History
The University of Leeds was founded in 1904, but its origins go back to the nineteenth century with the founding of the Leeds School of Medicine in 1831 and then the Yorkshire College of Science in 1874.
In 1831 a group of young men established the Leeds School of Medicine which meant that medical students no longer had to go to Scotland, London or overseas to study.
Education
- Undergraduate
- Masters courses
- Research degrees
Research
The University of Leeds conducts interdisciplinary and impact-orientated research to address challenges at regional, national and global levels. To achieve this our research is user-led and solutions focused, driven by the needs of our partners and stakeholders. Leeds is committed to working across disciplines to help tackle global challenges.
Career
The strength of our academic expertise combined with the breadth of disciplines we cover, provides a wealth of opportunities and has real impact on the world in cultural, economic and societal ways.
Student services
Visit the International Student Information Point in the Michael Sadler Building to collect a welcome pack and sign up for a welcome talk. Our welcome team will be available to help answer any questions you may have.
The International Student Orientation sessions, on 19 and 20 September, provide essential information about a range of topics and the support and opportunities available to help you get the most out of your time in Leeds.
Housing services
At the University of Leeds we understand how important your accommodation is when you're new. We know starting at University might be the first time you've lived away from home and this can be daunting as well as exciting. We're committed to making that transition as easy as possible for you and we'll help you every step of the way.
Library services
There are four libraries on campus, along with two public galleries displaying rare items and artworks. There is one off-campus library in St James's Hospital.
- Brotherton Library
- Edward Boyle Library
- Health Sciences Library
- Laidlaw Library
ICT services
University of Leeds will give you 5 terabytes of cloud storage on OneDrive, which means you can store and organise all your files online and access them anywhere.If you need to collaborate on a piece of work, you can also securely share documents and folders.
You will also have a home drive, an area of the network personal to you, which you can access from any cluster PC on campus.
Medical services
As a student in Leeds, you'll need to register with a doctor, and be familiar with where to go if you need help, treatment or advice.
We will work with you to help you manage your wellbeing and mental health, to develop insights into your situation alongside the tools and strategies to make the most of your time at University.
Campus life
Our campus is a ten-minute walk from Leeds city centre. Our single-site campus, one of the largest in the UK, is just a short walk from the centre of Leeds. Everything is in one place and it's really easy to get around. The University is a creative community with a rich cultural life, offering many opportunities for you to get involved or immerse yourself in the arts.
Sports facilities
We offer a wide range of sporting and physical activities enhanced by cutting-edge architectural design, and provide an exciting mix of services.
Key features include:
- A fantastic 25m 8 lane swimming pool
- The largest fitness suite of any UK university with state-of-the-art equipment (200 fitness stations)
- Leeds' largest indoor sports halls with performance sports floors and lighting
- Three dedicated class studios
Student clubs
Leeds University Union (LUU) is a member led organisation – that means any one of our 38,000 members can make a change to what we do, how we do it and who represents them. The Better Forums exist to enable you to make those changes
Accreditation
Leeds University Business School has confirmed its place among the elite after receiving accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
University of Leeds Overview
University of Leeds Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 1.6% United Kingdom
Top 2.2% 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.
QS World University Rankings
86
By TopUniversities
Dropped 4 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 75 | 82 | 86 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
118
By Times Higher Education
Climbed 5 places compared to 2025
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 129 | 123 | 118 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
133
By U.S. News & World Report
Climbed 8 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 140 | 141 | 133 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
151
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 151 | 151 | 151 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
University of Leeds Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
United Kingdom Country
Leeds City
University of Leeds Student Reviews & Awards
4.4
Based on 70 reviews
- 5 Star 36 Reviews
- 4 Star 28 Reviews
- 3 Star 4 Reviews
- 2 Star 1 Review
- 1 Star 1 Review
How Students Rated This University
- Overall Satisfaction 4.3
- Student Teacher Interaction 4.4
- Student Diversity 4.3
- Quality of Student Life 4.3
- Career Development 4.2
Studying Digital Media at University of Leeds
My experience studying Digital Media at the University of Leeds has been both engaging and transformative. What I really liked most was the balance between theory and practical work. The course doesn’t just focus on concepts like media theory, digital culture, and communication, but also gives hands-on experience with content creation, editing, and using modern digital tools. This combination helped me feel more prepared for real-world media environments. Another highlight was the diversity of students and ideas. Being surrounded by people from different backgrounds made discussions more interesting and broadened my perspective on global media trends. The lecturers were also supportive and encouraged creativity, which made it easier to express my own ideas confidently. However, one area that could be improved is the availability of more industry connections, such as internships or guest speakers from top media companies. While there are opportunities, having more structured links with the industry would make the course even more valuable for future careers. Overall, I would summarise my study experience as enriching and inspiring. It not only improved my academic knowledge but also helped me develop practical skills, critical thinking, and confidence in working within the digital media field.
Perfect
I really liked the hand on experience and the new environment
Student mentorship
Awesome support and guidance all the way throughout the process
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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Quality of Student LifeHow was your everyday life?
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Career DevelopmentDid the university provide support for your career development?