Best Computer Science Universities in the UK

The United Kingdom has a strong claim on the history of computer science and a set of departments that still rank among the best in the world. Oxford and Cambridge trade places at the top: Oxford is placed first in the world for computer science by Times Higher Education in 2026, while both sit near the top of the QS subject ranking.

London is the other centre of gravity. Imperial College London and University College London both place inside the QS global top 25 for computer science, and Edinburgh gives Scotland a department with deep roots in artificial intelligence. Oxford and Cambridge teach within the collegiate and tutorial system, where students are taught in very small groups and applicants sit an admissions test before interview. The London universities run larger, more conventional departments.

The table below lists the UK universities we profile, ranked by their QS 2026 computer science position where we have cited one, and it grows as more profiles are published.