ATLAS · UNIVERSITIES · UNITED KINGDOM
Universities in United Kingdom
United Kingdom has 261 universities on the map. The oldest dates to 1096. 7 were founded before 1600. Below: how they spread across the centuries, and the country’s oldest institutions. From Wikidata, snapshot 2026-06-22.
UNIVERSITIES261
OLDEST1096
FOUNDED 1900+138
By founding era
Before 12001 · 0%
1200–15996 · 2%
1600–189981 · 31%
1900 or later138 · 53%
Date unknown35 · 13%
Oldest universities in United Kingdom
The country’s earliest institutions — the deepest roots of higher education here.
1096University of Oxford
1209University of Cambridge
1413University of St Andrews
1451University of Glasgow
1495University of Aberdeen
1546Trinity College
1583University of Edinburgh
1614Heythrop College, University of London
1741Royal Military Academy, Woolwich
1750The Robert Gordon University
1796University of Strathclyde
1800Army Officer Selection Board
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