Picking which university course to study is a very personal choice. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t be curious about what everyone else wants to take to. The most popular degrees will be the ones with the most competition, so getting clued up could be to your benefit to ensure you stand out from the rest.
Prestigious universities and courses are always trickier to get into compared to others, but they’re not necessarily the most popular ones. It might mean that more universities off the course, or that more prospective students apply for it. Either way, it’s good to know whether it informs your decision or just satiates your curiosities.
The Most Popular University Degrees In The UK
According to Think Student, these are the most popular university courses in the UK in 2023.
5. Design Studies
Though there was a decrease in applicants from previous years, over 18,000 students were accepted on to Design Studies related degrees in the UK.
4. Adult Nursing
Medicine-related university courses were always going to make it on this list. Almost 20,000 students were accepted into this course in the UK, which is up by almost 1000 compared to previous years. This is a degree where you come out fully qualified and there are plenty of jobs going.
3. Business Studies
20,500 students were accepted onto business-related degrees, making it the third most popular in 2023. This is a very diverse area and covers management to marketing, but general courses will teach you a bit of everything. However, you will be well-rounded and able to step onto the career ladder when you leave university.
2. Psychology
Though almost a thousand fewer students chose psychology courses this year compared to others, it’s still a hugely popular degree. Almost 24,000 prospective students showed interest in the university course. The perks of psychology are that it can branch out into lots of different areas. This includes teaching, counselling, research and more.

The Most Popular University Course
With almost 28,000 successful applicants, Law is the most popular university degree in 2023. This number has been pretty similar over multiple years, so it looks like Law is one that remains popular over the ages.
These degrees come in lots of different forms, from studying a more specific area to needing to do further training post-university.
Universities also often offer law as joint honours, so students can study in more than one area. With the amount of choice in the course, it’s no wonder it’s a popular degree. Plus, the job has a decent paycheck, which always helps.
If none of these are courses that you’re interested in, then they aren’t the only ones students gravitate towards. Study In the UK also lists the following as popular university degrees.
- Engineering and Technology
- Sports Science
- Media and Communications
- Education
- Medicine
What’s guaranteed, is that you won’t be the only one doing your chosen university course, no matter how niche it is. However, if you know your course has competition or you want to be a little different, then we hope this has helped you make your decision!
