UK University Rankings
Six major league tables, side by side. Each ranking uses a different methodology — some prize research, some teaching, some graduate outcomes — so the best fit depends on what you care about.
UK rankings
Complete University Guide
2026The Complete University Guide (CUG) ranks all UK universities across a broad mix of teaching, research, entry standards and graduate outcomes, and is widely used by prospective students.
123 UK universities ranked
The Guardian UK University Guide
2026The Guardian guide ranks UK universities from a student-experience angle, emphasising teaching quality, value added, and graduate career outcomes (rather than research).
118 UK universities ranked
Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide
2026The Good University Guide ranks UK institutions on teaching quality, student experience, research quality, entry standards, completion and graduate prospects.
10 UK universities ranked
World rankings (UK universities)
Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)
2025Published by Shanghai Ranking Consultancy, ARWU is one of the most-cited world university rankings, focused on research output and academic prestige.
61 UK universities listed
QS World University Rankings
2026QS World ranks ~1,500 universities globally using a blend of academic and employer reputation surveys, citations, faculty/student ratios, and international outlook.
89 UK universities listed
Times Higher Education World University Rankings
2026Times Higher Education (THE) ranks ~2,000 universities worldwide across 18 calibrated performance indicators grouped into teaching, research, citations, industry, and international outlook.
160 UK universities listed
Beyond the league tables
Rankings cover one slice of the picture. These views look at outcomes, access and graduate destinations across UK universities.