November 25, 2025

Top Universities in the UK – League Table & Ranking 2026

Are you looking for the top universities in the UK? Do you want to find the top-rated universities in the UK to complete your studies?

The University of Oxford topped the Best UK Universities 2026 table, while three of the five best universities are from London. Here is a list of the best UK universities according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026.

UK Rank 2024	World University Rank 2026	University	City/town
1	1	University of Oxford	Oxford
2	5	University of Cambridge	Cambridge
3	12	Imperial College London	London
4	18	UCL	London
5	27	London School of Economics and Political Science	London
6	30	University of Edinburgh	Edinburgh
7	35	King’s College London	London
8	50	University of Manchester	Manchester
9	78	University of Warwick	Warwick
10	86	University of Glasgow	Glasgow
11	92	University of Bristol	Bristol
12	105	University of Birmingham	Birmingham
13	110	University of Sheffield	Sheffield
14	117	Queen Mary University of London	London
15	122	Lancaster University	Lancaster
16	124	University of Southampton	Southampton
17	127	University of Leeds	Leeds
18	141	University of Nottingham	Nottingham
19	143	University of Exeter	Exeter
20	146	Newcastle University	Newcastle
21	151	University of Sussex	Brighton
22	158	University of Aberdeen	Aberdeen
23	162	Durham University	Durham
24	169	University of York	York
25	178	University of Liverpool	Liverpool
26	182	University of East Anglia	Norwich
27	185	University of Leicester	Leicester
28	189	Cardiff University	Cardiff
29	201–250	University of Bath	Bath
29	201–250	Brighton and Sussex Medical School	Brighton
29	201–250	University of Dundee	Dundee
29	201–250	Queen’s University Belfast	Belfast
29	201–250	University of Reading	Reading
29	201–250	St George’s, University of London	London
29	201–250	University of St Andrews	St Andrews
29	201–250	University of Surrey	Guildford
37	251–300	Swansea University	Swansea
38	301–350	Anglia Ruskin University ARU	East Anglia
38	301–350	University of Essex	Essex
40	351–400	Birkbeck, University of London	London
40	351–400	Bournemouth University	Bournemouth
40	351–400	Brunel University London	London
40	351–400	City, University of London	London
40	351–400	University of Kent	Kent
40	351–400	Loughborough University	Loughborough
40	351–400	Royal Holloway, University of London	London
40	351–400	University of Stirling	Stirling
48	401–500	Aston University	Birmingham
48	401–500	Bangor University	Bangor
48	401–500	Goldsmiths, University of London	London
48	401–500	Liverpool John Moores University	Liverpool
48	401–500	Middlesex University	London
48	401–500	Northumbria University	Northumbria
48	401–500	University of Plymouth	Plymouth
48	401–500	Royal Veterinary College	London
48	401–500	SOAS University of London	London
48	401–500	SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College)	Edinburgh
48	401–500	University of Strathclyde	Strathclyde
48	401–500	University of the West of England	Bristol