Largest Universities in the UK (On-Campus
Largest Universities in the UK (On-Campus)

When size is measured by students physically studying on campus, the UK looks very different from rankings that include online or distance learners. Britain has few mega-campuses, tighter urban footprints, and a higher concentration of postgraduate students. As a result, on-campus scale reflects density, academic concentration, and daily campus life, not sprawl.

This ranking focuses only on on-campus enrollment, excluding distance-learning–dominant models such as The Open University. The list reflects the most credible picture of UK campus scale heading into 2026.

Read more:

- Top 10 Largest Universities in the UK by Total Enrollment (Online + On-Campus)

- Top 10 UK Universities Have the Most Beautiful Female Students

- Top 10 Most Distinguished Universities in the U.K

Rank University On-Campus Students (Approx.) Location Campus Profile
1 University of Manchester ~46,000–47,000 England Large research campus
2 University College London ~44,000–46,000 London Dense urban, postgraduate-heavy
3 University of Birmingham ~39,000–40,000 England Self-contained campus
4 University of Leeds ~38,000 England Research-intensive
5 University of Nottingham ~37,000–38,000 England Large green campus
6 University of Edinburgh ~36,000–37,000 Scotland Historic, multi-site
7 King’s College London ~34,000–36,000 London Multi-campus urban
8 Nottingham Trent University ~34,000–35,000 England Teaching-focused
9 University of Sheffield ~30,000–32,000 England Compact research campus
10 University of Bristol ~29,000–30,000 England Selective, urban

1) University of Manchester

  • On-campus students: ~46,000–47,000

  • Founded: 1824 (current form 2004)

  • Location: Manchester, England

  • Address: Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL

  • Website: https://www.manchester.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£20,000–£30,000

Why it ranks #1:

Manchester is widely regarded as the largest traditional campus university in the UK.

Student experience & review:

A dense, research-led campus integrated into a major city. Diverse, busy, and academically demanding.

2) University College London

  • On-campus students: ~44,000–46,000

  • Founded: 1826

  • Location: London, England

  • Address: Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT

  • Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£26,000–£38,000

Why it ranks here:

UCL’s scale comes from postgraduate and international density, not physical sprawl.

Student experience & review:

Highly international and academically intense. Less of a closed campus, more urban immersion.

3) University of Birmingham

  • On-campus students: ~39,000–40,000

  • Founded: 1900

  • Location: Birmingham, England

  • Address: Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT

  • Website: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£21,000–£28,000

Why it ranks here:

One of the UK’s largest self-contained campus universities.

Student experience & review:

Traditional campus feel with strong community and research depth.

4) University of Leeds

  • On-campus students: ~38,000

  • Founded: 1904

  • Location: Leeds, England

  • Address: Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS2 9JT

  • Website: https://www.leeds.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£20,000–£29,000

Why it ranks here:

Large, research-intensive campus with strong undergraduate presence.

Student experience & review:

Active student life, balanced academics, and a clear campus identity.

5) University of Nottingham

  • On-campus students: ~37,000–38,000

  • Founded: 1881

  • Location: Nottingham, England

  • Address: University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD

  • Website: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£20,000–£28,000

Why it ranks here:

A large physical campus with strong international enrollment.

Student experience & review:

Green, cohesive campus with global academic reputation.

6) University of Edinburgh

  • On-campus students: ~36,000–37,000

  • Founded: 1582

  • Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

  • Address: Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL

  • Website: https://www.ed.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£23,000–£37,000

Why it ranks here:

Large postgraduate and research presence within a compact historic city.

Student experience & review:

Prestigious and global, though campus space is fragmented.

7) King’s College London

  • On-campus students: ~34,000–36,000

  • Founded: 1829

  • Location: London, England

  • Address: Strand, London WC2R 2LS

  • Website: https://www.kcl.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£22,000–£35,000

Why it ranks here:

Multiple campuses and strong professional schools drive high daily attendance.

Student experience & review:

Urban, professional, and fast-paced. Campus life is spread across the city.

8) Nottingham Trent University

  • On-campus students: ~34,000–35,000

  • Founded: 1843 (university status 1992)

  • Location: Nottingham, England

  • Address: 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham NG1 4FQ

  • Website: https://www.ntu.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£16,000–£18,000

Why it ranks here:

One of the UK’s largest teaching-focused universities.

Student experience & review:

Highly structured, supportive, and career-oriented.

9) University of Sheffield

  • On-campus students: ~30,000–32,000

  • Founded: 1905

  • Location: Sheffield, England

  • Address: Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN

  • Website: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£20,000–£27,000

Why it ranks here:

Large undergraduate base with strong engineering and research programs.

Student experience & review:

Compact, student-friendly city with strong campus cohesion.

10) University of Bristol

  • On-campus students: ~29,000–30,000

  • Founded: 1876

  • Location: Bristol, England

  • Address: Senate House, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TH

  • Website: https://www.bristol.ac.uk

  • Tuition: UK ~£9,250 | International ~£21,000–£29,000

Why it ranks here:

High full-time enrollment with strong academic selectivity.

Student experience & review:

Prestigious and lively, though housing pressure is a challenge.

UK vs Canada vs USA: On-Campus Size in Context

  • UK campuses are smaller and denser than US counterparts

  • Very few UK universities exceed 40,000 on-campus students

  • Scale often comes from postgraduate concentration, not undergraduate mass enrollment

  • Online learning is largely separated into specialist models

Metric United Kingdom Canada United States
Largest on-campus university University of Manchester University of Toronto Arizona State University
Approx. on-campus students (largest) ~46,000–47,000 ~75,000+ ~65,000–75,000
Typical size of “large” universities 30,000–40,000 30,000–45,000 40,000–60,000
Universities above 50,000 on campus Almost none Very few (1–2) Many
Campus style Dense, urban, compact Academic-focused, balanced Sprawling, residential
Role of athletics Limited Moderate Major driver of campus life
Online learning impact Mostly separate Supplementary Integrated at scale
Main driver of size Postgraduate + density Full-time mix (UG + grad) Undergraduate mass enrollment

Bottom Line

The UK’s largest on-campus universities are defined by density, research intensity, and urban integration, not sprawl. For students, this means vibrant academic communities where scale is felt through activity and diversity rather than physical size.