The best universities in the UK have been revealed in the 2026 Guardian University Guide.
The annual report evaluates more than 200 universities across the country, ranking each across eight categories from student satisfaction, general feedback from the National Student Survey (NSS), career prospects and more.
Intended to provide potential students with a balanced overview of each institution, an overall score out of 100 is then awarded.
Here are the 20 best universities in the UK - including four in Scotland - according to the 2026 Guardian University Guide
1. Oxford
Maintaining its position from last year, the top UK university in 2026 is Oxford, with a score of 100 in the Guardian University Guide. | Getty Images / Canva
2. St Andrews
Coming second in the overall UK rankings – and top in Scotland – is St Andrews University with a score of 98.3. | Getty / Canva
3. Cambridge
The third best university in the UK is Cambridge, which has maintained its high position in the Guardian University Guide for the past three years. An impressive 94.7% of students were satisfied with the teaching at the institution. | Getty / Canva
4. London School of Economics
London School of Economics is another institution which maintained its position, coming in fourth for a third year with a score of 93.8. | Adobe Stock