For the first time in more than 30 years, Oxford and Cambridge have both fallen out of the top three in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide.
The 2026 rankings, published this weekend, place the London School of Economics (LSE) in first place for the second year running. St Andrews holds onto second, while Durham University has climbed to third – earning it the title of University of the Year 2026.
That leaves Oxford and Cambridge sharing joint fourth place – the first time neither has featured in the top three since the guide began in 1993. Last year, Oxford managed third place while Cambridge slipped to fourth, but this year both have been pushed down further.
The rankings are based on measures including teaching quality, student satisfaction, entry standards, graduate prospects, sustainability, and research quality.
Other notable results include:
- Imperial College London in sixth place.
- University of Bath, Warwick, UCL, and Bristol rounding out the top 10.
- University of Strathclyde, just outside the top 10, named runner-up University of the Year.
Regional awards went to: LSE (London), Durham (North/North East), Cambridge (East), Warwick (Midlands), Bath (South West), Oxford (South East), and Queen’s Belfast (Northern Ireland).
Despite this setback in The Times guide, Oxford still came first in The Guardian’s 2026 university rankings, with Cambridge in third place.
Meanwhile, LSE picked up several accolades, including University of the Year for Academic Performance and Russell Group University of the Year, further cementing its position as a global leader.
Durham’s vice-chancellor, Professor Karen O’Brien, welcomed the recognition, saying: “Durham is an outstanding place to study. We ensure that every student can grow and thrive here. Our loyal, engaged alumni are testament to the impressive career prospects that await our graduates.”
The full results will appear in a 96-page supplement with The Sunday Times on September 21, and are also available online at thetimes.com/uk-university-rankings. Photo by Secretlondon at English Wikipedia.