Some of the country’s very highest performing universities have held onto their places for another year, in a prestigious UK league table.
The Guardian’s latest university guide for the 2026 academic year has now been released. This annual guide ranks more than 120 universities from across the UK, giving each an overall score out of 100. Its in-depth methodology means that student satisfaction, staff numbers, spending and future career prospects for students are all taken into account.
It also ranks universities by individual subject, and new for this year, the paper has included a special table featuring the universities and courses “that graduates were least likely to regret”. But it warned that as with any league table, prospective students should try to get a broader picture of what a university could offer them too. “Rankings change annually, and some universities may benefit from temporary measures such as funding boosts or changes to their student intake. Don’t forget that universities languishing at the bottom of the overall table can be top for certain subjects,” it added.
We’ve taken a look at the universities from across the UK which came out on top in the latest guide, with institutions across England and Scotland earning top spots this year. As well as their overall scores, we have added a few key details likely to be important to sixth form students considering studying there - including a score representing how satisfied final year students were with their teaching, as well as the proportion of recent graduates either employed in a graduate-level job or undertaking further study 15 months after their course finished.
Here were The Guardian’s top 20, for 2026’s aspiring students:
5. Durham University
This Durham-based university, up in the North East, is next, rising one spot from 6th place last year. The Guardian gave it an overall score of 85.4 out of 100. It had a rating of 90.5 for students satisfied with their teaching, and 89% of recent graduates were either employed or in further study after 15 months. | Google
6. Imperial College London
Imperial is another highly-regarded university based in the capital, although it fell from 5th place last year to 6th this year. The Guardian gave it an overall score of 82.8 out of 100. It had a rating of 87.7 for students satisfied with their teaching, and 95% of recent graduates were either employed or in further study after 15 months. | BuildPix/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images
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7. University of Warwick
Warwick, based in Coventry, in the West Midlands, has also seen a jump in the rankings, from 8th last year to 7th this year. The Guardian gave it an overall score of 79 out of 100. It had a rating of 90 for students satisfied with their teaching, and 89% of recent graduates were either employed or in further study after 15 months. | (English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
8. University of Bath
Down in the South West, Bath’s namesake university was next, switching places with Warwick in the latest ranking. The Guardian gave it an overall score of 75.9 out of 100. It had a rating of 88.1 for students satisfied with their teaching, and 90% of recent graduates were either employed or in further study after 15 months. | Google