Russell Group, Red Brick, and Other Categories

If you have started researching universities, you have almost certainly come across the term "Russell Group." It is one of the most frequently mentioned labels in UK higher education — and one of the most widely misunderstood.

Parents often tell their children they "must go to a Russell Group university." Careers advisers sometimes use it as shorthand for quality. And some students treat Russell Group membership as a pass/fail test when building their shortlist.

But what does it actually mean? And what about all the other labels — Red Brick, Plate Glass, Post-92, Oxbridge — that get thrown around? This lesson unpacks these categories so you can understand what they mean, where they come from, and how much they should actually influence your decision.

---

What Is the Russell Group?

The Russell Group is an association of 24 major UK universities that was founded in 1994. The name comes from the Hotel Russell in London, where the vice-chancellors of these universities first met.