Oxford and Cambridge Drop from Top Three in UK University Rankings for First Time

London (Sept. 19, 2025) — For the first time in its 32-year history, neither Oxford nor Cambridge universities are ranked among the top three in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. The London School of Economics (LSE) claimed first place for the second consecutive year, followed by the University of St Andrews and Durham University.

Oxford and Cambridge were jointly placed fourth, with neither achieving a top-three ranking after consistent high performance in prior years.

Durham University was named University of the Year 2026, following improvements in teaching quality, student experience, and graduate outcomes. The rankings evaluate institutions based on criteria including entry standards, research quality, sustainability, and student satisfaction.

Officials from Oxford and Cambridge acknowledged that student satisfaction surveys and changes in evaluation metrics contributed to their slide in overall rankings, while LSE and St Andrews were praised for maintaining strong research output and improving student experience.

How The Times / Sunday Times Good University Guide Compiles Its Rankings

According to The Times' Good University Guide methodology, the rankings are based on multiple performance indicators, including student satisfaction, graduate prospects, teaching quality, research quality, and student experience.

They also consider continuation rates — how many first-year students stay on to their second year—among other metrics.