Scottish universities feature prominently when it comes to the best places to study in the UK - with one regularly contesting the top of league tables alongside the highly-prestigious pairing of Oxford and Cambridge.
All of the universities in the UK have been ranked from lowest to highest in the latest 2025 league table, with one Scottish institution narrowly missing out on coming top for the third year in a row.
The Guardian looked at a range of factors to come up with the list, including student satisfaction, the ratio of students to staff, spending and career prospects.
And several of Scotland’s universities experienced a significant change in their placing compared to the 2024 list, with several modern institutions enjoying a sharp climb in the rankings.
Every university on the list has received a score out of 100, with the lowest in the UK - Bedfordshire - returning a mark of 29.
Here are the best of the best when it comes to Scotland, with all 14 of the country’s main universities listed in ranking order.
1. St Andrews University
Founded in 1410, St Andrews is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English speaking world. The university has ranked second overall in the 2024 Guardian rankings - one place down on last year, after being leapfrogged by Oxford - with an overall score of 98.6 | Heritage Images/Getty Images Photo: Peter Thompson/Heritage Images/Getty Images
2. Aberdeen University
The King's College building at Aberdeen University. The university has placed 12th in the Guardian's rankings, the same placing as last year, and second highest overall for Scotland. The institution recorded a Guardian rating of 73.3 out of 100 | Contributed
3. University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow has ranked 14th overall in the Guardian's league table, down one spot from 13th place last year, and third overall in Scotland. The institution collected a Guardian score of 68.9 | David Hepburn Photo: David Hepburn
4. Edinburgh University
Edinburgh's prestigious university has ranked 15th in the UK - and fourth highest in Scotland - falling one place from last year's Guardian ranking. Its score was rated as 68.4 out of 100 | Contributed