Latest Update: UK University Rankings 2026 - Check it out!
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- Published: 9 October 2024
- Updated: 21 January 2025
UK University Rankings 2026
University rankings are super helpful for anyone looking to choose a study destination! But did you know that each ranking institution has its own criteria and methods? For those planning to continue their studies, IDP has gathered all the information you need to choose the right university! Just remember to check all the details before you decide, and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the friendly IDP team. They’re here to help you find the courses and universities that are the perfect fit for you!
Ranking Institution | The Complete University Guide 2026 | QS World University Rankings 2026 | The Guardian |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | University of Cambridge | Imperial College London | University of Oxford |
2 | University of Oxford | University of Oxford | University of St Andrews |
3 | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | University of Cambridge | University of Cambridge |
4 | University of St Andrews | UCL (University College London) | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) |
5 | Durham University | King's College London | Imperial College London |
6 | Imperial College London | University of Edinburgh | Durham University |
7 | Loughborough University | The University of Manchester | University of Bath |
8 | University of Bath | University of Bristol | University of Warwick |
9 | University of Warwick | London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) | UCL (University College London) |
10 | Lancaster University | The University of Warwick | Loughborough University |
11 | University of Exeter | University of Birmingham | Lancaster University |
12 | University of York | University of Glasgow | University of Aberdeen |
13 | UCL (University College London) | University of Leeds | University of the Arts London |
14 | University of Birmingham | University of Southampton | University of Glasgow |
15 | University of Bristol | The University of Sheffield | The University of Edinburgh |
16 | University of Sheffield | Durham University | University of Bristol |
17 | University of Southampton | The University of Nottingham | University of Strathclyde |
18 | The University of Edinburgh | Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) | University of Exeter |
19 | King's College London | University of St Andrews | University of Surrey |
20 | University of Surrey | University of Bath | University of Sheffield |
21 | University of Leeds | Newcastle University | Aston University |
22 | Cardiff University | University of Liverpool | University of Southampton |
23 | University of Liverpool | University of Exeter | University of Essex |
24 | Queen's University Belfast | Lancaster University | Ulster University |
25 | Heriot-Watt University | University of York | University of York |
26 | University of East Anglia UEA | Cardiff University | University of Chichester |
27 | University of Nottingham | University of Reading | University of Liverpool |
28 | University of Manchester | Queen's University Belfast | King's College London |
29 | University of Essex | Loughborough University | Swansea University |
30 | University of Aberdeen | University of Strathclyde | University of West London |
31 | University of Glasgow | University of Aberdeen | University of Manchester |
32 | Newcastle University | University of Surrey | University of Bolton |
33 | University of Leicester | University of Sussex | University of Sunderland |
34 | University of the Arts London | Heriot-Watt University | University of Leicester |
35 | Royal Holloway, University of Londo... | Swansea University | University of Reading |
36 | University of Reading | City St George’s, University of London | University of Birmingham |
37 | Northumbria University, Newcastle | University of Leicester | University of Leeds |
38 | University of Strathclyde | Oxford Brookes University | Northumbria University Newcastle |
39 | University of Dundee | University of East Anglia (UEA) | City, University of London |
40 | Swansea University | Brunel University of London | Oxford Brookes University |
41 | Queen Mary University of London | Birkbeck College, University of London | University of Portsmouth |
42 | University of Portsmouth | Aston University | Coventry University |
43 | University of Sussex | University of Kent | Queen's University Belfast |
44 | Aston University, Birmingham | University of Dundee | Edge Hill University |
45 | Aberystwyth University | University of Essex | University of East Anglia (UEA) |
46 | Nottingham Trent University | Royal Holloway University of London | University of Chester |
47 | Harper Adams University | SOAS University of London | Glasgow Caledonian University |
48 | Oxford Brookes University | University of Bradford | Cardiff University |
49 | University of Kent | University of Stirling | Nottingham Trent University |
50 | Manchester Metropolitan University | University of Huddersfield | University of Lincoln |
51 | University of Stirling | University of Hull | South Wales University |
52 | University of Lincoln | Northumbria University at Newcastle | Royal Holloway University of London |
53 | Ulster University | Coventry University | University of Dundee |
54 | Bangor University | Bangor University | Liverpool John Moores University |
55 | University of Suffolk | Nottingham Trent University | University of Derby |
56 | Edge Hill University | University of Ulster | University of East London |
57 | Norwich University of the Arts | University of Plymouth | Manchester Met University |
58 | City St George's, University of Lon... | University of Portsmouth | University of Staffordshire |
59 | Coventry University | Manchester Metropolitan University | London South Bank University |
60 | University of Chichester | Kingston University, London | Kingston University, London |
61 | Arts University Bournemouth | Goldsmiths, University of London | University of Kent |
62 | Bristol, UWE | UWE Bristol (University of the West of England) | University of Nottingham |
63 | Falmouth University | Aberystwyth University | Newcastle University |
64 | SOAS University of London | Bournemouth University | UWE Bristol |
65 | University of Huddersfield | De Montfort University | Buckinghamshire New University |
66 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | Keele University | Heriot-Watt University |
67 | Brunel University of London | Middlesex University | Aberystwyth University |
68 | Keele University | University of Brighton | University of Huddersfield |
69 | St Mary's University, Twickenham | University of Greenwich | Teesside University |
70 | University of West London | University of Lincoln | University of Sussex |
71 | Goldsmiths, University of London | University of Westminster | Birmingham Newman University |
72 | Bournemouth University | Edinburgh Napier University | Keele University |
73 | University of Gloucestershire | Liverpool John Moores University | Bangor University |
74 | University of Chester | London South Bank University | Queen Mary University of London |
75 | University of Plymouth | University of Hertfordshire | Sheffield Hallam University |
76 | Liverpool John Moores University | University of Salford | University of Hertfordshire |
77 | University of South Wales | The Robert Gordon University | University of Hull |
78 | Leeds Beckett University | Birmingham City University | St Mary's University, Twickenham |
79 | University of Derby | Glasgow Caledonian University | Abertay University |
80 | University of Salford | Leeds Beckett University | University of Wales Trinity Saint David |
81 | University of Hull | London Metropolitan University | University of Bradford |
82 | University of Hertfordshire | Sheffield Hallam University | Cardiff Met University |
83 | University of Sunderland | University of Central Lancashire | University of Salford |
84 | Sheffield Hallam University | University of East London | University of Plymouth |
85 | Glasgow Caledonian University | University of Wolverhampton | University of Wolverhampton |
86 | University of Central Lancashire | Canterbury Christ Church University | University of Brighton |
87 | Robert Gordon University | Queen Margaret University , Edinburgh | Liverpool Hope University |
88 | University of Brighton | The University of Northampton | Southampton Solent University |
89 | Kingston University | University of Derby | University for the Creative Arts |
90 | Liverpool Hope University | Harper Adams University | SOAS University of London |
91 | Teesside University | Queen Margaret University | |
92 | Bath Spa University | University of Falmouth | |
93 | University of Worcester | London Met University | |
94 | Abertay University | University of Stirling | |
95 | University of Staffordshire | Robert Gordon University | |
96 | Edinburgh Napier University | York St John University | |
97 | Buckinghamshire New University | Edinburgh Napier University | |
98 | University of Winchester | Anglia Ruskin University | |
99 | Canterbury Christ Church University | Suffolk University | |
100 | Plymouth Marjon University | - |
If you're interested in studying in the UK, feel free to chat with the friendly team at IDP!
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