When you complete your school and now it’s time to pursue a degree in college, it is very important to choose the right degree because you all know how crucial a role it plays in your life. If you are planning to study in UK you may wonder what are the toughest courses in UK right? Well there are many courses that offer high academic rigour, strong career prospects, and global recognition.
In this blog, we are going to discuss the toughest courses in UK that students should be aware of before choosing a degree to pursue. We at Uninist care a lot about students and their future in UK and that is why we come up with unique blogs which can help students. From presenting blogs on toughest courses in UK to helping students in finding suitable student accommodation, we got it all covered. Now, it’s time to start this insightful blog.
What Are the Toughest Courses in UK?
The toughest courses in UK that students can pursue and should be aware of are:
- Medicine
- Engineering
- Law
- Architecture
- Dentistry
- Veterinary medicine
- Computer science
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Economics
- Pharmacy
- Biomedical science
- Mathematics
- Nursing
- Finance and Accounting
Let’s discuss each of them in a little more detail
Medicine
- Medicine is consistently one of the toughest courses not only in UK but all over the world. Due to its duration, intense workload, and strict admission process it is a very tough course.
- There is high competition, demanding entrance tests like UCAT and BMAT, and rigorous interviews make it difficult to secure a seat.
- Students have to study subjects like anatomy, biochemistry, pathology, and clinical practice. Students should also have strong analytical skills, emotional stability, and long hours of study are required as well.
- Top universities for medicine are University of Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, King’s college London.
Engineering
- Engineering is a very popular degree and one of the most demanding courses in UK, with difficult modules like mathematics, mechanics, physics, and software systems.
- Engineering requires heavy lab work, research projects, and continuous assessment which makes it challenging.
- Branches like aerospace, chemical, mechanical, and civil are the toughest and require strong problem-solving skills and technical knowledge.
- Top universities for engineering are Imperial College London, University of Manchester, University of Bristol, and University of Edinburgh.
Law
- Law is also among the toughest courses in UK because of its analytical nature, vast syllabus, and intense case-based study methods.
- Students are required to memorize legislation, study landmark cases, and apply legal reasoning to diverse real-world scenarios.
- The assessments in law include essays, exams, debates, and moot court sessions. It also requires critical thinking, attention to details, and strong communication skills.
- Top universities for law include London Schools of Economics, UCL, University of Cambridge, King’s college London.
Architecture
- Architecture is one of the most time consuming courses in UK and it often requires 7 years including professional registration.
- Students must learn design principles, 3D modelling, environment systems, and urban planning.
- The assessments in this course are large projects, portfolio work, and strict deadlines which makes it extremely challenging.
- Famous universities for architecture are University of Bath, UCL Bartlett School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, and Cardiff University.
Dentistry
- One of the most demanding degrees due to hands-on clinical practice, detailed theoretical study, and patient focussed training.
- Students will learn oral surgery, dental radiology, prosthodontics, and restorative dentistry.
- Long study hours and high pressure makes it one of the toughest courses in UK.
- The top universities include University of Glasgow, University of Birmingham, King’s College London.
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Veterinary Science
- One of the hardest classes in UK is veterinary medicine since animal physiology, surgery, and clinical practice are all quite hard to understand.
- You need to know a lot about diseases, how to take care of animals, and first aid.
- Practical work and placements are taxing on the body.
- Some of the best schools are the University of Edinburgh, the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), and the University of Liverpool.
Computer Science
- Computer science is challenging because it has hard programming, algorithms, system design, and AI-based modules.
- Students have to undertake group projects, advanced math, coding tasks, and software development.
- There is a lot of stress because there are so many people who want jobs and scholarships.
- The University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, and the University of Warwick are the finest schools.
Physics
- You need to know a lot about mathematics, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, and particle physics to do physics.
- It is one of the hardest classes in UK since it contains a lot of lab work and theories that are hard to understand.
- You need to be very focused and adept at analyzing things.
- Durham University, Imperial College London, and the University of Cambridge are the finest schools.
Chemistry
- Because it contains a lot of lab work and complicated chemical theory, chemistry is one of the hardest classes in UK.
- It includes materials science, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, and chemical kinetics.
- It’s much harder because the practical tests take a lot of time.
- Some of the best are the University of Oxford, UCL, and the University of Manchester.
Economics
- Economics is one of the hardest courses to study in UK since it needs a lot of thinking.
- Needs to know how the world’s financial systems work, as well as microeconomics, macroeconomics, econometrics, and statistics.
- Students need to model, analyze data, and make predictions about the economy.
- LSE, the University of Warwick, and the University of Cambridge are the best schools.
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Pharmacy
- Pharmacy is the study of how to make drugs, how they work, and how to use them in a clinical setting.
- Needs to be very good at science, lab work, and being precise.
- One of the UK’s hardest health classes.
- Some of the best schools are the University of Nottingham, the UCL School of Pharmacy, and the University of Strathclyde.
Biomedical Science
- This lesson talks about genetics, cell biology, immunology, and illness research.
- Needs to do frequent lab work, write detailed research papers, and follow tight academic rules.
- People claim it’s hard because of the hard roads to graduate school and the complicated science topics.
Mathematics
- Math is challenging because it has a lot of different parts, such proofs, calculus, statistics, and advanced algebra.
- People say it’s one of the hardest classes in UK since you have to be quick, accurate, and good at solving issues.
- The University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and Imperial College London are the finest schools.
Nursing
- Clinical placements, medical theory, and caring for real patients make nursing hard.
- It’s hard because of lengthy shifts, tests that have to be done in real life, and crises.
- The best schools are the University of Southampton, King’s College London, and the University of Manchester.
Finance and Accounting
- Students have to study tough classes including auditing, taxation, corporate finance, and making financial models.
- You need to be able to pay attention to little details and do math well.
- One of the hardest business classes in UK because of how much work there is and how competitive it is.
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Conclusion
The majority of the degrees are tough to do but if you are smart enough you will be able to go through it. In the end the toughness of a degree is something that should be taken into consideration before choosing a degree to pursue but you should not be scared of it. These tough degrees are in the end worth it because the respect and money it provides you after completing it is something that is worth taking the tough road.
FAQ
Which are the toughest degrees in UK?
Here is the list of toughest degrees in UK:
1. Medicine
2. Engineering
3. Law
4. Architecture
5. Dentistry
6. Veterinary medicine
7. Computer science
8. Physics
9. Chemistry
10. Economics
11. Pharmacy
12. Biomedical science
13. Mathematics
14. Nursing
15. Finance and Accounting
Engineering or medical, which is tougher?
Both the degrees are equally tough and both of them have their own specialisations. So, saying one is tougher than the other is unfair.
Which are the best MBA colleges in UK?
The best colleges for MBA in UK are:
1. University of Oxford
2. University of Cambridge
3. London School of Economics
4. University of Manchester
5. King’s College London
6. University College London

