LSE tops UK University rankings as Oxford and Cambridge drop out of top three for first time
For the first time in the 32-year history of The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide, neither Oxford nor Cambridge has secured a spot among the top three universities in the United Kingdom, reports a Kazinform News Agency correspondent.
According to the 2026 edition of the guide, published ahead of its full release on September 21, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) retained first place for the second consecutive year. The University of St Andrews came second, while Durham University rose from fifth to third, earning the title of “University of the Year”.
Oxford and Cambridge shared fourth place – a historic shift for the two world-renowned institutions. Last year, Oxford ranked third and Cambridge fourth, while LSE first climbed from fourth to the top position.
Editor of the guide Helen Davies highlighted Durham’s rapid rise, attributing it to improved teaching quality and student experience. Davies also noted that universities across the UK continue to drive innovation and economic growth, launching new degree programs in areas such as robotics, electrical and electronic engineering, and artificial intelligence, and public policy.
The Good University Guide evaluates institutions based on factors such as teaching quality, student satisfaction, entry standards, research output, sustainability, and graduate prospects.
In the recently published Guardian University Guide 2026, Oxford was ranked first, and Cambridge third, while LSE received several distinctions, including University of the Year for Academic Performance and Russell Group University of the Year.
This year’s rankings come amid growing financial pressures on British higher education, with concerns over rising tuition fees and the possibility of a levy on international students. A recent Times Higher Education study revealed that nearly one in ten courses across UK universities were discontinued over the past year, with social sciences the most affected.
Earlier, it was reported that Kazakhstan’s Nazarbayev University (NU), Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Gumilyov Eurasian National University, and Satbayev University secured strong positions in nine out of the eleven subjects analyzed in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025.