The hardest (and easiest) Russell Group unis to get into in 2025, based on offers

You’ve ripped open the envelope, stared at the grades, and now you’re wondering… how much of a fight is it going to be to get into your dream uni? Spoiler: some universities will take you in with open arms, while others are basically Fort Knox with a library. Here are the easiest and hardest Russell Group unis to get into.

Fresh UCAS data from the 2024 application cycle has revealed which Russell Group unis are the toughest and easiest to get places at based on offers given out, and the gaps are huge. You’re actually four times more likely to get an offer from some than from others.

At the easiest end? The University of Exeter, which hands out offers like free tote bags at Freshers’ Fair. With an 85.1 per cent offer rate, it’s practically an open invitation, and bonus points if you already own a hockey stick or a Barbour jacket. Newcastle University isn’t far behind with 80.2 per cent, so if you’ve got your heart set on the Toon, odds are looking good.

At the other extreme, the University of Oxford unsurprisingly claims the crown for the toughest Russell Group entry, offering places to just 20.3 per cent of applicants. Cambridge is slightly more generous (24.5 per cent), but still an uphill climb. The real plot twist? London School of Economics (LSE) is even harder to get into than Cambridge, with just 21 per cent receiving offers. And if you’re eyeing Imperial or UCL, brace yourself — only around a third of applicants get the nod.

Important note: These figures are offer rates, not the percentage of applicants who actually end up enrolling. That’s a whole different article.

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Here’s the full Russell Group university ranking from easiest to hardest to get into (offer rates, 2024):

24. University of Exeter – 85.1 per cent

23. Newcastle University – 80.2 per cent

22. University of York – 79.3 per cent

21. University of Sheffield – 77.7 per cent

20. University of Southampton – 76.5 per cent

19. Queen’s University Belfast – 73.5 per cent

18. Cardiff University – 73.4 per cent

17. University of Liverpool – 73.2 per cent

16. University of Warwick – 70.8 per cent

15. University of Nottingham – 70.1 per cent

14. University of Birmingham – 69.6 per cent

13. University of Bristol – 67.6 per cent

12. Durham University – 67.6 per cent

11. University of Glasgow – 66.5 per cent

10. Queen Mary University of London – 64.5 per cent

9. University of Leeds – 59.9 per cent

8. University of Manchester – 57.7 per cent

7. King’s College London – 44.3 per cent

6. University of Edinburgh – 43.6 per cent

5. University College London (UCL) – 35.2 per cent

4. Imperial College London – 32.8 per cent

3. University of Cambridge – 24.5 per cent

2. London School of Economics (LSE) – 21.0 per cent

1. University of Oxford – 20.3 per cent

Whether you’re toasting your grades or plotting your way through Clearing, at least now you know which unis are playing hard to get — and which are practically waiting at the door with biscuits.

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