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University of Aberdeen

🇬🇧 United Kingdom / Scotland / Aberdeen
Public Est. 1495

About

The University of Aberdeen is a public research university in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was founded in 1495 when William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland, petitioned Pope Alexander VI on behalf of James IV, King of Scots to establish King's College, making it one of Scotland's four ancient universities and the fifth-oldest university in the English-speaking world. Along with...

The University of Aberdeen is a public research university in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was founded in 1495 when William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland, petitioned Pope Alexander VI on behalf of James IV, King of Scots to establish King's College, making it one of Scotland's four ancient universities and the fifth-oldest university in the English-speaking world. Along with the universities of St Andrews, Glasgow, and Edinburgh, the university was part of the Scottish Enlightenment during the 18th century.

Ranking Overview

Ranking Snapshot

Ranked Top 201 worldwide across 4 major ranking systems

THE #201–250 (2026)
ARWU #201-300 (2025)

Ranked in 77 subject rankings

QS QS World University Rankings
# 288
26
47.1
2027
THE Times Higher Education World University Rankings
# 201–250
56.4
2026
ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities
# 201-300
2025
US News U.S. News Best Global Universities Rankings
# =371
4
56.3
2026

Key Facts

Students
11,875
Student-Staff Ratio
12.9 : 1
Int'l Students
36%
Female : Male
58 : 42

Historical Trend

Longitudinal View
QS QS
THE THE
ARWU ARWU
US News US News
1 51 101 151 201 251 301 351 400 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 Rank
:
Score:

Top Subjects

Best-performing areas
33
Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies
Top 50
51-100
Petroleum Engineering
Top 100
51-100
Mineral & Mining Engineering
Top 100
51-100
Anthropology
Top 100
=74
Ecology
Top 100
76-100
Ecology
Top 100
76-100
Mechanical Engineering
Top 100
76-100
Agricultural Sciences
Top 100
101-150
Earth & Marine Sciences
Top 200
101-150
Oceanography
Top 200
101-150
Water Resources
Top 200
101-150
Archaeology
Top 200
101-150
Philosophy
Top 200
101-200
Anatomy & Physiology
Top 200
126–150
Life Sciences
Top 200

Subject Rankings

Detailed breakdown

QS

38 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies 33 73.7 2026
Petroleum Engineering 51-100 - 2026
Mineral & Mining Engineering 51-100 - 2026
Anthropology 51-100 - 2026
Archaeology 101-150 - 2026
Philosophy 101-150 - 2026
Anatomy & Physiology 101-200 - 2026
Agriculture & Forestry 151-200 - 2026
Earth & Marine Sciences 151-200 - 2026
Environmental Sciences 151-200 - 2026
Geography 151-200 - 2026
Geology 151-200 - 2026
Law & Legal Studies 151-200 - 2026
English Language & Literature 201-250 - 2026
History 201-250 - 2026
Biological Sciences 201-250 - 2026
Medicine 201-250 - 2026
Geophysics 201-250 - 2026
Life Sciences & Medicine =204 67.9 2026
Modern Languages 251-300 - 2026
Pharmacy & Pharmacology 251-300 - 2026
Accounting & Finance 251-300 - 2026
Arts & Humanities =279 64.9 2026
Chemical Engineering 301-350 - 2026
Psychology 301-350 - 2026
Economics & Econometrics 301-350 - 2026
Politics 301-400 - 2026
Education & Training 351-400 - 2026
Engineering & Technology =376 62.9 2026
Natural Sciences 401-450 - 2026
Social Sciences & Management 401-450 - 2026
Electrical & Electronic Engineering 451-500 - 2026
Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering 451-500 - 2026
Mathematics 451-500 - 2026
Business & Management Studies 451-500 - 2026
Chemistry 501-550 - 2026
Computer Science 601-650 - 2026
Physics & Astronomy 601-675 - 2026

US News

18 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Ecology =74 56.3 2026
Oncology =172 56.3 2026
Agricultural Sciences =186 56.3 2026
Molecular Biology and Genetics =234 56.3 2026
Environment/Ecology =237 56.3 2026
Plant and Animal Science =264 56.3 2026
Economics & Econometrics 323 56.3 2026
Public, Environmental and Occupational Health =334 56.3 2026
Biology and Biochemistry =366 56.3 2026
Clinical Medicine =369 56.3 2026
Geosciences 384 56.3 2026
Energy and Fuels =391 56.3 2026
Psychiatry/Psychology =411 56.3 2026
Social Sciences and Public Health =428 56.3 2026
Neuroscience and Behavior 445 56.3 2026
Engineering =514 56.3 2026
Computer Science =629 56.3 2026
Chemistry =981 56.3 2026

ARWU

30 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Ecology 76-100 - 2025
Mechanical Engineering 76-100 - 2025
Agricultural Sciences 76-100 - 2025
Earth & Marine Sciences 101-150 - 2025
Oceanography 101-150 - 2025
Water Resources 101-150 - 2025
Environmental Sciences 151-200 - 2025
Human Biological Sciences 151-200 - 2025
Sociology 151-200 - 2021
Business Administration 151-200 - 2025
Finance 151-200 - 2023
Geography 201-300 - 2024
Atmospheric Science 201-300 - 2021
Biological Sciences 201-300 - 2025
Veterinary Science 201-300 - 2022
Clinical Medicine 201-300 - 2025
Public Health 201-300 - 2025
Pharmacy & Pharmacology 201-300 - 2025
Law & Legal Studies 201-300 - 2020
Education & Training 201-300 - 2025
Hospitality & Tourism Management 201-300 - 2022
Mathematics 301-400 - 2023
Civil Engineering 301-400 - 2025
Politics 301-400 - 2023
Chemistry 401-500 - 2024
Electrical & Electronic Engineering 401-500 - 2017
Chemical Engineering 401-500 - 2022
Economics & Econometrics 401-500 - 2025
Psychology 401-500 - 2025
Management 401-500 - 2025

THE

11 subjects
Subject
Rank
Score
Year
Life Sciences 126–150 57.0 2026
Clinical & Health 151–175 51.0 2026
Arts & Humanities 151–175 43.2 2026
Social Sciences 201–250 44.4 2026
Business & Economics 201–250 44.9 2026
Psychology 201–250 45.3 2026
Law & Legal Studies 201–250 37.7 2026
Engineering & Technology 251–300 45.5 2026
Physical Sciences 251–300 47.7 2026
Education & Training 251–300 40.6 2026
Computer Science 301–400 41.5 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ranking of University of Aberdeen?

University of Aberdeen's performance in the latest university rankings: QS Rank 288, THE Rank 201–250, ARWU Rank 201-300, US News Rank =371.

When was University of Aberdeen founded?

University of Aberdeen was founded in 1495.

What are the top subjects at University of Aberdeen?

Top subjects at University of Aberdeen include: Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies, Petroleum Engineering, Mineral & Mining Engineering, Anthropology, Ecology.

Where is University of Aberdeen located?

University of Aberdeen is located in Aberdeen, United Kingdom.