Best universities in the UK 2027 - University Rankings

Discover the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027 and explore which universities in the UK rank the highest.
This list reveals the best universities and colleges in the UK, according to the trusted THE World University Rankings 2027.
Universities across the UK are scored in areas such as teaching, research and international outlook.
It uses a robust methodology, created by the in-house data team, that is relied upon by students, academics, policymakers and industry leaders worldwide.

September 30 2026

Top universities in the UK 2027

UK Rank 2027	World University Rank 2027	University	Overall	Teaching	Research Environment	Research Quality	Industry	International Outlook
1	1	University of Oxford	97.9	97.1	100	96.8	99.9	95.8
2	5	University of Cambridge	96.9	96.5	99.9	96	87.1	95.8
3	8	Imperial College London	95.2	92	96.1	97.1	92	97.7
4	=17	UCL	90.3	83.6	89.9	97.7	75.2	96.8
5	=29	University of Edinburgh	83.5	75.6	78.4	94.8	72.2	95.2
6	40	King’s College London	79.3	65.4	73.4	95.3	74.3	95.7
7	47	London School of Economics and Political Science	77.3	61.5	74.7	95.3	48.2	92.8
8	60	University of Manchester	74.8	61.3	67.9	89.9	75	93.7
9	82	University of Bristol	70.1	51.3	60.1	92.7	72.4	91.3
10	83	University of Glasgow	69.9	52.3	54.7	95.1	73.5	94.9
11	=97	University of Birmingham	66.6	48.8	49.5	92.6	75.5	93.6
12	=104	University of Sheffield	66.4	52.5	51.7	86.8	76.6	90.2
=13	=113	University of Leeds	65.5	49.4	52.3	86.6	70.8	93.2
=13	=113	University of Warwick	65.5	50.6	50.6	86.5	70.7	94.6
15	=129	Queen Mary University of London	64.2	41.8	45.2	95.2	74.6	96.6
16	=136	University of Southampton	63.2	45.6	45.8	88.1	72.6	95.5
=17	=154	Newcastle University	62	39	43.6	93.1	80	89.3
=17	=154	University of Liverpool	62	42.1	44.1	90.1	67	94.9
=19	=157	Durham University	61.9	48.2	47.9	81.3	59.6	93.9
=19	=157	University of Exeter	61.9	39.1	44.6	93.6	60.2	92.6
=19	=157	University of Nottingham	61.9	46.6	44.1	85.3	72.6	91.2
22	=168	University of York	61.4	44	44	87.6	67.2	88.7
23	=183	Lancaster University	60	42.5	42.8	84.3	66.4	94.3
24	=185	University of St Andrews	59.9	51	44.5	74.4	66.4	93.5
25	=196	Queen’s University Belfast	59.4	37.5	39.6	89.4	68.6	97.5
26	=209	University of Leicester	59	35.5	35.9	94.4	67.7	94.2
27	=219	University of Reading	58.4	41.7	40.2	82.8	65.1	92.9
28	233	University of Aberdeen	57.9	38.7	35.4	86.3	78.2	95.3
29	=237	University of Surrey	57.6	36.6	35	88.9	71.3	95.1
30	=257	Cardiff University	56.9	37.4	40.2	82.8	69.9	88.1
31	=273	University of Sussex	56.1	34	36.3	86.5	64.3	93.7
32	=284	University of Bath	55.6	38.6	36	80.6	67.6	92.3
33	301–325	University of East Anglia	53.4–54.8	34.5	32.2	87.3	63	87
=34	326–350	Birkbeck, University of London	52.3–53.3	38.1	32.7	75.8	65.4	89.5
=34	326–350	City St George’s, University of London	52.3–53.3	26.3	28.3	91.4	64.4	94.9
=34	326–350	Loughborough University	52.3–53.3	35.2	34.8	78.1	69	87
=34	326–350	University of Dundee	52.3–53.3	29	32.1	83.9	78.7	91.4
=38	351–375	Swansea University	51.6–52.2	28.8	31.4	85	57.6	89.7
=38	351–375	University of Essex	51.6–52.2	33.2	30.7	78.9	60	96.5
=38	351–375	University of Strathclyde	51.6–52.2	35.7	37.2	68.3	80.1	90.6
=41	401–450	Aston University	48.9–50.4	21.3	27	85.1	64.3	95.3
=41	401–450	Brunel University of London	48.9–50.4	25.1	26.9	80	65.6	97.5
=41	401–450	Royal Holloway, University of London	48.9–50.4	32.6	30.7	70.9	64.4	92
=41	401–450	SOAS University of London	48.9–50.4	37.6	37.7	63.5	45.3	80
=41	401–450	University of Portsmouth	48.9–50.4	22.4	21.9	90.9	48.7	94.2
=46	451–500	Heriot-Watt University	47.4–48.7	35.6	33	59.8	69.7	94.9
=46	451–500	Northumbria University	47.4–48.7	23.7	26.6	80.9	50.7	91.8
=46	451–500	University of Huddersfield	47.4–48.7	28.8	26.3	78.4	54.5	89.5
=46	451–500	University of Kent	47.4–48.7	28.3	29	74.3	64.8	91.1
=50	501–550	Bangor University	46.0–47.3	28	25.3	71.8	60	87.2
=50	501–550	Bournemouth University	46.0–47.3	18.6	23.3	87.9	48.5	88.4
=50	501–550	University of Stirling	46.0–47.3	24.6	28.7	73.4	41.6	89.7
=53	551–600	Goldsmiths, University of London	44.5–45.9	32.7	25.6	68.5	47.9	80.7
=53	551–600	Liverpool John Moores University	44.5–45.9	20.6	21.6	83.3	50.4	78.7
=53	551–600	Manchester Metropolitan University	44.5–45.9	20.7	22.8	79.7	41.6	85.3
=53	551–600	Royal Veterinary College	44.5–45.9	33	22.8	64	62.7	92.6
=53	551–600	University of Hull	44.5–45.9	25.3	24.7	70.1	57.9	88
=53	551–600	University of Plymouth	44.5–45.9	24.5	24.4	73.9	65.3	83
=59	601–650	Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)	43.4–44.4	18.4	16.6	83.6	33.4	90.1
=59	601–650	Coventry University	43.4–44.4	21.9	17.9	78.5	48.6	94.3
=59	601–650	Edinburgh Napier University	43.4–44.4	18.9	22.6	77.2	43.7	95.5
=59	601–650	Keele University	43.4–44.4	21.8	23.5	75.5	62	79.9
=59	601–650	Middlesex University	43.4–44.4	21.2	20.4	78.3	46.1	90.9
=59	601–650	Nottingham Trent University	43.4–44.4	22.3	16.4	81	38.2	89.7
=59	601–650	University of Bradford	43.4–44.4	22.4	23.2	70.5	55.5	93.5
=59	601–650	University of Greenwich	43.4–44.4	18	18.6	81.5	38.5	96.3
=67	651–700	Ulster University	42.4–43.3	20.9	25.5	67.5	54.5	94.4
=67	651–700	UWE Bristol (University of the West of England)	42.4–43.3	19.2	16.5	77.7	61.5	82
=69	701–800	Aberystwyth University	40.2–42.3	24.9	23.5	59.9	61.1	81.9
=69	701–800	De Montfort University	40.2–42.3	18.9	18.1	68.4	52	93.2
=69	701–800	London South Bank University	40.2–42.3	19	15.6	73.4	48.4	94.3
=69	701–800	Oxford Brookes University	40.2–42.3	27.5	29.2	53.6	31	88.5
=69	701–800	SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College)	40.2–42.3	24.7	16.4	74.7	30.2	65.6
=69	701–800	Teesside University	40.2–42.3	20	16.5	75.6	30.1	89.2
=69	701–800	University of Brighton	40.2–42.3	19.1	22.2	65.9	65.4	83.7
=69	701–800	University of Hertfordshire	40.2–42.3	19.2	15.7	75	47	92.8
=69	701–800	University of Lincoln	40.2–42.3	21.4	20	71.7	36.4	87.5
=78	801–1000	Birmingham City University	36.4–40.1	18.6	16.3	66.2	24.6	87.4
=78	801–1000	Glasgow Caledonian University	36.4–40.1	20.7	15.4	62.8	46.6	83.6
=78	801–1000	Leeds Beckett University	36.4–40.1	18.9	18.4	65.3	46.5	75.5
=78	801–1000	London Metropolitan University	36.4–40.1	15.9	17.2	74.2	29.5	91.7
=78	801–1000	Robert Gordon University	36.4–40.1	18.4	15.6	69.9	44.8	89
=78	801–1000	Sheffield Hallam University	36.4–40.1	17.9	16.4	67.2	35.2	73.2
=78	801–1000	The Open University	36.4–40.1	17.7	15.9	68.9	47.1	61.4
=78	801–1000	University of Derby	36.4–40.1	19.8	16.9	70.9	34.9	82.3
=78	801–1000	University of East London	36.4–40.1	23	17.1	63	34.4	88.4
=78	801–1000	University of Roehampton	36.4–40.1	22.3	23	54.7	29.6	90.2
=78	801–1000	University of Salford	36.4–40.1	19.3	16.7	67.1	56.3	86.7
=78	801–1000	University of the West of Scotland	36.4–40.1	20	17.3	65.2	64.6	91
=78	801–1000	University of Westminster	36.4–40.1	17.9	18.3	68.7	51.2	87.1
=78	801–1000	University of Wolverhampton	36.4–40.1	19.1	17.8	60.6	47.6	79.6
=92	1001–1200	Cardiff Metropolitan University	33.3–36.3	18.7	17.1	59.7	27.7	85.2
=92	1001–1200	Edge Hill University	33.3–36.3	18.4	16.4	65.3	30.4	59.6
=92	1001–1200	Kingston University	33.3–36.3	18.9	17.3	51.9	44.5	90.7
=92	1001–1200	University of Gloucestershire	33.3–36.3	19	16.3	64.1	26.7	73.9
=92	1001–1200	University of Lancashire	33.3–36.3	19.4	15.2	60.8	38.3	82.8
=92	1001–1200	York St John University	33.3–36.3	16.1	17.6	63.1	16.6	73
=98	1201–1400	Canterbury Christ Church University	30.5–33.2	21.2	15.5	51.4	19	77.3
=98	1201–1400	University of Bedfordshire	30.5–33.2	17.7	15.6	49.9	32.1	87
=98	1201–1400	University of Greater Manchester	30.5–33.2	18.7	13.1	50	26.9	81.2
=98	1201–1400	University of Staffordshire	30.5–33.2	19.8	15.2	48.1	28.4	72.4
=98	1201–1400	University of Winchester	30.5–33.2	19.6	17.4	48.4	17.7	61.1
=103	1401–1600	Liverpool Hope University	27.3–30.4	19.7	19	33.4	19.1	76.2
=103	1401–1600	University of South Wales	27.3–30.4	16.6	13.3	43.9	53.3	81.8
=103	1401–1600	University of Sunderland	27.3–30.4	19.7	11.2	40.5	30.1	76.1
=103	1401–1600	University of the Arts London	27.3–30.4	25.9	13.4	36.3	23.3	77.2
=103	1401–1600	University of West London	27.3–30.4	15.5	12.8	45.1	21.8	88.4
=108	1601–1800	University of Chester	24.2–27.1	17.7	15.2	33.7	25.3	70.3
=108	1601–1800	University of Northampton	24.2–27.1	16.4	12.9	36.5	18.5	79.5
=108	1601–1800	University of Worcester	24.2–27.1	16.9	14.5	37.4	23.1	57.3

Key UK insights from the 2027 THE World University Rankings

The University of Oxford retains its position as the best university in the UK, holding the top spot for the 11th consecutive year.
The University of Cambridge consistently ranks among the top five universities in the UK, excelling in research and innovation.
London’s universities continue to shine, with Imperial College London, UCL and King’s College London securing high positions, reflecting their research influence and international reputation.
Three Scottish universities are present in the top 25 – the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow and the University of St Andrews.
Cardiff University is the top-ranked Welsh university while Queen’s University Belfast is the best performing university in Northern Ireland.

Choosing the right university in the UK

The UK has one of the strongest higher education systems in the world and there are a wide range of universities to choose from. Whether it's the prestigious Oxbridge, one of the research-intensive Russell Group institutions, or a newer, innovative institution there is a university for everyone.

Use the UK university ranking above to find a university and city that suits your personality and your acaemic goals.

The table for the best universities in the UK was derived from data collected for the THE World University Rankings. The results are calculated using 17 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research environment, teaching (the learning environment), research quality, industry, and international outlook. For further insight and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the UK university ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.

Learn more about studying in the UK here.