Best UK Universities for Communication & Media Studies 2027 — Complete University Guide Rankings

This is one of the first 2027 tables published (2 June 2026), ranking 92 universities; we present the top 20. Communication & Media Studies spans journalism, media, publishing and PR. The University of Sheffield tops the table with 100 overall. thecompleteuniversityguide thecompleteuniversityguide

Top 20 — Communication & Media Studies

Rank	University	Overall	Entry	Satisfaction	Research	Grad Prospects
1	University of Sheffield	100	74	84	85	86
2	University of Warwick	98	74	77	88	79
3	King’s College London	97	75	78	87	79
4	University of St Andrews	97	96	83	77	n/a
5	Cardiff University	97	70	75	92	82
6	University of Leeds	96	75	79	82	77
7	University of Birmingham	96	70	78	85	n/a
8	University of Strathclyde	95	100	78	85	70
9	Loughborough University	95	69	81	89	75
10	University of Exeter	94	71	76	85	77
11	Newcastle University	93	65	77	86	77
12	City St George’s, University of London	92	58	83	79	86
13	University of Nottingham	92	62	78	82	72
14	University of Leicester	92	58	78	87	74
15	Lancaster University	92	63	n/a	85	67
16	Royal Holloway, University of London	92	65	76	87	68
17	University of East Anglia	90	61	77	82	69
18	University of Liverpool	90	64	78	83	64
19	University of Stirling	90	84	78	79	62
20	University of the Arts London	89	63	82	80	67

Analysis

As one of the earliest 2027 tables, this ranking carries refreshed HESA/NSS data. The University of Sheffield’s 100 overall is built on balance — strong satisfaction (84), research (85) and the best graduate prospects in the top five (86) — rather than entry standards, where it scores a modest 74.

Cardiff posts the table’s best research quality (92), reflecting its renowned School of Journalism, Media and Culture. Entry standards reveal the Scottish effect: St Andrews (96) and Strathclyde (100) dominate that measure, partly because Scottish Highers allow more points accumulation (CUG discounts Scottish points by 25% in ranking calculations but displays raw scores).

Russell Group institutions occupy most of the top 11, but specialist and London-based providers — City St George’s (12th, with 86 graduate prospects), University of the Arts London (20th) — show that creative-industry connections matter. Movement is notable: King’s College London climbed to 3rd in 2027.

Graduate prospects are comparatively modest across the table (62–86), reflecting the competitive, freelance-heavy media labour market — a key consideration for international students weighing return on investment.

Agent Scholarship Options

The following table highlights the top UK universities for Communication & Media Studies based on the Complete University Guide 2027 rankings, matched with their corresponding “Agent Scholarship” opportunities. Eligible international students can apply through these pathway links to secure exclusive corporate scholarships.

Communication & Media Studies Rank (2027)	University Name	Agent Scholarship Page Link
1	University of Sheffield	University of Sheffield International Study Centre Agent Scholarship
5	Cardiff University	Cardiff University Pathway Agent Scholarship
6	University of Leeds	University of Leeds Pathway Agent Scholarship
8	University of Strathclyde	University of Strathclyde International Study Centre (ISC) Agent Scholarship
9	Loughborough University	ONCAMPUS Loughborough Agent Scholarship
10	University of Exeter	University of Exeter Pathway Agent Scholarship
11	Newcastle University	Newcastle University Pathway Agent Scholarship
15	Lancaster University	Lancaster University Pathway Agent Scholarship
17	University of East Anglia	University of East Anglia Pathway Agent Scholarship

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