Address: University Road, Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Medicine, Engineering, Pharmacy
Queen’s University Belfast traces higher learning in the city back to the Belfast Academical Institution of 1810, and it was chartered as Queen’s College, Belfast, on 30 December 1845. That college was part of a wider scheme of Queen’s Colleges in Ireland.
In 1908 the Queen’s Colleges and the Royal University were dissolved, and Belfast became an independent institution, the Queen’s University of Belfast,. The university joined the Russell Group of research-intensive UK universities in 2006, and the group’s membership is a common reference point when comparing it with other British research universities.
It is a public university in Northern Ireland. The directory lists medicine, engineering and pharmacy among its main fields. Student numbers are reported differently across sources and years, so the university’s own statistics page is the reliable reference for current enrolment, staff and finances. Course fees, entry requirements and international application advice are set out on the official website, and prospective researchers can find faculty and school pages there for postgraduate opportunities. Visitors comparing it with other British universities may also look at independent teaching and research assessments, which are published each year by national bodies.
Domains taught:
Agriculture, AI and Machine Learning, Chemistry, Engineering, Life Sciences, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Member of Russell Group. Partnerships with industry (e.g. Allstate, Seagate), healthcare providers in Northern Ireland, and international institutions. Key strengths in cyber security, food security and global health.
Research:
Research strengths in areas including global health, cybersecurity (CSIT), food security (Institute for Global Food Security), conflict transformation, and advanced materials.
Famous Alumnis:
Seamus Heaney, Mary McAleese, Liam Neeson (attended briefly), David Trimble, Lord Trimble
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
4100
Current students***:
25500
Foreign students***:
20%
Cumulative former students***:
165000
Pros
Leading university in Northern Ireland, Russell Group member, historic campus, strong research focus, vibrant city.
Cons
Location in Northern Ireland may be a factor for some UK mainland students, historical context of the region.
Best For
Students looking for a Russell Group university with a strong research ethos, excellent facilities, and a distinct cultural experience in Belfast, particularly in health, engineering and computing.
Trinity College Dublin is across the Irish border and lists nanoscience, computer science and engineering.
University of Cape Town, in South Africa, lists medicine, commerce, engineering and law.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was Queen's University Belfast founded?
Queen's College, Belfast, was chartered on 30 December 1845. It became the independent Queen's University of Belfast in 1908.
What came before Queen's in Belfast?
Higher learning in the city goes back to the Belfast Academical Institution, founded in 1810. Queen's College took over that role in the middle of the nineteenth century.
What happened to Queen's in 1908?
The Queen's Colleges and the Royal University were dissolved, and Belfast became an independent university. Its name became the Queen's University of Belfast.
Is Queen's University Belfast a member of the Russell Group?
Yes, it joined in 2006. The Russell Group is an association of research-intensive universities in the United Kingdom.
What subjects is Queen's known for?
The directory lists medicine, engineering and pharmacy. The official website provides school-by-school detail on teaching and research.
How many students are at Queen's?
Published figures vary by source, year and counting method. The university's current statistics are the reliable reference.
Where do I find fees and admission details for Queen's?
The university publishes course requirements and fees on its official website, with separate guidance for international applicants.
Cybersecurity, Engineering, Food Safety, Innovation, Medical, Sustainable Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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