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15 Best Civil Engineering Universities In UK

Civil engineers shape the world we live in. Their expertise is key for a sustainable future in the UK, and the world. To become a civil engineer, you must first earn a degree in it or a related engineering field. So, to help you choose from the numerous civil engineering universities in the UK, we have ranked the best schools offering the program.

Civil Engineering is considered to be the oldest branch of engineering. Reason is that the profession has been an aspect of life since human existence.

Civil engineers design, create and connect the world around us. They design, build and maintain the infrastructure (even those we take for granted) – every reservoir, dam, bridge, road, tunnel, and building.

In the Uk, the importance of the expertise of civil engineers cannot be overemphasized. This can be seen in the average salary for members of the Institution of Civil Engineers, which is about £50,000.

Also, universities in the United Kingdom offer quality education to future civil engineers through their unique teaching methods and topnotch facilities.

This article will provide you with vital information of these top universities that offer civil engineering programs in the UK as we as their rankings.

Here is a table of what to expect:

Table of contents

What is Civil Engineering?

Basically, Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.

Why Study Civil Engineering in Uk?

One major reason why you should study civil engineering is that it is a rewarding, creative, and fun job. No day is ever the same, it’s a team effort, and the pay is good – and there are aren’t enough engineers to go around.

So why should you study civil engineering in the UK?

The answer is simple.

The UK has a reputation worldwide as a country of learning and academia, and it’s not hard to see why, especially with the number of top-ranking universities in it.

To be more precise, nearly one-fifth of the world’s top 50 universities are in the UK according to the QS World University Rankings 2024.

Now, bringing it down to civil engineering.

Two out of the top five universities for civil and structural engineering are Uk based.

Secondly, the UK is a tolerant, multicultural country – with people from almost every country on Earth. To be more precise, according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), the UK is the second most popular study destination in the world, with 458,520 international students choosing to study at UK universities.

So, you can be sure you’ll receive a warm welcome when you get admitted in a UK university for your civil engineering program.

In addition, Uk universities have state-of-the-art facilities to ensure that students who enrolled for the civil engineering programs get high-quality education as well as enough hands-on experience.

Furthermore, if you want to make a difference in the world and to the quality of people’s lives, then this is the course for you.

What are Civil Engineers Paid in the UK?

Basically, consulting civil engineer salaries usually start at around £23,500, rising to £26,500 with two years’ experience.

For non-members of ICE, salaries usually average around £30,450. However, the average basic salary for members of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is almost £50,000.

On the other hand, the average basic salary of ICE fellows is £81,447. This is as reported by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Salary Survey 2013.

What is the Cost of Studying Civil Engineering in Uk?

Basically, the tuition cost for civil engineering programs varies among the degree programs and universities. The tuition can be as low as £9,000 for home/EU students or as high as £30,000 for international students.

For instance, at the University of Manchester, Tuition fees for home/EU students commencing their studies in September will be £9,250 per annum. On the other hand, tuition fees for international students will be £24,000 per annum.

So, we advise intending students to visit their chosen university’s finance pages for detailed information.

Which Body Accredits Civil Engineering Degree Programs in The UK?

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is the body in charge of the accreditation of civil engineering grams in the UK. ICE also offers accreditation of university and college courses that are delivered and awarded by providers outside the UK.

In fact, ICE accredited courses are recognized in many countries under the International Education Accords and European Engineering Education Database which will benefit graduates seeking a global career.

As a student, you will also benefit from studying an accredited course. Once you’ve completed the course, as a graduate you will meet many or all of the educational requirements for registration with ICE as a Member (MICE) and with the Engineering Council (UK) as a Chartered Engineer (CEng), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) and/or Engineering Technician (EngTech).

Which Universities offer the Best Civil Engineering Programs in Uk?

Several schools in the UK offer civil engineering programs both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. However, for the purpose of this article, emphasis will be laid on 15 of them.

So, to effectively rank these 15 universities, we used some factors.

Here are the ranking factors.

Number of Accredited Programs

This is self-explanatory. It refers to the number of accredited civil engineering programs the university offers at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

QS Ranking system

This is all about how top ranking websites see the university’s civil engineering program.

Accreditation

The UK universities must be recognized and approved by the Institution of Civil Engineers or the Engineering Council

Here are the best universities where you can study accredited civil engineering programs in the UK:

  • University of Cambridge
  • Imperial College London
  • University of Oxford
  • The University of Manchester
  • University of Leeds
  • University of Sheffield
  • UCL
  • Cardiff University
  • University of Nottingham
  • University of Bristol
  • The University of Edinburgh
  • University of Glasgow
  • University of Southampton
  • The University of Liverpool
  • University of Birmingham

#1 University of Cambridge

Accreditation: Institution of Civil Engineers

Number of Programs: 3

Founded in 1209, The University of Cambridge is a collegiate research university in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s fourth-oldest surviving university.

The school has a global reputation for outstanding academic achievement and world-class original research. Cambridge is one of the top UK universities that offer the best civil engineering programs in the world.

It is currently ranked #1 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by most ranking bodies like QS ranking, Times Higher Education, and Complete University Guide.

At the school’s Department of Engineering, they aim to produce graduates who have a sound understanding of the theoretical principles which underlie Civil Engineering, and at least a basic knowledge of other engineering disciplines.

They also believe that the undergraduates are bright enough to take in this broad level of detail and that the college supervision system ensures that you will leave with a sound understanding of the courses you have taken.

Cambridge offers 3 civil engineering degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. They include bachelor, master’s and PhD degrees in civil engineering.

#2 Imperial College London

Accreditation: Institution of Civil Engineers

Number of Programs: 4

Founded in 1845, Imperial College London is a world-class university with a mission to benefit society through excellence in science, engineering, medicine, and business. The school offers one of the best civil engineering programs in the UK.

Here, the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering focuses on the interactions between the built environment and the natural world and recognize that civil and environmental engineering are crucial to meeting the major challenges faced by society.

With 50+ full-time academic staff, 10+ research and teaching fellows and 30+ research staff the schools offers civil engineering programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Basically, the Civil Engineering department offers study options at both Undergraduate (MEng) and Postgraduate (MSc and PhD) levels, as well as some modules for Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

The Department ranks consistently highly across a number of prominent league tables. Imperial College London ranks #3 in the best civil engineering universities in the world and #2 in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024.

On the other hand, the Education Guardian university guide (UK) ranks it #1 in the UK. Meanwhile, the Sunday Times Good University Guide (UK) ranks it #3 in the UK.

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#3 University of Oxford

Accreditation: Institution of Civil Engineers

Number of Programs: 3

Founded in 1096, the University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. It is the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the world’s second-oldest university in continuous operation. 

The University of Oxford is one of the leading universities in the world and has one of the best civil engineering colleges in the UK. They are currently ranked #3 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by QS Ranking.

Civil Engineering is part of the programs offered by the Department of Engineering Science at Oxford University. With an outstanding reputation for research, it is one of the few worldwide in which Engineering is studied as a unified discipline.

At the undergraduate level, students basically spend the first two years studying the core topics which are believed to be essential for all engineers to understand before fully concentrating on your program.

University of Oxford Department of Engineering offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in civil engineering. These include a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering, MSc by Research in Engineering Science, and a DPhil in Engineering Science (Full-time or Part-time).

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#4 The University of Manchester

Accreditation: Institution of Civil Engineers

Number of Programs: 6

Formed in 2004 by the merger of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology and the Victoria University of Manchester, the University of Manchester is a public research university in Manchester, England. It is currently ranked #3 in the best civil engineering universities by QS Ranking.

The Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Civil Engineering strives to maintain and improve the standard of the Manchester engineering education experience. They have practical and exciting courses, which we develop alongside industrial and international engineering leaders, leaving students fulfilled and employable on graduation.

Basically, the Department possesses fantastic facilities and a great depth of academic knowledge – all of which make The University of Manchester an ideal place of study for a budding engineer.

Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering offers civil engineering programs at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They include:

  • MEng in Civil and Structural Engineering (4 years)
  • BEng in Civil EngineeringBEng (3 years)
  • MEng in Civil EngineeringMEng (4 years)
  • MEng in Civil Engineering (Enterprise)
  • Civil Engineering with Industrial ExperienceMEng (5 years)
  • PhD degree in Civil engineering

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#5 University of Leeds

Accreditation: Engineering Council

Number of Programs: 5

Founded in 1874, the University of Leeds is a public research university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is currently ranked #2 in the UK for Civil Engineering by Guardian University league tables 2024 and #5 in the UK by QS Ranking.

With state-of-the-art facilities, the school of civil engineering at the University of Leeds offers high-quality programs to students both from within and outside the UK.

The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 10.7. This in turn means that students here easily have access to their professors.

Available civil engineering programs include:

  • Civil Engineering MEng, BEng
  • Civil and Structural Engineering MEng, BEng
  • MEng, BEng in Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Civil Engineering with Project Management MEng, BEng
  • Civil Engineering with Transport MEng, BEng
  • PhD in Civil Engineering

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#6 University of Sheffield

Accreditation: Engineering Council

Number of Programs: 8

Founded in 1828, the University of Sheffield is a public research university in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It is currently among the top universities that offer the best civil engineering programs in the UK.

The University of Sheffield is currently ranked 47th in the best civil engineering schools in the world and 6th in the UK by the QS World University. They also ranked 8th in the UK according to the Times University League Table.

Basically, civil engineers help to create and protect the world we live in. So, driven by teaching and research excellence, the Department of Civil Engineering at University of Sheffield inspires and empowers our students to engineer a better future.

They have a responsibility and passion to address emerging global challenges and are dedicated to making the world a better place by producing engineers who will build a better future.

The school offers programs at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Available programs include:

  • BEng Civil Engineering
  • BEng Civil Engineering with a Year in Industry
  • MEng Civil Engineering
  • MEng Civil Engineering with a Year in Industry
  • Civil Engineering with a Modern Language – MEng
  • MEng Civil and Structural Engineering
  • MEng Civil and Structural Engineering with a Year in Industry
  • PhD degree in Civil Engineering

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#7 UCL

Accreditation: Engineering Council

Number of Programs: 3

Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, and became one of the two founding institutions of the University of London.

UCL is one of the world’s leading multi-disciplinary universities, with more than 11000 staff and 39000 students from 150 different countries. It offers one of the best civil engineering programs in the UK.

In fact, UCL ranks #7 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024.

UCL Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (CEGE) is home to world-leading research projects, groups, and centers. They reflect a broad, enquiring, and human-centered view of the engineering world. They also have strong links to industry and research embedded throughout their diverse range of programs, with these links enhanced by their proximity to both major infrastructure projects and leading firms.

UC offers 3 civil engineering degree programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. They include bachelor, master’s, and PhD degrees in civil engineering.

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#8 Cardiff University

Accreditation: Engineering Council

Number of Programs: 2

Founded in 1883, Cardiff University is a public research university in Cardiff, Wales. It offers one of the best civil engineering programs in the UK. Cardiff University currently ranks #8 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024.

The Civil and Environmental Engineering program at Cardiff provides a thorough understanding of civil engineering theory and its practical applications through laboratory and research work, field courses, and design classes, with a particular emphasis on the environment.

The school offers 2 civil engineering degree study options at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They include bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering.

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#9 University of Nottingham

Accreditation: Engineering Council

Number of Programs: 3

Founded in 1881, the University of Nottingham is a public research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It offers one of the best civil engineering programs in the UK. Cardiff University currently ranks #9 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024.

Civil engineering courses at Nottingham will prepare you for industry, with all content and teaching overseen by an Industrial Advisory Board (IAB). Here students are taught through lectures, lab sessions, and project work.

The school offers 3 civil engineering degree study options at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They include bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in civil engineering.

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#10 University of Bristol

Accreditation: Engineering Council

Number of Programs: 3

The University of Bristol is a red brick research university in Bristol, England. It offers one of the best civil engineering programs in the UK.

The University of Edinburgh currently ranks #10 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024 and #8 by the Guardian University Guide League Table.

Basically, the University of Bristol has an international reputation for quality, with excellent teaching and research. So, students who study here get to benefit from this. Also, degree courses here develop both technical and project management skills to enable you to be a future leader in civil engineering.

The school offers 3 civil engineering degree study options at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They include bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in civil engineering.

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#11 The University of Edinburgh

Accreditation: Engineering Council

Number of Programs: 3

Founded in 1582, the University of Edinburgh is the sixth oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland’s ancient universities. It offers one of the best civil engineering programs in the UK.

The University of Edinburgh currently ranks #11 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024 and #9 by the Guardian University Guide League Table.

Here, the School of Engineering offers three Undergraduate Degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering. The flagship Civil Engineering degree, and two specialist variants, Structural and Fire Safety Engineering and Structural Engineering with Architecture, both of which are tailored to current industry needs

The school also offers civil engineering degree study options at the postgraduate levels. They include masters and PhD degrees in civil engineering.

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#12 University of Glasgow

Accreditation: Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)

Number of Programs: 3

Founded by papal bull in 1451, the University of Glasgow is a public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. It is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland’s four ancient universities. The school also offers one of the best civil engineering programs in the UK.

In fact, the University of Glasgow currently ranks #12 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024 and #6 by the Guardian University Guide League Table. It is also ranked first in Scotland and second in the UK (Complete University Guide 2024).

Here, the Civil Engineering degree is focused around problem-based learning and students enjoy tackling design projects in all years of the program. At the master’s eve, students can choose to develop a degree of specialization in a given sub-discipline or to remain broad-based, thus tailoring the program to suit their interests and career aspirations.

The school offers 3 civil engineering degree study options at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They include bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in civil engineering.

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#13 University of Southampton

Accreditation: Institution of Civil Engineers

The University of Southampton is a research university in Southampton, England. It is one of the top schools that offers the best civil engineering programs in the UK.

In fact, the University of Southampton currently ranks #13 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024.

As a civil engineering student at the University of Southampton, you’ll gain a wide range of knowledge and skills, from understanding hydraulics and soil mechanics to structural design and construction management.

You’ll also be equipped with a sound understanding of the fundamental principles of civil engineering and the ability and confidence to apply them to solve practical problems.

Basically, the school offers 3 civil engineering degree study options at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They include bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in civil engineering.

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#14 The University of Liverpool

Accreditation: Institution of Civil Engineers

Number of Programs: 2

Founded as a college in 1881, the University of Liverpool is a public university based in the city of Liverpool, England. It is one of the top schools that offers the best civil engineering programs in the UK.

In fact, the University of Liverpool currently ranks #14 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024.

The Department of Civil Engineering and Industrial Design here has been formed following a recent restructuring of the School from its previous centers of research. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Industrial Design.

The Department maintains strong industrial links through a well-established Industrial Liaison Committee, comprising local and regional industrial partners. This in turn provides valuable industrial input into teaching, research, and the mentoring of undergraduate MEng students.

Basically, the school offers 2 civil engineering degree study options at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They include bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in civil engineering.

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#15 University of Birmingham

Accreditation: Engineering Council

Number of Programs: 3

The University of Birmingham is a public research university in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom, and also one of the top schools that offers the best civil engineering programs in the UK.

In fact, the University of Birmingham currently ranks #15 in the best civil engineering universities in the UK by the QS World University Rankings 2024 and #10 by the Guardian University Guide League Table.

The department of civil engineering at the University of Birmingham provides top-quality education to students through their integrated teaching and research laboratories.

With design being the core of all the teaching, students here get to build something big in a supportive environment that ensures a smooth transition to university.

The school offers 3 civil engineering degree study options at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They include bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in civil engineering.

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FAQs On 15 Best Civil Engineering Universities In UK | 2023

How much does it cost to enroll in a civil engineering degree?

The tuition for civil engineering programs can be as low as £9,000 for home/EU students or as high as £30,000 for international students.

Who accredits civil engineering program in UK?

The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is the body in charge of the accreditation of civil engineering programs in the UK.

How much is civil engineering salary?

Basically, consulting civil engineer salaries usually start at around £23,500, rising to £26,500 with two years’ experience.

For non-members of ICE, salaries usually average around £30,450. However, the average basic salary for members of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) is almost £50,000.

Conclusion

Civil engineers design, create and connect the world around us. To become a civil engineer, you must first earn a degree in a field or a related engineering field.

There are no barriers if you want to be a civil engineer be it background, gender, and age, nothing. Just have the right academic subjects and attitude you can start making your career choices right here.

The article above provides you with vital information on the top universities that offer civil engineering programs in the UK.

I hope this helps you in your decision-making process.

Good Luck And Success!!!

Reference

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