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The latest edition of a highly competitive academic league table has come with some unexpected changes to the universities it names as being amongst the UK’s finest.
The Times and The Sunday Times’ eagerly-awaited Good University Guide for 2026 - considered by many to be one of the country’s most definitive rankings - went live on Friday morning (September 19), with a 96-page supplement to be published alongside The Sunday Times this weekend. This year’s guide has seen two of the country’s oldest and most prestigious universities, Oxford and Cambridge, slip out of the top three places for the first time in the guide’s 32-year history.
The London School of Economics and Political Science took out first place in the rankings for a second year running. But The Times has selected the North East’s Durham University for its annual ‘University of the Year’ award for 2026. Helen Davies, the guide’s editor, said: “In a very competitive top ten Durham has climbed two places in a year, which is a significant achievement.
“In doing so it has outdone both Oxford and Cambridge, helping to push both of them out of the top three in our league table for the first time in the Good University Guide’s history,” she continued. “Its stellar academic performance was boosted this year by improvements in teaching quality, and student experience. Durham also won University of the Year in the North and Northeast 2026 and runner-up University of the Year for Graduate Prospects 2026.”
The Times’ Good University Guide uses a detailed methodology to rank more than a hundred universities each year, which includes the average UCAS tariff points of the new it accepts; the percentage of ‘good honours’ - or firsts and 2:1 degrees - awarded to students who recently finished their course; the percentage of graduates in high-level jobs or post-graduate studies after their course ended; the proportion of first-year students continuing on to second year; and many more. It uses the latest data available for each, usually from one of the last few years.
Here are its new top 25 universities from across the country, as well as a few figures that any high-achieving students considering studying at one of them may find helpful:
13. University of Sheffield
The South Yorkshire-based University of Sheffield has risen one place, up from 14th in last year’s guide. Some 82.8% of its students achieved a ‘good honour’, while 82.9% of its recent graduates were currently in a high-level job or postgraduate study. | Google
14. University of Exeter
The University of Exeter, in the South West, switched places with it – dropping from 13th last year. Some 86.5% of its students achieved a ‘good honour’, while 81.9% of its recent graduates were currently in a high-level job or postgraduate study. | English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images
15. Lancaster University
Moving up to the North West, Lancaster University came next. It has dropped a little, from 12th place last year. Some 82.1% of its students achieved a ‘good honour’, while 82.1% of its recent graduates were currently in a high-level job or postgraduate study. | Google
16. University of Birmingham
Birmingham’s namesake university, in the West Midlands, has shot up from 22nd last year. Some 83.4% of its students achieved a ‘good honour’, while 84.2% of its recent graduates were currently in a high-level job or postgraduate study. | Google