The Sunday Times surprises with 2025/26 University rankings

It is official, the Sunday Times have released their official UK University Ranking League Table (2026). Universities are ranked based on a variety of factors, including teaching qualities, student experience and graduate prospects. The ranking can undoubtedly influence a prospective student’s decision as to which universities they will apply for. Will this year’s ranking help or hinder student intake at Newcastle?

Coming in at number one in the university ranking, it may be surprising that it is neither Oxford nor Cambridge. It is, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), which the Sunday Times are ranking as the best university in the UK for a second consecutive year. It holds its top place by maintaining its score of 1000. Some of its best categories were its graduate prospects, research quality, and the proportion of firsts and 2:1s. Oxbridge, even more surprisingly, does not scrape the top 3.

The University of St Andrews took 2^nd place, and our fellow Northeast, Durham University, was bestowed the bronze after rising two spots. It raises questions surrounding the so-called ‘Oxbridge reject universities’, which St Andrews and Durham are commonly considered. It is apparent that both universities have the capacity to strongly oppose this categorisation and that student who attends these universities deserve a degree of respect attached to their degree.

The University of Cambridge comes into the rankings at number four, and the University of Oxford dropped a placement to fifth. The Oxbridge institutions are commonly perceived as the most prestigious universities in the UK and globally. Their reputation precedes them as universities that have some of the highest entrance requirements and where fortunate students receive a world-class education. Yet, their lower-than-expected rankings create room for a debate that their elite image may not be as superior in comparison to the past.

With a negative drop of four places, Newcastle University ranks at 34. This downward shift in the rankings places Newcastle University as the second lowest ranked Russel Group university, ranking only above Queen Mary University of London. Although, it is important to mention that the World University Rankings 2026 (Times Higher Education) increased Newcastle University's ranking by 13 places to 144. These rankings by no means should be taken as the gospel truth of what defines a good university. As I know that after my first year of university at Newcastle, I would not want to be at any other university. Notably, Newcastle outshines Cambridge and Oxford both for student experience. Regarding Northumbria University, it also dropped four places from its previous year ranking, down to 47. Ultimately, it will be interesting to see where Newcastle and Northumbria will rank next year.