Best universities for life sciences degrees in the UK 2026
Discover the Times Higher Education rankings for the best life science schools in the UK 2026.
This list highlights the top-ranked universities for biology and agriculture in the UK, based on the Times Higher Education Subject Rankings: Life Sciences 2026. These rankings provide valuable insights into the leading institutions for life sciences education and research.
A total of 69 UK universities have been ranked for their excellence in teaching, research, industry collaboration, and international outlook.
The rankings are based on a rigorous methodology designed by Times Higher Education’s data experts, ensuring accuracy and reliability for students, academics, and industry leaders worldwide.
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Top universities for life sciences in the UK 2026
| UK Life Sciences Rank 2026 | Global Life Sciences Rank 2026 | University | Overall | Teaching | Research Environment | Research Quality | Industry | International Outlook |
| 1 | 2 | University of Cambridge | 97.6 | 96.8 | 99.9 | 98.6 | 81.3 | 96.7 |
| 2 | 5 | University of Oxford | 96.4 | 95.8 | 100 | 93.7 | 100 | 97 |
| 3 | 11 | Imperial College London | 92 | 87.1 | 94.2 | 94.9 | 74 | 97.8 |
| 4 | 21 | UCL | 87.7 | 81.1 | 86.2 | 94.2 | 67 | 97.1 |
| 5 | 31 | King’s College London | 82.5 | 72.8 | 73.6 | 95 | 69.8 | 96.9 |
| 6 | 32 | University of Edinburgh | 82.2 | 77.6 | 76.7 | 88.4 | 71.5 | 95.3 |
| 7 | 57 | University of Manchester | 70.8 | 54.7 | 53.9 | 91.4 | 75 | 89.8 |
| 8 | 71 | University of Glasgow | 66.2 | 48.9 | 47 | 87.3 | 68.7 | 95.3 |
| 9 | 83 | University of Bristol | 64.6 | 47.4 | 46.2 | 86.9 | 69 | 84.5 |
| 10 | 93 | University of Birmingham | 63.3 | 39.5 | 41.2 | 91.1 | 69.2 | 93.3 |
| 11 | 97 | University of Leeds | 62.7 | 40.7 | 40.6 | 88.9 | 68.2 | 94.2 |
| =12 | 101–125 | Newcastle University | 59.1–62.1 | 40.1 | 37 | 87.7 | 78.1 | 84.4 |
| =12 | 101–125 | Queen Mary University of London | 59.1–62.1 | 34.3 | 30.7 | 92.5 | 66.3 | 97.8 |
| =12 | 101–125 | University of Dundee | 59.1–62.1 | 35.9 | 36 | 86.1 | 100 | 92.1 |
| =12 | 101–125 | University of Exeter | 59.1–62.1 | 33.8 | 41.2 | 90.7 | 60.3 | 82 |
| =12 | 101–125 | University of Nottingham | 59.1–62.1 | 45.4 | 36.6 | 79.1 | 70.5 | 87.8 |
| =12 | 101–125 | University of Sheffield | 59.1–62.1 | 37.4 | 41.1 | 86.9 | 72.6 | 89.7 |
| =12 | 101–125 | University of St Andrews | 59.1–62.1 | 39.4 | 39.5 | 78.5 | 99.2 | 96.6 |
| =19 | 126–150 | University of Aberdeen | 57.0–59.0 | 34.8 | 35.6 | 82.3 | 99 | 97.4 |
| =19 | 126–150 | University of East Anglia | 57.0–59.0 | 29.5 | 34.6 | 91 | 65.6 | 91.4 |
| =19 | 126–150 | University of Reading | 57.0–59.0 | 43.1 | 34.5 | 77.2 | 72.8 | 93.9 |
| =19 | 126–150 | University of Southampton | 57.0–59.0 | 32.4 | 29.5 | 91.3 | 69.1 | 92 |
| =23 | 151–175 | Queen’s University Belfast | 54.6–56.9 | 28.8 | 28.8 | 88.7 | 69.7 | 98.1 |
| =23 | 151–175 | University of Leicester | 54.6–56.9 | 29.1 | 21.8 | 89.8 | 68.6 | 94.3 |
| =23 | 151–175 | University of York | 54.6–56.9 | 31.7 | 33.8 | 79.6 | 80 | 84.4 |
| =26 | 176–200 | Cardiff University | 52.5–54.5 | 26.3 | 23.4 | 87.9 | 72.4 | 86.1 |
| =26 | 176–200 | University of Liverpool | 52.5–54.5 | 32.6 | 32.6 | 78.6 | 65.6 | 89.7 |
| =26 | 176–200 | University of Warwick | 52.5–54.5 | 33.2 | 28.8 | 74.5 | 66.3 | 93.9 |
| 29 | 201–250 | Lancaster University | 49.6–52.4 | 21.4 | 25.3 | 83.3 | 51.3 | 81.2 |
| =30 | 251–300 | City St George's, University of London | 47.1–49.5 | 26.6 | 18 | 74.9 | 62.3 | 86.8 |
| =30 | 251–300 | Durham University | 47.1–49.5 | 32.3 | 21.5 | 73.5 | 60.3 | 86.3 |
| =30 | 251–300 | University of Stirling | 47.1–49.5 | 22.2 | 19.5 | 81.4 | 38.8 | 92.3 |
| =30 | 251–300 | University of Sussex | 47.1–49.5 | 28.8 | 26.9 | 69.8 | 66.9 | 92.7 |
| =34 | 301–400 | Bangor University | 42.4–47.0 | 18.5 | 17.9 | 78.6 | 45.8 | 81.3 |
| =34 | 301–400 | Loughborough University | 42.4–47.0 | 25.9 | 19.7 | 76.1 | 44.6 | 81 |
| =34 | 301–400 | Royal Veterinary College | 42.4–47.0 | 32.3 | 27.5 | 61.5 | 59.1 | 88.4 |
| =34 | 301–400 | University of Bath | 42.4–47.0 | 22 | 21.8 | 73.7 | 67.6 | 81.6 |
| =34 | 301–400 | University of Essex | 42.4–47.0 | 17.3 | 14.6 | 71.2 | 47.9 | 93.4 |
| =34 | 301–400 | University of Kent | 42.4–47.0 | 22.3 | 17 | 71.8 | 58.4 | 92.5 |
| =34 | 301–400 | University of Plymouth | 42.4–47.0 | 17 | 17.1 | 81.5 | 48.7 | 78.8 |
| =41 | 401–500 | Aberystwyth University | 38.8–42.2 | 20.5 | 18.4 | 63.2 | 62.4 | 80.5 |
| =41 | 401–500 | Brunel University of London | 38.8–42.2 | 13.9 | 12.9 | 65.4 | 44.6 | 97.4 |
| =41 | 401–500 | Keele University | 38.8–42.2 | 16 | 10.8 | 67.3 | 45.5 | 85.5 |
| =41 | 401–500 | Liverpool John Moores University | 38.8–42.2 | 16.8 | 14 | 70.1 | 35.1 | 81.4 |
| =41 | 401–500 | Northumbria University | 38.8–42.2 | 17.2 | 10 | 71.6 | 28.9 | 89.2 |
| =41 | 401–500 | Nottingham Trent University | 38.8–42.2 | 16.3 | 9 | 73.7 | 28.1 | 81.9 |
| =41 | 401–500 | University of Greenwich | 38.8–42.2 | 14.3 | 13.2 | 66.8 | 38 | 98.8 |
| =41 | 401–500 | University of Hull | 38.8–42.2 | 18.3 | 13.7 | 64.2 | 61.8 | 74.6 |
| =41 | 401–500 | University of Portsmouth | 38.8–42.2 | 17 | 10.4 | 66.4 | 48.4 | 92.7 |
| =41 | 401–500 | University of Salford | 38.8–42.2 | 15.3 | 10.7 | 69.2 | 35.7 | 83.1 |
| =41 | 401–500 | University of Surrey | 38.8–42.2 | 19.7 | 15.1 | 67.5 | 53.8 | 87.3 |
| =52 | 501–600 | Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) | 35.5–38.7 | 17.5 | 7.3 | 65.9 | 20.5 | 83.7 |
| =52 | 501–600 | Aston University | 35.5–38.7 | 18.8 | 12 | 53 | 62.6 | 89.7 |
| =52 | 501–600 | Coventry University | 35.5–38.7 | 16.9 | 11.5 | 63.2 | 24.9 | 88.5 |
| =52 | 501–600 | Heriot-Watt University | 35.5–38.7 | 19.9 | 13.7 | 53.7 | 44.6 | 92.1 |
| =52 | 501–600 | Leeds Beckett University | 35.5–38.7 | 13.5 | 7.8 | 70.7 | 21.7 | 75.2 |
| =52 | 501–600 | Manchester Metropolitan University | 35.5–38.7 | 18.1 | 11.3 | 64.3 | 32.6 | 85.1 |
| =52 | 501–600 | SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) | 35.5–38.7 | 19.3 | 13.4 | 67.5 | 25.2 | 66.3 |
| =52 | 501–600 | Ulster University | 35.5–38.7 | 15.1 | 11 | 60.6 | 47.9 | 81.7 |
| =52 | 501–600 | University of Brighton | 35.5–38.7 | 14.1 | 11.7 | 58.4 | 42.2 | 91.5 |
| =52 | 501–600 | University of Lincoln | 35.5–38.7 | 14.6 | 9.5 | 67.6 | 25 | 83.2 |
| =62 | 601–800 | Bournemouth University | 29.3–35.4 | 12 | 10.1 | 61.6 | 22.3 | 77.1 |
| =62 | 601–800 | Oxford Brookes University | 29.3–35.4 | 22.6 | 16.4 | 47.3 | 31.4 | 88.8 |
| =62 | 601–800 | The Open University | 29.3–35.4 | 13.2 | 7.2 | 52.2 | 30.3 | 66.4 |
| =62 | 601–800 | UWE Bristol (University of the West of England) | 29.3–35.4 | 17.1 | 8.6 | 59.5 | 28.3 | 66.2 |
| =62 | 601–800 | University of Bradford | 29.3–35.4 | 16.8 | 9.5 | 46.2 | 55 | 92.7 |
| =67 | 801–1000 | Cardiff Metropolitan University | 23.4–29.1 | 13 | 7.7 | 43.7 | 21.1 | 75.2 |
| =67 | 801–1000 | Sheffield Hallam University | 23.4–29.1 | 12.2 | 8.2 | 40.4 | 25.2 | 71.4 |
| =67 | 801–1000 | University of Lancashire | 23.4–29.1 | 17.7 | 7.9 | 41.9 | 28 | 72.2 |
Key insights into the top universities for life sciences in the UK 2026
- The University of Cambridge takes the first place position for biology and biochemistry degrees in the UK
- Some 69 UK universities are included in the ranking
- The University of Oxford achieves a perfect score for its research environment and its links to industry
- The ranking for life sciences rank universites that teach courses in biology, veterinary medicine, biochemistry, agriculture and forestry and sport science.
Choosing the right university for life sciences in the UK
The life sciences include agriculture and forestry, biological sciences, veterinary science and sport science.
Degrees in these subjects are a great preparation to becoming a scientist in a specialist field, for example as a vet, biotechnology researcher or conservation expert.
However, the skills you’ll pick up through these courses, such as problem solving, data analysis and research, are also transferable to jobs that don’t require a lab coat. Non-science career paths include consultancy, teaching, political policy and law.
UK universities have supported many scientific breakthroughs, from the theory of evolution and natural selection, developed by University of Edinburgh and University of Cambridge alumnus Charles Darwin, to the more recent University of Oxford and AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine, developed by Professor Sarah Gilbert and her colleagues at the University of Oxford.
Course options for the life sciences in the UK depend on the university. In general, undergraduate courses at UK universities are three years long and require you to pick one subject of study, such as biology or sports science. However, there are exceptions to this rule. At the postgraduate level, courses are specialised further, and you can choose between a taught course or a research dissertation.
Choosing the best school for biology, agriculture or sports science is a crucial step for prospective students. The Times Higher Education Life Science Rankings help identify universities with strong reputations in teaching, research, and industry collaboration.
The table for the best universities for life sciences in the UK was derived from data collected for the THE World University Subject Rankings. The results are calculated using 18 performance indicators underlying five metrics: research environment, teaching (the learning environment), research quality, industry and international outlook. For more insights and a detailed breakdown of our ranking methodology, visit our methodology page. Use the ranking table above to explore the right institution for you.
To explore more top universities for life sciences, you may want to check out the top universities for life sciences in Canada, top universities for life sciences in the US, and the top universities for life sciences in Australia.
