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.
9. Abertay University
Dundee's Abertay University has ranked ninth overall for Scottish institutions on The Guardian's league table. The Dundee-based university ranked in 79th position overall, up five spots on last year, and achieved a score of 53.5 out of 100 | Contributed
10. Queen Margaret University
Queen Margaret has ranked 91st in the overall UK rankings, sharply down 28 places on last year. The result ranked it tenth highest out of all Scottish universities with an overall score of 51.1 | Contributed
11. Stirling University
A drone shot of the University of Stirling campus with the William Wallace monument in the background. Stirling has ranked 94th in the UK overall, down a sharp 33 places from last year, and 11th highest amongst Scottish institutions. It achieved a Guardian score of 50.6 out of 100 | Contributed
12. Robert Gordon University
Robert Gordon ranks 12th highest out of all Scottish universities in the league table. It placed 95th overall in the UK in The Guardian's rankings for this year, up three places. The university achieved a score of 50 out of 100 | Contributed