UK universities ranked from best to worst as students await A-level results

The time is almost here. Sixth form students are due to receive their A-level results in just a few days, after what many will describe as an agonising wait.

Of course, these grades are not the be-all and end-all, but plenty of students will have targets in mind which they need to hit in order to move on to the next stage of their lives. Some will be starting apprenticeships, others will be taking some time off, and a fair few will be going straight into employment. However, a lot of teenagers will be setting their sights on university.

There are plenty of ways to choose which uni you go to - course catalogues, location, campus versus city - but one factor a lot of people consider is how an institution stacks up in comparison with its competitors.

Some rankings are based just on results or graduate salaries, and others vary significantly depending on the subject. But one of the most trusted guides - The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide - takes a range of factors into account, from teaching and research quality, to student experience and job prospects.

So, if you’re wondering where your university - or your prospective university - ranks, here’s what the 2023 guide said about institutions across the UK.

Best Universities

1. University of Oxford

According to The Times and Sunday Times, the University of Oxford, one of the most famous institutions in the world, is the best university in the UK. According to the ranking, Oxford had “superb performances” across all academic measures, as well as the lowest student-staff ratio of any institution (10.5 - 1) - meaning students get more focused teaching.

2. University of St Andrews

Scotland’s oldest and most prestigious university, attended by the likes of William and Kate, Prince and Princess of Wales, comes in second place in the guide. This position was, according to The Times, “fuelled by remarkably and consistently high rates of student satisfaction”, as well as good scores in quality of teaching.

3. University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge had an eight-year reign in the top spot until 2021, but has fallen behind its main rival Oxford in the last couple years. Still, the institution has performed well, particularly when it comes to graduate prospects. The ranking also points out that Cambridge demands the highest entry standards - with its last intake averaging a tough 206 UCAS tariff points.

4. London School of Economics

Next is LSE, which the guide noted may be linked to recent investment in resources and improved student facilities. The university doesn’t rank too highly on teaching quality, but student satisfaction for the wider undergraduate experience is on the rise - currently coming in at 44th in comparison with 112th just three years ago.

5. Imperial College London

If you were just looking at graduate prospects, Imperial would top the list - with students following a clear trajectory straight into impressive industry jobs from courses specialising in science, medicine, engineering, and business. The university also comes out on top when it comes to research quality, but has been pulled a bit further down the list due to lower scores on teaching quality.

6. Durham University

Durham is next, with much of its success contributed to graduate prospects and the range of extracurricular options available. The university’s research rankings have improved, but teaching quality and student experience are still lower down the list, at 71st and 77th respectively.

7. University College London

UCL, another university in the capital, has also made its way into the top ten. This institution scores particularly well for research quality and graduate prospects, but, in something of a trend, has lower scores for teaching quality.

8. University of Bath

The University of Bath comes in at 4th for student experience and satisfaction - and another impressive 5th for graduate prospects. It’s also moving up the academic ranks, according to the guide, with improvements in both research and teaching quality (although neither is ranked in the top 30 just yet).

9. University of Warwick

Warwick is higher up than many of the others in the top 10 for quality of teaching, and also ranks well in both student experience and graduate prospects. The Times and Sunday Times’ guide also points out that the university has appeared in the top ten of its league table in every edition to date.

10. University of Edinburgh

Edinburgh scores particularly highly for research quality, and also seems to have an “enduring appeal for graduates”, the guide notes, with enrolments on the rise. But its overall ranking has been brought down by ‘student experience’, where it comes 112th. It’s also worth noting that

Also near the top of the list are universities like Loughborough and Lancaster, which come in 11th and 12th thanks to solid scores on student experience. The University of Exeter and the University of Glasgow come in 13th and 14th, primarily boosted by good rankings on research quality - and the University of Bristol is ranked 15th, with the guide noting its “world-leading” research and impressive graduate prospects.

Worst Universities

Although the word ‘worst’ may seem a little harsh, there are also, by the very nature of a ranking, institutions which come at the bottom. Some of these universities may be higher up when you look at specific course guides, but according to The Times and Sunday Times’ guide, these are the institutions which took the last places.

128. London Metropolitan University

Coming in at 128th was London Metropolitan University, brought down by its rankings in research quality and graduate prospects. But students interviewed praised the quality of teaching - with many noting the full return of in-person lectures and the range of helpful resources available.

129. University of Cumbria

The University of Cumbria unfortunately had low rankings in all the main markers: research quality, student experience, teaching quality, and graduate prospects. However, the guide notes that the institution is creating a new campus which will house degrees such as digital and cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, and supply chain and logistics - with the hopes of attracting and retaining “high-skilled graduates pursuing careers in these new specialised fields.”

130. Ravensbourne University

Ravensbourne also scored poorly in all of the main categories, but is still attracting students, the guide notes, with its wide variety of courses. Examples include digital content creation, digital marketing, business management, and computer science.

131. University of East London

Dragged down by low scores in research quality and graduate prospects, the University of East London came in the penultimate rank this year. But it may be hoping to rise next year, with a £20 million investment planned to expand and improve its campus sites.

132. University of Bedfordshire

For the second year in a row, the University of Bedfordshire has remained at the bottom of the guide’s academic rankings. It received low scores in graduate prospects and research quality, but a slightly higher (albeit not high) score in student satisfaction. Where it improved the most compared to last year was in teaching quality, rising 34 places to 46th.

You can read the rankings in the full Good University Guide here.