UK University Ranking 2021
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 (2021)
2021 University Ranking |
2020 University Ranking |
UK University |
1 | 1 | University of Cambridge |
2 | 2 | University of Oxford |
3 | 3 | University of St Andrews |
4 | 6 | London School of Economics and Political Science |
5 | 4 | Imperial College London |
6 | 7 | Durham University |
7 | 5 | Loughborough University |
8 | 9 | University College London |
9 | 11 | University of Bath |
10 | 8 | Lancaster University |
10 | 10 | University of Warwick |
12 | 12 | University of Exeter |
13 | 15 | University of Bristol |
14 | 16 | University of Glasgow |
15 | 13 | University of Leeds |
15 | 20 | University of Southampton |
17 | 25 | University of Edinburgh |
18 | 18 | University of Manchester |
19 | 14 | University of Birmingham |
20 | 22 | University of York |
21 | 23 | University of East Anglia |
22 | 19 | Royal Holloway, University of London |
23 | 24 | University of Dundee |
23 | 26 | University of Sheffield |
23 | 36 | University of Strathclyde |
26 | 21 | University of Nottingham |
27 | 27 | University of Aberdeen |
28 | 17 | Harper Adams University |
29 | 29 | University of Liverpool |
30 | 30 | King’s College London |
31 | 28 | Newcastle University |
31 | 35 | Queen’s University, Belfast |
31 | 38 | University of Reading |
34 | 34 | Cardiff University |
35 | 33 | Heriot-Watt University |
36 | 31 | Swansea University |
37 | 41 | University of Leicester |
38 | 47 | University of Stirling |
39 | 32 | University of Surrey |
40 | 37 | University of Essex |
41 | 49 | Queen Mary, University of London |
42 | 45 | Aberystwyth University |
43 | 48 | Aston University |
44 | 38 | University of Sussex |
45 | 51 | University of Lincoln |
46 | 50 | Coventry University |
46 | 71 | University of Chichester |
48 | 54 | University of Kent |
49 | 67 | St George’s, University of London |
50 | 44 | SOAS, University of London |
51 | 46 | Keele University |
51 | 58 | Ulster University |
53 | 40 | Nottingham Trent University |
54 | 43 | Arts University Bournemouth |
55 | 56 | Leeds Arts University |
56 | 64 | Oxford Brookes University |
57 | 65 | Northumbria University |
58 | 58 | University of the West of England, Bristol |
59 | 76 | Plymouth University |
60 | 77 | University of Hull |
60 | 52 | University of West London |
62 | 70 | Bangor University |
63 | 101 | Edinburgh Napier University |
64 | 102 | Bishop Grosseteste University |
65 | 62 | Manchester Metropolitan University |
66 | 83 | Robert Gordon University |
67 | 65 | Sheffield Hallam University |
68 | 94 | Bournemouth University |
69 | 79 | University of Chester |
70 | 55 | Edge Hill University |
71 | 42 | University for the Creative Arts |
72 | 56 | University of Portsmouth |
73 | 89 | Royal Agricultural University |
73 | 61 | University of Huddersfield |
75 | 96 | Glasgow Caledonian University |
76 | 53 | Staffordshire University |
77 | 62 | Norwich University of the Arts |
78 | 69 | University of Roehampton |
79 | 112 | Cardiff Metropolitan University |
80 | 98 | Abertay University |
80 | 60 | Liverpool Hope University |
82 | 73 | City, University of London |
83 | 79 | University of the Arts, London |
83 | 81 | York St John University |
85 | 78 | Liverpool John Moores University |
86 | 85 | St Mary’s University, Twickenham |
87 | 75 | University of Central Lancashire |
88 | 100 | Brunel University London |
89 | 82 | Queen Margaret University |
90 | 96 | Birmingham City University |
90 | 114 | University of South Wales |
92 | 87 | Teesside University |
93 | 89 | Solent University |
94 | 72 | Falmouth University |
94 | 91 | University of Derby |
96 | 98 | University of Winchester |
97 | 68 | Goldsmiths, University of London |
98 | 84 | University of Greenwich |
99 | 88 | University of Hertfordshire |
100 | 111 | University of Salford |
101 | 102 | University of Wales Trinity St David |
101 | 92 | University of Worcester |
103 | 109 | University of Sunderland |
104 | 110 | Bath Spa University |
104 | 106 | Kingston University |
106 | 105 | University of Bradford |
107 | 123 | Leeds Beckett University |
108 | 92 | University of Buckingham |
109 | 95 | University of Gloucestershire |
110 | 117 | Leeds Trinity University |
111 | 116 | University of Northampton |
112 | 113 | Bucks New University |
112 | 115 | Newman University |
114 | 121 | University of Cumbria |
115 | 102 | Plymouth Marjon University |
116 | 108 | University of the West of Scotland |
117 | 120 | Anglia Ruskin University |
118 | 125 | University of Bolton |
119 | 74 | De Montfort University |
120 | 122 | University of Brighton |
121 | 107 | Middlesex University |
122 | 129 | University of Suffolk |
123 | 86 | London South Bank University |
124 | 130 | Wrexham Glyndwr University |
125 | 126 | London Metropolitan University |
126 | 119 | University of Westminster |
127 | 118 | Canterbury Christ Church University |
128 | 124 | University of Wolverhampton |
129 | 127 | University of East London |
130 | 131 | Ravensbourne University, London |
131 | 128 | University of Bedfordshire |
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 | 23 | Strathclyde |
2 | 15 | Leeds |
3 | 4 | LSE |
4 | 9 | Bath |
5 | 14 | Glasgow |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Architecture |
1 | 9 | Bath |
2 | 7 | Loughborough |
3 | 1 | Cambridge |
4 | 8 | University College London (UCL) |
5 | 34 | Cardiff |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Communication & Media |
1 | 7 | Loughborough |
2 | 23 | Sheffield |
3 | 23 | Strathclyde |
4 | 38 | Stirling |
5 | 10 | Warwick |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Hospitality & Tourism |
1 | 19 | Birmingham |
2 | 85 | Liverpool John Moores |
3 | 70 | Edge Hill |
4 | 75 | Glasgow Caledonian |
5 | 127 | Canterbury Christ Church |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Physiotherapy |
1 | 15 | Southampton |
2 | 66 | Robert Gordon |
3 | 29 | Liverpool |
4 | 26 | Nottingham |
5 | 19 | Birmingham |
Subject Ranking |
Overall Ranking |
Politics |
1 | 3 | St Andrews |
2 | 2 | Oxford |
3 | 4 | LSE |
4 | 10 | Warwick |
5 | 1 | Cambridge |

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: 2020-12-16