If Modern Family characters went to UK universities, this is exactly where they’d go

Obviously, I love my family. Loads. But if I did need to get adopted, I would be begging to become a Dunphy-Pritchett. I know for a fact that I would have the best tequila-fuelled night of my life with Hayley, I’d get fashion advice from Gloria, go for coffee with Claire, force Alex to help me with my uni work, and gossip with Cam and Mitch. All the characters on Modern Family have such unique personalities and they each line up with different UK universities so clearly. So just for funsies, this is what UK university all the Dunphy-Pritchetts would go to.

Phil – York

Starting off strong here with one of the best characters to ever grace the screen. Phil Dunphy: A man, a dad, a legend. He’d obviously go to York and get way too invested in various college sports, including Ultimate Frisbee. He’d probably take philosophy and his essay feedback would regularly tell him to stop referring to every point he makes as a little taster of “Phil’s-osophy”. York is small enough that he would make the cheerleading team where his excessive amount of school spirit would find an outlet. Phil would, without a doubt, become a BNOC.

Claire – Warwick

The difficult thing with Claire is the show often references her party-girl past, and obviously Warwick does not fit this. However, I reckon Claire was uptight and stressed during A-levels and regularly stropped when she didn’t get an A. She fought with her teachers (successfully) to predict her AAA, and wanted to follow in Jay’s business footsteps so applied to Warwick. Once there, she went off the rails and became notorious for getting kicked out of Warwick’s two (?) clubs for dancing on tables and swearing aggressively at bartenders who refused to serve her anymore.

Luke – Man Met

Luke and Manny would obviously take a trip to visit Manchester together. Luke would fall in love with Boombox Barry and instantly decide Man Met is the place he belongs. Once at Man Met, he would become one of Boombox Barry’s closest friends, would try and busk on Market Street, and he’d never miss a 256 Tuesday. He’d love Fallowfield, and videos of him fighting an angry swan in Platt Fields would circulate the uni.

Manny – Manchester

Manny would also fall in love with Manchester but for different reasons. He’d claim to love how “urban” and “real” the city feels whilst paying £15 for brunch and spending over a fiver for some hipster coffee in the Northern Quarter. He’d regularly ask questions in his lectures that start with “I just think the assumed dichotomy…” that makes the whole lecture theatre groan. I reckon Manny might even start a petition motivated primarily by the barriers in Fallowfield Sainsbury’s which he would claim are evidence of the police state we live in. Thankfully, he and Luke still hang out which prevents him from becoming totally insufferable.

Hayley – Nottingham Trent

Hayley is basically the poster girl for partying, and she would never miss an Ocean Wednesday, but would miss lectures. Claire would manage to snoop through Hayley’s Instagram and would be horrified at Hayley’s fancy-dress costumes which would end in a big argument over how seriously she’s taking her degree. Alex would definitely come and visit and have to tell Hayley that yes, Trent does actually have a library.

Alex – Cambridge

Alex probably sent a letter to UCAS complaining that she can’t list her top two choices as Cambridge and Oxford. However, she would feel right at home in Cambridge, surrounded by nerds (I can say this because I go there). Alex would love the punting, the cycling, and the academic rigour (duh). She’d initially have imposter syndrome until she fights with another scientist, male, of course, in her supervision and realises she’s still super clever. She would absolutely be the subject of many Crushbridge posts and would become a minor BNOC after fighting with a respected academic after one too many glasses of red wine at a formal dinner. When Hayley comes to visit, she criticises the academic gowns as a “fashion disaster” and thinks Alex is joking when she goes to a lecture on a Saturday.

Gloria – None 

Gloria wouldn’t go to uni and instead would model part-time, and hustle. I can imagine Gloria becoming a minor influencer, perhaps owning a salon, and dabbling in celebrity styling. Ultimately, I think the TV industry would snatch her up and she’d have her own show – maybe a podcast as well.

Jay – Sheffield

Sheffield is right up Jay’s street. Jay is definitely a pub>club kind of man, and can down a pint, or eight, which makes me think a city like Sheffield could be a perfect fit for him.

Mitch – UCL

Mitch would absolutely thrive in London. I can imagine him loving the queer nightlife scene and having loads of morning debriefs with his flatmates whilst grabbing coffee at Pret – he has the subscription, of course. Mitch would also secretly love rolling his eyes at the “tourists” and giving dirty looks to commuters who watch videos with volume and no headphones or breathe loudly.

Cam – Cardiff

Farms. Next!

Lily – Bristol

Is Lily even old enough for uni yet? Either way, I have a gut feeling she’d end up at Bristol. She’d lean into her deadpan personality and go through a heavy eyeliner phase. She would be convinced she is “edgy” when really she just paid an extortionate amount for an Afghan coat from Urban Outfitters and runs quite a successful Depop side hustle.

For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook. 

Related articles recommended by this author:

• 13 years since it first aired, here’s what the Modern Family cast are up to now

• Only a Dunphy could get full marks in this Modern Family quotes quiz

• Modern Family transformations: Here’s how all the kids have changed since their first episode

Featured image via Unsplash before edits.