Best Universities

QUICK GUIDE:

Sort the table below by badges to find universities that excel in those areas. Each in the table represents a university strength. Hover or click over any badge to see what it means.

The UK’s best universities ranked by badges earned. Each badge represents proven excellence in a specific area – teaching quality, research strength, student satisfaction, or graduate outcomes. Unlike traditional rankings that force universities into a single hierarchy, our badge system helps you identify institutions that excel in the areas that matter most to you. Universities earn badges based on official data from the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), Research Excellence Framework (REF), and National Student Survey (NSS).

Use the checkboxes to build your ranking criteria.

Outstanding Teaching :

High Quality Teaching :

Satisfied Students :

Research Power :

Global Leader :

International Mix :

Specialist Institution :

Student Favourite :

Prestigious :

University	University	Location	Outstanding Teaching	High Quality Teaching	Satisfied Students	Research Power	Global Leader	International Mix	Specialist Institution	Student Favourite	Prestige	Badges
Abertay University	Abertay University	Scotland			1	1						2
Aberystwyth University	Aberystwyth University	Wales			1	1				1		3
Anglia Ruskin University	Anglia Ruskin University	East of England										0
Arts University Bournemouth	Arts University Bournemouth	South West		1		1			1			3
Arts University Plymouth	Arts University Plymouth	South West		1	1				1	1		4
Aston University	Aston University	West Midlands	1	1	1	1						4
Bangor University	Bangor University	Wales				1		1				2
Bath Spa University	Bath Spa University	South West		1		1						2
Birkbeck, University of London	Birkbeck, University of London	London				1						1
Birmingham City University	Birmingham City University	West Midlands	1	1	1	1						4
Bishop Grosseteste University	Bishop Grosseteste University	East Midlands		1	1	1				1		4
Bournemouth University	Bournemouth University	South West		1		1						2
Brunel University of London	Brunel University of London	London				1	1	1				3
Buckinghamshire New University	Buckinghamshire New University	South East		1		1						2
Canterbury Christ Church University	Canterbury Christ Church University	South East		1		1						2
Cardiff Metropolitan University	Cardiff Metropolitan University	Wales				1		1				2
Cardiff University	Cardiff University	Wales				1	1				1	3
City St George's, University of London	City St George's, University of London	London		1		1						2
Courtauld Institute of Art	Courtauld Institute of Art	London				1		1	1		1	4
Coventry University	Coventry University	West Midlands	1	1	1	1		1				5
Cranfield University	Cranfield University	East of England				1		1	1			3
De Montfort University	De Montfort University	East Midlands		1		1		1				3
Durham University	Durham University	North East	1	1	1	1	1	1			1	7
Edge Hill University	Edge Hill University	North West	1	1	1	1						4
Edinburgh Napier University	Edinburgh Napier University	Scotland			1	1		1				3
Falmouth University	Falmouth University	South West		1		1			1			3
Glasgow Caledonian University	Glasgow Caledonian University	Scotland			1	1		1				3
Glasgow School of Art	Glasgow School of Art	Scotland				1		1	1		1	4
Goldsmiths, University of London	Goldsmiths, University of London	London				1		1				2
Guildhall School of Music & Drama	Guildhall School of Music & Drama	London	1	1	1	1		1	1	1	1	8
Harper Adams University	Harper Adams University	Wales	1	1		1						3
Hartpury University	Hartpury University	South West	1	1	1	1						4
Health Sciences University	Health Sciences University	South West		1		1		1	1			4
Heriot-Watt University	Heriot-Watt University	Scotland				1	1	1				3
Imperial College London	Imperial College London	London	1	1	1	1	1	1			1	7
Institute of Cancer Research	Institute of Cancer Research	London				1			1			2
Keele University	Keele University	West Midlands	1	1	1	1						4
King's College London	King's College London	London	1	1		1	1	1			1	6
Kingston University	Kingston University	London	1	1		1		1				4
Lancaster University	Lancaster University	North West	1	1	1	1	1	1				6
Leeds Arts University	Leeds Arts University	Yorkshire and the Humber		1	1	1			1			4
Leeds Beckett University	Leeds Beckett University	Yorkshire and the Humber		1	1	1						3
Leeds Conservatoire	Leeds Conservatoire	Yorkshire and the Humber		1	1				1			3
Leeds Trinity University	Leeds Trinity University	Yorkshire and the Humber		1	1	1						3
Liverpool Hope University	Liverpool Hope University	North West		1	1	1				1		4
Liverpool John Moores University	Liverpool John Moores University	North West	1	1	1	1						4
London Business School	London Business School	London				1		1	1			3
London Metropolitan University	London Metropolitan University	London	1	1	1	1						4
London School of Economics and Political Science	London School of Economics and Political Science	London	1	1	1	1	1	1			1	7
London School of Hygiene And Tropical Medicine	London School of Hygiene And Tropical Medicine	London				1		1	1			3
London South Bank University	London South Bank University	London		1		1						2
Loughborough University	Loughborough University	East Midlands	1	1	1	1	1					5
Manchester Metropolitan University	Manchester Metropolitan University	North West	1	1	1	1						4
Middlesex University	Middlesex University	London		1	1	1		1				4
Newcastle University	Newcastle University	North East		1		1	1				1	4
Newman University	Newman University	West Midlands		1	1	1						3
Northern School of Contemporary Dance	Northern School of Contemporary Dance	Yorkshire and the Humber	1	1	1			1	1	1		6
Northumbria University Newcastle	Northumbria University Newcastle	North East	1	1		1		1				4
Norwich University of The Arts	Norwich University of The Arts	East of England	1	1		1			1			4
Nottingham Trent University	Nottingham Trent University	East Midlands	1	1	1	1						4
Open University(The)	Open University(The)	South East	1	1	1	1			1			5
Oxford Brookes University	Oxford Brookes University	South East		1	1	1						3
Plymouth Marjon University	Plymouth Marjon University	South West	1	1	1	1						4
Queen Margaret University	Queen Margaret University	Scotland			1	1						2
Queen Mary University of London	Queen Mary University of London	London		1		1	1	1			1	5
Queen's University Belfast	Queen's University Belfast	Northern Ireland				1	1				1	3
Ravensbourne University London	Ravensbourne University London	London		1		1						2
Regent's University London	Regent's University London	London		1	1			1				3
Robert Gordon University	Robert Gordon University	Scotland			1	1		1				3
Rose Bruford College	Rose Bruford College	London		1	1	1			1	1		5
Royal Academy of Music	Royal Academy of Music	London	1	1		1		1	1		1	6
Royal Agricultural University	Royal Agricultural University	South West		1		1			1			3
Royal College of Art (The)	Royal College of Art (The)	London				1		1	1		1	4
Royal College of Music	Royal College of Music	London	1	1	1	1		1	1		1	7
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland	Royal Conservatoire of Scotland	Scotland				1		1	1		1	4
Royal Holloway, University of London	Royal Holloway, University of London	South East		1		1						2
Royal Northern College of Music	Royal Northern College of Music	North West	1	1		1		1	1		1	6
Royal Welsh College of Music And Drama Limited	Royal Welsh College of Music And Drama Limited	Wales			1				1			2
School of Oriental And African Studies	School of Oriental And African Studies	London		1		1		1	1			4
Sheffield Hallam University	Sheffield Hallam University	Yorkshire and the Humber	1	1		1						3
Southampton Solent University	Southampton Solent University	South East	1	1	1	1						4
St Mary's University College	St Mary's University College	Northern Ireland										0
St Mary'S University, Twickenham	St Mary'S University, Twickenham	London	1	1		1						3
Stranmillis University College	Stranmillis University College	Northern Ireland			1	1						2
Swansea University	Swansea University	Wales			1	1	1					3
Teesside University	Teesside University	North East	1	1	1	1		1				5
The City University	The City University	London	1	1	1	1		1				5
The Liverpool Institute For Performing Arts	The Liverpool Institute For Performing Arts	North West	1	1				1	1			4
The Royal Central School of Speech And Drama	The Royal Central School of Speech And Drama	London	1	1		1		1	1		1	6
The Royal Veterinary College	The Royal Veterinary College	London	1	1		1		1	1			5
The University of Buckingham	The University of Buckingham	South East		1	1			1				3
The University of Manchester	The University of Manchester	North West	1	1		1	1	1			1	6
Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music And Dance Ltd	Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music And Dance Ltd	London		1		1		1	1			4
Ulster University	Ulster University	Northern Ireland			1	1		1				3
University College Birmingham	University College Birmingham	West Midlands		1	1			1				3
University College London	University College London	London	1	1		1	1	1			1	6
University For The Creative Arts	University For The Creative Arts	South East		1		1		1	1			4
University of Aberdeen	University of Aberdeen	Scotland			1	1	1	1			1	5
University of Bath	University of Bath	South West	1	1	1	1	1	1				6
University of Bedfordshire	University of Bedfordshire	East of England		1		1		1				3
University of Birmingham	University of Birmingham	West Midlands	1	1	1	1	1	1			1	7
University of Bolton	University of Bolton	North West	1	1	1	1						4
University of Bradford	University of Bradford	Yorkshire and the Humber		1		1		1				3
University of Brighton	University of Brighton	South East		1		1						2
University of Bristol	University of Bristol	South West	1	1		1	1	1			1	6
University of Cambridge	University of Cambridge	East of England	1	1	1	1	1	1		1	1	8
University of Central Lancashire	University of Central Lancashire	North West		1	1	1		1				4
University of Chester	University of Chester	North West		1		1						2
University of Chichester	University of Chichester	South East	1	1	1	1						4
University of Cumbria	University of Cumbria	North West		1		1						2
University of Derby	University of Derby	East Midlands	1	1	1	1						4
University of Dundee	University of Dundee	Scotland			1	1	1	1				4
University of East Anglia	University of East Anglia	East of England		1		1	1					3
University of East London	University of East London	London		1	1	1		1				4
University of Edinburgh	University of Edinburgh	Scotland				1	1	1			1	4
University of Essex	University of Essex	East of England		1	1	1	1	1				5
University of Exeter	University of Exeter	South West	1	1		1	1	1			1	6
University of Glasgow	University of Glasgow	Scotland				1	1	1			1	4
University of Gloucestershire	University of Gloucestershire	South West		1		1						2
University of Greenwich	University of Greenwich	London	1	1		1		1				4
University of Hertfordshire	University of Hertfordshire	East of England		1	1	1		1				4
University of Huddersfield	University of Huddersfield	Yorkshire and the Humber	1	1		1						3
University of Hull	University of Hull	Yorkshire and the Humber	1	1	1	1		1				5
University of Kent	University of Kent	South East		1		1	1					3
University of Leeds	University of Leeds	Yorkshire and the Humber		1		1	1	1			1	5
University of Leicester	University of Leicester	East Midlands	1	1	1	1	1	1				6
University of Lincoln	University of Lincoln	East Midlands	1	1		1						3
University of Liverpool	University of Liverpool	North West	1	1	1	1	1	1			1	7
University of London	University of London	London										0
University of Northampton	University of Northampton	East Midlands		1	1	1		1				4
University of Nottingham	University of Nottingham	East Midlands	1	1		1	1				1	5
University of Oxford	University of Oxford	South East	1	1	1	1	1	1			1	7
University of Plymouth	University of Plymouth	South West	1	1	1	1						4
University of Portsmouth	University of Portsmouth	South East	1	1	1	1		1				5
University of Reading	University of Reading	South East		1		1	1					3
University of Roehampton	University of Roehampton	London		1		1		1				3
University of Salford	University of Salford	North West		1	1	1						3
University of Sheffield	University of Sheffield	Yorkshire and the Humber		1	1	1	1	1			1	6
University of South Wales/Prifysgol De Cymru	University of South Wales/Prifysgol De Cymru	Wales			1	1		1				3
University of Southampton	University of Southampton	South East		1	1	1	1	1			1	6
University of St Andrews	University of St Andrews	Scotland	1	1	1	1	1	1		1	1	8
University of Staffordshire	University of Staffordshire	West Midlands		1		1						2
University of Stirling	University of Stirling	Scotland				1		1				2
University of Strathclyde	University of Strathclyde	Scotland			1	1	1					3
University of Suffolk	University of Suffolk	East of England		1	1	1						3
University of Sunderland	University of Sunderland	North East		1	1	1		1				4
University of Surrey	University of Surrey	South East		1	1	1	1	1				5
University of Sussex	University of Sussex	South East		1	1	1	1	1				5
University of the Arts London	University of the Arts London	London		1		1		1	1		1	5
University of The Highlands And Islands	University of The Highlands And Islands	Scotland			1	1						2
University of The West of Scotland	University of The West of Scotland	Scotland			1	1		1				3
University of Wales Trinity Saint David	University of Wales Trinity Saint David	Wales			1	1						2
University of Warwick	University of Warwick	West Midlands	1	1	1	1	1	1			1	7
University of West London	University of West London	London	1	1	1	1						4
University of Westminster	University of Westminster	London		1		1		1				3
University of Winchester	University of Winchester	South East		1		1						2
University of Wolverhampton	University of Wolverhampton	West Midlands			1	1						2
University of Worcester	University of Worcester	West Midlands		1	1	1						3
University of York	University of York	Yorkshire and the Humber	1	1		1	1				1	5
UWE Bristol	UWE Bristol	South West	1	1	1	1			1	1		6
Wrexham University	Wrexham University	Wales				1						1
York St John University	York St John University	Yorkshire and the Humber	1	1	1	1		1				5

How Badges are Awarded:

Understanding Our University Badges

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Badges Vs University Rankings

Data Source:

Last Updated: January 2025 | Our Data Sources: TEF, NSS, REF 2021

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