Which UK university ranks #1 in Complete University Guide 2026?

University of Cambridge ranks #1 among UK universities in Complete University Guide 2026.

How many UK universities are in the Complete University Guide 2026 ranking?

123 UK universities are ranked in the Complete University Guide 2026 league table.

Where can I find the official Complete University Guide methodology?

The official methodology for the Complete University Guide is published at https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings.

Complete University Guide — 2026

The 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 · data refreshed 21 May 2026

Showing 123 universities

Rank	University	Score
TEF G · #1	University of Cambridge Research quality Courses	—
TEF S · #2	University of Oxford Research quality Courses	—
TEF B · #3	London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London Research quality Courses	—
#4	University of St Andrews Research quality Courses	—
#5	Durham University Research quality Courses	—
#6	Imperial College London Research quality Courses	—
#7	Loughborough University Research quality Courses	—
#8	University of Bath Research quality Courses	—
#9	University of Warwick Research quality Courses	—
#10	Lancaster University Research quality Courses	—
#11	University of Exeter Research quality Courses	—
#12	University of York Research quality Courses	—
#13	UCL (University College London) Research quality Courses	—
#14	University of Birmingham Research quality Courses	—
#15	University of Bristol Research quality Courses	—
#16	University of Sheffield Research quality Courses	—
#17	University of Southampton Research quality Courses	—
#18	The University of Edinburgh Research quality Courses	—
#19	King's College London, University of London Research quality Courses	—
#19	University of Surrey Research quality Courses	—
#21	University of Leeds Research quality Courses	—
#22	Cardiff University Research quality Courses	—
#23	University of Liverpool Research quality Courses	—
#24	Queen's University Belfast Research quality Courses	—
#25	Heriot-Watt University Research quality Courses	—
#26	University of East Anglia UEA Research quality Courses	—
#26	University of Nottingham Research quality Courses	—
#28	University of Manchester Research quality Courses	—
#29	University of Essex Research quality Courses	—
#30	University of Aberdeen Research quality Courses	—
#31	Newcastle University Research quality Courses	—
#31	University of Glasgow Research quality Courses	—
#33	University of Leicester Research quality Courses	—
#33	University of the Arts London Research quality Courses	—
#35	Royal Holloway, University of London Research quality Courses	—
#36	University of Reading Research quality Courses	—
#37	Northumbria University, Newcastle Research quality Courses	—
#38	University of Strathclyde Research quality Courses	—
#39	University of Dundee Research quality Courses	—
#40	Swansea University Research quality Courses	—
#41	Queen Mary University of London Research quality Courses	—
#42	University of Portsmouth Research quality Courses	—
#43	University of Sussex Research quality Courses	—
#44	Aston University, Birmingham Research quality Courses	—
#45	Aberystwyth University Research quality Courses	—
#46	Nottingham Trent University Research quality Courses	—
#47	Harper Adams University Research quality Courses	—
#48	Oxford Brookes University Research quality Courses	—
#49	University of Kent Research quality Courses	—
#50	Manchester Metropolitan University Research quality Courses	—

Subject tables in the Complete University Guide

See how universities rank for a specific subject rather than overall.

Accounting and Finance 104 Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering 33 African and Middle Eastern Studies 7 Agriculture and Forestry 19 American Studies 6 Anthropology 23 Archaeology 25 Architecture 57 Art and Design 82 Asian Studies 12 Biological Sciences 87 Biomedical Sciences 87 Building 37 Business and Management Studies 124 Celtic Studies 6 Chemical Engineering 33 Chemistry 48 Childhood and Youth Studies 46 Civil Engineering 59 Classics 24 Communication and Media Studies 92 Complementary Medicine 10 Computer Science 118 Counselling, Psychotherapy and Occupational Therapy 47 Creative Writing 47 Dentistry 16 Drama, Dance and Cinematics 96 Economics 76 Education 91 Electrical and Electronic Engineering 71 English 89 Food Science 35 Forensic Science 37 French 42 General Engineering 31 Geography and Environmental Science 70 Geology 29 German 31 Health Studies 30 History 91 History of Art, Architecture and Design 23 Iberian Languages 43 Information Technology and Systems 18 Italian 23 Land and Property Management 11 Law 113 Linguistics 24 Manufacturing and Production Engineering 31 Marketing 93 Materials Technology 12 Mathematics 65 Mechanical Engineering 74 Medical Technology and Bioengineering 45 Medicine 40 Music 80 Nursing and Midwifery 86 Optometry, Ophthalmics and Orthoptics 14 Paramedic Science 45 Pharmacology and Pharmacy 47 Philosophy 45 Physics and Astronomy 46 Physiotherapy 48 Politics 77 Psychology 118 Russian and East European Languages 13 Social Policy 33 Social Work 75 Sociology 103 Speech and Language Therapy 19 Sports Science 86 Theology and Religious Studies 17 Tourism, Transport, Travel and Heritage Studies 53 Town and Country Planning and Landscape Design 22 Veterinary Medicine 13

How Complete University Guide is calculated

CUG combines entry standards, student satisfaction, research quality, research intensity, academic services spend, facilities spend, graduate prospects (outcomes + on-track), student-staff ratio, and continuation.

Official methodology →