Oxford and Cambridge Lose Top Position in Latest UK University Rankings
- The University of St Andrews claimed the number one spot in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027
- Oxford dropped from fourth to fifth place, while Cambridge held fourth — only the second time Oxbridge has fallen out of the top three in the guide's 33-year history
- Imperial College London was named University of the Year 2027 after overtaking both Oxford and Cambridge in the rankings for the first time
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The University of St Andrews has taken the top position in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027, with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in second place and Imperial College London in third.
Oxford slipped from fourth to fifth place, while Cambridge held on to fourth. It marks only the second time in the guide's 33-year history that neither Oxford nor Cambridge has featured in the top three.
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According to Independent UK, guide author Zoe Thomas said St Andrews earned its ranking by performing strongly across all league table metrics, including high entry standards, and praised the Scottish university for offering a "distinctive undergraduate experience that translates to superb rates of student satisfaction."
Imperial named university of the year
Beyond the overall rankings, Imperial College London was named University of the Year 2027 after climbing three places from sixth the previous year, overtaking both Oxbridge institutions in the process.
Thomas said the achievement was historic:
"The London institution dedicated to STEMM (science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine) has outdone Oxbridge for the first time in the guide's 33-year history. Its charge up the tightly-packed top ten is immense, powered in part by topping the rankings for research quality and also for graduate prospects, which it has topped for the past four consecutive years."
She added that Oxford and Cambridge had been held back by "tepid" feedback from undergraduates in the National Student Survey, while Imperial, LSE, and St Andrews had each found the "sweet spot" of research-led teaching that students genuinely valued.
St Andrews Principal responds to top ranking
Professor Dame Sally Mapstone, principal and vice-chancellor of St Andrews, welcomed the result and used the moment to defend the broader value of higher education.
"From our demanding entry tariffs to the strength of our world-leading teaching and research, through the achievements of our students and graduates to the quality of the professional services which support our academic mission, St Andrews has proved not only that small is beautiful, it can be consistently sector-leading," she said.
She described the recognition as arriving at a difficult moment for universities globally, with institutions facing financial strain and growing public scepticism about the worth of a degree.
Helen Davies, editor of the guide, echoed those concerns. "This is a challenging time, with institutions struggling with their own finances, and the toughest graduate jobs market in more than a decade," she said, adding that the guide was designed to help students navigate key questions around cost, subject choice, and the real value of higher education.
The complete rankings will be published in the 96-page guide on Sunday.
Source: Getty Images
List of Nigerian words added to Oxford dictionary
Legit.ng earlier reported that Dr. Kingsley Ugwuanyi, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at SOAS University of London, announced on LinkedIn on January 8 that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) has officially published its latest updates, featuring an impressive collection of Nigerian English words.
Source: Legit.ng
