The UK is home to some of the oldest universities in the world. In fact, two English universities find themselves on the list of the 10 oldest universities in the world. The island country is known for its fantastic legends about kings and knights, but its selection of prestigious universities offer a rich historic atmosphere and beautiful ancient architecture that has inspired students for generations. The country’s 6 oldest universities were founded by the 17th century or earlier, and you’ll be surprised that it took almost another 250 years until the next university was founded. Here are the 10 oldest universities in the UK ranked by their official founding year.