Best Universities for Counselling in the UK 2027
The University of South Wales ranks first for counselling in 2027 with a score of 140, five points ahead of York St John University on 135. The University of Essex is third with 132, and Edge Hill University completes the top four with 126. The Unifresher ranking compares 42 universities with complete subject-level results across eight measures.
Counselling degrees combine therapeutic theory with skills practice, ethics, self-reflection and, on many courses, supervised work with real clients. The training asks a lot of you emotionally, so the support around you and the place you live matter more than on most courses. Unifresher puts course results alongside cost, safety and student life to show where that balance is strongest.
Why this ranking is student-first: counselling training is personal as well as academic, and many students juggle placements, supervision and their own reflective work at the same time. A city you can afford and feel safe in makes that easier to sustain. This ranking weighs those living factors alongside teaching, support and graduate outcomes.
Top universities for counselling in 2027
South Wales leads on balance, with the joint-lowest cost index in the table at 60 and 95% academic support. York St John is five points behind with 80% satisfaction, and Essex is third with 93% teaching quality. Edge Hill has the highest safety index of any ranked university, and all four record £30,000 graduate earnings.
University of South Wales
Pontypridd
The joint-lowest cost index in the table, shared with Bradford, alongside 95% academic support and 90% teaching quality.
York St John University
York
Second overall, with 90% teaching quality, a social-life score of 79 and £30,000 graduate earnings.
University of Essex
Colchester
Third, with the strongest teaching result in the top four and 91% academic support.
Edge Hill University
Ormskirk
The top safety index in the table, plus 83% satisfaction, second only to Bishop Grosseteste's 84%.
How the counselling ranking works
Eight measures make up the final score
Each university is ranked on eight measures, and those ranks are added together to give the overall score. Higher totals rank more strongly. Cost of living is treated as an affordability measure, so a lower cost index earns the stronger position.
Counselling University Rankings 2027
Search or sort all 42 ranked universities. The wider table also shows the safety, cost, social-life and sustainability measures that feed into the score.
| Rank | University | Graduate earnings | Satisfaction | Teaching | Academic support | Safety index | Cost index | Social life | Sustainability | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of South Wales Pontypridd | £30,000 | 72% | 90% | 95% | 58.82 | 60 | 75 | 58.6 | 140 |
| 2 | York St John University York | £30,000 | 80% | 90% | 82% | 72.87 | 73 | 79 | 60.7 | 135 |
| 3 | University of Essex Colchester | £30,000 | 74% | 93% | 91% | 53.67 | 65 | 77 | 59.7 | 132 |
| 4 | Edge Hill University Ormskirk | £30,000 | 83% | 81% | 81% | 100.00 | 62 | 71 | 53.8 | 126 |
| 5 | Manchester Metropolitan University Manchester | £20,500 | 73% | 93% | 94% | 44.11 | 69 | 82 | 82.6 | 122 |
| 6 | University of Wales Trinity Saint David Carmarthen, Lampeter and Swansea | £18,500 | 79% | 93% | 100% | 65.67 | 64 | 71 | 47.4 | 116 |
| 7 | University of Huddersfield Huddersfield | £31,000 | 74% | 91% | 92% | 35.54 | 63 | 75 | 57.0 | 115 |
| 8 | Bournemouth University Bournemouth | £30,000 | 71% | 72% | 85% | 53.92 | 70 | 80 | 75.6 | 114 |
| 9 | Leeds Beckett University Leeds | £28,500 | 70% | 78% | 87% | 54.87 | 68 | 80 | 57.1 | 113 |
| 9 | University of Salford Salford | £29,000 | 73% | 89% | 83% | 39.42 | 68 | 78 | 77.0 | 113 |
| 9 | University of Sunderland Sunderland | £23,500 | 74% | 85% | 88% | 55.29 | 62 | 75 | 56.3 | 113 |
| 10 | Buckinghamshire New University High Wycombe | £32,000 | 70% | 100% | 100% | 50.46 | 73 | 70 | 48.4 | 108 |
| 10 | St Mary's University, Twickenham Twickenham | £23,500 | 80% | 96% | 94% | 69.08 | 74 | 69 | 43.4 | 108 |
| 10 | University of Chester Chester | £26,000 | 78% | 88% | 94% | 78.44 | 67 | 73 | 24.0 | 108 |
| 11 | University of Sussex Brighton | £25,500 | 77% | 90% | 88% | 60.55 | 79 | 79 | 47.1 | 107 |
| 12 | University of Brighton Brighton | £25,000 | 72% | 82% | 88% | 60.55 | 79 | 82 | 53.3 | 105 |
| 13 | University of West London London | £28,000 | 72% | 86% | 86% | 44.41 | 91 | 74 | 78.1 | 104 |
| 14 | Nottingham Trent University Nottingham | £24,500 | 76% | 77% | 81% | 47.33 | 69 | 81 | 64.6 | 103 |
| 14 | University of Derby Derby | £30,000 | 74% | 84% | 76% | 56.57 | 66 | 74 | 52.7 | 103 |
| 15 | Abertay University Dundee | £26,500 | 72% | 96% | 100% | 52.13 | 65 | 72 | 33.9 | 102 |
| 15 | Keele University Newcastle-under-Lyme | £25,000 | 81% | 76% | 83% | 51.24 | 64 | 74 | 55.5 | 102 |
| 16 | Kingston University Kingston upon Thames | £22,500 | 71% | 85% | 92% | 74.81 | 74 | 75 | 45.1 | 99 |
| 17 | Coventry University Coventry | £31,000 | 72% | 84% | 73% | 38.29 | 67 | 76 | 62.8 | 98 |
| 17 | Solent University Southampton | £25,500 | 71% | 90% | 98% | 46.71 | 69 | 75 | 47.3 | 98 |
| 18 | Birmingham City University Birmingham | £24,000 | 69% | 85% | 90% | 36.06 | 70 | 78 | 71.1 | 97 |
| 19 | University of Bradford Bradford | £24,000 | 71% | 88% | 84% | 40.97 | 60 | 73 | 56.8 | 96 |
| 20 | Bishop Grosseteste University Lincoln | £22,000 | 84% | 75% | 92% | 74.41 | 63 | 66 | 29.9 | 95 |
| 20 | University of Suffolk Ipswich | £19,000 | 76% | 93% | 95% | 60.89 | 63 | 70 | 24.9 | 95 |
| 21 | Staffordshire University Stoke-on-Trent | £25,000 | 72% | 88% | 86% | 51.24 | 61 | 74 | 42.0 | 93 |
| 22 | University of Strathclyde Glasgow | £23,500 | 75% | 86% | 86% | 54.76 | 69 | 80 | 40.5 | 92 |
| 23 | Teesside University Middlesbrough | £24,000 | 78% | 98% | 92% | 49.78 | 73 | 75 | 33.0 | 91 |
| 24 | University of Roehampton London | £32,000 | 72% | 88% | 93% | 44.41 | 91 | 73 | 37.5 | 85 |
| 25 | University of Cumbria Carlisle | £31,000 | 77% | 72% | 71% | 64.45 | 62 | 69 | 29.2 | 84 |
| 26 | University of Greenwich London | £22,500 | 69% | 84% | 79% | 44.41 | 91 | 75 | 73.5 | 83 |
| 27 | University of Chichester Chichester | £25,000 | 80% | 89% | 100% | 27.85 | 68 | 70 | 35.3 | 82 |
| 28 | University of Lancashire Preston | £19,500 | 71% | 89% | 89% | 30.72 | 64 | 72 | 54.3 | 81 |
| 28 | University of Westminster London | £28,000 | 68% | 84% | 86% | 44.41 | 91 | 78 | 51.0 | 81 |
| 29 | Newman University Birmingham | £20,000 | 83% | 93% | 100% | 36.06 | 70 | 68 | 14.9 | 72 |
| 30 | University of East London London | £32,000 | 68% | 77% | 37% | 44.41 | 91 | 74 | 53.5 | 71 |
| 31 | University of Wolverhampton Wolverhampton | £26,000 | 71% | 85% | 82% | 36.58 | 63 | 74 | 29.1 | 66 |
| 32 | Middlesex University London | £23,500 | 69% | 81% | 85% | 31.37 | 72 | 74 | 51.3 | 65 |
| 33 | University of Northampton Northampton | £25,000 | 75% | 68% | 68% | 45.44 | 65 | 71 | 40.7 | 62 |
What the counselling ranking shows
University of South Wales ranks first
University of South Wales leads with a score of 140, 5 points clear of second place.
Buckinghamshire New University, University of Roehampton and University of East London
Buckinghamshire New University, University of Roehampton and University of East London share the highest graduate-earnings figure at £32,000.
Bishop Grosseteste University
Bishop Grosseteste University records the strongest student-satisfaction result at 84%.
Buckinghamshire New University
Buckinghamshire New University is the only ranked university with 100% teaching quality.
Five universities score 100%
University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Buckinghamshire New University, Abertay University, University of Chichester and Newman University all reach 100% for academic support.
University of South Wales and University of Bradford
University of South Wales and University of Bradford share the lowest cost-of-living index in the table at 60.
What this ranking tells you about studying counselling
Counselling is a subject where the course title tells you less than you might expect. Some degrees are professional training that lead towards registration with a professional body, while others build counselling skills and mental health knowledge as a first step towards later training. The ranking measures teaching, support, satisfaction, earnings and the living side of university. It does not tell you which courses are accredited, so read the sections below on professional routes before you shortlist.
South Wales wins through balance and low costs
The University of South Wales scores 140, the highest total in the table, without topping a single course measure. Its BA Counselling and Therapeutic Practice appears as a full-time degree in the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) accredited courses directory. BACP says graduates of its accredited courses can apply to join the BACP Register directly, without sitting its Certificate of Proficiency. BACP describes the courses in that directory as ones it has assessed.
In the data, South Wales combines 95% academic support and 90% teaching quality with the joint-lowest cost-of-living index in the table at 60, a figure it shares with Bradford. Its £30,000 graduate earnings figure is well above the £25,250 median. Its weaker results are satisfaction at 72% and a safety index of 58.82, so it is worth visiting and talking to current students before you commit.
Why Unifresher looks beyond graduate pay: the three universities with the highest earnings, at £32,000, all sit outside the top ten. Buckinghamshire New University shares 10th, Roehampton is 24th and East London is 30th, because cost, satisfaction or support results hold them back.
York St John is close behind with strong all-round results
York St John University is five points back on 135. Its BA (Hons) Counselling and Mental Health is a three-year, full-time course in York, with humanistic theory as the main base in the first year. Students complete a placement in every year, with at least 110 placement hours by graduation, and the university says students research and organise their own placements. The course page does not list BACP accreditation and describes the degree as a possible first step towards a counselling career, with postgraduate study leading to professional training.
In the data, York St John records 80% satisfaction, 90% teaching quality and a social-life score of 79, the strongest in the top four. Its cost index of 73 is the highest of the leading group, so budgeting for York matters more here than at the other three.
Essex takes third with the best teaching in the top four
The University of Essex scores 132. Its undergraduate degree in this area is the BA (Hons) Psychodynamic Practice, a three-year course at the Colchester campus with options to add a year abroad or a placement year. Students do placements in education, health or social care settings, take a 30-credit Counselling Skills module, and are assessed entirely through coursework, with no exams. Essex presents the degree as preparation for careers across caring professions and as a foundation for postgraduate study in psychotherapy or counselling.
Essex has 93% teaching quality, the highest of the top four, plus 91% academic support and a cost index of 65. Its safety index of 53.67 is the lowest in the leading group.
Edge Hill is fourth and the safest place in the table
Edge Hill University completes the top four with 126. Its BSc (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy runs over three years full-time or six years part-time at Ormskirk. Students begin a placement in the second year, seeing clients and receiving individual and group supervision. Edge Hill gives each student a personal therapy budget of £500 in the first year and says it funds counselling supervision in the second and third years. The course page does not mention BACP accreditation and notes that postgraduate study is often essential for a counselling career.
Edge Hill has the highest safety index in the ranking at 100, and its 83% satisfaction is second only to Bishop Grosseteste's 84%, a result it shares with Newman. Lower scores for teaching (81%) and academic support (81%) stop it climbing higher.
The highest earnings sit outside the top ten
Three universities share the highest graduate earnings figure in the table at £32,000: Buckinghamshire New University, the University of Roehampton and the University of East London. None of them makes the top four. Buckinghamshire New University also has 100% teaching quality and 100% academic support, yet it shares 10th place on 108 because of a cost index of 73 and a sustainability score of 48.4.
Roehampton and East London are both in London, where the cost index reaches 91, the highest in the table. East London also has the lowest academic support result at 37% and joint-lowest satisfaction at 68%, leaving it 30th. Manchester Metropolitan University shows the opposite pattern: it has the top social-life score (82, shared with Brighton) and the best sustainability score at 82.6, but £20,500 earnings leave it fifth.
The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is another useful example. It has the lowest graduate earnings in the table at £18,500, yet it still finishes sixth on 116 thanks to 100% academic support, 93% teaching quality and 79% satisfaction. If early pay is your main concern, sort the table by earnings, but remember that the overall score rewards the whole student experience.
Does a counselling degree qualify you to practise?
Not automatically. BACP says there are no compulsory training courses or qualifications for therapists in the UK, and professional bodies such as BACP set their own standards. BACP's recommended route has three stages: an introductory course, a certificate in counselling skills, and core practitioner training at a minimum of diploma level. That core training can be a bachelor's degree, but it does not have to be.
BACP also says core training should include at least two years of classroom-based tuition and a minimum of 300 guided learning hours, alongside supervised practice. A three-year degree can meet these standards, but only if it has been designed to do so.
The key question to ask any university is whether the course is core practitioner training that meets a professional body's standards. If a course is BACP accredited, graduates can apply to join the BACP Register directly. If it is not, BACP says graduates need to pass its Certificate of Proficiency before joining the register. A degree that builds counselling skills without meeting those standards can still be valuable, but you may need further training before you can practise as a counsellor. If you want a broader route into mental health work, the psychology ranking covers the other main path.
Therapeutic approaches differ between courses
Counselling degrees are not all built on the same theory. York St John uses humanistic psychology as the base of its first year and adds a psychodynamic module in the final year. Essex teaches through psychodynamic thinking, with modules on observation, attachment and therapeutic work in groups. Edge Hill's modules cover models including Gestalt therapy, transactional analysis and existential psychotherapy.
The approach shapes how you learn to work with clients and which postgraduate training follows most naturally. Read the module lists, and ask at open days which model the course is built around and why.
Placements and client hours
For core practitioner training, BACP says courses must include a supervised placement of at least 100 client hours, with most of these hours face to face.
Check how each university organises this. York St John asks students to arrange their own placements with guidance, Edge Hill starts client work in the second year, and Essex builds placements into every year. Ask how many client hours you will complete, who arranges the placement, and how far you might need to travel.
Personal therapy and supervision
Supervision is a standard part of counselling practice. BACP recommends one hour of supervision for every eight hours of counselling. Personal therapy is different: BACP notes that some courses expect students to be in therapy themselves, and that sessions typically cost between £40 and £80.
Courses that include therapy usually explain it as part of your development as a practitioner. Edge Hill, for example, says personal therapy gives students insight into the counselling process and helps them understand the client's perspective. Being a client yourself can be demanding, so think about how ready you feel for that before you apply.
That cost can add up over a degree, so ask whether therapy is required and whether the university helps to pay for it. Edge Hill is one example of a university that contributes: it provides a £500 personal therapy budget in the first year.
Entry requirements, interviews and background checks
Counselling courses usually look for personal readiness as well as grades. Edge Hill asks for 104 to 112 UCAS points and selects through an interview, a group work activity and a written reflection. York St John asks for 104 UCAS points, and Essex asks for BBB to BBC at A level or 112 to 120 UCAS points.
Because placements can involve children and vulnerable adults, expect an enhanced background check. York St John asks for a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check, and Edge Hill requires an Enhanced Disclosure for accepted applicants. The National Careers Service says paid or unpaid counselling experience is useful, and volunteering can help you test whether the work suits you.
Career routes and graduate earnings
The National Careers Service lists therapy clinics, GP practices, schools, colleges and private practice among the places counsellors work, and suggests experienced counsellors can specialise in areas such as bereavement or addiction. Essex points to roles in schools, mental health services and children and family services. The social work ranking is worth comparing if you are drawn to statutory support roles.
Edge Hill says its graduates have gone on to roles such as mental health co-ordinators for local authorities and school support workers, and that postgraduate study is often essential for a career in the counselling sector. York St John lists counsellor, careers adviser, family support worker, life coach and youth worker among possible roles.
The earnings figures in this ranking come from graduates around 15 months after finishing their course, through the Graduate Outcomes survey. In counselling, many graduates are still completing further training or building client hours at that point, so early pay is only part of the picture. The National Careers Service puts typical starter salaries at about £25,000, rising to about £48,000 with experience.
Living costs on a placement-heavy degree
Cost of living matters on a course where you may travel to placements and pay for therapy. The cost index in this ranking runs from 60 at South Wales and Bradford to 91 at the five London universities. Edge Hill (62) and Essex (65) are also among the cheaper options in the top four. York St John's 73 is the highest in the top four, while Huddersfield, seventh overall, sits at 63.
Rent is usually the biggest single cost. Use our guide to student accommodation costs to compare halls and private housing before you choose.
How to use the ranking when choosing a counselling degree
Is it core practitioner training?
Search BACP's accredited courses directory and ask whether the degree leads straight to registration or needs further training.
Ask about client hours
BACP core training needs at least 100 supervised client hours. Find out who arranges placements and when they start.
Plan for hidden costs
Personal therapy can cost £40 to £80 a session. Ask whether it is required and whether the university contributes.
Choose somewhere you can sustain
Use the cost, safety and social-life measures to find a place where you can manage an emotionally demanding course.
Related Unifresher rankings and student guides
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best university for counselling in the UK in 2027?
University of South Wales ranks first in the 2027 Unifresher counselling ranking with an overall score of 140. York St John University is second with 135. University of Essex is third with 132.
How many universities are included in the counselling ranking?
The published 2027 ranking compares 42 universities with complete subject-level results. Several universities share positions, so the ranking runs from first to 33rd while containing 42 institutions.
What graduate earnings are shown for counselling?
The graduate-earnings figures range from £18,500 to £32,000, with a median of £25,250 across the 42 ranked universities. Buckinghamshire New University, University of Roehampton and University of East London share the highest figure. These are comparative graduate outcomes, not guaranteed starting salaries.
When are graduate outcomes measured?
The Graduate Outcomes survey collects data about 15 months after students finish their course, so the earnings figures describe that point in a career rather than long-term pay.
Can I become a counsellor with an undergraduate degree?
Yes, if the degree is core practitioner training. BACP says core training can be a bachelor's degree, but the minimum level is a diploma, and it must include at least 100 supervised client hours. Many counselling-related degrees build skills and knowledge without meeting those standards, so graduates go on to further training. Check each course page and BACP's accredited courses directory.
Is counselling a regulated profession in the UK?
BACP says there are no compulsory training courses or qualifications for therapists in the UK. Instead, professional bodies such as BACP set their own standards and keep registers. If you want to join a register, check that your training meets that body's standards.
What does BACP accreditation mean for a course?
BACP accredited courses have been assessed by BACP against its training standards. Graduates of these courses can apply to join the BACP Register directly. Graduates of courses that are not accredited need to pass BACP's Certificate of Proficiency before they can join the register.
What are the entry requirements for a counselling degree?
They vary. Among the top four, Edge Hill asks for 104 to 112 UCAS points, York St John asks for 104, and Essex asks for BBB to BBC at A level. Edge Hill also uses an interview, group activity and written reflection, and courses with placements usually require an enhanced background check.
Do counselling students need personal therapy?
It depends on the course. BACP notes that some courses expect students to be in therapy themselves, and sessions typically cost £40 to £80. Edge Hill provides a £500 personal therapy budget in the first year. Ask each university whether therapy is required and who pays for it.
How long does it take to train as a counsellor?
BACP says its recommended route, from an introductory course through a certificate to core practitioner training, can take three or four years. Core training must include at least two years of classroom-based tuition. A three-year degree that counts as core training can cover much of this, while other degrees are followed by a postgraduate diploma or master's.
Counselling course and careers information
- Unifresher university rankings methodology for wider ranking context.
- Graduate Outcomes survey (HESA) for the 15-month graduate survey point.
- BACP: Training to become a therapist for the three training stages, the 100 client hours rule, personal therapy costs and how registration works.
- BACP accredited courses directory for the University of South Wales BA Counselling and Therapeutic Practice listing.
- York St John University: Counselling and Mental Health BA (Hons) for course length, placement hours, entry requirements and career routes.
- University of Essex: BA (Hons) Psychodynamic Practice for course structure, placements, assessment and entry requirements.
- Edge Hill University: BSc (Hons) Counselling and Psychotherapy for placements, funded personal therapy and supervision, selection and entry requirements.
- National Careers Service: Counsellor for routes into counselling, working settings and typical salaries.
