National Student Survey 2026: which university performed best?

Birmingham Newman University has claimed top spot as the UK institution with the most satisfied students, according to Times Higher Education’s analysis of National Student Survey results. 

The latest poll of final-year students showed a rise in positivity scores on all aspects of higher education courses, including teaching and free speech.

Responses were even stronger for organisation and management – an area the Office for Students (OfS) had previously identified as requiring improvement.

Overall positivity scores collating all the results per individual provider show that Birmingham Newman University came ahead of Lincoln Bishop University, known as Bishop Grosseteste University until last year, which previously claimed the top spot.

An overwhelming majority (92.1 per cent) of students at the institution responded positively to the 26 questions posed by the OfS, with 89.9 per cent doing the same for Lincoln Bishop, now in fourth place.

University of Wales Trinity Saint David retained second position, increasing its score from 88.5 per cent to 90.5 per cent, while University College Birmingham took third place.

The University of St Andrews also kept its 2025 ranking, sitting in sixth place, but beat the University of the Highlands and Islands to become the Scottish institution with the most satisfied students this year.

Both, however, increased their scores in a survey that co-chief executives of the OfS, Ruth Hannant and Polly Payne, said “should give us all confidence in the ability of our universities and colleges”.

THE’s analysis looks at universities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, removing a small number of institutions if they had a low response rate.

Of the 24-strong Russell Group, the University of Birmingham ranked highest, with 87.2 per cent of its students responding positively. Last year’s highest-ranked institution, the University of Sheffield, saw a minor decrease from 86.7 per cent to 86.6 per cent.

Imperial College London is the second among the Russell Group to feature, with its positivity score rising from 82.4 per cent to 86.7 per cent.

Scores increased at the institution across all themes, with responses relating to assessment and feedback improving the most by 7.3 per cent.

More than 360,000 students took part in this year’s survey, with the results released on 8 July.

georgia.luckhurst@timeshighereducation.com