UK University Ranking 2020
Coming with information of University Foundation Courses and International Year One Programmes. Now available for download.
Why is the Good University Guide published by the Times a Better University Ranking?
The Good University Guide published by the Times takes into account of a wide range of criteria (such as student satisfaction, research quality, entry standard, graduate prospects, etc) to evaluate the quality of education in an university. The Guide’s more holistic approach is believed to be able to reflect standards in both teaching and learning, as well as academic researches, which is why we have always recommended the Good University Guide as the quantitative reference when students and parents choose the right university.
Overall UK University Ranking (2020)
2020 University Ranking |
2019 University Ranking |
UK University |
1 | 1 | University of Cambridge |
2 | 2 | University of Oxford |
3 | 3 | University of St Andrews |
4 | 4 | Imperial College London |
5 | 5 | Loughborough University |
6 | 9 | London School of Economics (LSE) |
7 | 7 | Durham University |
8 | 6 | Lancaster University |
9 | 8 | University College London |
10 | 10 | University of Warwick |
11 | 13 | University of Bath |
12 | 12 | University of Exeter |
13 | 11 | University of Leeds |
14 | 14 | University of Birmingham |
15 | 19 | University of Bristol |
16 | 17 | University of Glasgow |
17 | 33 | Harper Adams University |
18 | 19 | University of Manchester |
19 | 24 | Royal Holloway, University of London |
20 | 18 | University of Southampton |
21 | 16 | University of Nottingham |
22 | 22 | University of York |
23 | 15 | University of East Anglia |
24 | 27 | University of Dundee |
25 | 28 | University of Edinburgh |
26 | 25 | University of Sheffield |
27 | 26 | University of Aberdeen |
28 | 21 | Newcastle University |
29 | 31 | University of Liverpool |
30 | 35 | King’s College London |
31 | 30 | Swansea University |
32 | 23 | University of Surrey |
33 | 35 | Heriot-Watt University |
34 | 32 | Cardiff University |
35 | 38 | Queen’s University, Belfast |
36 | 44 | University of Strathclyde |
37 | 29 | University of Essex |
38 | 40 | University of Reading |
38 | 41 | University of Sussex |
40 | 37 | Nottingham Trent University |
41 | 38 | University of Leicester |
42 | 33 | University for the Creative Arts |
43 | 51 | Arts University Bournemouth |
44 | 53 | SOAS University of London |
45 | 48 | Aberystwyth University |
46 | 48 | Keele University |
47 | 44 | University of Stirling |
48 | 56 | Aston University |
49 | 46 | Queen Mary, University of London |
50 | 46 | Coventry University |
51 | 42 | University of Lincoln |
52 | 83 | University of West London |
53 | 57 | Staffordshire University |
54 | 55 | University of Kent |
55 | 59 | Edge Hill University |
56 | 54 | Leeds Arts University |
56 | 51 | University of Portsmouth |
58 | 60 | Ulster University |
58 | 58 | University of the West of England |
60 | 50 | Liverpool Hope University |
61 | 62 | University of Huddersfield |
62 | 69 | Manchester Metropolitan University |
62 | 66 | Norwich University of the Arts |
64 | 63 | Oxford Brookes University |
65 | 61 | Northumbria University |
65 | 67 | Sheffield Hallam University |
67 | 80 | St George’s, University of London |
68 | 71 | Goldsmiths, University of London |
69 | 70 | University of Roehampton |
70 | 63 | Bangor University |
71 | 94 | University of Chichester |
72 | 84 | Falmouth University |
73 | 68 | City, University of London |
74 | 65 | De Montfort University |
75 | 105 | University of Central Lancashire |
76 | 72 | Plymouth University |
77 | 103 | University of Hull |
78 | 74 | Liverpool John Moores University |
79 | 73 | University of Chester |
79 | 94 | University of the Arts, London |
81 | 102 | York St John University |
82 | 97 | Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh |
83 | 96 | Robert Gordon University |
84 | 100 | University of Greenwich |
85 | 77 | St Mary’s University, Twickenham |
86 | 107 | London South Bank University |
87 | 85 | Teesside University |
88 | 90 | University of Hertfordshire |
89 | 115 | Royal Agricultural University |
89 | 85 | Solent University |
91 | 75 | University of Derby |
92 | 43 | University of Buckingham |
92 | 91 | University of Worcester |
94 | 78 | Bournemouth University |
95 | 81 | University of Gloucestershire |
96 | 87 | Birmingham City University |
96 | 101 | Glasgow Caledonian University |
98 | 105 | Abertay University |
98 | 79 | University of Winchester |
100 | 76 | Brunel University London |
101 | 120 | Edinburgh Napier University |
102 | 113 | Bishop Grosseteste University |
102 | 109 | Plymouth Marjon University |
102 | 89 | University of Wales Trinity St David |
105 | 98 | University of Bradford |
106 | 110 | Kingston University |
107 | 110 | Middlesex University |
108 | 92 | University of the West of Scotland |
109 | 93 | University of Sunderland |
110 | 103 | Bath Spa University |
111 | 81 | University of Salford |
112 | 108 | Cardiff Metropolitan University |
113 | 117 | Bucks New University |
114 | 110 | University of South Wales |
115 | 119 | Newman University |
116 | 99 | University of Northampton |
117 | 87 | Leeds Trinity University |
118 | 118 | Canterbury Christ Church University |
119 | 114 | University of Westminster |
120 | 122 | Anglia Ruskin University |
121 | 125 | University of Cumbria |
122 | 123 | University of Brighton |
123 | 124 | Leeds Beckett University |
124 | 127 | University of Wolverhampton |
125 | 126 | University of Bolton |
126 | 131 | London Metropolitan University |
127 | 115 | University of East London |
128 | 121 | University of Bedfordshire |
129 | 130 | University of Suffolk |
130 | 129 | Wrexham Glyndwr University |
131 | 132 | Ravensbourne University London |
The Importance of Subject Ranking
When looking at the university ranking table, students should be aware that it is based on overall performance of the universities, and therefore may not necessarily reflects a university’s strength in a specific subject area. For many reasons, some universities that are leading in a specific subject area might be ranked relatively low in the overall ranking table. This phenomenon is more common in newly developed subjects (such as hospitality & tourism). For students who have chosen a specific subject, subject ranking tables will be a better reference.
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Accounting & Finance |
1 | 13 | Leeds |
2 | 6 | LSE |
3 | 10 | Warwick |
4 | 16 | Glasgow |
5 | 36 | Strathclyde |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Architecture |
1 | 11 | Bath |
2 | 1 | Cambridge |
3 | 5 | Loughborough |
4 | 26 | Sheffield |
5 | 9 | University College London (UCL) |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Communication & Media |
1 | 5 | Loughborough |
2 | 13 | Leeds |
3 | 12 | Exeter |
4 | 8 | Lancaster |
5 | 26 | Sheffield |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Hospitality & Tourism |
1 | 14 | Birmingham |
2 | 36 | Strathclyde |
3 | 58 | Ulster |
4 | 78 | Liverpool John Moores |
5 | 32 | Surrey |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Physiotherapy |
1 | 20 | Southampton |
2 | 83 | Robert Gordon |
3 | 23 | East Anglia |
4 | 34 | Cardiff |
5 | 14 | Birmingham |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Politics |
1 | 10 | Warwick |
2 | 2 | Oxford |
3 | 3 | St Andrews |
4 | 1 | Cambridge |
5 | 37 | Essex |
Downloading
the Subject Ranking Tables
In order to help students choose the most suitable university, we have gathered information on subject ranking, entry requirement and pathway programmes for the subject areas below, which you can download for free!
Updated: 2019-12-5