Washington, DC (20 August 2009) – Today, U.S. News and World Report released its annual list of U.S. university rankings.  But did you know that the magazine also ranks universities worldwide?  This year, the magazine released a list of the world’s top 400 universities based on information from the Times Higher Education – QS World University Rankings.  On the list, 17 of the top 100 universities are UK institutions – a considerable accomplishment for a nation one-tenth the size of the United States, which is home to 37 of the top 100 world institutions.

The UK is the most popular destination for Americans who study outside the United States.  In the 2006-2007 school year (the most recent year for which statistics are available), more than 47,000 Americans enrolled in undergraduate, graduate or study abroad programs in the UK.  

Americans are increasingly aware of the high quality education offered by UK institutions for many reasons:

• UK institutions, even factoring in the exchange rate, tend to be much more affordable than their American counterparts.  According to College Board, the average four-year private US institution charged $25,143 each year in tuition, or $100,572 in projected total college tuition for the 2008-2009 school year.  The top 20 UK universities attended by Americans, by contrast, averaged a yearly tuition of approximately $17,661, or $57,440 in total tuition (based on today’s exchange rate 1 GBP = 1.65 USD).   

           [Note: most of the top 20 universities attended by Americans are three-year institutions; some are four-year                                institutions.]

• Graduates of UK institutions have a broader world perspective from their international classroom experience that translates into an international line on their resume before they even enter the workforce.  Many US and global corporations appreciate and even seek out this quality in their entry-level hires.   
  
  
• Institutions in England, Wales and Northern Ireland award undergraduate degrees after only three years of study.  Scottish institutions offer four-year degrees but, like their counterparts in the rest of the UK, generally remain more affordable than four-year private US institutions and offer a curriculum that is more focused on a student’s chosen major than most US universities.   
  
  
• Students at UK universities tend to complete more coursework in their chosen field of study, as opposed to fulfilling general studies requirements.   
  
  
• Applicants to UK universities can apply to 5 institutions easily and affordably with the UCAS application. Read more about the UCAS application process in this week’s U.S. News article “What British Colleges Can Teach America.”
  
  

The 17 UK universities recognized as top 100 world institutions include: University of Cambridge (3), University of Oxford (4), Imperial College London (6), University College London (7), King’s College London (22), University of Edinburgh (23), University of Manchester (29), University of Bristol (32), London School of Economics (66), University of Warwick (69), University of Glasgow (73), University of Birmingham (75), University of Sheffield (76), University of York (81), University of St. Andrews (83), University of Nottingham (86) and University of Southampton (99).  

Notes to editors: To speak with an American student about their experiences studying in the UK, or to learn more about UK higher education, please contact Carrie Annand (contact details below).  To learn more about UK universities online, please visit the British Council’s website.  To read about the study’s methodology, please visit U.S. News & World Report.  

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The British Council is the UK’s organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities.