This is a list of universities in the United Kingdom (alphabetical by substantive name). Below that are lists of university colleges and other recognised bodies (institutions with degree awarding powers), followed by a list of defunct institutions.

Universities alphabetically

This list follows the list of recognised bodies on the UK government website. All the institutions on this list are recognised bodies with university status, indicated either by their use of university title in their name on the recognised bodies list or by reference to the Office for Students database for the few universities that do not use the title in their name. Member institutions of the University of London are listed here if they hold university status.

University colleges

Member institutions of the University of London

All member institutions of the University of London are recognised bodies as institutions that have the right to grant University of London degrees. Some also hold their own degree awarding powers and, since the passing of the University of London Act 2018, can apply for university status in their own right without leaving the federal university. Member institutions that are also universities in their own right are listed both here and in the list of universities above. The university was an examining board until 1900, when it became a federal university and admitted colleges as "Schools of the University".

Other recognised bodies

This section lists other education institutions that hold their own degree awarding powers but are neither universities (or colleges of the University of London) nor university colleges.

Recognised bodies that can only award foundation degrees

These institutions are recognised bodies with foundation degree awarding powers only.

Defunct university institutions

This section lists defunct universities, university colleges, polytechnics and colleges of federal universities.

Foreign universities with campuses in the United Kingdom

While based in the UK, these are not considered UK universities and are not recognised as UK degree-awarding bodies by the British government unless separately listed in one of the categories above. Many are 'study abroad' centres for non-UK universities, offering a year or a semester in the UK for students enrolled at the foreign university, rather than campuses offering their own courses. there are 29 "Overseas Higher Education Institutions" that have been approved for student visa purposes by the UK Government as offering "an overseas course of degree level study that's equal to a UK higher education course". There is also one branch of an overseas university that is a "listed body", offering courses leading to a UK degree from a "registered body". The following are approved overseas higher education institutions and foreign universities that are listed bodies in the UK, with their UK locations:

Universities in British Overseas Territories

Universities in British Overseas Territories are not considered UK Universities and are not recognised as UK degree-awarding bodies by the British government.

Anguilla

Bermuda

Cayman Islands

Gibraltar

Montserrat

Turks and Caicos Islands

Universities in Crown Dependencies

See list of universities in the Isle of Man for university institutions on the Isle of Man. There are currently no universities in the Channel Islands; in 2013 the States of Guernsey gave approval for the opening of a university there but, as of February 2017, no progress has been made on the project.