What is the Russell Group of universities?

Are you planning to study in the UK and you are wondering what a Russell Group university is?

The Russell Group is a group of 24 universities in the United Kingdom with a shared focus on research and a reputation for academic achievement.

The Russell Group universities include the six red brick universities, which are usually amongst the top-ranking institutions in university league tables in the United Kingdom.

Each of the twenty-four Russell Group members hail from the United Kingdom: two are in Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow); one in Northern Ireland (Queen’s University Belfast) and one in Wales (Cardiff), with the remaining based in England.

There are no special entry requirements for a student who wishes to study at a Russell Group university; every institution has its own admissions process to follow and entry requirements to fulfil before you will be accepted.

The origins of this prestigious organisation go back to 1994, when the 17 original founding member universities came together to represent themselves collectively, meeting at London’s Hotel Russell, which is where the informal name of the group originated.

New universities have since been occasionally added to the Russell Group; the group becoming an official incorporated organisation in 2007.

The purpose of the Russell Group

The Russell Group is focused on ensuring the provision of world-leading educational standards in the UK and within the Russell Group universities, especially in the following fields:

• Sustainable funding – ensuring Russell Group universities can deliver a high-quality experience for students
• Research – promoting world-leading UK research and innovation that improves lives
• Immigration – ensuring Russell Group universities can attract and retain global talent to learn, research and teach in the UK
• Access – continually working to make world-class education more accessible to students of all backgrounds
• International partnerships – seeking an ambitious future EU relationship and embracing the new global opportunities ahead
• Environment – championing research into green technology, while lowering the environmental footprint of Russell Group universities

The group is self-selected, the UK government plays no role in the selection of member universities, and as it represents some of the most prestigious universities in the UK, it carries considerable status, which is used to help the member universities push for their causes.

A benchmark for UK university excellence

So how does this status translate for university experience for students of Russell Group universities?

Russell Group universities receive two-thirds of all UK-based research funding, and contribute greatly to the United Kingdom’s intellectual, cultural and economic life.

They contribute significantly to the economy of the United Kingdom through their wide range of excellent research in different topics across many disciplines and industries.

68% of the UK’s top-tier researchers work at Russell Group institutions; in addition, 68% of the UK’s most outstanding academic papers were also based on publications by researchers working at Russell Group universities (according to Research Excellence Framework).

Russell Group universities also have superior student employability statistics as well as a larger international student population, often offering opportunities than other non-Russell group institutions for international students, with a focus on a welcoming academic and living environment.

It is therefore easy to see why Russell Group universities attract some of the best students and academics from around the world to the UK.

List of Russell Group universities

Russell Group University Rankings

As can be seen from the member table above, Russell Group universities are ranked amongst the highest in the world.

However, it must be noted that there are non-Russell Group UK universities that are also highly respected and world-class.

The following UK universities are ranked among the world’s top 200 (in THE or QS rankings) but are not Russell Group universities:

• Lancaster University
• University of Aberdeen
• University of Bath
• University of East Anglia
• University of Leicester
• University of Reading
• University of St Andrews
• University of Sussex

Will studying at a Russell group university improve my employment prospects?

“Russell Group graduates typically receive a 10% salary ‘top-up’ over the others.”, Wendy Piatt, Director, Russell Group Universities

Russell Group universities offer excellent research and academic facilities for graduate study and postgraduate degrees such as PhDs, Masters Degrees, with world-leading professors teaching on campus every day.

You will find that many Russell Group universities also provide high quality undergraduate courses, which usually lead on to postgraduate degrees like MBA (Business) or LLB (Law).

Your employment prospects will depend heavily on your grades, work experience and interviews.

But having a Russell Group university degree can give you an edge while competing for certain jobs.

Moreover, Russell Group universities offer various schemes that make students work-ready before they apply for jobs; these steps are particularly helpful in competitive fields like law, finance and engineering.

However, regardless of whether you choose a Russell Group university or not, there is always something interesting out there waiting for you!

Is Russell Group the same as the Ivy League?

The Ivy League is a group of eight universities in the United States, whose member schools are among the most prestigious in their respective regions.

The American East Coast-based Ivy League universities include Harvard and Yale while UK’s Russell Group comprises 24 institutions including Oxford and Cambridge.

Just like Ivy League universities in the United States, almost all of the leading universities in UK rankings are Russell Group universities.

Whereas these two groups have similarities such as prestige, they differ when it comes to size: with only 8 members for the Ivy League versus 24 Russell Group universities.

Also, All the Ivy league members are private research universities, whereas the Russell group universities are all public research universities, meaning that they are UK government funded.

We have highlighted key differences between Russell Group and Ivy league in the chart below:

Russell Group universities in London

London is currently home to 5 of the Russell Group universities:

• Imperial College London
• King’s College London
• London School of Economics and Political Science
• Queen Mary University of London
• University College London

Of these, Imperial College London is the best-ranked, while University College London is the largest university with nearly 40,000 students.

The world renowned University of Oxford is just over 60 miles away from London, whilst the University of Cambridge is just under 60 miles away from London.

How can I study at a Russell Group university?

Russell Group universities are selective and have high admissions requirements. They pride themselves on academic excellence, which in turn influences their admission criteria.

If you want to give yourself the best chance of being accepted to one of these unis, you should make sure that your grades are as good as possible, whilst also making the best possible case for why you merit a place on your course of choice.

It may be easier to find a place at some courses at a Russell Group than others. Follow these guidelines to maximise your admission chances:

• Prioritise academics – study hard while still in school, as Russell Group universities focus on academic strengths when grading applicants
• Include extracurriculars in your education – you could join clubs and societies or even volunteer to work for charitable organisations to show that you care about what’s going on around you. Choose a cause close to your heart so that there will be something motivating and inspiring you everyday, while also highlighting your character to Russell Group universities
• Get Work Experience – preferably related to your desired course. It’s even better if an established senior employee would write you a reference letter about how great they think your skills are, well-written references can go a long way with admissions officials

When choosing your desired Russell Group university, take into account every important factor such as university location, tuition fees and the student body size when making your application decisions; also make sure you take advantage of virtual or on-campus open days.

In summary

• The UK’s Russell Group represents universities from the whole of the UK, not just London, Oxford and Cambridge.
• Some of the UK’s best and most prestigious universities are part of the Russell Group, but there are many excellent UK universities that are not members.
• It is entirely possible to achieve a place in a Russell Group university, but to give yourself the best chance you should concentrate hard on your studies and make the most of your academic opportunities.