- University of Oxford: The university is located in the city of Oxford, which is situated on the River Thames. It is the oldest university in the English-speaking world, founded in the 11th century.
- University of Cambridge: The university is located in the city of Cambridge, which is also situated on the River Thames. It is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world, founded in the 12th century.
- King's College London: The university is located on the Strand, which is situated on the north bank of the River Thames. It was founded in 1829 as King's College London and became a university in 1908.
- University College London (UCL): The university is located on Gower Street, which is situated near the River Thames. It was founded in 1826 as the University of London and became an independent university in 1836.
- London South Bank University (LSBU): The university is located on the south bank of the River Thames, in the London borough of Southwark. It was founded in 1892 as the Borough Polytechnic Institute and became a university in 1992.
- Canterbury Christ Church University: The university is located in the city of Canterbury, which is situated on the River Stour, a tributary of the River Thames. It was founded in 1962 as Canterbury College of Education and became a university in 2005.
- Royal Holloway, University of London: The university is located in Egham, Surrey, which is situated on the River Thames. It was founded in 1879 as Royal Holloway College and became a university in 2005.
In addition to these major institutions, there are also several colleges and universities located in other towns along the River Thames, such as Reading, Henley-on-Thames, and Windsor.