Best UK Universities For Creative Writing

From Strathclyde down to Royal Holloway, the UK boasts some excellent universities for creative writing, each with its own strengths, values, and unique qualities to offer you. Unfortunately, this can make it a struggle to narrow down your options-it takes a lot of work and research to determine which university to apply to.

Where do you begin? How do you know if a renowned university offers Creative Writing courses? We understand your struggles which is why we ensure our Creative Writing Summer School participants have access to 1:1 personalised consultations with expert writers to help direct their next steps in education.

We’ve also gathered some of the Top Creative Writing Universities in the UK, listed below. You can also explore opportunities like English Literature summer school programs to deepen your study of literary works alongside creative writing practice.

For those looking to specialise in storytelling and craft, an Oxford creative writing summer school or a Cambridge summer school offers immersive workshops led by professional writers, helping students refine their voice and technique over the summer.

We’ve also gathered a list of some of the Top Creative Writing Universities in the UK. To give you a clear start for your journey. Read on!

University of Leeds

As well as being ranked number #4 in the Complete University Guide 2025 for Creative Writing, it’s also a member of the prestigious Russell group due to its high-quality research.

Their core value? Collaboration. By working with others, it aims to address local and worldwide challenges, especially in:

• Promoting social justice
• Reducing inequality
• And helping to execute the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The spirit of collaboration doesn’t stop there and Leeds wants its students to experience a sense of belonging. Through your unique talents and expertise, there are contributions that only you can bring and Leeds wants you to feel valued for them.

By taking the Creative Writing course at Leeds, you’ll experience producing creative writing works such as:

• Life writing
• Poetry
• Fiction
• Travel accounts

Themes you’ll encounter as you examine past and present literature include:

• Ethnicity
• Race
• Gender
• Climate change
• Social class
• Nature
• Disability
• Wellbeing

Where do Leeds English Literature & Creative Writing graduates go? Discover Uni reports that 93% proceed to work or study further within 15 months after graduation. They find success in a variety of creative writing careers, such as:

• Marketing
• Journalism
• Education
• Leadership
• Media
• Publishing
• Business
• Civil Service
• Management Consultancy
• Law

If you value collaboration and are looking for a university to help you achieve your career goals, then check out the University of Leeds!

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University of Strathclyde, Glasgow

The University of Strathclyde at Glasgow is renowned for being “the place of useful learning.” True to its reputation, it was named the University of the Year twice by the Times Higher Education University Awards.

What core values serve as the foundation of Strathclyde’s excellent reputation?

• People-oriented
• Collaborative
• Innovative
• Bold
• Ambitious

Do you know that the Complete University Guide 2025 ranks Strathclyde #8 in the UK for Creative Writing? With just a few of the undergraduate courses available below, it is a wonder why!

• English & Creative Writing (BA Hons)
• English and Creative Writing & Journalism, Media and Communication (BA Hons)
• English and Creative Writing & Psychology (BA Hons)
• English and Creative Writing & History (BA Hons)
• English and Creative Writing & Law (BA Hons)
• English and Creative Writing & Social Policy (BA Hons)
• English and Creative Writing & Human Resource Management (BA Hons)

Let’s take a closer look at English and Creative Writing & Journalism, Media, and Communication (BA Hons.) Discover Uni states that 100% of Strathclyde Creative Writing graduates proceed to work or study further within 15 months after graduation.

Common careers graduates go into include:

• Publishing
• Creative Writing
• Journalism
• Marketing
• Management
• Teaching
• Civil Service
• Administration

Some of the topics you may encounter during the course:

• Shakespeare
• Bronte
• Woolf
• The Construction of Scotland
• Detective Fiction
• Writing War
• Children’s Literature
• Victorian Gothic
• Contemporary Travel Writing

Some of the skills you’ll gain through the course:

• Proficiency with professional practices
• Textual interpretation and analysis
• Critical and constructive thinking and working skills
• Confidence
• Responsibility
• Excellent communication skills
• Problem-solving
• Collaboration

Are you eager to learn these skills by studying at one of the best universities in the UK? You may want to explore the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow!

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University of Warwick

The University of Warwick is #6 on the Most Targeted University by UK’s Top 100 Graduate Employers list according to The Graduate Market in 2024.

The UK government’s 2018 Longitudinal Education Outcomes also ranked Warwick within the Top 10 UK schools because its graduates have some of the highest earnings over 11 subjects 5 years after graduation.

Warwick’s impactful research distinguishes it from others in the field. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 reports that 92% of its research is “world-leading”.

Why is Warwick’s English Literature and Creative Writing BA degree among the best in the UK? Discover Uni reports that a whopping 94% of graduates proceed to work or study further within 15 months after graduation.

Warwick’s English Literature and Creative Writing BA graduates proceed to work in a variety of careers, including:

• Journalists
• Newspaper and periodical writers and editors
• Authors
• Poets
• Translators
• Dramatists
• Creative directors
• Publishers
• Marketers
• Teachers
• Researchers
• Academics

Employers include:

• BBC
• The Poetry Society
• Bloomsbury Publishing
• Cambridge University Press
• Penguin/Random House
• The Forward Poetry Foundation
• The Sunday Times
• The Society of Authors
• British Council
• Royal Opera House
• Civil Service

Are you searching for a Top UK university with excellent employability and high-salary opportunities? Definitely check out Warwick! We’ve also included it in our A-Level requirements for creative writing list.