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The University of Surrey is an accredited public research university situated in Guildford, Surrey, in the South East of England. It is an average-sized institution with approximately 16,000 undergraduate students. Acceptance is moderately competitive, with an admission rate between 63-65%. It has popular majors in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Health Sciences, and Psychology. The graduation rate is approximately 72%, and Surrey graduates earn a median salary of approximately INR 23,00,000 to 34,00,000 (which is based on £22,000–£32,000 median earnings ten years after graduation).
Royal Holloway is an accredited public university and a constituent college of the University of London, located in Egham, Surrey, just outside Greater London. It is an average-sized institution with around 10,000 undergraduate students. Acceptance is very competitive, with an admission rate of around 17%. There are average or acceptable levels of majors in Arts and Humanities, Business, Performing Arts, and Computer Science. The graduate employment rate is above 90%, and Royal Holloway graduates earn a median salary of approximately INR 25,50,000 to 49,90,000 (which is based on £24,000–£47,000 median earnings ten years after graduation).
| University of Surrey | Royal Holloway, University of London | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 4.8 Out of 10 | 4.9 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 23 The Guardian 2026 # 194 Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 # 201 Times Higher Education 2026 | # 79 The Guardian 2026 # 379 Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 # 401 Times Higher Education 2026 |
| Subject Strength | # 111 for Engineering by Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 # 167 for Medicine by Collegedunia Study Abroad 2026 # 33 for Law by The Guardian 2026 | # 351 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2023 # 351 for Medicine by Times Higher Education 2023 # 93 for Law by The Guardian 2026 |
| Programs | UG Programs -76 PG Programs -58 Doctorate Programs -3 | UG Programs -137 PG Programs -37 Doctorate Programs -1 |
| Acceptance Rate | 65.0 % | 17.0 % |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 26167 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 30688 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 395 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 20887.2 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 19141.5 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 22173 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | University of Surrey is one of the top public universities in Guildford, United Kingdom. It is ranked #305 in QS World University Rankings 2023. Base Salaries by degree:
| Data suggests that Royal Holloway graduates earn nearly £2,000 more than graduates from other London institutions’ average, putting them in the top 20% in the sector nationwide. Some of the programs and the average salary are as follows: Masters in Management: $75,000 Master (Other): $62,000 Masters in Science: $53,000 Masters of Arts: $51,000 Doctorate: $50,000 Other Degree: $38,000 |
| application requirements | Students should have scored a minimum of 70% on average Submit official transcripts, degrees etc Submit English language proficiency test scores Check program specific requirements | Submit oficial transcripts Submit English language requirements Check program specific requirements |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 8.3/10 Read 16 reviews | 7.7/10 Read 3 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| exam scores | Duolingo - 120/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 67/90TOEFL - 88/120 | Duolingo - 120/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 67/90TOEFL - 88/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) - | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -44300 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Jul 6, 2026 (Application Deadline For September 2026 Intake) | Jun 28, 2026 (Early Application Deadline For September 2026 Intake) Aug 21, 2026 (Application Deadline For September 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of Surrey | Royal Holloway, University of London |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1966 | 1849 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 15:1 |
| Male:Female | 47% Male, 53% Female | 40% Male, 60% Female |
| Location Facts | The University of Surrey is just 10 minutes’ walk from the centre of Guildford, offering a vibrant blend of entertainment, culture and history. | The university's campus is located in the heart of London’s Bloomsbury, an area loaded with museums, libraries, production houses and agencies as well as shops, pubs and cafes. |
| Library | Library resources (print or electronic) includes books, articles, scores, TV/film, research publications, theses and dissertations, special collections and our unique archive materials. They work with faculty to ensure that the collections reflect the needs of our community and engage students through social media and projects such as the Student Curator initiative. | University's extensive library has more than 450,000 books and over 500,000 ebooks, as well as a vast array of academic journals. In addition to this main collection, university has a number of rare and valuable items, archival works, internal publications, and major subject databases. Students and staff can access our digital materials from wherever they are, on any device. |
| Campus Life | Surrey is known to emphasise the social life of students and always care about how you spend your free time at University. The student union offers more than 160 societies based on any hobbies and interests students have and clubs for all kinds of sport that a student might want to take up. The Students’ Union is 7th in the country and plans some of the most exciting events around. StagTV is the television station run by students at the University of Surrey. It is primarily run from offices on the main Stag Hill campus and it also creates content for the Students' Union, through which it is a constituted group, but has editorial independence | Over the 130-year history of the university, the university has created an environment where a close-knit community thrives. The university campus is one of the most beautiful in the world with numerous teaching and study spaces, bars and cafés, high-quality accommodation, and sports facilities. All this is set in 135 acres of stunning parkland. Most teaching and social activity takes place on campus and this is where most undergraduates live in their first year, with the exception of Kingswood Hall (unavailable for 2023 entry). It’s a friendly place, with a strong sense of community as new students soon become familiar faces. Founder’s Building is one of the world’s most spectacular university buildings, and home to our famous Picture Gallery containing Thomas Holloway’s fine collection of Victorian paintings and our beautiful chapel. It also houses a dining hall and library and provides a home for 500 students.The campus is just 40 minutes by train from London and seven miles from Heathrow, with many attractions, sporting and entertainment venues within easy reach. |
| Hostel | #Budget Rooms -Weekly - $129 #Studio Flat -Weekly - $266 | #Shared standard - $5400 #Premium plus - $7438 #Single superior standard - $9335 |
| Famous Alumni |
| Kitty Anderson (1903–1979), former Headmistress of North London Collegiate School |
| City Life | Surrey is the second-largest city by population in British Columbia and is only 23 km from Vancouver Centre. And, housing is more affordable than in Vancouver. So, many people choose to live in Surrey and commute to Vancouver for work if necessary. It also has great access to nature, as well as a great hospital system, among other excellent features unemployment rate : 3% (Sept 2022) | Egham is a quaint, traditional town located just outside of London city centre, but there’s way more to it than meets the eye. It’s a fantastic area, especially for university students, as it’s packed full of culture, history and exciting things to do! Living in Egham, you have a plethora of restaurants, cafes and takeaways to choose from if your student cooking just isn’t hitting the spot. For students, the Royal Holloway Student Union is definitely one of the best venues for a night out in Egham! This popular venue hosts weekly club nights and tons of amazing society performances throughout the year. It even holds the spectacular Freshers Festival, something all first year students NEED to get involved in. If Royal Holloway is your university of choice, you’ll fortunately be surrounded by some of the UK’s most picturesque parks and paths that are great for a midday walk or evening stroll. In Egham, there’s lots of iconic monuments and sites which have a huge historical story to be told. |
| Weather |
University of Surrey vs Royal Holloway, University of London
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
The University of Surrey has made significant progress in the global ranking of its subjects in recent years. In the Shanghai Global Subject Rankings 2024 it ranked a total of five subjects in the top 50; Hospitality & Tourism ranked 2nd globally (1st in the UK), Sociology ranked 17th, Aerospace Engineering ranked 36th, Business & Administration ranked 39th, and Telecommunication Engineering ranked 50th. Several other subjects, such as Computer Science, Management, Civil Engineering and Electrical Engineering are ranked in the top 100 globally. According to Times Higher Education global ranking, Surrey is ranked in the #201-250 band and according to QS ranking it is somewhere around the global ranking of #285. Royal Holloway, on the other hand, ranks lower overall. According to EduRank in 2025, Royal Holloway is ranked #559 globally and mid-40s in UK ranking. Subject strengths are modest compared to Surrey; Royal Holloway is in a better position in English, Mathematics, Creative Arts and possibly some of the social sciences. In terms of gross salary, Royal Holloway graduates have salaries in subject areas of English and Computer Science above the average for the sector (e.g., English: £27,800, compared to £22,900 average for other graduates; Computer Science: £40,000 on average), placing them in a higher percentile of the earning for graduates in related fields.
General Information
Surrey University is a research and teaching institution located in Guildford in southeast England. It has a particularly strong focus on practical learning, employability, and partnerships with businesses and industries. Surrey is home to a diverse student body and is consistently high achieving in topics such as engineering, business, the sciences, and the arts. Royal Holloway is a college of the University of London located in Egham; it is more traditional in terms of a campus experience, and has established strengths in the humanities, creative arts, social sciences, business and some sciences.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
There is not specific or precise information on acceptance rates for both universities that is reported in recent literature. Surrey can have relative levels of competitiveness especially in high-demand programs, on account of being a growing university in reputation in STEM, engineering, and hospitality programs, along with business. Royal Holloway is more accessible to many undergraduate programmes, but at the same time may be selective with more popular or higher benchmarks on course offerings.
Research Impact & Facilities
Surrey is increasing in research performance, especially in subject areas such as aerospace engineering, telecommunications, business and administrative sciences, and has a strong visibility in Shanghai subject rankings. Surrey University also has a strong sustainable impact ranking, with many of its Sustainable Development Goals reported as within 50 or 100 on a global scale. Royal Holloway also has a contribution to quality research, especially in humanities and social science, and recent graduates from Royal Holloway also have a good salary performance suggesting a good applied value of its schools educational outputs.
Cost & Financial Aid
The sources reviewed did not provide detailed comparisons regarding tuition and aid. Both universities conform to UK fee guiding frameworks, with domestic and international fees varying by subject. Surrey's costs may be higher for technical and professional degree programs, while Royal Holloway may provide better value for humanities or social sciences. Both institutions offer scholarships, bursaries and financial aid, but the scale and availability of these supports differ.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Graduates of Surrey are very employable, with approximately 96% of graduates either employed or engaged in further study about 15 months after completion of undergraduate degrees, with many in high skill occupations. Surrey has been nationally-recognized for its employability services, which include employer links and industry placements, and Royal Holloway graduates report favorable outcomes as well, especially in programs such as creative, humanities and technical fields; in English and Computer Science they outperform their sector averages in pay. Surrey's global brand and visibility for engineering, computing, and applied fields, likely provide its graduates with more international leverage, while Royal Holloway offers some strong niche reputations and performance related to sectors and disciplines aligned with their strengths.
