Languages and linguistics — The Guardian UK University Guide 2026

Subject-level ranking from the The Guardian UK University Guide for Languages and linguistics in UK universities. University of Oxford leads this subject in 2026.

49 UK universities ranked · See the overall The Guardian UK University Guide table →

Rank	University	Score
TEF G · #1	University of Oxford	100.0
TEF S · #2	University of St Andrews	97.0
TEF B · #3	University of Cambridge	96.9
#4	University of Surrey	93.8
#5	Swansea University	92.4
#6	University of Bath	87.5
#7	University of Warwick	86.9
#8	UCL (University College London)	85.4
#9	University of Bristol	85.1
#10	University of Southampton	84.6
#11	Lancaster University	83.6
#12	Bangor University	83.5
#13	Durham University	82.0
#14	University of Leicester	81.5
#15	Aberystwyth University	79.9
#15	University of Aberdeen	79.9
#17	King's College London, University of London	78.8
#18	University of Birmingham	77.9
#19	Cardiff University	77.7
#20	University of Strathclyde	77.2
#21	University of Reading	76.9
#22	Sheffield Hallam University	74.5
#23	University of Exeter	74.1
#24	University of Kent	74.0
#25	University of Chester	73.3
#26	University of Liverpool	72.2
#27	University of York	71.5
#28	University of Essex	71.1
#29	University of Manchester	71.0
#30	The University of Edinburgh	70.3
#31	University of Leeds	69.9
#32	University of Nottingham	69.3
#33	Queen's University Belfast	68.0
#34	University of Glasgow	67.5
#35	Heriot-Watt University	65.6
#36	University of Sheffield	65.3
#37	Oxford Brookes University	63.2
#38	Newcastle University	63.0
#39	SOAS University of London	62.1
#40	University of Westminster, London	62.0
#41	Queen Mary University of London	61.5
#42	Royal Holloway, University of London	61.2
#42	University of Central Lancashire	61.2
#44	University of East Anglia UEA	60.0
#45	Ulster University	59.3
#46	University of Portsmouth	58.7
#47	Manchester Metropolitan University	55.3
#48	University of Stirling	51.7
#49	York St John University	37.0

Other subjects in the The Guardian UK University Guide

Accounting and finance 100 Aerospace engineering 32 Anatomy and physiology 26 Animal science and agriculture 20 Animation and game design 58 Anthropology and archaeology 28 Architecture 56 Biology 83 Biomedical science 68 Business and management 118 Chemical engineering 29 Chemistry 49 Children's nursing 55 Civil engineering 53 Classics and ancient history 23 Computer science and information systems 110 Construction, surveying and planning 41 Creative writing 28 Criminology 87 Dentistry 16 Drama and dance 80 Earth and marine sciences 38 Economics 71 Education 91 Electrical and electronic engineering 58 English 84 Fashion and textiles 46 Film production and photography 70 Fine art 57 Forensic science 25 General engineering 27 General nursing 76 Geography 62 Graphic design 64 Health professions 71 History 81 History of art 19 Hospitality, event management and tourism 45 Interior design 35 International relations 46 Journalism 40 Law 110 Marketing and public relations 76 Mathematics 55 Mechanical engineering 69 Media and film studies 75 Medicine 36 Mental health nursing 67 Midwifery 54 Music 79 Nutrition and food science 30 Paramedic science 41 Pharmacy and pharmacology 40 Philosophy 42 Physics 44 Physiotherapy 47 Politics 60 Product design 41 Psychology 115 Social work 78 Sociology and social policy 91 Sports science 85 Theology and religious studies 15 Veterinary science 8 Zoology 29

How subject rankings work

Uses NSS teaching, NSS feedback, NSS overall satisfaction, student/staff ratio, expenditure per student, average entry tariff, value-added score, and career prospects 15 months after graduation.

Subject rankings apply the same methodology to courses within a single discipline. They tend to reorder the overall table — a top-10 overall university may rank lower in a specific subject, and vice versa.