University Ranking 2026: The Best Universities In The UK Today

Explore the top universities in the United Kingdom with our 2026 University Ranking guide. This article reviews the latest QS World University Rankings 2026 and The Complete University Guide 2026 to highlight the UK’s leading institutions. We break down key insights and show which universities stand out for academic quality, research, and student satisfaction.

QS World University Rankings Methodology

The QS World University Ranking stands as a global benchmark for academic prowess, and its methodology is intricately woven with diverse metrics that encapsulate the essence of higher education institutions. Here’s an exploration of the key factors that constitute the QS World University Ranking methodology:

Academic Reputation: Academic reputation forms the bedrock of the QS evaluation. This criterion gauges the opinions of academics worldwide, providing insight into the esteem in which a university is held within the academic community.
Employer Reputation: This metric reflects the perceptions of employers towards the quality of graduates, emphasising the real-world impact of academic programmes.
Faculty Student Ratio: The ratio of faculty members to students is a crucial indicator of the level of personalised attention students can expect. A lower faculty-student ratio often signifies a more conducive learning environment and better access to academic support.
Citations per Faculty: Research impact is measured through citations per faculty, reflecting the influence of scholarly work produced by the institution. This metric underlines a university’s contribution to the global academic community and the dissemination of knowledge.
International Faculty Ratio: A diverse faculty enriches the academic experience. The international faculty ratio assesses the proportion of faculty members from different parts of the world, contributing to a multicultural and inclusive learning environment.
International Students Ratio: The presence of international students adds a global dimension to the university community. This ratio evaluates the diversity of the student body, fostering cross-cultural exchanges and preparing students for a globalised world.
International Research Network: Recognising the importance of global collaboration, this metric assesses the extent of a university’s international research network. Partnerships and collaborations on a global scale contribute to the institution’s research impact and reputation.
Employment Outcomes: This metric evaluates how well universities prepare students for successful careers and their ability to secure meaningful employment after graduation.
Sustainability: This criterion highlights institutions that actively contribute to a sustainable future.

Top Universities in the UK 2026: UK University League Table

Here are the top universities in the country based on the 2026 QS World University Rankings.

2026 World Ranking	2025 World Ranking	Year-on-year Change	Institution	Academic Reputation		Employer Reputation		Faculty Student		Citations per Faculty		International Faculty		International Students		International Students Diversity		International Research Network		Employment Outcomes		Sustainability		Overall
2	2	0	Imperial College London	99.6	22	100	9	99.3	42	95	69	100	74	100	35	100	22	97.5	28	95.9	68	98.3	7=	99.4
4	3	-1	University of Oxford	100	2	100	4	100	9	91	98	98.8	132	98.6	80	98.7	67	100	1	100	3	77.9	198=	97.9
6	5	-1	University of Cambridge	100	3	100	5	100	23	88.6	107	100	80	93.1	144	93.6	120	99.2	12	100	5	78.4	194	97.2
9	9	0	UCL (University College London)	99.9	15	99.4	18	94.8	77	80.9	151	99.6	108	100	27	100	17	99.9	2	89.3	111	98.5	5=	95.8
31	40	9	King's College London (KCL)	96.2	44	91.8	65	74.4	202	70.2	215	99.5	115	99	70	99	61	98.4	19	76.4	174	96.5	14	88.3
34	27	-7	University of Edinburgh	99.6	24	98.2	33	77.3	179	54.3	338	99.7	105	99.9	42	99.9	31	99.5	5	69.7	213	98.3	7=	87.2
35	34	-1	The University of Manchester	98.6	31	98.8	26	58.2	310	56.8	308	95.3	176	99.5	56	99.5	45	99.4	7	91.9	90	98.2	9=	86.4
51	54	3	University of Bristol	87.3	73	89.4	75	36.7	546	83.2	135	90.7	219	95.7	118	96	100	95.3	74	63.1	248	97	12=	82.5
56	50	-6	London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)	80.6	96	99.4	20	47.2	417	64	256	100	41	100	14	100	9	76.4	417	99.9	14	92.7	39=	80.5
74	69	-5	The University of Warwick	82.7	85	93	60	48.3	402	43.6	432	99.5	111	99.2	60	99.3	49	93.8	101	75.3	182	84.6	117=	75.2
76	80	4	University of Birmingham	81.1	95	75.7	122	49.9	385	56.1	316	96.7	154	93.4	139	93.9	115	96.3	54	54.7	305	92.8	38	73.8
79	78	-1	University of Glasgow	88.3	72	73.5	132	50.3	377	44.8	416	98	140	99.1	67	99.1	57	97	38	44.5	395	95.4	19=	73.4
86	82	-4	University of Leeds	81.8	90	82.1	98	39.7	512	48.8	380	89.7	224	96.3	108	96.5	93	99.2	13	62.9	250	76.4	219=	72
87	80	-7	University of Southampton	62.6	163	55.9	214	40.1	504	87.8	111	96.8	153	98.6	82	98.6	69	97.4	32	58.6	279	95.1	23	71.2
92	105	13	The University of Sheffield	73	122	61.7	186	50.3	378	68.4	226	81.6	281	98	89	98.1	76	96.8	42	47.9	363	94.3	27	70.9
94	89	-5	Durham University	74.1	117	91.9	64	37.3	539	42.9	441	99.2	123	94.5	134	94.9	111	90.9	161	53.6	316	95.2	22	70.1
97	108	11	The University of Nottingham	75.4	110	78.4	110	44.5	444	48.6	382	92.7	202	78.5	231	80.6	201	97.4	30	53.7	313	92.9	36=	69.4
110	120	10	Queen Mary University of London (QMUL)	63.6	160	47.1	277	31	618	83.4	134	99.9	100	99.9	45	99.9	34	91.9	146	40.1	438	82.4	144=	66.6
113	104	-9	University of St Andrews	61.5	165	74.9	127	63.8	278	51.3	368	98.8	131	99.7	47	99.7	36	87.7	208	28.9	575	86.2	97	66.4
132	150	18	University of Bath	48.9	233	81.6	100	20.5	801+	75.9	173	95.6	170	86.8	187	88	156	85.3	250	50.7	337	83.8	127=	64.2
137	129	-8	Newcastle University	62.9	162	68.7	152	49.5	388	49.1	379	92.5	205	81	220	82.8	185	95.8	65	40.5	433	90.9	56	63.9
147	165	18	University of Liverpool	60.7	171	48.8	264	37.3	538	61.7	276	92.4	206	91.1	157	91.8	133	97	39	47.8	364	92.4	42=	62.5
155	169	14	University of Exeter	57.9	186	58.5	198	42	480	55.8	320	94.8	181	77.8	235	79.9	206	95.8	66	40.9	428	93.9	32	61.5
157	141	-16	Lancaster University	51.2	217	45.8	296	36.1	555	77.5	166	96.4	161	93.3	141	93.8	117	87	216	38.2	452	89.2	68=	61.4
169	184	15	University of York	56.8	197	42.3	317	55.8	335	53.8	344	92.4	208	75.4	253	77.8	223	96	58	41	427	93.2	34	59.4
181	186	5	Cardiff University	60.1	175	54.4	223	48.2	403	42.2	451	87.2	243	70.1	278	73	248	93.4	120	33.5	502	88.9	71=	57.8
194	172	-22	University of Reading	45.7	256	46.8	280	20.2	801+	63	260	95	178	85.8	192	87	162	93.3	121	57.6	287	92.4	42=	56.2
199	206	7	Queen's University Belfast	49.6	228	43.4	309	30.3	627	57.5	304	100	79	98.8	74	98.9	65	95.4	73	19.5	735	89.5	67	55.7
225	224	-1	Loughborough University	42.8	277	64.5	165	26.9	699	50.6	371	94.6	183	71.1	269	73.9	242	81.4	324	33.2	509	87.9	80=	53.3
251	281	30	University of Strathclyde	37.5	319	40.5	335	17.8	801+	57.2	306	99.2	122	89	175	90	149	84.5	263	46	379	84.6	117=	50.2
262	236	-26	University of Aberdeen	40.1	299	34.8	413	44.9	437	42.9	442	95.8	168	87.2	185	88.3	155	89.7	176	30	549	87.8	83=	49.3
262	285	23	University of Surrey	29.7	411	30	475	33.4	583	74.4	182	98	139	88.7	181	89.7	152	86.6	227	30.7	539	60.4	499=	49.3
278	246	-32	University of Sussex	33.8	360	21	624	21.4	801+	60.7	283	99	129	89.5	172	90.4	146	86.3	232	53.6	314	90	63=	47.9
287	256	-31	Heriot-Watt University	25.7	490	34.8	415	27.3	692	61.8	275	100	78	97	100	97.2	89	75.7	425	37	467	77.2	210=	46.8
292	298	6	Swansea University	34.7	348	54.7	222	28.6	666	43	439	76.9	312	80.5	221	82.4	187	79.7	357	13.7	801+	84.4	121	46.2
310		-310	City St George’s, University of London	26.9	466	32.3	444	9.2	801+	57.8	301	92.4	207	97.9	90	98	77	77.2	402	65.8	238	62.3	452=	44.5
326	285	-41	University of Leicester	29.6	418	17.7	701+	40.1	502	44.2	426	90.6	220	90.6	162	91.4	137	91.1	155	31	535	81.2	158=	42.9
374	416	42	Oxford Brookes University	38.7	309	62.3	178	14.8	801+	12.4	801+	80.8	291	89.8	168	90.7	143	61.8	666	26	624	59.8	506	40
381	332	-49	University of East Anglia (UEA)	24.7	514	15	701+	24	753	55.5	324	81.9	278	49.3	413	54	380	86.8	224	31.8	528	91.1	54=	39.4
385	342	-43	Brunel University of London	17.6	694	25.2	536	12.2	801+	51.8	364	99.5	114	100	32	100	20	76.7	410	28.8	578	80.4	163=	39.1
388	408	20	Birkbeck College, University of London	15.5	701+	5.9	701+	19.1	801+	79.6	159	98.9	130	98.7	78	98.7	66	60.1	690	17.7	766	45.6	801+	38.5
395	423	28	Aston University	18.1	673	27.1	506	12	801+	56.7	309	97.9	142	63.4	317	67	290	81.8	317	28.3	587	67.6	355=	38.1
397	380	-17	University of Kent	20.2	607	13.8	701+	16.2	801+	58.3	297	96.4	163	49.2	414	54	381	88	202	44	404	65.5	387=	37.7
428	418	-10	University of Dundee	25.5	497	21.3	618	44.8	438	20.6	704	92	209	84.4	198	85.8	169	78.7	374	13.9	801+	78.6	190=	35.9
456	472	16	University of Essex	23.7	535	9.9	701+	17.1	801+	35.1	525	99.9	102	99.2	64	99.2	53	77	404	24.7	645	54.5	610=	34.1
461	477	16	Royal Holloway University of London	22.8	548	11.8	701+	15.1	801+	41	460	96.3	164	88.9	177	89.9	151	73	487	12.3	801+	61.7	464=	33.9
511	508	-3	SOAS University of London	24.7	516	19	686	18.4	801+	23.7	663	100	67	99.2	63	99.2	52	17.8	801+	35.2	489	65	398=	31.6
511	531	20	University of Bradford	14	701+	11.2	701+	9.3	801+	40.3	465	75	316	99.2	66	99.2	56	70.5	519	41.5	421	70.4	311=	31.6
517	452	-65	University of Stirling	16.8	701+	13.1	701+	14.6	801+	38.3	489	79.5	299	81.3	218	83	183	62.7	655	22.4	685	81.2	158=	31.4
524	501	-23	University of Huddersfield	17.9	683	19	684	9.1	801+	36.3	515	79.7	298	91.6	154	92.2	131	74.6	450	2.2	801+	69.1	329=	31.2
526	516	-10	University of Hull	13.2	701+	14.3	701+	15.9	801+	36.9	505	68.3	342	95.6	121	95.9	103	70.3	526	29.5	556	75.4	228=	30.9
550	535	-15	Northumbria University at Newcastle	16.6	701+	19.1	681	18.2	801+	30.6	580	64.5	360	63.6	313	67.1	289	81.5	321	20	725	77.8	201=	30
558	526	-32	Coventry University	16	701+	18.5	697	21.8	798	14.8	801+	85.1	258	99.5	62	99.5	51	84.3	271	18.4	752	71.2	297=	29.5
566	474	-92	Bangor University	12.8	701+	10.5	701+	18.9	801+	44.4	422	38.1	515	77.4	239	79.5	210	74.7	447	16.9	787	78	195=	29.3
609	592	-17	Nottingham Trent University	16.4	701+	22.9	580	15.5	801+	10.7	801+	67.1	349	90.4	165	91.2	140	84.8	258	20.4	717	77.5	206=	27.9
609	559	-50	University of Ulster	12.6	701+	19.8	664	11.4	801+	19	731	100	94	90.1	166	90.9	141	71.5	508	10.1	801+	75.6	227	27.9
613	661-670	NA	University of Plymouth	13.8	701+	14.2	701+	15.4	801+	36.7	508	61.3	382=	61.4	332	65.1	303	82.1	311	13.8	801+	58.6	530=	27.8
635	631-640	NA	University of Portsmouth	10.9	701+	13.1	701+	12	801+	27.8	607	80.1	297	90.7	160	91.4	135	81.5	322	13.5	801+	62.6	448	27.2
643	601-610	NA	Manchester Metropolitan University	18.8	654	16.4	701+	11.4	801+	16.8	766	63.1	369	61.4	331	65.2	302	89	189	19.2	741	78	195=	26.9
660	601-610	NA	Kingston University, London	20.7	598	24.6	547	7.2	801+	12.7	801+	77.3	309	95.8	115	96.1	98	52	801+	16.4	801+	49.5	715=	26.5
711-720	681-690	NA	Goldsmiths, University of London	18.3	668	7.5	701+	20.8	801+	17	765	89.1	230	97.8	93	97.9	82	22.7	801+	25.2	637	43	801+	-
721-730	741-750	NA	UWE Bristol (University of the West of England)	10.6	701+	15.1	701+	8.9	801+	25.2	633	66.1	354	88.9	176	89.9	150	72.4	493	4.2	801+	53.3	636=	-
741-750	661-670	NA	Aberystwyth University	12.8	701+	11.5	701+	27.6	687	23.9	658	61.3	382=	42	475	45.4	457	63.3	646	11	801+	63.1	439=	-
801-850	771-780	NA	Bournemouth University	8	701+	11	701+	8.1	801+	29.4	594	84.7	261	47.7	422	52.6	391	76.3	418	7.7	801+	43.4	801+	-
801-850	711-720	NA	De Montfort University	6.4	701+	9.5	701+	6.8	801+	16.7	770	81.4	284	96.4	107	96.6	92	57.1	734	10.5	801+	64.5	409=	-
801-850	791-800	NA	Keele University	8.5	701+	8	701+	21.3	801+	28.5	600	60.9	385	50.7	408	42.3	490	66.4	601	10.1	801+	39.4	801+	-
801-850	721-730	NA	Middlesex University	7.5	701+	9.3	701+	11.3	801+	14.3	801+	88.6	233	99.7	49	99.7	39	56.5	744	24.6	647	40	801+	-
801-850	801-850	NA	University of Brighton	9.6	701+	9.7	701+	12.4	801+	24.9	642	64.9	359	68.1	289	71.2	260	73.1	486	11.5	801+	39.1	801+	-
801-850	691-700	NA	University of Greenwich	6.2	701+	7	701+	5.2	801+	15.2	801+	94	193	99.6	54	99.6	43	75.8	421	19.7	731	44.9	801+	-
801-850	851-900	NA	University of Lincoln	8	701+	9.3	701+	13	801+	14.6	801+	84.8	259	73.7	260	75.2	234	73.7	478	6	801+	63.8	427=	-
801-850	741-750	NA	University of Westminster	12.3	701+	11.4	701+	7.1	801+	9	801+	85.2	257	99.2	65	99.2	54	37.6	801+	34.2	498	40.3	801+	-
851-900	801-850	NA	Edinburgh Napier University	7.9	701+	5.5	701+	6.1	801+	21.9	686	89.5	227	84.7	196	86.1	167	59.4	702	8.6	801+	40.1	801+	-
851-900	801-850	NA	Liverpool John Moores University	13.5	701+	12	701+	9.6	801+	20.4	707	53.8	420	21.2	707	27.3	648	89.7	178	11.5	801+	53.9	624=	-
901-950	801-850	NA	London South Bank University	4.9	701+	6.3	701+	13.6	801+	8.5	801+	94.1	192	98.1	87	98.2	75	47.7	801+	15.2	801+	50.8	688=	-
901-950	851-900	NA	University of Hertfordshire	5.8	701+	6.7	701+	6.8	801+	12.1	801+	81.4	285	100	12	100	7	57.7	723	17	780	39	801+	-
901-950	901-950	NA	University of Salford	10.8	701+	7.9	701+	9.1	801+	12	801+	55.6	408	88.2	182	89.2	153	61.6	670	13.8	801+	43.4	801+	-
951-1000	901-950	NA	The Robert Gordon University	4	701+	19.4	671	6.7	801+	11.4	801+	78.5	303	84.4	199	85.8	170	34.2	801+	9.4	801+	46.9	793=	-
1001-1200	1001-1200	NA	Birmingham City University	8.2	701+	8	701+	8.7	801+	6.5	801+	54.9	412	65.5	304	68.8	278	44.5	801+	12.1	801+	37.9	801+	-
1001-1200	1001-1200	NA	Glasgow Caledonian University	7.2	701+	9.5	701+	6.3	801+	11.2	801+	45.5	465	77.3	242	79.4	212	40.3	801+	8.5	801+	56.7	562=	-
1001-1200	1001-1200	NA	Leeds Beckett University	5.1	701+	10.3	701+	5.2	801+	13.5	801+	46.9	453	45.2	447	50.3	412	36.6	801+	10.8	801+	61.7	464=	-
1001-1200	1001-1200	NA	London Metropolitan University	5.9	701+	7.3	701+	4.7	801+	7	801+	68.5	340	97.6	95	97.7	84	22.4	801+	20.8	713	20.9	801+	-
1001-1200	1001-1200	NA	Sheffield Hallam University	9.8	701+	13.4	701+	10.9	801+	7.1	801+	42.6	480	42.7	469	48	434	60.6	682	12.3	801+	40.6	801+	-
1001-1200	951-1000	NA	University of Central Lancashire	6.5	701+	9.3	701+	12.4	801+	7.1	801+	43.2	476	78.4	234	80.5	203	56.9	739	3.3	801+	35.5	801+	-
1001-1200	901-950	NA	University of East London	3.9	701+	6.5	701+	2.6	801+	9.5	801+	83.3	268	99.8	46	99.8	35	34.5	801+	14.1	801+	29.5	801+	-
1001-1200	1001-1200	NA	University of Wolverhampton	3.1	701+	3.7	701+	14	801+	14.9	801+	40.8	493	78.9	228	80.9	198	55.7	756	5.9	801+	31	801+	-
1201-1400	1001-1200	NA	Canterbury Christ Church University	6.8	701+	4.7	701+	5.3	801+	6.8	801+	41.5	487	60.4	340	64.2	309	21.9	801+	2.2	801+	21.7	801+	-
1201-1400	951-1000	NA	Queen Margaret University , Edinburgh	4.3	701+	6.5	701+	6.3	801+	19.1	729	68.4	341	67.4	293	70.6	265	3.5	801+	1	801+	18.6	801+	-
1201-1400	1001-1200	NA	The University of Northampton	3.4	701+	3.9	701+	6.4	801+	4.4	801+	51.5	431	93.4	140	93.9	116	16.8	801+	5.9	801+	19	801+	-
1201-1400	1001-1200	NA	University of Derby	5.4	701+	7.5	701+	12	801+	10.9	801+	40.8	492	49.9	409	54.6	375	42.8	801+	2.2	801+	34	801+	-
1401+	1201-1400	NA	Harper Adams University	4	701+	15.7	701+	7.1	801+	12.4	801+	21.8	690	5.9	801+	9.8	801+	14.1	801+	1	801+	18.6	801+	-

The Complete University Guide Rankings Methodology

In the intricate world of university rankings, The Complete University Guide stands out for its comprehensive and insightful methodology. The guide employs a multifaceted approach, taking into account various crucial factors that collectively define the quality of higher education institutions. Let’s look into the pillars that shape The Complete University Guide’s methodology:

Entry Standards: At the heart of academic excellence lies the entry standards criterion. This factor assesses the qualifications and academic achievements of incoming students. The higher the entry standards, the more selective and competitive the university, reflecting a commitment to attracting top-tier talent.
Student Satisfaction: The satisfaction of students is a paramount aspect of The Complete University Guide’s evaluation. It considers the overall experience of students, encompassing teaching quality, support services, and the general campus environment. A content and fulfilled student body often signifies a university’s commitment to providing an enriching educational journey.
Research Quality: Research prowess is a cornerstone of higher education institutions. The guide places significant emphasis on the quality and impact of research conducted by universities. This criterion reflects an institution’s contribution to advancing knowledge and its standing in the academic community.
Graduate Prospects: The ultimate goal of higher education is to prepare students for successful careers. The Graduate Prospects criterion evaluates how well universities equip their graduates for the professional world. Factors such as employability, industry connections, and alumni success play a pivotal role in determining a university’s standing in this regard.

Best Universities in the UK 2026: UK University League Table

Here are the best universities in the UK according to The Complete University Guide 2026 rankings.

University Ranking	University Name	Overall Score	Entry Standards	Student Satisfaction	Research Quality	Graduate Prospects
1	University of Cambridge	100%	96%	79%	88%	90%
2	University of Oxford	98%	94%	79%	87%	90%
3	London School of Economics and Political Science	93%	87%	78%	88%	91%
4	University of St Andrews	92%	100%	83%	83%	87%
5	Durham University	90%	84%	78%	83%	88%
6	Imperial College London	90%	94%	78%	91%	96%
7	Loughborough University	87%	73%	78%	83%	85%
8	University of Bath	84%	81%	79%	83%	88%
9	University of Warwick	83%	78%	79%	86%	85%
10	Lancaster University	80%	70%	79%	84%	80%
11	University of Exeter	79%	76%	76%	84%	81%
12	University of York	79%	74%	76%	86%	82%
13	UCL (University College London)	78%	80%	76%	87%	87%
14	University of Birmingham	78%	75%	76%	86%	83%
15	University of Bristol	78%	81%	75%	88%	83%
16	University of Sheffield	77%	73%	79%	85%	82%
17	University of Southampton	77%	74%	76%	85%	83%
18	The University of Edinburgh	76%	91%	73%	85%	81%
19=	King's College London, University of London	76%	78%	74%	86%	84%
19=	University of Surrey	76%	64%	79%	82%	82%
21	University of Leeds	75%	75%	74%	84%	80%
22	Cardiff University	75%	71%	76%	84%	84%
23	University of Liverpool	75%	70%	78%	83%	81%
24	Queen's University Belfast	74%	73%	77%	82%	86%
25	Heriot-Watt University	73%	80%	77%	80%	81%
26=	University of East Anglia UEA	72%	63%	77%	84%	80%
26=	University of Nottingham	72%	72%	76%	84%	82%
28	University of Manchester	71%	77%	74%	87%	80%
29	University of Essex	71%	59%	79%	81%	70%
30	University of Aberdeen	71%	86%	80%	76%	81%
31=	University of Glasgow	70%	100%	75%	86%	81%
31=	Newcastle University	70%	70%	76%	82%	81%
33=	University of Leicester	70%	61%	79%	82%	80%
33=	University of the Arts London	69%	67%	77%	80%	59%
35	Royal Holloway, University of London	69%	63%	77%	83%	77%
36	University of Reading	69%	59%	78%	81%	79%
37	Northumbria University, Newcastle	69%	64%	77%	76%	77%
38	University of Strathclyde	68%	95%	78%	82%	83%
39	University of Dundee	66%	86%	79%	81%	83%
40	Swansea University	66%	62%	78%	80%	80%
41	Queen Mary University of London	66%	72%	75%	85%	77%
42	University of Portsmouth	64%	56%	79%	75%	74%
43	University of Sussex	64%	62%	77%	82%	71%
44	Aston University, Birmingham	64%	62%	77%	76%	81%
45	Aberystwyth University	64%	58%	81%	75%	72%
46	Nottingham Trent University	64%	58%	79%	77%	70%
47	Harper Adams University	64%	61%	76%	65%	74%
48	Oxford Brookes University	63%	55%	77%	72%	77%
49	University of Kent	63%	58%	76%	82%	71%
50	Manchester Metropolitan University	61%	63%	79%	78%	70%
51	University of Stirling	61%	81%	76%	78%	74%
52	University of Lincoln	61%	54%	78%	74%	72%
53	City St George's, University of London	60%	63%	77%	81%	84%
54	Ulster University	60%	60%	79%	80%	77%
55	Bangor University	60%	60%	78%	81%	69%
56	University of Suffolk	60%	53%	78%	67%	72%
57	Edge Hill University	59%	60%	76%	67%	77%
58	Norwich University of the Arts	59%	60%	78%	74%	62%
59	Coventry University	59%	57%	79%	73%	73%
60	University of Chichester	59%	60%	79%	60%	73%
61	Arts University Bournemouth	58%	69%	78%	66%	57%
62=	Bristol, UWE	58%	59%	76%	74%	75%
62=	Falmouth University	58%	61%	77%	79%	57%
62=	SOAS University of London	58%	62%	73%	81%	74%
65	University of Huddersfield	58%	56%	77%	70%	74%
66	Cardiff Metropolitan University	57%	60%	79%	71%	74%
67	Brunel University of London	56%	57%	77%	72%	68%
68	Keele University	56%	59%	77%	77%	77%
69	St Mary's University, Twickenham	56%	46%	81%	68%	78%
70	University of West London	56%	55%	80%	67%	69%
71	Goldsmiths, University of London	56%	57%	76%	78%	66%
72=	University of Gloucestershire	55%	55%	76%	61%	75%
72=	Bournemouth University	55%	52%	75%	69%	75%
74	University of Chester	55%	58%	78%	63%	75%
75	University of Plymouth	54%	62%	76%	75%	79%
76	Liverpool John Moores University	54%	62%	79%	70%	72%
77	University of South Wales	54%	60%	79%	66%	70%
78	Leeds Beckett University	54%	56%	79%	67%	70%
79=	University of Derby	54%	54%	79%	63%	72%
79=	University of Salford	54%	58%	77%	75%	76%
81	University of Hull	53%	56%	79%	78%	74%
82	University of Hertfordshire	53%	54%	79%	76%	72%
83	University of Sunderland	53%	58%	81%	69%	64%
84	Sheffield Hallam University	53%	53%	76%	73%	75%
85	Glasgow Caledonian University	52%	80%	77%	74%	80%
86	University of Central Lancashire	52%	58%	79%	70%	73%
87	Robert Gordon University	52%	72%	79%	63%	81%
88	University of Brighton	51%	55%	75%	76%	72%
89	Kingston University	51%	58%	78%	72%	64%
90=	Liverpool Hope University	51%	55%	81%	63%	64%
90=	Teesside University	51%	55%	78%	69%	78%
92	Bath Spa University	50%	56%	77%	68%	63%
93	University of Worcester	50%	57%	79%	58%	77%
94=	University of Staffordshire	49%	53%	78%	70%	73%
94=	Abertay University	49%	72%	81%	67%	71%
96	Edinburgh Napier University	49%	70%	78%	71%	79%
97	Buckinghamshire New University	49%	47%	79%	56%	69%
98	University of Winchester	48%	56%	77%	63%	68%
99	Canterbury Christ Church University	48%	51%	77%	68%	74%
100	Plymouth Marjon University	48%	53%	83%	62%	74%
101	Arts University Plymouth	48%	60%	82%	n/a	54%
102	University of Greater Manchester	47%	53%	79%	47%	74%
103=	Birmingham City University	47%	59%	76%	67%	70%
103=	Leeds Arts University	47%	67%	79%	44%	58%
105	York St John University	47%	55%	79%	61%	66%
106	University of Greenwich	46%	54%	77%	72%	69%
107=	University of Bradford	46%	61%	74%	71%	77%
107=	Southampton, Solent University	46%	53%	78%	54%	64%
109	University of Wolverhampton	46%	51%	77%	64%	72%
110	London South Bank University	45%	51%	78%	70%	74%
111	University of Wales Trinity Saint David	44%	67%	82%	62%	57%
112	University for the Creative Arts	44%	55%	74%	77%	56%
113	Middlesex University	44%	51%	80%	70%	63%
114	Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh	42%	75%	76%	65%	66%
115	University of Roehampton	42%	48%	80%	78%	59%
116	University of Buckingham	42%	54%	74%	n/a	75%
117	University of Cumbria	41%	53%	75%	58%	74%
118	Bishop Grosseteste University	41%	49%	83%	48%	76%
119	University of Northampton	41%	51%	79%	56%	69%
120=	Anglia Ruskin University	40%	50%	77%	70%	68%
120=	De Montfort University	40%	49%	77%	67%	68%
122	Leeds Trinity University	39%	50%	78%	53%	70%
123	University of Westminster, London	39%	51%	76%	75%	59%
124	Birmingham Newman University	38%	49%	82%	51%	72%
125	Royal Agricultural University	37%	57%	68%	58%	69%
126	University of East London	34%	54%	82%	65%	62%
127	University of the West of Scotland	34%	66%	78%	62%	73%
128	London Metropolitan University	32%	46%	79%	66%	60%
129	Wrexham University	32%	51%	83%	55%	71%
130	University of Bedfordshire	30%	50%	78%	68%	66%

Best Universities in the UK in 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

Do university rankings change significantly from year to year?

Rankings can fluctuate, but significant changes are often gradual. Institutions may invest in improving certain aspects to enhance their position, but consistency over several years is a more reliable indicator.

How can international students use rankings to choose the right university?

International students should consider rankings alongside factors like location, cultural fit, and available support services. Researching specific programmes and faculty can help make a well-informed decision.

Are there differences between undergraduate and postgraduate rankings?

Some ranking systems offer separate evaluations for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. It’s essential to explore rankings relevant to your academic level and field of study.

Do university rankings consider employability after graduation?

Yes, employability is often a component in university rankings. Factors like alumni success, employer feedback, and internship opportunities contribute to this aspect.

Apply To A UK University Today!

Speak to us today for free application assistance and education advice. Our expert consultants are more than happy to help!

Subscribe For Our FREE Insider UK Study Advice

Apply To Your Favourite UK University Today!