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Best Universities in United Kingdom 2026

A consensus ranking of 94 universities in United Kingdom, aggregating QS, THE, ARWU (Shanghai) and U.S. News into one transparent table. Part of our <a href="/rankings/country/">global rankings by country</a> coverage (Europe).

Data verified: June 2026 · Latest published edition of each ranking
How these rankings work: each university's position in QS, THE, ARWU and U.S. News is converted to a percentile, averaged with equal weight, and re-ordered by that average. Only universities appearing in at least one major ranking are shown. Full details on the methodology page.
#University QS 2026THE 2026ARWU 2025U.S. News 2026 Consensus score
1 University of Oxford · Oxford 4 1 6 4 99.7
2 University of Cambridge · Cambridge 6 5 4 5 99.7
3 University College London · London 9 17 14 7 99.2
4 Imperial College London · London 2 8 26 11 99.1
5 University of Edinburgh · Edinburgh 34 29 37 39 97.8
6 King's College London · London 31 38 61 36 97.2
7 University of Manchester · Manchester 35 56 46 68 96.9
8 University of Glasgow · Glasgow 79 84 101-150 62 94.1
9 University of Bristol · Bristol 51 · 98 105 94.1
10 University of Nottingham · Nottingham 97 · 101-150 153 91.7
11 University of Liverpool 147 143 101-150 137 91.5
12 The University of Warwick · Coventry 74 · 101-150 182 91.5
13 University of Southampton · Southampton 87 129 151-200 118 91.4
14 University of Leeds · Leeds 86 118 151-200 133 91.4
15 University of Birmingham · Birmingham 76 · 151-200 94 91.3
16 The London School of Economics and Political Science 56 52 151-200 234 91.3
17 The University of Sheffield · Sheffield 92 · 151-200 166 89.9
18 University of Exeter 155 · 151-200 127 89.5
19 Queen Mary University of London 110 · 201-300 94 88.2
20 Newcastle University 137 144 201-300 170 88.1
21 Durham University · Durham 94 175 201-300 292 86.7
22 Cardiff University 181 225 201-300 192 86.3
23 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine · · 201-300 118 84.5
24 University of Sussex 278 225 201-300 259 84.2
25 University of York 169 · 201-300 302 83.8
26 University of Aberdeen 262 225 201-300 371 83
27 Lancaster University 157 · 301-400 267 81.3
28 University of Leicester 326 · 301-400 166 80.1
29 University of St Andrews · St Andrews 113 · 301-400 403 79.7
30 University of Reading 194 225 401-500 385 78.7
31 University of Surrey 262 225 401-500 326 78.6
32 University of Bath 132 275 401-500 403 78.6
33 University of East Anglia 381 275 301-400 423 77.8
34 Queen's University Belfast 199 · 301-400 · 77.5
35 University of Dundee 428 325 301-400 399 76.8
36 SOAS University of London 511 450 · · 76
37 Aston University 395 450 · 594 76
38 University of Essex 456 325 401-500 628 71.1
39 University of Kent 397 450 401-500 618 70.4
40 City St George’s, University of London 310 325 701-800 319 69.3
41 Swansea University 292 325 701-800 427 68.2
42 University of Strathclyde 251 375 701-800 427 68.1
43 Brunel University London 385 450 601-700 525 66.7
44 Bournemouth University 801-850 450 · 797 65.5
45 Loughborough University 225 325 801-900 521 65.3
46 University of Huddersfield 524 550 · 1041 64.8
47 UWE Bristol (University of the West of England) 721-730 700 · · 64.4
48 Keele University 801-850 550 · 822 63.4
49 Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) · 700 · 772 63.2
50 University of Bradford 511 550 · 1151 63.1
51 Bangor University 566 550 501-600 · 63
52 Heriot-Watt University 287 450 701-800 937 60.3
53 Oxford Brookes University 374 900 · 1117 60.2
54 Coventry University 558 700 · 1144 60
55 Edinburgh Napier University 851-900 700 · 841 59.7
56 Liverpool John Moores University 851-900 550 601-700 533 59.3
57 Birkbeck, University of London 388 325 801-900 884 58.8
58 University of Stirling 517 550 701-800 775 58.2
59 De Montfort University 801-850 700 · 1060 56.9
60 University of Brighton 801-850 700 · 1084 56.5
61 Aberystwyth University 741-750 700 · 1164 56.5
62 Middlesex University 801-850 550 · 1238 56.4
63 University of Hull 526 550 801-900 727 56.2
64 University of Lincoln 801-850 700 · 1111 56.1
65 Royal Holloway, University of London 461 450 801-900 913 55.9
66 Manchester Metropolitan University 643 700 601-700 · 55.9
67 Nottingham Trent University 609 700 801-900 525 55.8
68 University of Portsmouth 635 450 901-1000 558 55.7
69 University of Plymouth 613 550 701-800 · 55.6
70 Goldsmiths, University of London 711-720 550 · 1419 55.3
71 London Metropolitan University 1001-1200 700 · · 55
72 London South Bank University 901-950 700 · 1171 53.4
73 Robert Gordon University 951-1000 900 · · 53.1
74 Ulster University 609 700 801-900 891 51.2
75 Northumbria University · 450 701-800 · 51.2
76 University of Greenwich 801-850 700 701-800 937 50.5
77 University of Salford 901-950 900 · 1162 50.2
78 Kingston University 660 900 · 1534 48.4
79 University of Hertfordshire 901-950 700 801-900 897 47.2
80 Teesside University · 700 · 1484 45.4
81 Glasgow Caledonian University 1001-1200 900 · 1309 44.8
82 The Royal Veterinary College · 550 801-900 · 43.7
83 Sheffield Hallam University 1001-1200 900 · 1393 43.4
84 University of Westminster 801-850 900 · 1687 43.1
85 University of Derby 1201-1400 700 · 1489 41.8
86 Leeds Beckett University 1001-1200 900 · 1512 41.5
87 Birmingham City University 1001-1200 900 · 1545 40.9
88 University of Wolverhampton 1001-1200 900 · 1667 38.9
89 The Open University · 900 901-1000 891 38.5
90 Cranfield University · · 801-900 817 37.1
91 University of Roehampton · 900 · 2083 27.5
92 University of Central Lancashire 1001-1200 · 901-1000 1514 24.7

About United Kingdom higher education

The United Kingdom has one of the oldest and most prestigious university systems, with Oxford and Cambridge dating back over 800 years. UK universities are known for their intensive, specialised degree programs (typically 3-year undergraduate) and world-leading research output. The Russell Group represents 24 leading research universities.

Data sources

QS World University Rankings 2026QS Quacquarelli Symonds · Jun 2025 · official release
THE World University Rankings 2026Times Higher Education · Oct 2025 · official release
ARWU 2025ShanghaiRanking Consultancy · Aug 2025 · official release
U.S. News Best Global Universities 2026U.S. News & World Report · official release
Cite this page:
EduRank (2026). Best Universities in United Kingdom 2026. Retrieved June 2026, from https://edurank.co/rankings/country/uk/
Independence statement: EduRank accepts no payment, sponsorship or commission from any university or ranking publisher.