University of Southampton is ranked 15th of 130 in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2027, and its entrants average 145 UCAS points, 32nd of 130. It is a Russell Group university on the south coast of England. Most degrees ask for AAA or AAB at A level, and international undergraduate fees on the courses below run from £28,300 to £33,000 a year.
- Location
- Southampton, on the south coast of England, with seven campuses, one of them in Winchester
- Type
- a research university and a founding member of the Russell Group
- Ranking
- 15th of 130 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2027)
- Typical offer
- AAA for Law and Medicine, AAB for Business Management and Computer Science
- IELTS
- 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each component for most courses, 7.0 in each for Medicine
- International fee
- £28,300 to £33,000 a year on the courses below, £35,900 for the first two years of Medicine
Reviewed by Dr Elizabeth Adey for 2027 entry · Uni Direct team, 2026
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 and the University of Southampton course pages, read 5 October 2026.
- LocationSouthampton, on the south coast of England, with seven campuses, one of them in Winchester
- Typea research university and a founding member of the Russell Group
- Ranking15th of 130 in the UK (Complete University Guide 2027)
- Typical offerAAA for Law and Medicine, AAB for Business Management and Computer Science
- IELTS6.5 overall with 6.0 in each component for most courses, 7.0 in each for Medicine
- International fee£28,300 to £33,000 a year on the courses below, £35,900 for the first two years of Medicine
Where is the University of Southampton, and what is it like?
Southampton is a city on the south coast of England, and the Complete University Guide tags the university as city centre, coastal and campus. The main site is Highfield Campus, and the university lists seven campuses in all, among them Avenue, Boldrewood Innovation Campus, City Centre, University Hospital Southampton, Waterfront and Winchester.
It is a large university, with more than 25,000 students, and 32% of them are international. The university describes more than 10,000 international students from over 130 countries.
If you want a university with a city on its doorstep. Southampton suits you. If you want one compact campus. You will find the sites spread out. Southampton guarantees a single-occupancy room to new undergraduates who make it their firm or insurance choice, apply for housing by 1 July, take a contract of 38 weeks or longer and meet their offer by 31 August. The 2026 deadline was 1 July 2026.
Is the University of Southampton a good university?
Yes. The Complete University Guide 2027 ranks Southampton 15th of 130 UK universities, and its research quality is 14th. Graduate prospects are strong, with an outcomes score of 80.6 out of 100, 21st in the table.
Student satisfaction is the weaker column. It scores 3.13 out of 4 and sits 82nd, a long way below its overall place. Southampton received its royal charter in 1952, and the Times and the Guardian both place it 18th for 2027.
| Measure | Southampton | Table |
|---|---|---|
| Overall UK ranking | 15th of 130 | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Entry standards | 145 UCAS points, 32nd | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Student satisfaction | 3.13 of 4, 82nd | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Graduate prospects, outcomes | 80.6 of 100, 21st | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| Research quality | 14th | Complete University Guide 2027 |
| UK ranking | 18th | Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027 |
| UK ranking | 18th | Guardian University Guide 2027 |
Source: Complete University Guide 2027 profile, and the university’s rankings page for the Times and Guardian positions, read 5 October 2026.
The whole field is in our guide to the best UK universities, and studying in the UK covers the wider picture.
University of Southampton entry requirements
Southampton sets a grade for each course. Law and Medicine ask for AAA, and Business Management and Computer Science ask for AAB, with Mathematics at grade A for Computer Science. Medicine adds the UCAT and a selection day.
Entry requirements for 2027/28
A level
International Baccalaureate
IELTS
Source: University of Southampton course pages for Law, Business Management, Computer Science and Medicine, shown for 2027/28 entry and read 5 October 2026.
Law does not require the LNAT. For other courses, Southampton gives each applicant an English language band in the offer letter, and it accepts IELTS Academic UKVI, Pearson, Trinity ISE, TOEFL iBT and the Duolingo English Test among its tests. Our guide to studying in the UK without IELTS covers the other routes.
Southampton also converts your own national qualification. From India it asks for at least 75% in Standard XII from CBSE, CISCE or the metro state boards. It accepts the Gaokao for many courses, but not for its engineering and physical sciences degrees, its three medicine degrees or degrees that need a specific A level subject other than Mathematics.
University of Southampton acceptance rate
The University of Southampton does not state an acceptance rate on its admissions pages.
The figure that stands in for it is the entry requirement for your own course, in the table above. Entrants to Southampton average 145 UCAS points, 32nd of the universities the Complete University Guide ranks, so the published grades are the bar to measure yourself against.
Source: University of Southampton Medicine course page, read 5 October 2026, and its medical admissions figures for 2022 to 2024 entry, released in November 2024, read 6 September 2026.
Medicine is the most selective course. Applicants must take the UCAT before the 15 October deadline, and Southampton ranks them by UCAT score and invites the top candidates to a selection day. The lowest UCAT score invited to interview for the five-year course was 2750 for 2022 entry, 2810 for 2023 and 2610 for 2024. Those are past cut-offs, not a target for your own year.
Courses the University of Southampton is best known for
Southampton is best known for engineering and the health professions. The Complete University Guide 2027 places 15 of its subjects in the UK top ten, including Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing and Production Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Marketing, Physiotherapy and Nursing and Midwifery.
Beside Medicine, the entry table covers Law, Business Management and Computer Science. Business Management is also one of the founding degrees at University of Southampton Delhi, its campus in Gurugram. Our guide to the best law universities in the UK sets Southampton’s Law degree beside the others.
Medicine asks for the most of the four courses, with AAA including Biology, the UCAT and IELTS 7.0 in each element. If it is your first choice, treat it as one application among several.
How much does the University of Southampton cost?
International undergraduate fees depend on the course. Business Management is £28,300 a year, Law £28,400 and Computer Science £33,000. Medicine is £35,900 a year for the first two years and £64,900 a year for the three clinical years. Southampton says fees rise every year for students starting from 1 August 2026.
| Cost | Figure |
|---|---|
| Tuition, Business Management | £28,300 a year |
| Tuition, Law | £28,400 a year |
| Tuition, Computer Science | £33,000 a year |
| Tuition, Medicine, years 1 and 2 | £35,900 a year |
| Tuition, Medicine, years 3 to 5 | £64,900 a year |
| University and partner halls, 2026/27 | £118.50 to £284.48 a week |
| Money to show for your visa, outside London | £1,171 a month for up to nine months |
| Immigration health surcharge | £776 a year |
| Student visa application from outside the UK | £558 |
Source: University of Southampton course pages, which print each fee without naming its year, its accommodation fees page for 2026/27, and GOV.UK for the visa figures, read 5 October 2026.
Hall prices start at £118.50 a week for a basic shared bathroom room at Lucia Foster Welch, a partner hall on a 41 week contract. Glen Eyre starts at £157.64, Wessex Lane at £139.09, and part-catered Highfield Hall runs from £223.30 to £270.06. The weekly price covers utilities, wi-fi, laundry and contents insurance, and university-owned halls add a Unilink bus pass.
A placement year costs 20% of the tuition fee, and a full year of study abroad costs 15%. You can set these costs beside other cities in our guides to the cost of living for international students and the cheapest universities in the UK.
The visa figures come from GOV.UK, which is the only authority on the Student visa rules. We work with partners where an application needs professional handling. Our student visa guide sets out the published steps.
University of Southampton scholarships for international students
Southampton awards merit scholarships of up to £4,500 off the first year of tuition fees to international undergraduates. You do not apply, because Southampton awards it automatically if you pay the overseas fee, hold an offer and meet the grade conditions.
The grade conditions depend on your school. Business, Law, Mathematics and Physics ask you to exceed your offer with A* grades, and most other schools look for A or A* grades. The Business School pays £1,500 for each A*, and several schools, Law and Physics among them, cap the award at £3,000.
Southampton also lists a Sanctuary Scholarship and 75th Anniversary Undergraduate Excellence Scholarships for undergraduates. Its Scholarship Finder tool shows what you could apply for.
Source: University of Southampton merit scholarships for international undergraduates and its international scholarships page, read 5 October 2026.
Is the University of Southampton a Russell Group university?
Yes. Southampton describes itself as a founding Russell Group member. Membership does not change the entry requirement on your course, so read the grades above before the label.
How the group works is set out on our page about Russell Group universities.
How do I apply to the University of Southampton?
Apply through UCAS
You apply through UCAS for the first year of a full-time undergraduate course.
Medicine deadline
Medicine needs the UCAT before the 15 October UCAS deadline.
Check your year of entry
Check the course page for your own year of entry, because Southampton shows 2027/28 requirements beside the fee.
Help with your Southampton application
We can help you with your application to Southampton, from choosing your courses to writing your personal statement and meeting your deadline. If you are not sure yet whether Southampton is right for you, we can talk it through with you first.
Ask our students what stood out and most say how fast Liz answers.
Southampton is a good choice for a student with strong predicted grades who wants a Russell Group name on the coast. It asks for AAA or AAB on the courses above, it ranks 15th in the UK, and the merit scholarship of up to £4,500 comes automatically to students who beat their offer. Student satisfaction is 82nd, so I would ask at an open day how the course you want is taught before you accept. Look at the fee for your own course too, because it ranges from £28,300 to £33,000 before Medicine.
Frequently asked questions about the University of Southampton
Is the University of Southampton hard to get into?
It asks for AAA or AAB on the courses above, and entrants average 145 UCAS points. Southampton does not state an acceptance rate, so the grades for your course are the measure. Medicine is the hardest, with AAA including Biology and one other science, the UCAT and a selection day with an interview.
Is the University of Southampton a campus university?
Partly. The Complete University Guide tags it as city centre, coastal and campus. Highfield Campus is the main site, and the university lists seven campuses, including Avenue, Boldrewood, City Centre, Waterfront and Winchester. Halls cost from £118.50 a week in 2026/27, and new undergraduates who meet the deadline and conditions are guaranteed a room.
How many students are at the University of Southampton?
The Complete University Guide records more than 25,000 students, and 32% of them are international, with 65% from the UK and 3% from the EU. That is roughly one student in three from outside the UK and EU. The university describes more than 10,000 international students from over 130 countries.
What IELTS score do you need for the University of Southampton?
Business Management and Computer Science ask for 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each element, Law asks for 6.5 in each, and Medicine asks for 7.0 in each. Your offer letter names the band you need. Other routes are in our guide to studying in the UK without IELTS.
Does the University of Southampton have a campus in India?
Yes. University of Southampton Delhi is in Gurugram. Its first students began in August 2025 and a second cohort started in September 2026, and the university describes it as a UK degree taught in India. BSc Business Management is among its founding programmes.
Is the University of Southampton the same as Solent University?
No. Solent University is a separate university in the same city, so an application to one is not an application to the other. They have different courses, fees and entry requirements, so check that the website on your offer is southampton.ac.uk.
Is the University of Southampton good for international students?
It has more than 10,000 international students from over 130 countries and a merit scholarship of up to £4,500 awarded automatically. Fees start at £28,300 on the courses above. The university also has its own visas team for students, and each course page shows the English band and fee for that degree.
The next step
Tell us your grades and the Southampton courses you are considering, and we will tell you where you stand.
If Southampton is on your list, send us your grades and the courses you are considering. We will tell you how your profile compares with the published requirements and which courses give you the best chance. Our guide on how to study in the UK covers the steps from choosing a course to arriving.
You may also want to compare Southampton with Bristol, Bath, Manchester, Sheffield, Lancaster and Glasgow. Or for a free consultation, contact us now.
Sources: Complete University Guide 2027 · University of Southampton course, fee, accommodation, scholarship, rankings, history, international and Delhi pages · GOV.UK Student visa. Read 5 October 2026. Photograph by Roger Davies, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Next review: when Southampton publishes its 2028 entry requirements and fees.