- PTE: Overall score of 69 with at least a score of 59 in each section
Fees
The cost of the University of Reading fees for some of the popular courses are mentioned below -
- Accounting & Finance: £16,785 - £26,400
- Animation & Design: £16,785 - £23,700
- Medical & Pure Sciences: £16,785 - £24,850
- Business Management & Entrepreneurship: £16,785 - £26,400
- Computer Science & Technology: £16,785 - £22,850
- Nursing & Medicine: £16,785 - £24,460
- Engineering: £16,785
- Law & Legal Studies: £18,650
- Psychology: £16,785 - £22,850
Placements
The esteemed university gives its students the opportunity to spend a year working with one of its prestigious partner firms, such as Abbott diabetic care, Bayer, GCH, IBM, IQVIA, Jaguar Land Rover, Johnson & Johnson, Travelport, and Walt Disney. The top professions for graduates and alumni from the university earn an average annual salary of £58,000 (Finance Control & Strategy) to £92,000 (Insurance Jobs). Some of the top degrees and their average salaries are -
- Executive Masters: £1,26,000
- Masters in Finance: £85,000 - £1,07,000
- MBA: £82,000
- PhD: £80,000
- LLM: £69,000
For students and the University of Reading Placements Team to manage a student’s placement papers more effectively, the university introduced a new online system called "Pathways." Students can participate more actively in the approval process and exchange pertinent information about their placement due to Pathways. The Placement Team is made up of committed Placement Coordinators that collaborate closely with the Placement Tutor(s) at the school to make sure students have access to placement providers on campus through fairs and events, regular placement training sessions, and one-on-one consultations.
Students can attend online training classes on “Blackboard” that provide materials and help at times that are convenient for a student to support their PPY training. Access to the university’s Peer Supporter network of former placement year students, who may share advice and insights based on their own experiences, is another service offered by the Professional Placement Year Training organisation at Reading.
Scholarship
|
Name of the scholarship |
Eligibility |
Grants |
|
Vice Chancellor global scholarship award |
Undergraduate merit-based scholarship |
£4000 |
|
BSC architecture scholarship |
Merit students in undergraduate architecture course |
£1000 |
|
School of psychology and clinical language sciences international academic excellence scholarships |
Students pursuing undergraduate psychology |
£2000 |
|
Masters scholarship |
Merit based |
Entire tuition fees |
|
General scholarships |
Merit based |
£4000 |
|
Henley business school scholarship |
Postgraduate business programmes |
£2000-£8000 |
Finances
Most international students are obligated to show proof of sufficient funds to obtain a visa. While some students may have the opportunity to make use of scholarships, not all students cut the eligibility to get a scholarship or a grant. Moreover, not all scholarships cover 100% of your study abroad expenses. At such times, most students resort to acquiring education loans to avoid the financial hassles associated with studying at the university. For Indian students, UniCreds is the ideal education loan marketplace if you’re looking for low-interest rates and free consultation services!
Accommodation
There are several student accommodations in Reading near University of Reading that are fully equipped for your needs. Student accommodation near University Of Reading offers a wide choice of affordable yet elegant student flats, halls of residence, studios, ensuites, and more! You have the option of staying on campus in the university halls of residence or a private residence. Because of their proximity to the university, on-campus housing options may be ideal; nevertheless, they tend to fill up fast and are more expensive.
UniAcco simplifies the process of finding student housing and offers a variety of options. As a result, students can select from an array of available student accommodations near the university, such as luxury studios, en-suites, and shared apartments that are inexpensive and fully furnished with 24/7 staff support.
Cost of Living
According to a UK survey, Reading is the sixth most costly place to rent an apartment. The city is home to some of the best universities in the world, however, the cost of living in the UK is rather high for international students. For overseas students, the annual cost of living in Reading is roughly £15,924. In order to pay for their education, students in the UK can also work part-time jobs while studying. To get an idea of the cost of living in Reading per month, take a look at the table we have curated below -
|
Particulars |
Cost (Monthly) |
|
Off-Campus Accommodation |
£ 796 |
|
On-Campus Accommodation |
£ 828 |
|
Transportation |
£ 66 |
|
Food Cost |
£ 214 |
|
Entertainment |
£ 34 |
|
Groceries |
£ 128 |
|
Clothes |
£ 70 |
|
Total Cost of Living with Off Campus Accommodation |
£ 1,308 |
|
Total Cost of Living with On Campus Accommodation |
£ 1,340 |
|
Annual Cost of Living |
£ 15,696 |