History
In 1943 the Vice Chancellors of United Kingdom Universities convened a special commission to ' consider the principles which should guide the promotion of higher education, learning and research...in the colonies.' The recommendations of that commission saw a Royal Charter formally establishing what was then the University College of the West Indies in 1948.
Education
UWI’s 8 faculties offer a wide range of options at the undergraduate, masters and doctoral programmes in Agriculture, Humanities and Education, Engineering, Law, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, Pure and Applied Sciences, Social Sciences and Sport. Programmes are international in scope with a unique Caribbean focus. This strong emphasis on Caribbean issues makes The UWI the ideal educational institution for local and international students with an interest in Caribbean society.
Research
UWI is focused on building a research institution that will enable us to become internationally recognized as a centre of excellence in research, knowledge creation and innovation on matters relating to the Caribbean and Small Island Developing States.
Student services
Our dedicated Student Services offices have been set up to support you as you during your time at UWI. The staff at these offices will be able to provide you with information on numerous student services including Financial Aid, Accommodation, Mentoring Programmes and even Part-Time/Vacation Employment.
Housing services
Our students can find accomodation in one of our five campuses:
- Mona, Jamaica
- St Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago
- Cave Hill, Barbados
- The Open Campus
- Five Islands Campus
Library services
- Welcome to the UWI Mona Campus Library System which includes the Main Library as well as the Law, Medical, Science and Western Jamaica Campus branches.
Cavehill Campus libraries:
- Audine Wilkinson Library
- CLR James Cricket Research Centre Library
- Elizabeth Watson AV Unit
- Faculty of Medical Sciences Library
- The Law Library
- The Sidney Martin Library
Medical services
- The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus encourages healthy lifestyles, while supporting a positive work environment and promoting a balance between personal and work responsibilities.
- The University Health Centre (UHC) at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, provides a wide range of primary and secondary health care services to members of the university community.
Campus life
The University of the West Indies has five campuses:
- Mona, Jamaica
- St Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago
- Cave Hill, Barbados
- The Open Campus
- Five Islands Campus
Sports facilities
- Netball, Cricket, Tennis, Table Tennis, Swimming, Football, Basketball, Hockey, Track and Field, Volleyball, Chess, Taekwondo and Aerobics in Malcolm Marshall Nets, Sir Garfield Sobers Coaching Centre, Multi-purpose Court, Basketball Court, Hockey Turf, Students' Gym, Usain Bolt Sports Complex, 3Ws Oval.
- The Sports complex of the University of the West Indies, Mona is situated at the Mona Bowl. The Mona Bowl is the home of: Cricket Matches, Rugby Tournaments, Football, Basketball Competitions, Volleyball.
Student clubs
There is a Club, Society or Movement designed for your intellectual, spiritual, social, economic, relational and physical needs. Make your choice from more than 100.
Accreditation
The Mona School of Business recently received accredita - tion for its programmes from the Association of MBAs (AMBA).
UWI Mona is a fully-accredited tertiary-level institution. Our programmes - available across our 5 Faculties, 8 schools and 12 specialist centres - have been closely examined and evaluated, and we are proud of the 'flying colours' we have continuously received.
The University of the West Indies Overview
The University of the West Indies Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 19.8% Jamaica
Top 25% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
World University Rankings
1201
By Times Higher Education
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1001 | - | 1201 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
The University of the West Indies Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
Barbados Country
Bridgetown City
#2 Branch Campus
Jamaica Country
New Kingston City
#3 Branch Campus
Antigua and Barbuda Country
Saint John’s City
#4 Branch Campus
Jamaica Country
Kingston City
#5 Branch Campus
Trinidad and Tobago Country
Arouca City
The University of the West Indies Student Reviews & Awards
4
Based on 100 reviews
- 5 Star 40 Reviews
- 4 Star 38 Reviews
- 3 Star 18 Reviews
- 2 Star 4 Reviews
- 1 Star 0 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
- Overall Satisfaction 4.1
- Student Teacher Interaction 4.1
- Student Diversity 4.0
- Admission Process 4.3
University
My university has a lot to offer from logistics to engineering to customs to nautical studies. I like my university because it is the only maritime university in Jamaica or the only university that offers maritime studies.
Diversity and Inclusivity
I admire the inter-university sub-organizations such as JKUATES and foreign learning hubs for International students for example AICAD and PAU. It is a place filled with students from all over Kenya and the world and i would recommend this University for the open minded and explorative individuals.
Solid Experience
UWI’s academic programs are excellent; there is no doubt you are receiving a world class education. Additionally, there are a plethora of clubs and societies, including athletic ones, for students to join. UWI’s only major downfall lies in its administrative intransigence.
Studied here? Share your experience
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Overall SatisfactionHow would you rate your overall study experience?
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Student Teacher InteractionHow helpful were your teachers?
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Student DiversityHow diverse was the atmosphere at your university?
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Admission ProcessHow simple was it to apply to your programme?