Almost one in three women aged between 17 and 30 in both countries are now classed as heavy drinkers -- bingeing on four or more drinks in one session at least once a fortnight, the survey found.
The figures are far higher than those for Germany, Greece, Italy, Romania and South Africa, where less than five per cent of female students were found to be heavy drinkers.
The study of students in 21 countries was authored by five experts at universities around the world to find out who is most at risk of alcohol abuse.
They found the heaviest drinkers tended to be from wealthy families with well-educated parents, and were living away from home.
Women who said they had consumed four or more drinks on at least one occasion over the previous two weeks were classified as heavy drinkers.
The findings, published in the Journal of American College Health, are consistent with recent national surveys that have highlighted binge drinking in the two countries.
The study revealed that excessive drinking has soared in England, but has declined in Germany and France.
English men fall behind
Although about 26 percent of British men binge drink, England does not feature at the top of the table for male heavy drinkers.
This is dominated by Belgium, Colombia, Ireland and Poland.
Dr Andrew Steptoe, deputy head of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London and a co-author of the report, said heavy drinking was a worldwide problem but England and Ireland had high figures compared with mainland Europe.
He said: "Although not all young heavy drinkers end up being heavy drinkers in later life, they are at higher risk later for health problems."
In August, health experts warned the British government that it urgently needed to tackle the escalating culture of binge drinking.
A report by the Centre for Public Health said 18.2 percent of adults across England binge drink at least double the daily recommended level in one or more sessions a week, based on the week in which they were questioned.
Experts said Britain had gone from a nation "enjoying a harmless tipple" to one developing "a dangerous alcohol addiction".